Moods of a Muse !

A vulnerable Indira, a Rekha who shed her mystique.. India's ace photographers talk of rare moments when their muses shed their inhibitions before the camera.

The gentleman poses! 

PhotographerI Gautam Rajadhyaksha 

I chose two suits, a shirt and a matching tie for him. At sharp 9.30 am, JRD Tata made his appearance for the photoshoot at his residence. There were several visitors and friends and he talked cheerfully. Skiing in Switzerland and French wine fascinated him. I brushed up my knowledge on these subjects and had a great conversation with him. We got talking and I got the most natural pictures.

Indira loved the Himalayas 

Photographer  Raghu Rai 

Once I made late prime minister Indira Gandhi walk along the Himalayas. She was particular about her posture when being photographed. She would watch like a hawk. Another time, I saw her in a rather tired state. One day, I went to her place, and when I reached the corridor, I saw her standing, holding the top of a door for support. She looked exhausted. I removed my camera but at that very moment, she turned. She didn’t allow me to shoot.

The PM climbed the tree..

Photographer  S Paul 

The editor of a women’s French magazine wanted some unusual pictures of Indira Gandhi, who was about to visit France. Indira called me at her residence and asked, ‘Tell me, what do you want me to do?’ And I asked her to sit on a tree that was in the courtyard, along with her grand-children. She was amused, smiled and climbed the tree which was about four feet high. Rahul and Priyanka followed their grandmother. That became a rare picture.

Pushed over the edge 

Photographer  Dabboo Ratnani 

I decided to create a 'walking off the rooftop effect’ with Abhishek Bachchan. I made him jump seven feet, from the water tank on his terrace to the ground below. I had to capture the moment his feet left the tank. Abhishek kept joking that I had decided to push him over the edge of his own building in 40 degree temperature!

Photographer  Avinash Pasricha 

 
As photo editor of the Span magazine, I was covering the 1962 visit of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Those days, there were not too many news photographers nor was there any security problem. Once, Pandit Nehru was escorting Jackie up the steps in Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Ashoka Hall. Just as they reached the entrance, I asked them to stop and got a perfect shot.

And, they turned around...

Photographer  Jayesh Sheth

‘I am not Rekha’

I went to the location and Rekha followed in a simple cotton salwar-kurta. I started shooting. Some people asked for an autograph. ‘But I am not Rekha,’ she said. 

 Akshay Kumar tied a string of 10 crabs in his ponytail. ‘You will get just a second to shoot before the crabs start biting me,’ he said.

Kitten interrupted!

PhotographerI Avinash Pasricha

I was shooting a brochure for Pandit Ravi Shankar on his 75th birthday around his house in Lodi Estate. His wife, Sukanya and daughter Anushka had recently joined him from England. There was a kitten running around the house and it suddenly jumped on the dining table. I got a beautiful shot of Ravi Shankar and Sukanya together, playing with the kitten, like little children. 

Source : Times Life.

Namaste London !

I think I have a strange 'connection' with London ...or why is it that I keep missing my flight 'connections' whenever I land in this city.
Ofcourse, I have my London Dreams ...I always wanted to visit this beautiful city right next to the list with New York ...and I used this city so many times in my various stories and subplots ....not to mention the eternal love story I wrote 'Long Lost Love' in my college days.

But to arrive and depart from Heathrow Airport is a different ballgame altogether.

Circa 2007 , In my last trip from US , I was rerouted to Heathrow from Chicago and was made to spend 7 hours at the Airport before I could catch my next flight back to Delhi. My initial horror turned into a 'responsibility matrix' wherien I had to take care of another passenger (a typical middle aged Indian women :) to make her reach our common destination (saddi Dilli).


Siiting at Heathrow, I wanted to break the panes and just fly out...over to the Big Ben and the Thames ....but.



Circa 2009, on my way to US...I missed my connection at Heathrow and was again rerouted to Chicago and along came Polly...oops Dolly...or whatever her name was...Mrs. Chadda who didnt know English (or Hindi) but was heading to LA with a valid passport :)
SO history repeated and so did the matrix !

But THATS THAT....why in the world ...I had to again miss the flight on my way back to India....
I was there 20 minutes before the scheduled departure....wow!

"Sorry, Its too late !"
Hmm.....so these British Airways can do away with anything , I thought..." so what is the next available flight?"

"Its after 9 hours, sir"

OKAY......time to say 'Namaste"

A room in Hotel Renaissance, a Lunch coupon and a bus to and from Hotel to Heathrow....all set.

"What is the nearest place which we can cover within the short time frame "(cutting out the transportation, checking in and out and returning back)

"Well, you can go to Southall"

Oh yes...the name rang a bell.....right since childhood, Southall meant 'Punjab-in-England' (pronounce : ing LAND )

Here are a few moments from that visit

' Smelling the chill in the Air '

'Waiting for Bus No. 105 to Southall'



'on the way '





"Welcome Ji"










Well, no surprises ..here's what London's official website has to say about it :
"Sometimes known as Little India, Southall is a lively and diverse community in the London Borough of Ealing, West London.There are strong Indian and Pakistani roots here mixed with communities from all over the world.You'll find women in colourful saris, pavement food stalls selling samosas and Indian sweets, and bright fabrics hanging in shop fronts.Add to this the bhangra music in the air, and the hustle and bustle of a vibrant local economy, all of which makes a visit to Southall unforgettable."


Absolutely True. But the real surprise was this :

Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara

Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, on Havelock Road, Southall is the largest Sikh Temple outside India and welcomes visitors.

It's a stunning building finished in marble and granite with a gilded dome and stained glass windows. Well worth a visit.

With just an hour left to return, I wanted to see some of the English Architecture and buildings...and did see some of them

More pictures on facebook : http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=124876&id=543399479&l=2e8210c115


Hmmm.....so that was my tryst with London...ofcourse, I would like to come again (not in this manner, though ) and see what I have been missing all this while.
I am hoping my destiny would bring me here sometime and make me live my 'London Dreams'.

So I finally caught my last flight back home and that part of the journey was as exciting and memorable as I met somebody almost after 12 years and some 33,000 feet above in the air !!

Well, that would be coming later....till then....'Namaste London'

Wuthering Heights!

" Roobaroo.........roshni se "

Sound of the Sky

I was about to take a nap in the evening, and as I looked outside the window, I could not resist from capturing the sky in all its glory. Here are few of those moments :

1) Shadows and Rays

2) Flying High...and Away.


3) Music in the Air

4) A different life.

5) Music from heaven

And I just love this music....the sound is invigorating . The last click is my favorite