My phones got cool features!!!

I took this picture with  the built in camera in my phone and I just realised I could take pictures in different modes.I haven't really made any post processing of the photo here as I was pretty happy with original picture. Infact I liked it so much that I entered it to a Dramatic Black and White Photo Contest here :)

This is the first time I am entering a photo contest...!!!Wish me luck:)

<Update:  I didnt win :( but there's always a next time...so no complaints :) >

A bright night

Deep in the midst of trouble,Asha holds on to hope even if it's just a street lamp in disguise as Sun.

She saw shelter even underneath the barest of the trees

The strength is after all as useless as the bricks without mortar to hold them together.

Without hope even her friends seem giant,hostile and angry,

and the trees looked dark and dangerously looming.

The rustling of the leaves was just another whisper of the devil.

Every creek of the gate created paranoia

Every shadow associated evil.

But with hope things looked brighter and fresher.

She started to see color hidden in every nook and corner

Every discarded object seemed like new opportunities...

Any distance seemed attainable,any barrier was reduced to a speck of dust

She felt power growing into her and pushed herself to new heights.

Like a new born leaf she cleared her history and decided to start over with a new vigor

Note 1: Recently,It gets dark by the time I reach home .Hence I get to admire how the various colors seem to come alive when bathed with the strong golden colored street lights on my walk back home. This seemed to beckon to me everyday and finally I succumbed to its call and took a few snaps...I have not edited or used any effect on any of these photos.Enjoy:)

Note 2: Trivia~Asha means hope in Hindi

My Cousin got new baby twins:)

My cousin gave birth to these lovely little twins -a boy and a girl.We have nicknamed them Lil champ and cute princess without really the permission of the parents:)

A shot of the mother and kids together...

Grandmother is thoroughly in love with the kids...

Princess is smiling at some prank she seemed to have got away with while she was safely tucked away in her mother's womb...

I tried my shot at editing in last couple of posts and the look that I was going for has definitely been inspired by many artists here on the Internet and to name just one would certainly not be fair...Hope you guys like it...:)

Preparations- Ganesha Chaturthi(2010)

The preparations begin

The colours seem brighter

Designs are clearer

The lights are pulled out of the closet

Pendals and tents are pitched

People bring out their best jewellery

Idols are decorated 

Paintings are brought out

And we finally decorate the door to start the big day with a bang...

Note:

1. Ganesha Chaturthi is one of the important festival celebrated in my family and I really do enjoy watching the buzz and activity in my city during this festival.To know more about Ganesha Festival please click here

2. I made the Ganesha mirror painting and frame last year during one of the 2-3 week vacations I used to get during my college days...Boy!!!I really do miss long vacations:(

3.Did  some post editing for these pictures.

BREEZE FROM THE PAST CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4(1819 A.D-Elizabeth)


Though Elizabeth asked her parents, uncles, aunts and many people around the town she couldn’t find anyone who knew anything about any John or Sarah who suited the description. They seemed to have led a pretty normal life as she couldn’t even find any note of them in any of the books or newspapers. It seemed pretty odd, a girl materializing out of nowhere would cause some stir but she guessed John and his family must have ensured to keep it a secret. Finally after a week of fruitless searching she decided to leave the matter alone. But she continued wearing the locket and necklace.

Her life continued as usual for the next couple of month. The only news to stir the peace were the frequent reports of families being killed in their bed and being looted in a few neighbouring towns. As the crime rate was increasing the police and Sheriff were pretty busy trying to find the crooks and keep the town safe. Her sister and brother had gone back to their own houses and life was pretty quiet. She continued rummaging through the attic once in a while to find something interesting but other than some books she didn’t find anything of much interest.

But after a cold afternoon in November it all changed for better or worse she couldn’t decide. She was riding her favourite horse Thunder in the fields along the road when she saw a weary stranger who looked like he would pass out any minute. She quickly got down from the horse and asked if he would need any help. On closer inspection she realised that inspite of all the dirt and the messy hair the stranger looked very handsome. His angular face, strong broad shoulders and the slight stubble made him look very manly and attractive. She quickly dismissed those thoughts gave him the water from the holder in the saddle. He drank it noisily but still didn’t seem to have the energy to talk properly. He needed proper nourishment and rest and he needed them quick. She decided to take him home and immediately helped him onto her horse.

Once he was properly nourished he seemed much better. He seemed pretty kind and Elizabeth found herself admiring him more with each passing minute. She was pleased when her dad offered him a place to stay for the night in their house before he could continue with the journey. She spent some time showing him around the house and them he retired into a room for the night as he was tired. During the tour she learnt that he was a traveller, out to seek adventure, who got lost from his group a few days back. He seemed keen on carrying on with the journey as soon as he was well enough to do so. In the mean time he would work in the town in exchange for food and shelter. He had also run low on his travelling supplies which he had to replenish. She hoped she would get to know him well during his stay in the city.

That night she was suddenly woken by a loud bang. She immediately climbed out of the bed to see the lower part of her house in fire. When she turned around to run out her room she saw the stranger, Jonathan he had called himself, standing in the doorway with a lopsided grin. There was certainly something not right about it. Why was he in her room? Why was the house on fire? Where were her parents? She pushed those thoughts aside and said “We got to get out of the house quick. Let me get my parents and the servants. Come we have to hurry”. But he continued to block her exit and didn’t seem concerned at all. She looked up at him in confusion and that is when she saw the evil gleam in his eyes. She slowly backed towards her dresser so could get her hand on something to hit him with. “What have you done? Is this your doing? “. “You are a smart little girl aren’t you? It’s sad that you will have to die so soon just like the rest in this house.” he said advancing towards her. “How could you? We helped you. We took you in and ensured you were treated well and this is how you treat us? You creep” She cried though she knew it was pretty useless. But she just needed to keep him distracted from her deliberate movement towards the dresser. “You did help me kid. But, not to get well, you helped me loot you. I guess your parents didn’t warn you about nasty scheming strangers.” He still had that irritating smirk and something about his arrogant behaviour riled Elizabeth. With a war cry that would have woken the whole farm if it still had people in them, she hit the stranger with the thick comb that she finally had her hands on. But unfortunately he ducked and charged at her. She couldn’t get away from him fast enough and now he seemed really angry. He hoisted her up on his shoulders and started walking out of the house. She kept banging him and tried to get away from him, but he seemed to be made of stone. Once they reached downstairs she realised the extent of damage done to the house. He bellowed something and that’s when she realised he had some accomplices to help him out but she wasn’t surprised. Another person came out from the smoke with a bundle undoubtedly filled with all the important n worthy stuffs from her house. “Make it fast the fire is quickly rising...we can’t risk being caught in a burning house again...” he growled.”Aye boss...and I see you got a prized treat for us” the other guy replied eyeing Elizabeth the whole time. She felt shivers of disgust run up her spine. Involuntarily her hands went up to her neck and she rubbed it against the pendant and the next thing she knew she was in an empty room which seemed familiar but yet foreign.

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The romance of the cloud and sun...

The Ruler of the sky is reduced to a shy bride when he wakes up to find the clouds waiting for him.

But the world awaits his arrival,nestled in the blanket of dawn

Finally the clouds stop the teasing and make way for a new beginning:

Unaware of the brewing love story,life on planet Earth moves on like that of an innocent child in the presence of yearning parents.

But the clouds and sun continue to play hide and seek in the vast playground...

and when the sun gets angry and tired,the grand white mists form shapes to amuse and humor the piqued ruler.

Finally the day ends with an affectionate adieu...

Note:I have started to enjoy this kind of posts where I get to click snaps and make them weave a story of their own...let me know what you guys think:)

Vegetarianism...

Please click on the following links to watch the reality of how a few animals around the world are treated...The writhing animals in each of these videos are enough to prove that devils exist for real...

1.   http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=pig_india&Player=wm

2.   http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp

3.   http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=146748168691092&ref=mf

The irony of the situation is how people have pets at home and cuddle them and take care of them and yet manage to eat meat without a second thought...We have a choice of eating veg unlike the carnivorous animals...n we have brains to make informed decisions...Lets all vow to try and do the right thing starting today...