I came back this weekend, and as some of you have already noticed, I updated the header on the site with a few images from India.
I went through my pictures as I usually do after a long trip. I delete the pictures that are out of focus or the worst of a series. After sifting through some 800-odd photos, I sat back and waited. Was that it? A thousand flashbacks of memories in India poured through me that weren’t captured on film. There was no way to capture them. I actually wonder why I had tried. And yet I know that in time the pictures I took will reinforce most of the long-term memories rather than the flashes of specific passionate moments I am reliving now.
My mind is quite sad at the thought.
I know I will need to go back to India. Need and want to. The moment we arrived in Italy, with snow on the ground everywhere, S and I both looked at each other and said, “Let’s go back.” From (my) photographer’s point of view, I think I can only record and document what I see when I am able to distance myself emotionally enough from the situation to step back. And I was definitely involved emotionally and physically during the whole trip. The sights, the smells and the eyes of each individual that one might find “photo-worthy” captured me completely in their spell.
So much to absorb, so much to think about.
While I didn’t have a typical trip and we were spoiled by our friends and their relatives helping us in doing everything, I didn’t try to ignore the downsides of India. I haven’t taken a trip in quite some time that affected me as emotionally as this one. For every beautiful thing I saw, I saw several others that brought tears to my eyes.
So I’m depressed. But in a good way. In a life-changing way. I am consoling myself with several Bollywood movies and by sticking my nose every 5 minutes in a bag of spices I brought home on the plane.
And that’s good news for you. Because what do I do when I get depressed? I eat. And I cook! I’m going to intersperse the India posts with other non-India posts so I can savour it a little more. So let’s get started in 2008! Chalo!
Here are a few pictures from the first portion of our trip. We spent it with one of my best friends and her grandparents in a small village outside Navsari (pronounced: NOsahree) in southeast Gujarat (near Surat). I spent several days perfecting my Gujarati (Kemcho!) but could only use it on friends and family around us and not in the rest of India.
In five days, shuttling continously between several small villages, mid-sized towns and beaches and a city of several million, I never saw another non-Indian. Not a single one. It was quite a feeling.
Here a father and daughter took a break from crossing a bridge to look out on the river. I would love to know what she’s thinking.
A friend using the red public phone in India. I saw a few of these being carried on the backs of scooters, so apparently they’re mobile, too!
The sunset seen from one of our rickshaw rides. The lack of windows (or doors) makes you feel really in the middle of traffic and the crowd, which I loved. I of course liked them best for short rides since they can be quite bumpy and exposed to everything from smells to pollution!
The endless rows of sari shops in the Bombay Market in Surat, Gujarat. We made a short stop here for a few hours. It’s hard to see the selection from the outside, but once you’ve chosen a place, you take off your shoes, go inside to their showroom and sit to see numerous fabrics placed in front of you.
I actually loved the fact that cows were everywhere in India. This one continued walking through the market afterward. I loved how they were so unafraid of any cars or people coming towards them. We actually did see one dead on the side of the road but I’m surprised it wasn’t higher with how they drive (more about that later!)
Near to the village we were in, someone saw a Ganesha / Ganesh
in a tree. Many come to pray now there, and a temple was erected nearby. This is for you, Shelley!
This had to be one of my favorite subjects during the trip. This family was along side our car for several miles in Surat. It was late evening (and much darker than in the picture) so it was hard to get the correct exposure without using the flash, but at least the father was obliging in letting me photograph them and kept coming close to the car. You might not have noticed the wife at first glance – she’s staring intently at me and wasn’t as happy about being photographed.
Happy New Year, everyone!!
Wonderful pictures Sara!!!
And the first person I’ve noticed on the last wasn’t the little child, but the beautiful man driving the motorcycle!
;-)
Welcome home! I hope you’ll write more about your experiences and emotions before, during, and after your trip :)
great trip! Now go eat some mozzarella : )
Arre, you got it bad, girl! Maybe we should arrange a joint slideshow/movie night so we can bore all of our mutual friends at once. ; )
I’ll be in Mussoorie in May for Ross’ graduation if you want to tag along…
Wow. Your photos are just gorgeous.
I didn’t notice the wife at first. She is not happy with you my friend. :)
Someone said you either hate India or you love it. There is no in between. Did you feel that way? It would be amazing to go there although I have a feeling it’s a pretty intense experience.
Looking for war to hear more.
welcome home! i know how you feel about being sad. we took a trip to China, and while my camera snapped happily at the touristy stuff, i just couldn’t bring the camera to my face to document the poverty and desperation of the poor.
big hug…
xo, jd
that last photo is amazing!!!
Beautiful photos, as always. The last one is spectacular. Benvenuta a casa!
I am fascinated with India and look forward to hearing about whatever you’ll be cooking! Gorgeous photos-thanks.
@Sara – Yes! :)
@David – I had pasta on my first day back…but I am still craving spices!
@Deirdre – Don’t tempt me – I’ll stick myself in your carry-on!
@Christina – I definitely loved it but I can see why some people might not like it – there is a lot of chaos and confusion, pollution (in some areas) and people looking to make a buck, and there aren’t Tuscan hills on every corner, but I think there are a lot of great things about it, too.
@steamy – China is next on my list – I’m sure I would have a similar experience to yours!
Welcome back to Italy. I’ll be there with you soon enough, the 16th. Let’s do some spicy cooking!!!
Hugs!
Let’s go back in 5 years! Start saving now. Can’t wait to see the rest of your pics. Eff. Now I’m depressed.
Ohh boy!! now you’ve made me nostalgic!!:( that was a great writeup, but I’m even more happy to see that you enjoyed the things about India that people look upon as disgusting at times, like the cows, the rickshaws, traffic and poverty…
great to know you had a good time! nad I’m a gujju too, so “kemcho” works for me:D
btw, I’m hosting a Game Night Party event on my blog and would love to have your entry:)
Sara, I’m so glad that India made an overwhelmingly good impression on you. I hope you’ll write a little more about it, and share a few more photos, on your blog. Of the photos you’ve posted so far, I like the shots from the rickshaw best. I agree with Sara-Piperita (above): the man in the last shot is indeed handsome. I can’t make out his wife’s face, alas (so your description of her displeasure will have to do). –I’m not happy to have noticed the plastic soda bottles in the telephone photo–I don’t remember seeing any when I was in India last (in 2002). It really is distressing that plastic has become so prevalent in India, because there isn’t yet an established trash disposal system for it. When I first went (as an adult) to India (in 1999), the chai-wallahs were still selling chai in unglazed ceramic cups, which would quickly “biodegrade” upon being dashed to the ground; in 2002, those charming little cups had already been replaced by plastic ones which were littering the streets. Sigh…
hey sara …these pictures are lovely. Attending a Indian wedding , is a wonderful experience. I’m sure u must’ve had a gr8 time. Navsari is a fairly small town , but yet some of the most amazing vegetables come from there. Maybe next time u should come down to Bombay as well.
Wish you a wonderful new year.
@Neha – what about 2?? I got invited (above) to a graduation in May…I could probably swing that! :)
@Mansi – kemcho! I’ll check out your event.
@Lilian – It would have been great if I had gone several years ago – I’d love to see how the boom has affected the landscape of the country.
@Kate – I did make it to Bombay! I just took most of my pictures in Gujarat when we were in small places. Stay tuned :D
Great! I got back from a trip in Feb… I remember seeing turbaned, sunglass-wearing scooter riders with their wives sitting, salwaar kameezes flowing behind…
and the Pav Bhaji. Oh yess…
What beautiful pictures. India is certainly a photograph-able place. But pictures certainly do not capture the sights, the smells, the sounds, nor the temperature! I also love the one with the man on the bike.
nice presentation of the city…basically i m from surat..
It shows u had grate trip..keep it up…
Good luck
Hi,
Just to say I enjoyed your Indian photos’ especially the cow at the market.
Vijay
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