Lessons nature teaches....

The rays of the setting sun painted this picture in the evening skyline behind some trees. And it will be back again after some rest to show us the way again. To me it symbolises the eternal cycle of rejuvination... the cycle of light and darkenss... the cycle of hope and despair.

Although the sunset leaves darkness in its wake, it is glorified by beautiful and breath-taking scenes of nature. Nature sometimes is at its best just before the sun sinks in the horizon and envelops the surrondings in darkness. Similarly, we experience some of the very beautiful moments of light in our lives just before moments of darkeness.

So there is a lot that we can learn from the natural phenomenon that surround us and mould it according to the frame of our mind.... and gain peace, solace, comfort.....

And after every night, the sun rises again.... day breaks fiiling our lives with new hope, a new beginning....... just like the rose bud reaching out towards the light and hoping to bloom and spread its beauty in the surroundings. Hope - the one thing that keeps us going and motivates us - always

Fun all the way

This is a glimpse of the festive spirit that prevails over urban India during Christmas time. The urban Indians celebrate all kinds of festivals - may it be a Hindu festival, a Muslim festival or a Sikh festival or a Christian festival. They celebrate it with the same amount of enthusiasm and fervor as they would celebrate their own festivals. It is an indication of the amount of fun that the urban Indians have a capacity for. Christmas followed by New Year is the last leg of the festivities that start from late September/ early October. It starts with the Navratri(Durga Puja for some Indians) followed by Laxmi Puja, Diwali (Kali / Laxmi Puja), Bhai Duj. There are a couple of national holidays also like Gandhi Jayanti and Children's Day too during this time of the year. Not to metion the fact that this happens to be the most auspicious period in the Hindu calender and is considered to be very good time of the year for marriages to take place.

Looks like the urban Indians have three months of festivities. All types of businesses do maximum amount of sales during this period of the year and they take advantage of the loose purse strings of the public by announcing attractive schemes. The weather also becomes very pleasant to match our mood.

Lots of color, light, fun and relaxation mark the last quarter of the year for us. The crowds just keep pouring in in places like these to have their piece of fun before the year rus out on them. The Christmas Tree symbolises their mood and the fact that we are a highly secular country. And also the fact that every reason is a good reason to have some fun.

Survival of the Fittest

These street vendors are a common sight in Connaught Place. They spread their wares on the pavement itself since they lack proper shops to display their wares. Coming from the lower strata of the society they make an attempt to earn a decent living by selling attractive pieces of things that can be used to decorate your home. As is typical of the people coming from that specific economic strata in India most of them are uneducated. They just know merely how to sign their names on documents. But at the height of business hours when foreigners flock the inner circle of CP they are at their persuasive best that too in a language that is alien to them...English. It is very educational to see them use the english language to persuade them to buy their wares with the minimum amount of haggling. They can teach the white collar salesperson a thing or two about how to make sales. Perseverance, persuasion, judgement, killer instinct, patience, knowing the market, adapting to market place, knowing their buyers (to the extent of adopting the language popular with Delhi-ites and foreigners.. english)... all qualities of a good salesman is displayed by them. What makes it standout is the fact that they are uneducated. They have made themselves literate in their own trade..... that is what I call 'The Survival of the Fittest'

Light and Color at Dilli Haat

Dilli Haat hosts fairs all the year round. These fairs have some theme or the other. Around festival season, the fairs are based on the festive theme. These fairs promote handicrafts, regional clothes, regional cuisine, et al. In the winters it hosts a flower show - a roit of colours and fragrance. There are regular live shows like street plays, traditional and folk dances and skits, photograph competition. In short, it is one of the most happening places. Colour, Sun, Tradition, Festivals mark this small but elegant space. One steps into a different world when they cross the gate and look for spending a few hours of fun and relaxation.