Author: RA

Himalayan wild cherry blossoms are blooming in the lower Himal these days. Locally the tree is called Padam or Padmakh. Its tiny petals fall like flurries taking their own sweet time to land and create a circular pink carpet on the sidewalk. In Uttarakhand and Himachal, a concoction made from its seeds is used in treating kidney stones and paste made from its bark is supposedly helpful in treatment of skin ailments. Mukteshwar, November 2022

Desperation sets in when you are just about a hundred and fifty miles from the beauties and still can’t wink at them. On a hazy warm morning at Mukteshwar (6,700ft) when mist was floating over Nanda Devi and its ridge connecting the two peaks, West and East, I surrendered to blind tricks with the camera, fooling with aperture and exposure. Of the ten-odd frames shot with a handheld zoom this is all I can share. Thermals and the particulate matter rising from the valley floor drift towards the mountains and meet the cool air midway creating a cloudy blanket. Kumaon Himal. 

There is good news coming from Bombay @ShashankArora #Tanaav #SonyLiv #November11

November brings warmth and joy. A book that we at Ishtihaar have designed was officially released by the former Lt. Governor of Delhi Shri Anil Baijal yesterday at the IIC. The Garden of Pride: Project Vasant Udyaan is an inspirational and interesting visual story of community leadership in restoring the neighbourhood ecosystem. The design project and the process delighted me more as it had at its heart the restoration and beautification of a 14th Century Tughlaq-era monument Bada Lau ka Gumbad and the rejuvenation of water bodies and expansive garden (Bagh-e-Bahaar) surrounding it in Vasant Vihar. An interesting and informative panel discussion followed the launch. Best wishes to Citizen Action for Water Sustainability