Snippets of our lives

Sail through...

2009-10-19T07:51:00.002+05:30

Sail through... Visiting my friend, who lives in Hertfordshire was always a joyous moment. First, he lived away from the main city- that gave me an opportunity to see the country side and he lived in a big apartment- that accommodated all our friends..so, basically, it was party time. On our evening walks to the nearby playground, we saw a group of people training for a sailing event...I knew they would sail through.

~VJ~

The Act

2009-10-03T09:53:00.002+05:30

The Act Strolling with my fellow classmates, we were intrigued by the crowed gathered at the corner of the street at St. Germain, Paris only to learn that a young lad was displaying this balancing act using a glass sphere. The show lasted for 15mins but the memory , I think, is going to last for ever.

~VJ~

Home is where the heart is

2009-09-13T17:41:00.006+05:30

Shillu :: Mysore Palace - once the official residence of the former royal family of Mysore, this palace is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in Mysore. It took over 2 decades to complete the construction of this beautiful palace. You can read more details here.

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VJ :: Curtains & Bells : Sitting on the sofa at my friends place, I noticed these bells hanging into a string along with the vibrant red & yellow curtains. Occasionally, a breeze tinkles them to check their presence and hence they contribute to the conversation.

Angels & Demons

2009-09-09T06:58:00.004+05:30

Shillu :: The picture you see here is a statue of demon - Mahishasura which is located on Chamundi Hills located in India, close to the palace city of Mysore. Legend has it that that the demon Mahishasura, the king of the area that is currently Mysore, was killed by the Goddess Chamundeswari after a fierce battle. The hills hence got their name and a temple of the goddess was built on the top. The goddess is also known as MahishasuraMardini meaning She who slew Mahishasura (Source:Wiki)

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VJ :: Attending to the numerous requests by the mankind, running around the world in a jiffy, can make anyone tired. Seems like these angels are just taking a power nap so that they can be up and about in no time again...can we have some silence...please ?

Ganesha at home

2009-09-06T09:37:00.005+05:30

Shillu :: Ganesha in an urn in my house. I like the reflections of the plants from the balcony in the water.

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VJ ::

vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha

nirvighnam kurumeideva sarva karyeshu sarvada
Meaning: Lord with the twisted trunk, with the brilliant radiance of a billion suns, always remove the obstacles when I am on any challenging task.

Inspiration for home decorations

2009-09-01T08:09:00.001+05:30

Shillu :: Water lily outside my favourite boutique in Bangalore. I love the color of this one. This was growing in a nice huge urn, that's when it struck me - I don't need a huge pond for water lilies. I will have a water lily urn on my terrace once our new house is ready.

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VJ :: Last week, I visited my friends place. It is one of those houses that has a sense of warmth, which is defined by colors. From Lamps to lamination's, pottery to paintings, from candles to curtains, furniture to flowers and last but not the least, the way the things were displayed to the decor,every element has a story to tell.The best of all if yet to come, it was even more impressive to learn that some of these things were customized and home-made. Someone correctly said, 'Home is where the heart is'? Do you agree.

Pick your favourite beverage

2009-08-29T09:19:00.008+05:30

VJ :: Wine-Wall : This was just a section at the London Food Festival Fair last year. It appealed to me because I had not seen anything like this before and the way the bottles were displayed, created a sense of beauty..as they say...beauty lies in the eyes of the be-holder.
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Shillu :: My favourite mocktail on the lines of the cocktail - Mojito. This is a part of one of my best friends birthday celebrations.

Looking thru the glass

2009-08-27T07:39:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: On our way driving to Mysore, I suddenly noticed this beautiful Chinese charm hanging in my colleagues car. I was fascinated by the intricate details on charm. The patterns you see in the center are the details on brass, surrounded by woven red strings.

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VJ :: Humming Bird. Somewhere in North Carolina, on the way to Grandfather Mountain, my cousins and I stopped for a quick snack. The restaurant had a choice of seating inside & on the terrace. We chose to sit on the terrace to be a step closer to nature and enjoy the misty weather outside. What we spotted were a series of these nectar cans ( dunno if they are called that way) specifically for the humming birds.

Colors of nature

2009-08-25T07:10:00.004+05:30

VJ :: Red Currants. Amongst the many things to do on my tick list while I was in London, Fruit Picking featured as the 'Top 10 Things to Do'. Last summer, my friends and I took a train to this garden in Kent to complete the wish list. We picked everything from fruits to vegetables and red currants were just one of them.

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Shillu :: One early morning we were at Lalbagh on the way to Mysore. A lady selling these flowers in a basket caught my eye. For those of you who are not from India & if this is not a common sight, what you see here is different variety of flowers woven into a garland.

Engrossed

2009-08-07T06:40:00.004+05:30

Shillu :: This lady caught my eye selling these coconut & fruit baskets outside a temple in Mysore. The Saree she is wearing is as colorful & bright as the baskets she is selling!

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VJ:: Engrossed in deep thoughts - Walking in the streets of Shravanabelagola, I noticed this granny..(paati), sitting on a bench outside the house, engrossed in deep thoughts..You want to know what she was pondering about?....may be the current situation of the global markets..just kidding..she was posing for me.

CLICK July - Bi-colour

2009-07-30T19:27:00.008+05:30

This months theme for our favourite event 'Click' is Bi-colour. This event is hosted by Jai & Bee of Jugalbandi

Here is our entry - Cheese & Crackers

Time for a break

2009-07-30T11:45:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: This little angel flew in to relax under the shade of the money plant leaves and was checking out the cute couple driving by.

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VJ :: Resting on a sunny afternoon
Location: Shravanabelagola
Time : 1445Hrs IST
In Hassan District of Karnataka, right opposite the Chandragiri Hill, is where this hand carved Ganesha was found taking a nap on a sunny afternoon, amidst the other idols. Also notice that he has lost a lot of weight, could it be due to the summer heat in India?

Happy times

2009-07-28T12:38:00.001+05:30

Shillu :: Its Aabharan's 1st anniversary! Its my first blog & I am happy celebrating.

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VJ :: The Trio- Jagannath- Subhadra & Balabhadra I was brought up in Orissa and I consider it lucky because I learnt a lot..the language, the culture, the traditions and more so the Gods that people worship. This Trio of Jagannath (Lord Krishna), Shubhadra (His Sister) and Balabhadra (Balrama) are worshiped without fail. Every year, truck loads of people reach Puri in the month of June to pull the chariot... a procession, which is an activity described as God's way of socializing with his creation.

Vibrant colors

2009-07-26T11:21:00.004+05:30

VJ :: One of our friends gifted us these Feng-Shui candles that have a nice aroma.

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Shillu :: The request on this garbage bin caught my attention. ...Make my day....mmm... :)

Walking

2009-07-23T07:08:00.005+05:30

VJ ::

Walking on the Pier,
Location: Isle of White.
As soon as you get off the ship from Portsmouth, you walk this pier to reach the mainland- Isle of White. the pier is wide enough to accommodate vehicles, pedestrians and a train line. Walk it to enjoy it...
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Shillu :: Juti's - Leather crafted foot wear for sale at a crafts fair in Bangalore. Though all of them look alike, you need to pay attention to the details to choose which one you like the most. I love all of them!

Statues

2009-07-16T07:40:00.001+05:30

VJ :: Statue of Gomatheswara - When you climb 650 steps, you are on the top of the Chandragiri Hill, where the statue of Gomatheswara is located. I was told that this statue was carved out of a single monolith. However, what appealed to me was this a statue made of bronze that was placed at the foot of the giant statue. Notice the bronze bell placed next to it..have we all seen it somewhere and does it ring a bell ?

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Shillu :: One more picture from the temple series. Unfortunately the head of this statue is missing - I am sure there is a story behind this...An invasion, a battle maybe?..

Bells

2009-07-14T07:07:00.006+05:30

VJ :: Have you heard the legendary Dr. Chitti Babu's composition called- Temple Bells..when I took this picture, those were my first thoughts..I have seen in many temples in South India lately where it is forbidden to ring a bell.

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Shillu :: Handmade copper bells in various sizes & forms for decorative purposes for sale.

Views from our visits'

2009-07-05T10:53:00.005+05:30

VJ :: Walking up the stairs

Location: Portsmouth, UK.

When you visit Portsmouth, you cannot miss this new iconic building..the Spinnaker Tower..and if you decide to walk up the tower..this is the pattern you will see... hypnotizing isn't it?

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Shillu :: A painted wooden mask on the wall of a service apartment we stayed in recently when we visited Chennai.

CLICK June 2009 - Stacks

2009-06-30T19:53:00.005+05:30

~Veggie cheese burger~

Here is our entry for this month's CLICK hosted by Jai & Bee of Jugalbandi.

This months theme:
STACK: an orderly pile or heap, especially of things arranged in layers.

These guys always come up with the most creative themes & you should check out all the drool-worthy entries.

~Shillu~

Different people, different thoughts

2009-06-29T20:08:00.000+05:30

VJ :: A random picture taken at Southend-on-Sea. look at the picture as 'Different people- different views' or 'Different people- different thoughts'....

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Shillu :: People waiting at a railway station to reach their destination.

Fruits and flowers

2009-06-27T19:22:00.007+05:30

VJ :: Taken at the London Food Festival, At this counter fruits were carved in various shapes and were displayed beautifully.

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Shillu :: Yeah I know, we are huge foodies and we often post about food. What you see here is Cauliflower & peas curry flavoured with a hint of ginger & garnished with coriander leaves.

Indian dance balet - 5

2009-06-25T09:52:00.001+05:30

A post war scene, by the way of capturing emotions, King Ashoka is made to realize that true happiness lies within the four walls not in conquering places and blood shed.

Indian dance ballet - 4

2009-06-24T09:26:00.010+05:30

We are back after a long break. We have been extremely busy with too many events - both happy & sad. And we are back for good.

This picture highlights the performance of the dancers in the King's (Ashoka's) Court.

Enjoy more pics from the Indian dance ballet series.

Wedding celebrations

2009-05-10T13:06:00.003+05:30

VJ & Sravani, As you begin a new life together...May you have a warm and love-filled wedded life ahead. Here's wishing you the best of your future together!

Now about the picture you see here is clicked by VJ at his Sis-in-law's wedding. One of the South Indian wedding highlights is this ritual, where the Bridegroom inserts the 'toe-ring' onto the Bride's second toe finger.

~Shillu~

Fruit vendor

2009-05-08T21:10:00.005+05:30

Spotted this vendor in T-nagar, Chennai. What attracted me is the interesting display. What you see here on sale is cucumbers, Raw mangoes, Pineapples, water melons.

~Shillu~

Indian Dance Ballet - 3

2009-05-01T22:24:00.005+05:30

Suryanamaskaram - is the first prayer in the day to worship the rise of Sun. Today, it is a part of our daily exercise in yoga.

Sashanka Chakram Sakeerata Kundalam Sapeeta Vastram Sarasee Ruhekshanam- Sahara Vakshasthala Kausthabham Namami Vishnum Sirasa Chaturbhujam-- the prayer

~VJ~

Indian Dance ballet-2

2009-04-30T21:19:00.002+05:30

Shilpachaturyam :: This posture depicts the innate talent of the Shilpi (sculpture artist) during 304 BC. By way of the dance, the dance artist's portray carving and setting up the sculpture, which in this case is an entrance, also known as Dwaram. ~VJ~

Traditional Indian dance ballet-1

2009-04-29T21:34:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: Brace yourself to watch some breathtaking pictures the next couple of days from VJ. When I looked at this collection I decided that these are too precious to be coupled with any of my pics. So I will only post VJ's pics for the next couple of days.

Panchamrutam - My fiancee and I went to watch a Bharatnatyam Dance Ballet called 'Ashoka'- meaning 'end of sorrow' and based on the life of King Ashoka. Various dancers young and old, held the audience captive with their enthralling expressions, gracious moves, apt mudras and above all, an outstanding performance..three cheers to the team 'Mangeeram' who presented this fusion dance ballet at Shilpa Kala Vedika on the occasion of Sree Rama Navami... VJ

Unity in diversity

2009-04-28T21:47:00.007+05:30

VJ :: I woke up early on of the Saturday morning and started wandering with my camera and spotted this old mosque, which was probably 300 years old, if not more. What next, captured it and here you go...the rising sun coupled with a faint light played the perfect backdrop for this image.

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Shillu :: A busy Indian railway platform . This picture was taken in Hyderabad when I went home to meet my parents. You can see how this railway station looks from outside here. You get to see/meet so many diverse people from different classes on any train journey which is an experience in itself.

Melting moments

2009-04-25T21:12:00.008+05:30

VJ ::

location: Fusion 9

Date: 4th April 2009

Occasion- My friend's daughter's first birthday

Loved this picture because previously one of my friend's had taken a similar picture and I was wondering how he could get such a picture, now when I captured a similar image, I know for sure how he did it. Believe me, its as simple as saying- 'Light off- Camera- Focus'...
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Shillu :: For those of you who have been checking our blog and encouraging us - Thank you for your patience in putting up with us. We promise to be regular from June onwards. Life has been hectic working across time zones. Here is a beautiful wall clocks display at work.

Beat the heat

2009-04-16T20:53:00.003+05:30

Shillu :: Vj has been busy relocating & preparing for his wedding. Hence we have not been good at updating the blog. I have decided to go ahead and post "solo" till VJ is back in the groove.

What you see in this picture is tender coconut. Best refreshing drink on a hot summer day. Vendors pile these up by the road for sale. You can choose which coconut you want & also mention your preference - Coconuts with more water or ones with water & tender flesh. I prefer the first choice, what about you? You can read more about them here.

Architecture from different parts of the globe

2009-04-10T20:38:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: This is the picture of Kachiguda railway station in Hyderabad taken early in the morning. I love the way the morning sun rays are trying to peep out in the background.

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VJ :: Millennium dome- A memorable landmark that was visible from my office on 8 Canada Square. This signature space plays the host to some the most prestigious concerts and exotic restaurants. All in all, I would say that it my must see place in London...

Art work

2009-04-09T20:16:00.008+05:30

Shillu :: What you see here are the tools of Bidri artist who is half way thru creating a beautiful handicraft. Birdi ware originates from Bidar in Karnataka state (India). The metal used is a blackened alloy of zinc and copper inlaid with thin sheets of pure silver. You can read more about this unique art here.

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VJ :: Look at this picture. Walking into this palatial building called the 'Chatsworth' castle, I was pleasantly amazed with this image on the wall. Now, look at this picture one more time, you think it is real or a painting? I would not put my money on someone who would call it real?

Interesting people

2009-04-07T21:32:00.001+05:30

VJ :: When I was taking pictures for the London Bicycle event, I came across a couple who, very enthusiastically opted to be photographed. They loved the way I asked them to pose and instantly attained a celebrity status with the flash..flash..flash....have you ever felt that way ?

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Shillu :: Artist at work, hand carving a wooden elephant to be sold at a handicrafts fair.

Plate-full

2009-04-06T15:00:00.001+05:30

Shillu :: Thai green fish curry with steamed rice, Bharan's favourite lunch, He can eat this everyday without getting bored!

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VJ :: Plates- What a way to preserve the history? These are the plates from the Victorian era stuck onto the wall and are on display...

Peaceful sights

2009-03-25T21:48:00.001+05:30

VJ :: Swans- I captured these swans one clear afternoon at a local amusement park near Hertfordshire. The place, water and the swans...'Serene' is all I can say.
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Shillu :: Buddha Mural on the wall of a Chinese restaurant. Great food & relaxing ambience, what else can one ask for.

Drinks, Desserts anyone

2009-03-24T21:38:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: Door of a coffee shop. "Sweet nothings" was their theme around Valentines day.

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VJ :: Culture Biere- A restaurant in Paris that serves deserts with Beer in them..its unique selling proposition.You are looking at Vanilla, Banana and Mango crush with Beer and Crushed ice, try it to approve it!

Caught on camera

2009-03-23T21:21:00.005+05:30

VJ :: Bird's Eye View- I mean literally..you can view the bird's eye...just kidding!!! Just see how this seagull is posing for this picture and shaking a leg at the same time.

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Shillu :: Roasted peanut vendor on commercial street - a busy shopping area in Bangalore. This guy makes a cone with a used news paper piece to hold peanuts to deliver to his customers. Good fun specially when its raining.

Drive across the city

2009-03-22T21:56:00.000+05:30

VJ :: This is 'Chatsworth' castle. You get here after a very scenic drive through the valleys of the Lake District.Once you get here, it feels like being a part of a Bollywood film shot in Europe.
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Shillu :: Advertisement billboards at a busy cross road in Bangalore. Familiar sight across any city/town in India. Some of these ads are customised to suit the audience in that state, language spoken & culture of that state.

Personality behind the blog

2009-03-17T07:38:00.000+05:30

While I was browsing through this blog found an interesting link which will analyse the personality behind the blog. isn't that fun?

Here is our analysis:

The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities. The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.

Hot snack for a rainy day

2009-03-16T07:22:00.003+05:30

In the process of making punugulu with Fermented dosa batter, chopped onions, raw coconut pieces, coriander, green chillies and seasoning in a special pan.

Ready to give you & your family company on a rainy day - Hot & tasty punugulu with coconut chutney. Enjoy! :: Shillu

Favourite tidbits

2009-03-12T07:36:00.002+05:30

Shillu :: Raffaello - According to me these are the best dessert/white chocolates in the world! One Raffaello on a bad day changes my mood completely & I am a happy person! No - They did not pay me to say this. I wish they start selling these in India though.Poor VR has to ensure I have a constant supply forever. Thank you :D:

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VJ :: Olives : My favourites among tidbits..This was the dinner that my friend and I had to enjoy the last few days in London..you can see sun-dried tomatoes in the background. They too are my favourite..next time you come across these items, think of me.

Tea - anyone?

2009-03-11T07:38:00.006+05:30

Shillu :: Chinese Jasmine tea served at a restaurant throughout the meal. Love the flavour.

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VJ :: Earl Grey: Making my way through some 1500 people, travelling across two continents, I landed in Mumbai after an eight and half hour flight from London and eventually into Hyderabad only few hours later. I was greeted by my father and friends..and yeaaaaaaaaahhiieeeeeeeeeee..I am in Hyderabad..the place that I now call home. In the days to come, I will capture some pictures from India and keep the flow going. Now, coming to the point, remembering my days from London, I had my first cup of Tea- Organic Earl Grey- Aromatic...ummmm...

Vibrant?

2009-03-10T08:37:00.008+05:30

Shillu :: Feels great to pamper yourself once in a while. Haircut with a couple of friends, a little shopping & a beautiful lunch. What better way to spend a sunday?

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London at a Stretch- Making my way through the umpteen number of people enjoying the sunshine, I was looking onto the bridge that ran parallel to the suspension bridge when I captured this. This is London for you. Its got a little bit of everything- from Double Decker Buses to Ships, from high rise modern marvels to iconic hertiage properties, there is something for everyone.

Hustle Bustle

2009-03-09T05:52:00.005+05:30

VJ :: Standing on the suspension bridge by the London Eye, I was looking at the hustle and bustle below. It was a nice and sunny Sunday afternoon and Londoners were making the most of the sunshine by spending time at the cafes.

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Shillu :: Busiest shopping street in Bangalore - Commercial street. The by lanes of this area are forever packed with shoppers looking for bargains irrespective of the day/time. I love shopping here for the variety of stuff & I love bargaining for a price I think the stuff is worth!

Innocent & amused

2009-03-04T07:42:00.007+05:30

VJ :: Making the most of the weather one afternoon were these artists by the London Eye, who entertained and enthralled the pedestrians with their little tricks. Look at how the kids in this picture are enjoying what a very recognizable look alike is trying to show them.

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Shillu :: In the apartment where we stay, every evening all the kids go downstairs to the play area to play with their friends under the supervision of their parents. These cute kids caught my attention as they were holding hands and running around the buildings. I asked them if I could take their picture and the cutie to the left was very enthusiastic & was smiling/posing while the other two kids were shy.

Sights in "Red"

2009-03-03T08:44:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: Decorated car on an Indian street. This is a pretty common sight here. Vehicles are decorated for special occasions like weddings, festivals etc.,. In this particular case looks like this car is decorated to carry the bride & groom post the wedding.

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VJ :: London telephone booth- must have seen it in a movies and now I present this piece of infrastructure that stands at the end of any street and connects people, who are miles apart.

Street-side shopping

2009-03-02T12:05:00.001+05:30

Shillu :: Colorful bouquets of flowers for sale on the pavement of a very busy road in Bangalore.

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VJ :: Balloons- All of us must have played with these one time or the other. Looking at the multi-coloured, multi-shaped balloons there was an instant urge to choose what I want to buy. Moments later, when I came back to my senses, I smiled & walked away.

A bright & sunny day

2009-03-01T15:33:00.002+05:30

Shillu :: Spring is early this year. No complaints though!

What you see in this picture is a street close to my residence. I took this picture from inside the car, hence its not as clear as it should be.
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VJ :: Woods...these blocks looked very well organized and orderly. On a bright morning they looked even better with the colour contrast against the green grass and the muddy lane. What do you say?

Thank God its Friday

2009-02-28T12:38:00.007+05:30

Shillu :: Meet Mangal - He serves drinks at a fun place. We were a hungry/starved ;-) bunch of 12 on a Friday evening & he ensured that we were all taken care of. He is really witty & strikes up a conversation with anyone. What caught my attention is his hat & the colorful buttons on his coat & the attitude with which Mangal carries himself. It took me sometime to convince him for this picture.

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VJ :: One of my friends was buying a customized gourmet alcoholic beverage from one of the local stores and this is what caught my attention. The bottles come in varying sizes and proportions and the way they were displayed made all the difference. Even better, you also get to choose and taste the beverage that you want to buy..all in all a mind blowing experience.

Lights n Worms

2009-02-26T19:26:00.001+05:30

VJ :: At a small roadside Italian restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon, I spotted this unique looking light. What can I say, I thought, it perfectly complements the one uploaded by Shillu in the recent past.

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Shillu :: What you see here is one step in the process of Sericulture (Silk farming). The white oval objects you see here are silk worm cocoons. The cocoon is made of a thread of raw silk from 300 to 900 meters (1,000 to 3,000 feet) long. The fibers are very fine and lustrous, about 10 micrometers (1/2,500th of an inch) in diameter. About 2,000 to 3,000 cocoons are required to make a pound of silk. Based on 1 kilometer (about 1,100 yards) per cocoon, ten unraveled cocoons could theoretically extend vertically to the height of Mount Everest!! (Source: Wiki)

Splash of colors

2009-02-25T07:30:00.000+05:30

VJ :: The words inscribed on this door caught my attention. I stood there for a moment and later on concluded that each and every one of us either relate to or live by more than one of these words. Talk of window of vocabulary.

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Shillu :: Colorful bangles (sort of Hand bracelets) that most Indians use to decorate their hands. Mostly these are matched with the color of the outfit one is wearing. This picture was taken at a bangle stall in one of the handicraft exhibitions I visited last weekend. Most of these bangles you see are made of Lacquer and adorned with beads, glitter & mirrors.

Congratulations

2009-02-23T19:41:00.005+05:30

Its been a great week! First- VJ got promoted. Then,

A R Rahman wins the Oscar for his music in Slumdog Millionaire*.

!!Congratulations VJ & A R Rahman!!

*I am a die-hard fan of Rahman & I like the music of SM. However, I think he has composed much better music than SM- read as Roja, Donga Donga(Thiruda, thiruda in Tamil), Vande mataram etc., I am not complaining, at the end none of those movies would have earned him this honour as they would only qualify in the foreign film category. I am so happy that he won such a well deserved award!!

JAI HO!!

Pic too gloomy? here you go - a Bright one!

2009-02-18T09:06:00.004+05:30

VJ :: Making our way out of London was nearly impossible. This was the time when everything around us was freezing and my friends and I, were in a car enjoying good music and company.
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Shillu :: Couple of things about me - I am learning 2 things : Cooking & photography, not good with either yet. I will get there soon, so requesting you to bear with my experiments till then. Here is a picture of peas & peanut rice I made with brown rice as a snack one evening. This is tempered with onions, mustard seeds, cumin & garnished with coriander.

Illumination

2009-02-17T19:23:00.000+05:30

VJ :: I am sure you are aware that after 18 long years, London was buried under a thick blanket of snow. some of the next images are from that day when London was painted in the shades of black and white.

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Shillu :: Cup & saucer shaped light holders in a food court close to work. Nice concept - apt for the place. Click on the picture for a closer look.

Powerhouse of politics

2009-02-16T07:27:00.008+05:30

VJ :: House of Parliament- Shillu has been bringing pictures that displayed Indian architecture, so I thought I should also present a section of the Houses of Parliament- an example of English Architecture.

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Shillu :: Karnataka Vidhana Soudha - is located in the state capital of Bangalore. This building houses the state legislative assembly of Karnataka. The style of construction incorporates Indo-saracenic, Rajasthani Jharokha and Dravidian styles - described as "Neo-Dravidian" style. This granite building was completed in 1956. What you see in the picture is the main entrance. You an see a four headed lion on top of the dome. This lion is the symbolic representation of India's sovereignty. My favourite part of this picture is the birds in the air & India flag flying proudly on top of the building.

Munch your way thru a freezing day

2009-02-15T09:06:00.006+05:30

VJ :: Making our way out of London was nearly impossible. This was the time when everything around us was freezing and my friends and I, were in a car enjoying good music and company. Snow- This is the way I walk to work everyday, but that day was a special day as I walked on snow and practically set my foot on snow for the first time ever.

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Shillu :: VJ - Here are some homemade rice crackers to compliment the weather there. We call these "Chekkalu" in Telugu. Popular snack in south India, made with rice flour, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, onions, Chana dal & deep fried. Got a very delicious batch from my mother-in-law's house. Enjoy the snow while I munch away these yummy snacks ;-)

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T07:19:00.004+05:30

Love is not blind,

Love sees but does not mind.

-Anonymous

!!HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

Travel journals

2009-02-13T09:21:00.003+05:30

VJ :: I once remember answering a quiz question in my school- world's biggest clock- The Big Ben and now I can confirm that I have seen it and this is the evidence.

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Shillu :: Some time back I went on a short holiday to Srilanka with my friends. We dined at a very beautiful restaurant on the 11th floor overlooking the sea. Here is the picture of the coastline thru the restaurant window (glass pane). If you look closely you can see a railway track - there is a train that runs along the coast - sounds like a unique experience,don't you think so?

Detour

2009-02-12T23:05:00.004+05:30

VJ :: Standing by The Thames - on a chilly winter afternoon, I was admiring the way this walking path is designed and the way a row of lamp posts are adorning the path. Simply superb- was my first reaction.

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Shillu :: The building peeping through these two buildings is my office. I have taken this pic from across the road. There is a small lake in between the road & the buildings which cannot be seen in this picture

Spicy Indulgence

2009-02-10T19:11:00.002+05:30

VJ :: Soup & Bread This evening my friend Lakshmi, made Thai vegetable soup and I baked garlic and oregano bread rolls. We had a great meal followed by a chocolate chip mocha cake. All this to complement the snowy weather that London experienced. If you are looking for a recipe, do not hesitate to ask.

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Shillu :: Super delicious Gutti Vankaya Koora (Cluster eggplant curry) made by Mom. Like all mom's, my mom is a great cook too & this is my all time favourite curry. I request mom to make this for all special occasions. This curry has loads of Indian spices & it takes reasonable amount of preparation time. Some of the ingredients that go into the gravy - Roasted Peanut powder, Roasted til seeds, Dry coconut powder, red chillies, Ginger, Garlic, Tamarind, onion paste, coriander, garam masala & more....Phew! But trust me - Its definitely worth the effort! Miss you Tulasi - Come soon :(

Spotted!

2009-02-09T18:41:00.001+05:30

VJ :: Yesterday evening I went to take a ride on the London Eye. Due to poor visibility, I decided otherwise and ended up taking pictures. I spotted this person playing trumpet under the suspension bridge by the London Eye. What else, I watched him play and captured him in action.

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Shillu :: Elephant spotted in a wild life preserve in south India.

Specks of yellow

2009-02-08T10:48:00.008+05:30

VJ :: One of my recent pictures was about breakfast. By now, you must have guessed that I am a foodie. I love eating, cooking and also doing food photography. This was my morning breakfasts one of these days: Home made hash brown potatoes served with multi-grain bread, cheese and broccoli omelette with a dollop of ketchup. Bon appetit!

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Shillu :: Sunflower fields in an Indian village as seen thru the window of a train. I loved the colorful landscape & luckily was able to take this pic from a moving train with my point&shoot. Surprising that the pic looks decent. Have a "bright" day.

Fine Dining

2009-02-07T20:04:00.000+05:30

VJ :: A perfect evening: Place: A local Italian Restaurant. A couple of my friends and I went to this restaurant here in London for some nice Italian pasta followed by a generous portion of Tiramisu. The tables were set to welcome guests for that evening!
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Shillu :: Spicy crisp chilli babycorn garnished with ground black pepper & spring onions. Perfect starter for a delicious meal. The highlight of the dish is the beetroot carving.

Divine intervention

2009-02-05T20:27:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: Another temple in Karnataka state (South India) - Simhachala swamy temple. Don't you love the details in white?

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VJ :: God's miracle, one pleasant evening at South end- on- Sea. Taken on my trip to South end with friends, an hour and half away from London, this is a small coastal town with hustle and bustle.

What lies within

2009-02-04T19:40:00.000+05:30

VJ :: Lal Darwaaza (Means "red door" in Hindi) : Every morning, when I walk past this door on my way to work, I stop for a moment and make an unfulfilled promise to take a picture of it. There is nothing special about the door, I was telling shillu this morning that it is not great, but I must admit that there is something about this door that appeals to me. If ever I figure out, I will let you know for sure.
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Shillu :: Stone sculpture of Goddess Padmavathi inside the temple adorned with Kum-Kum (Red powder made from Turmeric or saffron) and flowers.

A miniature plan & some wires

2009-02-03T11:45:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: I am back to my temple series. this is a miniature carving on the temple wall. Looks like the sculptor first made this miniature & then put his plan to work on the roof of the main temple. Brilliant planning & execution, don't you think so?

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VJ :: Weird Wired World- this picture was taken on my trip to Greenwich museum. We live in such a wired world today that I cannot imagine anything without wires, wires and more wires.

Love for peppers

2009-02-02T07:53:00.000+05:30

VJ :: Peppers- Bell Peppers . In search for food, my camera captured this in a local vegetable store. I liked the combination of yellow and green.

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Shillu :: While VJ & I were doing hotel management, I was assigned to make mint chutney for the kitchen class & I got all the ingredients wrong and finally the chutney had too many chillies and very less mint. It almost tasted like chilli paste. One of our classmates ate a little of it & screamed in the cafeteria saying "who made this chutney?" I confidently (and a little proudly) claimed that I made it. He said your name should not be Sireesha, you are "Chilli-sha".

I love the splash of colors here. This picture was taken at the weekly farmers market in downtown Minneapolis.

Happy Birthday

2009-01-31T10:44:00.010+05:30

Wishing you Health, Happiness & prosperity always... Happy birthday Meetu. I am blessed to be a part of your life.

I Got a Pineapple cake & made some special Indian food at home. Invited some friends over for lunch followed by a dinner at our favourite restaurant.

Vegetable biryani is made with Basmati rice and curried vegetables in layers, infused with aromatic spices like Cinnamon, Cloves, Shahi jeera, Mint, Cilantro and garnished with almonds, cashew, fried onions & fried bread cubes. I served this with onion raitha (Onion & yoghurt dip). This is my first attempt at preparing veg biryani, I followed this recipe. Enjoy the picture & come over to celebrate with us today :: Shillu

Attention to details

2009-01-31T08:36:00.001+05:30

Shillu :: 9 stone door which is a part of this temple. I love the details on it, espicially the elephants.

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VJ :: Terrace Location: The place that I called home- Paris. Fancy a nice home in the French countryside with mouth watering French cuisine coupled with sunny exteriors & tastefully done interiors. This is the terrace of one such house that I resided during my post graduation days in France. Jo, the owner, ensured that the house is clean and well maintained at all time. Her attention to detail and ability to preserve antiques is simply superb!

Chocolate indulgance & a sculpture

2009-01-30T22:05:00.002+05:30

VJ :: Chocolate Milk Shake: One afternoon, during the summer of 2008, I decided to make something nice for my Sister and Brother-in-law. What next, I scouted the fridge and found some ice-cream, chocolate and milk. I melted the chocolate on a double boiler, added ice-cream to it and blend it with milk. Served it in a frosted glass with chocolate syrup..now, that's what I call too much of chocolate. What do you say?

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Shillu :: One of the sculptures on the walls of this temple. This is supposed to be the view inside an elephants stomach, If you pay attention top the picture you will realise that there is an outline of an elephant outlining the God's sculpture.

Indian splendor

2009-01-29T19:18:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: India is such a beautiful country with rich history. South India is very famous for beautiful temples constructed centuries back. For a couple of weeks starting today I am going to share pictures of such temples from various trips. Let me know how you like them. This is the picture of Chalukya temple in Karnataka
If you would like to know the story behind each of these pictures you can find it here

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VJ :: Good Morning! Have you ever seen the sunrise by the beach? I have done it and this is my picture.

Location: Kailashgiri, Vizag

Date: 3 Jan 2008

Time: 5:15am

Mohan, a colleague of mine and I went on a early morning drive to capture the sunrise by the beach in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam followed by breakfast at a beach view cafe. Awesome experience marked the start of a great day.

Hot or cold?

2009-01-28T08:52:00.002+05:30

VJ :: Breakfast- they say, breakfast breaks the overnight fast- I am beginning to realise that it may be true. This is the breakfast that I had at a cafe at the culinary capital of the world. I will leave you to guess the location. Freshly squeezed orange juice with croissant accompanied by a preservative and chocolate chips with hot n frothy milk. What 's next, a nice healthy breakfast and an instant painting both for the price of one. Parfait!

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Shillu :: "A lot can happen over coffee" that's the tag line of my favourite coffee chain in India. I definitely agree. Enjoy your daily dose.

Time for a walk?

2009-01-27T09:08:00.001+05:30

VJ :: Walking- I love to walk. Especially, when the weather is pleasant and there is a light breeze, its a complete package. I was on roads again with my camera and this is what I captured. On my way from Buckingham Palace to underground station, I found this embedded on to the road. Until then, I saw every passer by walking past this not paying attention, but as soon as I took a picture,people that followed me, stopped here for a moment to see what it was and take pictures. This embedded structure gained instant fame.

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Shillu :: I am back from a whirlwind trip where I covered some 1500 miles in 3 days by train (a "super fast" express that was perpetually late). This is what I feel like doing now, laze in a nice pool without any care in the world. This picture is taken at a resort where my team went for an outing.

Serene Green

2009-01-22T08:44:00.007+05:30

VJ :: An Overcast Sunday Evening - A friend of mine and I went to witness the Mark Rothko's Exhibition at the Tate Modern Museum in London. At the entrance, I noticed these trees standing very diligently along either side of the road paving the way for the visitors to come in.
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Shillu :: I love the specks of pink and yellow water lillies in this picture. Too exhausted to write anything else today.

Anything is possible

2009-01-20T12:50:00.002+05:30

A promise of change
A ray of hope
A new era has begun
Anything is possible!

*This beautiful picture is from my friend-Aanchal's lens

Time for a Game...err..Play

2009-01-20T08:58:00.000+05:30

Game : Chess
Location: My Desk @ Home
Bought @ : Hamleys, London
Now what about it : I first noticed a black and white folding board at a friends place during my early teens and ended up getting a free lesson about the various pieces and the way they move. The game trains you to be vigilant of the opponents movements. You can often catch me playing the game with my computer as my opponent. My Fiancé loves the game and has taken a new year resolution to beat my 'experienced' cousins at it. Ask me at the end of this year as to where we are at this game and I will tell you.

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Shillu :: I have been pretty tied up at work the past couple of weeks. No time to click any new pics. We are planning a trip this coming weekend and I promise I will click many pics. Now, here is a pic I took of the Mississippi river when I went to watch a play while I was in the US. What you see here is a picture taken through the window with the reflection of the bridge & river on the glass of the window. You can read more about the play I watched that day here.

Heavenly sights'

2009-01-19T08:53:00.006+05:30

Heavenly Sights' - One for the eyes, one for the palette

Shillu :: We recently celebrated an important Indian festival - Sankranthi. This is the dessert I made at home as an offering to the God & then for us. Its called Semiya Payasam or Vermicelli Kheer. Vermicelli cooked in milk, flavoured with cardamom & garnished with roasted cashews & raisins. And yeah, In case you are wondering - Yes, I love Ganesha Idols & I have loads of them.

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VJ :: Good Morning - In summer of 2007, I was in Paris doing my Post Graduation. One morning when I woke up accidentally at 5:15am, I saw this sight. What next? I caught hold of my camera and captured 'God's Creation'. Isn't it perfect?

Fond Memories

2009-01-18T08:34:00.001+05:30

VJ :: I took this picture one wintery evening from the Guoman Tower Hotel by the London Bridge. I have fond memories of this place. Three of my friends work for this hotel and I usually come here with other friends and spend hours sipping beverages and looking at the Tower Bridge and admiring it.

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Shillu :: Motorboat ride in the backwaters of Pondicherry, India.Pondicherry is a beautiful beach town in south India which was a former French Colony. You can read more about it here.

Temptations

2009-01-16T19:38:00.008+05:30

VJ :: Nibbles - Everyone loves to munch. Be it sweet or savoury. As a teenager, I used to love the 'Bombay Mixture' that my mother used to make with beaten rice (chivda), ground nuts, dried curry leaves and seasoning and it used to taste amazing. To tickle your taste buds let me tell you what you are looking at : Roasted-Caramelised Cashew nuts, white chocolate balls and dark chocolate balls. This picture was taken in the London Food Festival.

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Shillu ::
Where? Our favourite Thai Restaurant
When? A warm, lazy Sunday afternoon
Why? The menu said "sizzling dessert", we thought "why not?"
What is it? A sizzling walnut brownie topped with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream garnished with chocolate sauce. If you pay attention you can actually see some smoke coming from the brownie.
The verdict? It disappeared in a minute, luckily I got this pic before it was gone. Lip smacking is the word!

Cool blue

2009-01-15T08:41:00.001+05:30

VJ :: As a kid, during my vacation, my dad used to take me to the Ramakrishna Beach in Vizag. I used to sit for hours looking at the small and big ships sailing across the horizon. I thought to myself that One day, I will take a closer look at them and I think, I have achieved that. A closer look at the blue sails really is soothing to the eye and makes me think of the beauty man is capable of creating, ' truly outstanding'. I must admit, that I had used my friends camera to take this shot as I did not have a lens of that aperture.

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Shillu :: This picture is from our recent trip to Pondicherry (Union teritorry of India) which is a beautiful beach town and a former French Colony

Sankranthi Subhakankshalu

2009-01-14T22:03:00.001+05:30

Shillu :: Sankranti is an Indian festival that is celebrated beginning of of the harvest season for the farmers. I miss celebrating this festival back in Hyderabad. Tulasi decorates the outdoors with colorful Rangoli (painting on the ground with white powder & other colors), we would all wear new clothes and visit a temple. All the kids would gather on the terrace and have a kite flying competition with the kids from our neighbourhood. In the evening my cousins and I decorate all the Bommalu (toys) in a colorful display called bommala koluvu & invite neighbours to our house.

Yesterday BK & I decorated our house with flowers and made Payasam (dessert made with rice, milk & jaggery garnished with cashews & raisins). The picture you see here is from one of the corners of our house - an urn/urli decorated with flowers & Ganesha holding an oil lamp in his hands. Sankranthi Subhakankshalu (Greetings) to you.

Innocence & serenity

2009-01-13T08:50:00.006+05:30

VJ :: Recently, I participated in the London Cycling Competition where I had to take some pictures of cycles or people cycling. In my attempt to capture some real life action, Sebastian was caught on camera. He posed for the picture very humbly and also thanked me for taking his picture. I had a great time doing the photographs for the London Cycling Event.

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Shillu :: I chanced upon the morning mist playing hide and seek over the hill top and the lake was happy to mirror its reflections. I took this picture during my recent road trip. This lake is on the outskirts of a south Indian village.

Warm beginnings on cold days

2009-01-12T16:42:00.000+05:30

VJ :: Chai- Garam Chai- When the weather is unbelievably cold and all you see is frost, nature covered in hues of grey and you are enjoying long drive @ speed of 80 miles/hour, listening to your favourite tunes, all you need is a cup of strong ginger tea- to make the occasion memorable.Taken on my trip to South Yorkshire countryside.

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Shillu :: Raagi Malt - The perfect drink for foggy winter mornings. Tulasi makes a ready to use powder and gives me a batch whenever I visit her. She adds some additional pulses to Sprouted Raagi & makes this powder. Raagi (Finger millet) is rich in calcium and Iron. The additional bonus is that very tasty & flavourful.

Red & Pink

2009-01-11T15:54:00.006+05:30

VJ :: ' Spicy'. Red chillies have been my favourite subjects for sometime now. They appeal to me and now, my camera too. I took this picture on my first visit to Borough Market in London. My colleagues at office told me that, if I was interested in food photography,I must to go there.

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Shillu :: Flowers brighten any girls day, they brighten any room. I love decorating my house with Flowers in Urli's/urn's. This tiny urn is on my desk in front of a couple of God's idols. I try and decorate it with flowers everyday. It brightens my desk & I love the freshness and color it brings to my busy desk. You will see more of my Urn n flowers pics in the days ahead.

Gods canvas

2009-01-10T21:20:00.003+05:30

VJ :: A section of wheat field, seems ready for harvest. My instant reaction to this site was 'wow'..I had never seen something like this in India so closely. The weather was just perfect and the light was just right. Hence the picture. This picture was taken on a sunny evening at Hertfordshire, an hours drive from London, on the way to a scenic lake.

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Shillu :: On my way to work everyday, I pass this nice house where they used this beautiful Hibiscus plant to make a fence instead of constructing a wall. The pink flowers look really pretty - don't you agree?

Click - Food photography event

2009-01-09T21:01:00.001+05:30

Jai & Bee of Jugalbandi host a monthly food photography event. This month's theme is RED. We have been silent admirers of the event & the wonderful entries for some time now. This month we decided to participate. Here is our "RED" Click.

Caught! red-handed!

A thing of beauty...

2009-01-08T19:43:00.000+05:30

...is a joy forever

VJ :: London Architectural Marvel- The Gherkin Building, also known as the Swiss Re Tower symbolised the start of a new high-rise construction boom in London. Located in London's main financial district, this building is 180 meters tall.

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Shillu :: Shopping in India is an exciting experience for me when compared to shopping in the west where all stores have similar merchandise. Don't get me wrong - I love shopping anywhere in the world (I did my bit last couple of months to American & French retail stores by shopping madly)! Whats different about India is that each store is very colorful, you could shop in one area for years & you will still discover new treasures tucked away in some corner of some galli (By-lane) that you will swear was never there. Whats more, You can bargain with the vendors.

The vibrant picture below is of Bandhini silk sarees (Tie & Dye) from Jaipur.

Over the horizon

2009-01-07T17:32:00.001+05:30

VJ :: This picture is taken from my desk at work. I believe every person looking at the setting sun has a story to tell about the day that is about to end - about how his day was and how tired he is and how he is looking forward to tomorrow.

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Shillu :: I have other thoughts on my mind looking over the horizon. I am a little worried with all the news about war, financial instability. I am hoping tomorrow is a better day with peace and happiness for everyone. On a lighter note - This picture reflects my retirement plan. A small cottage by the beach or lake with BK by my side :)

Random Pictures

2009-01-06T16:14:00.002+05:30

VJ :: A random stranger watching the boats go by near the Millennium Bridge near the TATE Modern Museum in London .

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Shillu :: This is my 4 year old bamboo tree which is a gift from one of the guys I trained at work. According to fengshui this brings luck when gifted. When I received it, it was just 4 inches tall. Look at it now! It adds a refreshing touch to my desk at work.

Mondays! Huh!!

2009-01-06T08:33:00.000+05:30

VJ :: Watching a live game is everyones dream- be it cricket or football. I got an opportunity to watch my first game where Chelsea played New Castle in the Barclay's Premier League Championships. Awesome experience even though the game ended -Nil-Nil. :)

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Shillu :: I am not a fan of Mondays, hence to movitate myself for a busy week ahead [my appraisal is due :(] We went to this beautiful food court close to our house. Had a refreshing cup of Frappe & came back all set to face the world!

Flavours of the season

2009-01-04T13:31:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: I am turning out to be a decent cook thanks to my favourite food blogs. I made this Capsicum Masala rice & everyone loved it!

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VJ :: Sale- The current season in London- Sale, Sale and Sale everywhere....

Sky scrapers

2009-01-03T14:54:00.000+05:30

VJ :: The view from my walk way....the second tallest building in UK

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Shillu :: This is where I worked the last 3 months {away from home :(} and this view is from my studio downtown. I tried capturing the moon over the building.

History in stones

2009-01-03T08:23:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: Gingee Fort, on the way to Pondicherry, Tamilnadu, India. I had a great time enjoying the holidays with "Bk" & friends

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VJ :: CTR- Circle, Triangle and Square- the basics of life. This is the shape that is fixed into the wall in a small park behind my house - reminds me of my school days

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T19:25:00.000+05:30

Shillu :: Buddha from Ganga Ramaya Buddhist Temple, Colombo

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VJ :: Cute Ganesha from Vj's Collection

Adieu to an eventful 2008

2009-01-01T09:59:00.000+05:30

Vj :: Christmas ornaments
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Shillu :: Holidazzle Parade