Located on the border of Maharashtra and Karnataka, I visited 'Gokarna' which means 'Cows ear'. It has the most untouched expanses of beaches and pink skies that one could ever see. What makes it interesting is the cultural mix of the Kannadiga population with Maharashtrian surnames. The architecture has a distinct style that is visible in the small town and its temples. The photos document hand painted signs, patterns, elements and moments that we experienced in the sleepy town of Gokarna with its scenic beaches.
FORT KOCHI - PICTURES FROM THE PERENNIAL PORT TOWN
This was my first visit to see the biennale. Firstly, I was impressed with the new solar-powered International Airport at Kochi, it was an engineering and architectural achievement. The next thing you see it that outside the airport all the men who were waiting were mostly drivers in crisp white shirts and 'mundus'. They spoke impeccable english in a South-Indian accent, while taking us to our homestay in Fort Kochi - the heritage part of town and the heart of the biennale.
Once we were on the road, you can't help but notice an almost wild, rustic greenery that descends onto every part of Kochi. While getting into Fort Kochi, we went through small lanes, the by-lanes are even narrower preventing too many vehicles from getting in. The warehouses are close to each other and are all wooden, with rickety stairs, large windows and overwhelming doors - that lead to more doors. Every venue of the biennale that had art, had old rusty hinges, peeling paint, moss covered tiles and musty walls; they owe this grunge look to the humid, salty sea breeze blowing on Kochi's backwaters.
CHENNAI - DOCUMENTED THROUGH DIVINE SPACES
After looking at Chennai through coloured glasses for sometime, I have come to realize that the city has a lot to offer. From lungi-clad men on two-wheelers, to women draped in colourful sari's making a kolam on their porch. Families who breakfast on idli-dosa and lunch on curd rice. The population converses in Tamil - one of the oldest languages in India, which also has rich vernacular literature. The local children are almost always trained in Kathak - a traditional dance form, or in classical form of singing. A traditional lifestyle is enjoyed by most families which are joint - or living together. They have a huge contribution to the IT industry which is growing rapidly in Chennai, along with the fields of medicine and science as well. This album documents the temples which the city is obsessively proud of. I've captured patterns, rich colors, subdued carvings, ornamental roof's and anything else that caught my eye.
VARANASI - IMAGES AND LIGHT
After my trip to Ladakh, the only thing I wanted in the next six months was a visit to Varanasi to see the River Ganga and to see the Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya. I spent my Christmas eve in 2014 walking by the ghats of the river Ganga. The architecture is quite rich and multicultural owing to the presence of almost every sect, religion and a diversity of people living there. These are some images of places that I found interesting during my aimless meanderings amidst Varanasi and its filthy lanes.
SHANGHAI - A SHOWPIECE OF CHINA'S BOOMING ECONOMY
I was traveling to China for the first time and it was a challenge owing to the fact that neither my number, network, Whatsapp or Facebook would work in China. It is one of the most restricted countries in the world in terms of internet. But being technologically smarter and businessmen by nature - they have created a variety of their own social media platforms which are popular but work only in Chinese languages! The first place I saw was Shanghai - as the Maersk event was held here. The name Shanghai is derived from shàng/zan, "upon and hǎi/hae, "sea", together meaning "Upon the Sea". It is easily one of the largest port cities which is second largest in population. All around you'll see well made roads, lit up skylines, slick salesmen, amidst a muggy climates, dirty smelling water bodies, strange food smells and great infrastructure - it boasts of some of the tallest buildings in the world ... and then again more buildings, and ghost towns, the sheer number of people moving around can be overwhelming. In spite of trees and gardens one can see that urbanization has taken over most of the land here. According to me Shanghai did not look very different from any other metro in India. I was used to the crowds, the bargaining, figuring out the public transport and so on. The challenge was when things were written only in Chinese with no translation in English. And occasionally the food. Being a vegetarian is difficult while traveling in other parts of Asia but cosmopolitan places like Shanghai & Beijing are far more easier to travel in than other parts of China.
BEIJING - A COLLECTION OF THE OLD AND NEW
I was invited to be a Graphic Facilitator for a project with Maersk (China) - one of the worlds largest shipping corporations. They had an event and workshop which comprised of members from most teams across South East Asia - they came coming to brainstorm on different ideas. I had to play the role of the person who can give this idea a form, identify a story around it and make the data look meaningful. Also since it was too many numbers/data a happier, brighter hand-drawn presentation was preferable. After the work was completed. We headed to Beijing! via the popular overnight sleeper trains. Beijing, means "Northern Capital". It is the sprawling, large, and most populated city of China. While walking through the streets you will note different styles of architecture. - The traditional architecture of Imperial China (Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City etc.) And then some poorly designed buildings referred to as the "Sino-Sov" style, with boxy structures. The city is also has more modern architecture in certain newly developed districts. I found Beijing to be more cultural and touristy with some old, rich architecture in bold beautiful colors like red and yellow (but with hardly any conservation being done to preserve it). A revolutionary art scene at their art district brought in themes of communism, graffiti, along with world art styles visible in art galleries and delicate products designed in clay and porcelain. It is an old city with ancient houses, hostels for travelers, malls and high streets with every possible brand. It is a city of contradictions, like most capitals across the world.
QIBAO - WANDERING AROUND A WATER TOWN
I was invited to be a Graphic Facilitator for a project with Maersk (China) - one of the worlds largest shipping corporations. They had an event and workshop which comprised of members from most teams across South East Asia - they came coming to brainstorm on different ideas. I had to play the role of the person who can give this idea a form, identify a story around it and make the data look meaningful. Also since it was too many numbers/data a happier, brighter hand-drawn presentation was preferable. After the project was completed and while we were in Shanghai - we visited Qibao It is an ancient water town that was established during the Song dynasty; it is a must-see place, which is easily accessible from Shanghai via the metro line. Qibao in Chinese means ‘seven treasures'. There are different myths behind this name - One theory states the name was due to the steady financial growth of the town, another one talks about seven mysteriously appearing treasures - Buddha, bell, lotus scriptures, sacred trees, a gold chicken, a jade axe and jade chopsticks. It is said that originally there were eight treasures, but apparently one was stolen. So, the town was named as Seven Treasures! While walking through the streets I felt that Quibao is like a small quaint town, almost like an organic niche within (or rather close to...) a modern urban bustling Shanghai. Qibao has a canal running through it - dotted with some old architecture and buildings which house numerous shops, galleries and street food cafes. There are winding lanes and small alleys with artists selling local crafts and handmade wares. Tiny bridges and hidden temples too, if you venture for a long walk through it. Some pockets are almost 'chawl' system like. A classic case of where traditionally richer architecture is lined up next to drab, dull matchbox houses.