MONSOON IN THE CITY OF JOY...

MONSOON IN THE CITY OF JOY...

What a cloudburst! What a thundershower! What water-logging ! What a look of a marketplace in the suburbs of Kolkata (India)! What a colorful canvas the city of Kolkata paints during the rainy season! Water-logged streets, flooded ecological parks and heritage venues like the Victoria Memorial Hall ground and the Kolkata Maidan - all drenched up and all welcoming a monsoon.

This post is about monsoon in Kolkata. Fifteen pictures taken by me recently are also being posted in this Blog - only for you! Happy viewing...

ALL THE "KING'S MEN" AND THEIR HORSES !

ALL THE "KING'S MEN" AND THEIR HORSES !

Domesticated about some 4000 years ago by the Asian nomads, horses have an ancient and unique relationship with the humans. In the history books, horses are often linked to heroic exploits in war and are believed to be lucky human companions in ancient battlefields, until the advent of engines, the strength of which are generally measured in horsepower (HP).

Around 400 different breeds of horses have been used to pull carts and carriages, for racing and for communications. Essentially grazers, most horses have been domesticated for human use, while some of them still remain wild. What I understand from Wikitionary that the kinds of horse by physical attributes include : Stallion, Sire, Ridgeling, Gelding, Mare, Dame, Colt, Yearling, Filly, Foal and Pony. Horses are mammals and herbivore and their weight vary between 54 and 998 kg.

Today's posting includes a few of my horse pictures clicked at different places in India during the past few years. Your comments/.criticisms are welcome. Please hit the NO COMMENTS/ COMMENTS Button below to post your views. Till then, happy viewing...

VIDEO : FLOOD WATERS IN KALIGHAT, KOLKATA, INDIA.

VIDEO : FLOOD WATERS IN KALIGHAT, KOLKATA : Heavy rains during the past few days have brought enough misery & hardship to the Kolkatans. Now it's turn for the Tolly's Nullah (Adi Ganga) near the Kalighat Temple to inundate the adjacent roads & lanes (including Kalighat Road and Sadananda Road) during high tide from 12.45 pm this morning (22.08.13). I had no still or video camera with me, but I made an honest attempt to record it with my Samsung Wave Mobile. This piece is UNEDITED...

SEA... SURF... SAND... SUN...

SEA... SURF... SAND... SUN...

It's been raining heavily in Kolkata since the last 48 hours or more and there is water logging everywhere -  from the main thoroughfares to the narrow lanes. This rainy spell is likely to continue for the next 48 hours or more, as per the Met office. Looking at the vast stretch of water in a metropolitan city, I wonder how the oceans and seas store so much water in their bodies !

This posting shows eight of my photographs of sea, surf, sand and sun. Happy viewing...

THE CHARISMATIC CHARM OF CHILIKA...

THE CHARISMATIC CHARM OF CHILIKA...

Nestling in the heart of coastal Odisha in the eastern part of India, Chilika lake is the 2nd largest brackish water lagoon in the world. It spreads across 1100 square kilometers and is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a long sandy ridge. Dotted with many emerald green islands, this lake is a sanctuary and winter resort for over 223 species of resident as well as migratory birds from lands as far as Siberia, Russia, Mongolia, Ladakh and Central Asia. Besides, Chilika has a  diverse range of aquatic life and provides livelihood to thousands of fishermen.

Chilika is a photographer's paradise during winter months, when the enthusiastic adventurers can hire boats and shoot the birds from a close and safe distance with their long telephoto and wide angle lenses. Shooting birds in their natural habitat is a wonderful experience and capturing birds in flight are quite challenging during boat rides.

I am herewith posting some of my Chilika photographs for you. You may send your comments/criticisms by clicking the "No comments/Comments" button below. Happy viewing...