Taken in July of 2016 in Srinagar
DAILY PHOTO: Blue Boats of Dal Lake
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Tag Archives: India
DAILY PHOTO: Horses of Sonamarg
Taken in July of 2016 in Sonamarg
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DAILY PHOTO: Pari Mahal, Srinagar
Taken in July of 2016 in Srinagar
I’m just back from three weeks of travel in Kashmir and Ladakh. I’m planning on doing a post about our experience traveling in Kashmir, which was interesting–to say the least–owing to the renewed unrest there of recent weeks. (It didn’t feel dangerous, but it was quite restrictive.)
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DAILY PHOTO: Kolkata Cabs
Taken in July of 2016 in Kolkata
Kolkata (Calcutta) has some distinctive taxicabs. They’re yellow Ambassadors, a model made by Hindustan Motors, featuring a solitary blue racing stripe.
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BOOK REVIEW: The Country With No Post Office by Agha Shahid Ali
The Country Without a Post Office by Agha Shahid Ali
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a collection of 27 poems about life in conflict-riddled Kashmir. Kashmir is a territory in the Himalayas that’s governed by India, but claimed by both India and Pakistan—and, it should be noted, has a significant population of residents that want to be part of neither country. In other words, there are some who’d like to see an independent Kashmir. However, at the moment Kashmir is one portion of one of India’s 29 states, Jammu and Kashmir—a state which is, itself, tripartite (Hindu Jammu, Muslim Kashmir, and Buddhist Ladakh.)
It’s a telling quote from Tacitus with which the author begins the collection. Solitudinum faciunt et pacem appellant. I won’t claim that I didn’t have to look this up, but it means: “They make a desert, and call it peace.” The first poem echoes variations on that quote.
There are a range of poetry styles within this collection, including: rhyming verse, free verse, poetic prose, and ghazal. A ghazal is a Middle Eastern style of lyric poem which has a pattern of rhyme and is metered to be set to music; there are several in this collection. Some of the poems are sparse and some are wordy, and variety is the order of the day.
The 27 poems of this collection are divided among five parts. The book is brief (under 100 pages), and it contains only a prologue and notes (some of which are interesting) with respect to ancillary matter.
This collection paints a portrait of war and life in a war-torn locale. It’s as much the latter as the former. The title poem, “The Country With No Post Office,” suggests the sapping nature of life where the institutions of governance and civil society have broken down.
I’d recommend this collection for those who enjoy poetry, but also for those interested in the conflict in Kashmir.
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DAILY PHOTO: Nepali Mandir, Varanasi
DAILY PHOTO: Food For Thought For the Week Ahead
Taken in October of 2014 at Daulatabad Fort
As you enjoy your weekend, if at any point dread of the work-week to come arises, take a moment to reflect on the fact that at least you don’t have this guy’s job carrying stones on your head up several flight of uneven stone steps all day – everyday.
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DAILY PHOTO: Sign of Our Times
Taken in Great Himalayan National Park in July of 2015
Back in my day, we had the “Scenic Overlook.” Now when you’re trekking they have the “Mobile Phone Access Point.” Thoreau would cry.
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DAILY PHOTO: Flag Runners, Wagah Crossing
Taken in April of 2016 at the Wagah border crossing
Taken at the Wagah (Attari) Border Crossing Retreat Ceremony. Kids running with the Indian flag toward the border with Pakistan. These were some of the more skilled flag wavers, which–oddly enough–meant they did less “waving” of the flag. Those who waved the flag tended to wrap it around the pole. These kids had technique, just hold on tight and run like the dickens.
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DAILY PHOTO: St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kolkata
Taken on July 2, 2016 in Kolkata
This cathedral is located due East of the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata (Calcutta.) It’s an Anglican church that dates to 1847.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 