Docs from Designldg, tagged "Designldg"

What'd I do?

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:18:41 +0000

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“The first time that I appeared on stage, it scared me to death.
I really didn't know what all the yelling was about.
I didn't realize that my body was moving.
It's a natural thing to me.
So to the manager backstage I said 'What'd I do? What'd I do?'”
(Elvis Presley - American Singer and Actor widely known as the "King of Rock and Roll", 1935-1977)

A group of dancers had to perform in front of officials, like the minister of culture of Uttar Pradesh at Assi ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
I managed to go backstage in order to take a few pictures.
This lady was doing her make-up, she was concentrating on the image that the mirror was giving back, I don’t know what she was really feeling then.
I didn’t ask as I didn’t want to disturb.
Those days there are many exhibtions, concerts and shows going on. in the city reflecting the culture of the oldest living city in the world...

A Candid picture for 160 000 views

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:05:12 +0000

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I had 10 000 more viewers who visited my photostream and the tradition is to celebrate this uploading a picture with me.
This picture was shot a few weeks ago in front of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the holiest city in Sikhism, located in the state of Punjab (India).
I met those kids a while before as they were bathing in the holy tank, they didn’t mind that I took a few portraits of them.
Later I realized that they were following me around the temple, we took a few shots of all of us, like this candid picture and they kept on asking me so many things about photography, sometimes I couldn’t even find any answer, it was amazing to see how full of enthusiasm they were.
Maybe one day they’ll become photographers...

One more thing, after uploading another picture at Golden Temple, I had funny comments concerning the scarf I was wearing.
In order to clarify, I don’t try to become a pirate (!) but being head covered is compulsory for both men and women when visiting a Gurdwara or any other holy Sikh place, it is a sign of respect (like in many other religions).
You also have to remove your shoes if you enter a place of worship.

Thank you again to all of you for your supportive comments and mails.
Thank you, Dhanyavad, Shukriya...

Thx to my 150 000 viewers...!!!

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:27:40 +0000

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Once again I want to thank you all for your kind comments and mails as 10 000 more viewers saw my photostream.
This morning you are 150 320 Flickr viewers, 49 460 Ipernity viewers and 25 522 visitors at my Worpress photo-blog.

The tradition is to celebrate this uploading a picture with me.
This one was shot by Manish Gupta, mere bhai, in front of a Tibetan temple located in Leh, the capital of Ladakh in the Himalayan hills.
I was showing to this Buddhist nun and to the other lady who came to meet her son that she didn’t see since a long time, a few pictures that I took of them.
It was a happy moment, we shared many things and we almost forgot how cold it was.

Capturing a spirit for my 110 000 viewers

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:37:13 +0000

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This evening you are 110 053 Flickr viewers and 39 253 Ipernity viewers to have been visisting my photostream.
In order to celebrate the tradition of having 10 000 more viewers with a self-portrait, I am uploading this picture that I shot recently in the Royal Château de Fontainebleau which is located 55.5 km (34.5 mi) south-southeast of the centre of Paris.
When I was a child during winters I was horse riding in the woods nearby.
I never came back.
It was a few days ago after the Paris show and before going back to India.
The palace was empty, it was freezing and heavily raining outside.
So many rooms, so many mirrors, and sometimes the presence of something following me, something left many years ago...
It couldn’t be anything else than the “remembrance of things past”...
When I left there was a furious storm with rain and snow which begun and didn’t allow any plane to land and take -off for several hours.

Thank you all for the many comments that you keep on leaving under my images and for your friendship.

90 000 Viewers...Thank You Friends!

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:53:38 +0000

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Once again I celebrate the tradition of having 10 000 more viewers with another picture of me.
This evening 90 502 Flickr viewers and 35 076 Ipernity viewers visisted my photostream.
I am happy to thank you all for the many comments that you left on my images and for your friendship.

This picture was shot recently before sunset by my brother, Manish Gupta, at Lal ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
Lal means red in Hindi however it is funny to see that this ghat is painted with this turquoise colour.
A few days later my friend Varun Malhotra took another picture of me there but from the place I am standing on this image:
www.flickr.com/photos/varunmalhotra/3131681964

Namaste and Thank you all (140 000 views)

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:21:20 +0000

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This evening you are 140 012 Flickr viewers and 47 052 Ipernity viewers, I also had 18 780 visitors on my photo-blog on Worpress.
The tradition of having 10 000 more viewers here allows me to upload a picture of me.
This one was shot a few days ago at Hemis Gompa which is a Buddhist monastery in the Himalayan hills of Ladakh.

Thank you again to all of you for your kind comments and mails.
I really appreciate your support even if I can’t answer you as much as I would like because of the very bad internet connection here in Benaras and the many power cuts that we have to go through during summers.

Namaste all the way from Benaras where monsoon has reached tonight...!!!

130 000 Kisses from the Tibetan Lion

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:26:51 +0000

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This is a picture shot by Manish Gupta while we were at the Tibetan temple in Sarnath.
I asked my brother to take a picture of me in order to celebrate the tradition of having 10 000 more viewers on my photostream.

I am happy to thank you all, my 131 140 Flickr viewers and my 44 716 Ipernity viewers, for visiting my pages so often and for the many comments that you keep on leaving under my images.

The Roaring Twenties

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:00:06 +0000

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"The Roaring Twenties"

This is an edition of a self-portrait with my friend Francesca taken at Lacoste (Vaucluse - France) in 1982.
It was part of some series titled "The Roaring Twenties".

At that time we were young Art students involved in a program which was connected to Cleveland Institute of Art (Ohio) and to Sarah Lawrence College (NY).
We had teachers who were amazing artists, we had the freedom to create, to discover things by our own.
We were having endless parties till dawn, trying many things, experimenting life, the world seemed to be ours...
We became a little group of friends and I kept in touch with a few of them in Paris and later in New York.
Some of us became painters, sculptors, teachers, actors, producers, some left the Art world, some vanished from our lives...

I lost contact with Francesca in the 80's, a few days ago she found me back through Facebook telling me that she has been searching for me for years and that India is the last place she would think to look for me.
Francesca was, is and will always be a great genuine artist, you can see some of her work there, www.fspille.com and on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/fspille
We have so much to catch up now...;)

Invitation to “Visions” a photo exhibition

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:27:50 +0000

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This is an invitation to the opening of a coming exhibition showing some of my work which will be on March the 6th of 2009, 6:30 pm at Gallery ZazaSpace, 25-26, community centre, between bluebells schools and GK 1, Zamrudur, in New delhi.

The guest of Honour will be the Indian photographer and photojournalist Shrii Raghu Rai.
www.globaladjustments.com/?q=node/723
www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&l1=0&pid=2K7O3R13L4PM&nm=Raghu%20Rai

The show will continue from the 7th to the 27th March 2000, 11 am - 7 pm

This exhibition associates with Art for Prabhat for an Fund Raiser toward the cause of Rehabilitation and Self sustenance of the Mentally Challenged Children.
www.disabilityindia.org/aboutus.cfm

Self Portrait with Serendipity

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:21:23 +0000

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Making a self portrait is always an uneasy game for me.
This is why I usually prefer to do funny ones where I don't look serious.
This one was made to order, it will be used for catalogues and other working materials.

I didn't have much time so I took my camera and looked at a mirror, it seemd to be the simpliest way.
The result is serendipitous in the way that I see in this image an expression which is close to what I believe I can have sometimes on my face and there it was unexpected and fortunate.

This image is for Diane B. in Montreal, she only knows why...;)

Invitation to "sidewalks" a photo exhibition

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:38:32 +0000

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Namaste,
Please do join us for the opening and cocktails on 07 November 2008, 6:00 pm
at the Global Arts Village, Tropical Drive,
near Ghitorni Village, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Delhi.
the show will continue from 07-16 Nov 2008, 11 am - 8 pm
RSVP #99531 00012

Bonjour,
Je vous attends au vernissage de l'exposition de mes photos le 7 novembre 2008 à partir de 18h,
Global Arts Village, Tropical Drive,
near Ghitorni Village, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Delhi.
L'exposition se déroulera du 7 au 16 novembre 2008, de 11h à 20h
RSVP #99531 00012
Trinitas (Photography, Brand Consulting and Events & PR)

So Close To Heaven

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:43:43 +0000

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Once again I have 10 000 more viewers and it is becoming a kind of tradition that I celebrate it with another picture of me (in fact this is not an easy game for me).
So tonight you are 70 007 Flickr viewers and 28 724 Ipernity viewers to have visisted my photostream.
Let me thank you all for the many comments that you left on my images, for your kind support and for your friendship.

This picture was shot recently by Manish Gupta, mere bhai, in front of Golden Temple located in the city of Amritsar in Punjab (India).
I wrote already many things concerning this place under several pictures of my photostream but each time I come to Amritsar, when I am along the samovar, I truly feel that I have never been so close to Heaven.

Thank you, Dhanyavad, Shukriya...

"Nothing is really mine"

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:23:03 +0000

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Each time I have 10 000 more viewers, I celebrate it with another picture of me and this morning 60 215 Flickr viewers and 24 650 Ipernity viewers visisted my photostream.
Once again I wanted to thank you all for the many comments that you left on my images and for your friendship.
I also take this opportunity to write that it is not always easy to have an good internet connexion from Varanasi and therefore I can't answer you as much as I want.

The title of this image comes from the Hindu mystical poetess Mirabai (मीराबाई) who wrote " Nothing is really mine except Krishna" in a poem about Krishna.
Today is Lord Krishna's birthday, Srijayanti or Krishnashtami also known as Janmashtami which is one of the most popular festival in Uttar Pradesh, it is very similar to Christmas eve, people make also a crib with baby Krishna..

I already wrote as a comment to one of my image that I realised that there were many similarities between Krishna and Jesus:
Jesus and Krishna were called both a God and the Son of God.
Both were sent from heaven to earth in the form of a man.
Both were called Savior, and the second person of the Trinity.
Both had an adoptive human father who was a carpenter.
Krishna and Jesus were of royal descent.
Both were visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by a star.
Angels in both cases issued a warning that the local dictator planned to kill the baby and had issued a decree for his assassination, the parents fled, Mary and Joseph stayed in Muturea; Krishna's parents stayed in Mathura.
Both claimed: "I am the Resurrection."
Both performed many miracles, including the healing of disease. One of the first miracles that both performed was to make a leper whole.
Both selected disciples to spread his teachings.
Both celebrated a last supper. Both forgave his enemies.
Both descended into Hell, and were resurrected. Many people witnessed their ascensions into heaven.
In addition to the above points of correspondence, there may be one more similarity: they may have both been crucified.

According to Bhagavata Purana some beleive that Krishna was born without a sexual union, by "mental transmission" from the mind of Vasudeva into the womb of Devaki.
Traditional belief based on scriptural details and astrological calculations gives the date of Krishna's birth, known as Janmashtami, as either 18th or 21st July 3228 BCE.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believe Krishna to be a great prophet of God as described by their founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad:
"Let it be clear that Lord Krishna, according to what has been revealed to me, was such a truly great man that it is hard to find his like among the rishis and avatars of the Hindus.
He was an avatar (i.e. a prophet) of his time upon whom the Holy Spirit would descend from God.
He was from God, victorious and prosperous. He cleansed the land of the Arya from sin and was in fact the prophet of his age.
He was full of love for God, a friend of virtue and an enemy of evil."
Krishna worship or reverence has been adopted by other religions (Jainism, Buddhism, Bahá'í Faith,...) as well.

A simple thought is coming to my mind, gathering with Krishna couldn't we try to find what is common in our beliefs in order to respect each others...

"Amour, amour"...Thx to my 40 000 viewers

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:50:47 +0000

Designldg has posted a doc:

This evening 40 035 Flickr viewers and 15 452 Ipernity viewers visisted my photostream.
I wanted to thank you all for the many comments that you left on my images and for your friendship.

This picture is special to me, it might be why I became who I am...
Once upon a time a French movie, "Peau d'ane"...
I didn't open Pandora's box myself, I was pulled inside and I never wanted to leave it.
When my mother passed away I realized that she had kept this picture in her bedside table's drawer during all those years.

Peau d'Âne (English: Donkey Skin) is a 1970 French color-coded musical film rendering of the famous Charles Perrault fairy tale Donkeyskin, about a king who wishes to marry his daughter. It is directed and written by Jacques Demy, scored by Michel Legrand and stars Jean Marais and Catherine Deneuve. This film is also a nod to Jean Cocteau.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSJzp9oXFgA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUM9ZRkMPgs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7hyUC1MOjs

Some of the layers I am using belongs to Angelique (Liek)
www.flickr.com/photos/liek/2430374655/in/set-72157604633907740
www.flickr.com/photos/liek/2427892892/in/set-72157604633907740

Let's play होली (Holi)

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:21:49 +0000

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Holi (Hindi: होली), or Phagwa (Bhojpuri), also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India.
On the first day bonfires are lit at night to signify burning the demoness Holika, Hiranyakashipu's sister.
On the second day, known as Dhulhendi, people spend the day throwing colored powder and water at each other.
The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold.
Thus, the playful throwing of the colored powders has a medicinal significance: the colors are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Āyurvedic doctors.
A special drink called thandai is prepared, sometimes containing bhang (Cannabis sativa).
Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colours.
As per the Hindu calendar, it falls on the Phalgun Purnima (or Pooranmashi, Full Moon), which will occur on March 22 in 2008.

Holi is a festival of fun, romance and brotherhood.
It's a day of peace where people celebrates even with those with whome they can have problems.
It reminds me Carnival as it also occurs during the same festival season and it involves as well public celebrations and street partys where people masquerade.

My friend Rajiv took this picture of me on the bank of river Ganga in Varanasi (Benaras) and I added some PP work on it.
www.flickr.com/photos/rajpic

Happy Holi and Happy Easter to all.

Here & There in Antariksa

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:55:23 +0000

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"The oldest living city in the world".

I am here, I was there, sometimes my mind thinks I am somewhere else...
In this yellow house I am not anymore but what about my soul?
Does that mean that I am completely away or maybe elements from me are still remaining like Yaksas in Antariksa...

Between Bhuvarloka and Bhurloka is antariksa, an interplanetary space where the Sun is situated.
The mid-region; the firmament or space between earth and heaven, the abode of Apsaras (nymphs), Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Raksasas, Yaksas (nature sprites of many types), Pisacas and ghosts along with the mythical wish-granting cow of plenty, Kamadhenu. .
They often descend on earth and are generally inimical to humans.
Usuallly they will be born later as humans.

This was shot in a house nearby the Nepali temple in Varanasi (Benaras).

Thank you to my 30 000 Flickr's viewers .....

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 04:06:48 +0000

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Today you are 30 070 Flickr viewers who visisted my photostream.
I wanted to thank you all for your kind comments and support, for your advices, for your friendship...

Flickr is an amazing platform which allows me to show my work and to share many emotions and stories from Benares, “The oldest living city in the world”.
I am also happy to meet people from all over the world here and through “India Song” the multicultural group that I have launched a few months ago and which is trying to make a fusion of Indo-Western ideas and aestheticism.
India Song Group

It is always a pleasure to be able to share ideas about culture and artistic thoughs with you.

So far I didn’t display many pictures of me, so I take the opportunity to show my face with a recent shot done by Rajiv Kumar, my Delhi friend who has been teaching me so many things about photography ( www.flickr.com/people/rajpic/ ).
This was shot along river Ganga at Manikarnika Ghat in front of my favorite temple before sunset and I have been doing a post-processing method on the sky with Photoshop.

Namaste.

Une photo...

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:57:42 +0000

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These lyrics of Charles Trenet' song, "Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?" were coming to my mind as I was post-processing this old picture of mine.
The English version doesn't translate at all those beautiful words so for once I'll keep the French words.

"Ce soir le vent qui frappe à ma porte
Me parle des amours mortes
Devant le feu qui s' éteint
Ce soir c'est une chanson d' automne
Dans la maison qui frissonne
Et je pense aux jours lointains

Que reste-t-il de nos amours
Que reste-t-il de ces beaux jours
Une photo, vieille photo
De ma jeunesse
Que reste-t-il des billets doux
Des mois d' avril, des rendez-vous
Un souvenir qui me poursuit
Sans cesse

Bonheur fané, cheveux au vent
Baisers volés, rêves mouvants
Que reste-t-il de tout cela
Dites-le-moi

Un petit village, un vieux clocher
Un paysage si bien caché
Et dans un nuage le cher visage
De mon passé

Les mots les mots tendres qu'on murmure
Les caresses les plus pures
Les serments au fond des bois
Les fleurs qu'on retrouve dans un livre
Dont le parfum vous enivre
Se sont envolés pourquoi?"

By Charles Trenet & Dalida: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwr56bAufhI
By Françoise Hardy & Alain Bashung: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q1XoKwXvCY
By Patrick Bruel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHa770PBwUk

Raksha Bandhan

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:22:48 +0000

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Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi) or Rakhi (राखी in Devanāgarī) is a Hindu festival and also Sikh festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters.
It is celebrated on the full moon of the month of Shraavana and in 2007 it falls on August 28.
The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread by the sister on the wrist of her brother.
The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her.
The brother and sister traditionally feed each other sweets.

It is not necessary that the rakhi can be given only to a brother by birth; any male can be "adopted" as a brother by tying a rakhi on the person, that is "blood brothers and sisters", whether they are cousins or a good friend.
Indian history is replete with women asking for protection, through rakhi, from men who were neither their brothers, nor Hindus themselves.
Rani Karnavati of Chittor sent a rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun when she was threatened by Bahadur Shah of Mewar.
Humayun abandoned an ongoing military campaign to ride to her rescue.

The origin of this festival is usually traced back to the historical incidents of Indra's fight with Vritra-Indra that resulted in Indra's loss.
Then, his wife had tied a thread around his wrist and empowered it with divine powers to make sure Indra emerged victorious in the duel that followed.

A sister ties a rakhi to the wrist of her brother, does the arti and wishes him a long life.
The tying of a rakhi signifies her asking of her brother for his protection and love for the sister.
The brother in return, accepts the rakhi, confirms his love and affection for his sister and promises to always protect her and shows this giving gifts.
It is a family event where all members of family, dressed in finery, gather and celebrate.
The tying of rakhi is followed by a family feast.

Raksha Bandhan is very important in indian culture, as much as Diwali can be.
If a sister is far away she sends her brother a Rakhi who will send her back a gift in return.

On this picture my brothers Manish, Chikoo, Ashish and me (left to right) are proudly showing how many sisters tied us Rakhis.
It’s been almost a year now and I am still wearing their threads of love on my wrist.

Namaste

nobody@ipernity.com (Designldg) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 03:55:05 +0000

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I am posing in front of Taj Mahal...and I don't have much to say about this image.
The picture was shot by mere bhai Manish Gupta.