Happiness unmasked

Being..
Witnessing..

In a 'time space'..

Is all what we are..

The spec of dust in a vast universe..

We the sons and daughters of stars !!

Happiness could be as simple as 
a cup of tea..

Or a morning shower sitting 
leisurely on plastic stool..














Like a packaging material 
lying in a corner unattended..

Yet there lies that..

Which creeps out from the deeper inn

and makes us sad..

We the travelers of our ancient past !!

Home sweet home: people of Chhattisgarh (छत्तीसगढ़िया)

We meet amazing people in our life.  

Though strangers they are but bear character of profound depth and diversity.

Their story, quote, photograph,
makes it magical-reality, 

as if this being an incredible act of freezing a fleeting moment. 

Portrait of strangers, inhabitants of a state, 
vibrant monologue of human life,

to share herewith !! 

These two little kids are contributing their own labor and love 
for the new home to be built, 
by harnessing water 
from a hand pump, 
in their tiny pots !!

Water and soil to be mixed up well 
for the mud wall to be raised for the new home.

A young boy seems enjoying with his father 
and watching him doing as well.

Mixing hay with soil will add needed strength in soil 
to withstand in diverse climatic conditions.

Young souls helping old and being guided as well. 
Thus the traditional information moves forward 
from one generation to other.

Young boy Krishna age 5 helping his father Chhertoo Ram age 55, 
Saraitikra near Ambikapur

And thus miracle occurs, 
when a home of dream starts taking real shape, 
where everyone in the family is owner and technical expert too !!

Day out with kids: people of Chhattisgarh (छत्तीसगढ़िया)

We meet amazing people in our life.  

Though strangers they are but bear character of profound depth and diversity.

Their story, quote, photograph,
makes it magical-reality, 

as if this being an incredible act of freezing a fleeting moment. 

Portrait of strangers, inhabitants of a state, 
vibrant monologue of human life,

to share herewith !!

"I won't go to school.

Teachers punish."

"But things have changed 'Yashwant'.

Now teachers love their students in school."

"Noooooope...

I won't go... !!"

Yashwant, Age: 4 years, with mother Eshwari Bai, Saraitikra near Ambikapur

"It's so nice to see you 'Krishna', helping your father doing mud work for the home."

"Yupp....I love that."

"And you go to school too."

"Yupp...I go to the 'Aangan Bari' (a play school)."

"You like your school, teachers..."

"Yaaaa ... I like, 
...they are good. 

...Even I play there !!"

Krishna, Age: 5 years, with his sisters and father Chhertoo Ram, Saraitikra near Ambikapur

Karate kids: people of Chhattisgarh (छत्तीसगढ़िया)

We meet amazing people in our life.  

Though strangers they are but bear character of profound depth and diversity.

Their story, quote, photograph,
makes it magical-reality, 

as if this being an incredible act of freezing a fleeting moment. 

Portrait of strangers, inhabitants of a state, 
vibrant monologue of human life,

to share herewith !! 

It was an amazing initiative taken by the state government.
All over the state of Chhattisgarh of India, all school girls of standard 9th 

were offered 10 days Karate marshal art training course, 

from March 9th to March 18th 2015.
 

Female Karate trainer were provided to each cluster of schools 

selected in a way that each and every school kid including the remotest village 
could easily participate in that.

It was a time perfect, 

the spring time, morning hours, 
just before the school academic schedule starts.

Enthusiasm was worth witnessing.

Upbeat mood, brimming confidence was a common gift 
visible on the faces of all teenager girls.

Crime against women and girls are our common concern.

Empowering women, we all have heard so many time.

Perhaps this was one worth program to achieve both.

Should this be the permanent feature of their trainings 

so that our girls could feel safe 

while they toil their journey in society for their equal opportunities.

My father told me, "Sure you go to these classes, do it well".
Miss Rita Singh, class 9th, Government High School Sukhri, Ambikapur

My mom said, "Be regular to these classes, go daily, so that you come back as you have learn well."
Miss Anusuiya, class 9th, Government High School Sukhri, Ambikapur

"These village girls are so good in running. Endurance is high as compared to the city girls. 
They have all capability to cross to State and National level championship, if they are given opportunity."
Miss Varsha Gupta, Karate trainer

"I participated in National level Karate championship many a time, 
last in 2014 in Tyagraja Stadium in New Delhi. 
This game was regarded as for boys only, 
but now more and more girls are coming to this sport."
Miss Varsha Gupta, Karate trainer

"Karate capability shall boost morale and confidence in girls who go away from their home for studies and parents too will feel that their daughters are safe as they can safeguard them self."
Miss Varsha Gupta, Karate trainer

Color in the air: people of Chhattisgarh (छत्तीसगढ़िया)

We meet amazing people in our life.  Though strangers they are but bear character of profound depth and diversity.

Their story quote with photograph 
makes it magical-reality, as if this being an incredible act of  freezing a fleeting moment. 

Portrait of strangers, inhabitants of a state, 
vibrant monologue of human life, to share herewith !! 




Celebrating colors

Festivals are finely embroidered in the culture of a nation. 

They provide an occasion to bring festivity in life, forgetting our all hardship and trivialities for a while, leaving them behind. 

'Holi' in India is such a festival, it brings out all our madness for love, amity and oneness through colors. 

Here in these pictures are teachers of a school in the same mood, just a day before when school closes for this 'Holi' day. 

teaching staff of Government High School Saraitikra, near Ambikapur

teaching staff of Government High School Saraitikra, near Ambikapur

Fruits of pilgrimage: people of Chhattisgarh (छत्तीसगढ़िया)

We meet amazing people in our life.  
Though strangers they are but bear character of profound depth and diversity.

Their story quote with photograph 
makes it magical-reality, as if this being an incredible act of  freezing a fleeting moment.

Portrait of strangers, inhabitants of a state, 
vibrant monologue of human life, 
to share herewith !!




"I am the one who started sowing tomato and potato crops first time in this village."


Which crop you are sowing right now ?

"Onion, Okra, Corn."

And you do it alone ?

"I have 15 acres of land. Which is sufficient to us. My son helps me a lot. Since last three generations we are singles in the family. My grand father, me and my son....one in the generations. I have all the machines, tools, tractor, motors needed for the farming."

And your success credit goes to ?

"Did you see the sudden rains we had last night. It came from the Himalayas. Clouds comes from Badrinath and water from the Rameshwaram."

"These are the holy places for the Hindus, which I have visited all."

"Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Haridwar, Gangasagar, Puri, Rameshwaram, Kanyakumari, Tirupati bala, Madurai, Dwarikadheesh, Vrindawan, Gokul, Mathura, Ayodhya, Allahabad." 

"Gangotri is the coldest place of all in northern Himalayas."

"Grace of god is so important in our lives."

Sadharan Ram, Saraitikra near Ambikapur

Sadharan Ram with son Budhan Ram, Saraitikra near Ambikapur

Sadharan Ram, Saraitikra near Ambikapur

Sadharan Ram, Saraitikra near Ambikapur

Morning at Ambikapur Railway station

Poets have found trains irresistible. Steam's mucky glamour may only exist now between the covers of The Railway Children, but the romance of the railway lives on. Certainly, there's something compelling about the environment to which the train exposes you - it's the train's ability to suspend you between here and there - outside regimented time, away from the quotidian - that attracts. There's something regenerative in the act of boarding a train in one place and disembarking in another, without having actively engaged in the process at any juncture; it transports, in both senses of the word (Sarah Crown/theguardian.com).

The train is running on the track, track, track 

And I’m sitting in the carriage at the back, back, back
For we’re going on a journey that is fast, fast, fast
The fields and the cows whizz past, past, past
We’re going to the seaside very quick, quick, quick
And I’m listening to the wheels as they click, click, click
And we’re going over the hills to the top, top top
But slowly, very slowly, we come to a station and we stop, stop, stop..sssshhhhhhh

(by Brenda Williams)

Ambikapur Railway Station/©Anjani Kumar Tripathi/Indian Railways

Dawn break as soft light from the east envelopes all while moon light in the west sky fades gradually looks as if hanging from the lamp post, train ready to take passengers for their journey in cold winter morning.

Ambikapur Railway Station/©Anjani Kumar Tripathi/Indian Railways

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

― Augustine of Hippo

Ambikapur Railway Station/©Anjani Kumar Tripathi/Indian Railways

Listen to the quiet peaceful dawn. Sun touching the rim of spaces' night. Stars fading to brushes of paint In whirlwinds of dusk colored breezes. Passing away the moon's guard To the light of the sun's shift begins Now sweeping into a new day. (share courtesy:Gelene Beverly)

Ambikapur Railway Station/©Anjani Kumar Tripathi/Indian Railways

The platform of Ambikapur (India) Railway Station in an early morning glow
This railway station became operational on 3rd June 2006

Ambikapur Railway Station/©Anjani Kumar Tripathi/Indian Railways

Side view of the Railway Station building

Ambikapur Railway Station/©Anjani Kumar Tripathi/Indian Railways

Old kingly palace of  'Ambikapur' State (popularly known as 'Surguja' State)

Surguja Palace Ambikapur/©Anjani Kumar Tripathi

http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2013/03/architecture-with-endemic-flavour.html
http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2013/09/romance-of-indian-rail-in-hilly-terrain.html

http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2012/03/train-through-hill.html

http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2011/12/hill-call.html