Down the '08 Memory Lane

Life in a city is monotonous. It is a never ending race when each day seems to pile on stress and tension. Travel is my stress buster and here are the memories that will stay on in my mind for a long time to come...


At the Gaganachukki falls in Shivanasamudra. This is one place which I always want to come back to after every visit.



Malpe, a port near Udupi is a major hub for fishing. Thousands of boats set out into the sea from Malpe which also has a fish processing plant. I visited the Malpe harbour during my trip to Barkur.


Shot at Cochin Harbour at twilight hour. It was a spectacle and the image that will stand out from my visit to Birnanghanam, Cochin and Calicut.



The Merlion Park in Singapore. The Merlion is an imaginary creature which has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. It is a popular icon of Singapore.



The Alcatraz Island is San Francisco. On a chilly evening a golden haze engulfed the island. I was lucky to have been ashore at twilight hour to catch this on my camera.



The towering statue of Gommateshwara at Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is an important pilgrimage centre for Jains and a popular tourist destination. It was rated at as Number 1 wonder of Karnataka by NDTV.



Aleppey is a popular tourist destination in Kerala. Its narrow channels of water are dotted with house boats. One can drift along the vast Vembanad Lake in the house boat feasting on a fresh catch of fish.



Scenic, serene and spectacular. A view of Lake Tahoe from the hills... Tahoe offers many thrills and frills for tourists all year through.



Getting ready to go rafting in the Kaveri. This was at the Galibore Fishing Camp. Just 100Kms from Bangalore, but is a world apart. My first rafting experience.

Jingle All The Way...

Come December and celebration is in the air. Streets, homes, malls, offices and schools sport a new festive look. While most of us share the joy of the festive season with our family and friends, do we even spare a moment to think of those little children who don't have a family? What does a festival mean to them?

Below are some snapshots from the Christmas celebrations at the Don Bosco home for street children.


Manjunath, better known as Manja is a star at Bosco. From acting in Kannada movies to being an all-rounder on the cricket field, Manja excels in many extra-curricular activities. He was chosen to be the Santa Claus.



Great food is an essential part of any celebration. At Bosco, children are treated with a good meal, a fruit and a piece of cake on Christmas day. This is an aerial view of the children lined up at lunch time.



The kids at Bosco are given several oppurtunities to exhibit their talents. Music and dance are an integral part of most celebrations. The children in this picture performed a skit on the story of the birth of Christ.



The highlight of the Christmas celebrations. Santa cutting the Christmas cake which was later distributed to all the guests and children.



Improvisation! As there weren't sufficient glasses to distribute water to all the kids, a new innovative method was used to serve water!



Bidding good-bye to the 'Christmas Thatha' (Santa Claus). There was amazing excitement among the kids as they scrambled to shake hands with Santa.



Not related to this post, but this is something which caught my eye... A nice play of lights in front of Garuda Mall. Peace is indeed the need of the hour in India and across the world.