It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. The temperature gauge measured 40c. It’s been a few days since I last went out for photo walk. Unlike other days, I chose “punishing” hours of mid-afternoon; mercury is at its highest between noon and 4 PM.
I was walking through the “tourist district” of Jaipur, near Hawa Mahal in Sirehdyodi Bazaar where the street is lined with the shops selling touristy merchandise.
The shopkeepers were calling me out so I could walk in their shops and buy something; it’s was an off-season from the tourist perspective. They mistook me for a foreign tourist! I was about to cross the road and walk into the Sirehdyodi Gate when someone under a banyan tree grabbed my attention trying to converse in English.
Hello….Hi…will you spare a minute? Look at these dholak…very nice…Indian music… very cheap…Come have a look.
I turned around and saw this young man selling Dholak. I pulled up my camera to compose a shot, he acknowledged by posing for a picture with a Dholak.
(Dholak is a barrel shape Indian drum often having rope type lacing and is played using two hands. Dholki is an alternative name associated with Dholak. Check out previous post associated with Dholak here)
I quickly shot another frame capturing these spare Dholaks placed on the pavement meant for selling to the tourists. His source of livelihood.
I wanted to strike a conversation with him. I had many questions in my mind. The reason for his injured left arm? Was he making enough money by selling Dholaks? …….
Considering I was running late and a conversation might break his illusion that I was a foreign tourist (I didn’t want to prove him wrong), I decided to move on. Some other day, I thought! I smiled and moved ahead.
This post is part of Weekly Photo Challenge – Spare. Check out previous posts on Weekly Photo Challenge–Click here
I am amazed how you can stand the heat, how you can still concentrate on taking great pictures! Astounding indeed!
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Peter I would just say that we all adapt to conditions we live in. we will find it tough to live in sub zero conditions cause we’re not used to it. but yes it’s taxing in temperature beyond 42 C. Sometimes rises to 46-47 C.
🙂
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Thank you for pingback! 🙂
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He’s happy you’re clicking his snap! 🙂
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True… Whether you’re at touristy place or remote villages, people love to get themselves clicked! 🙂
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Superb….
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Thank You! 🙂
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Nice 🙂
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Thanks Rupam! 🙂
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I love the thought of you dressed as a tourist to blend in!
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Ha ha! Mick we can repeat this when you next visit Jaipur and let’s see if you can spot me! 😉
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Now there’s a challenge, Arv!
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Ha ha! This is ‘real’ WordPress challenge. Lol!
Don’t worry no undercover stuff and no challenge for friends! 🙂
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I’ll let you know when I’m next in India!!!
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That’s great Mick!! All okay? Been missing your presence for last few days on WP!!
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Yes, all well, Arv, Thank you. It’s been a busy time since I got the computer back. Sometimes just keeping up with everything seems difficult!
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That’s true. I find finding time for social networking quite difficult. Breaks are necessary to maintain sanity!
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Very true! Then we have to catch up again, of course!
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I know! 🙂
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I love those dholaks!
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They produce melodious sound! 🙂
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