It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. The temperature gauge measured 40C. It’s been few days since I last went out for photo walk. Unlike other days, I chose “punishing” hours of mid afternoon. Punishing because the Sun is scorching hot; 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. The street is lined with the shops selling touristy stuff.
Shopkeepers were trying to get my attention so I could walk in and give them some business during the ongoing off-season. They mistook me for a foreign tourist because I was dressed & fashioned like one of them! I feel it’s best to dress for the place & occasion; I call it “Blending In”. It provides you with lots of photographic opportunities.
I was about to cross the road towards the famous City Palace entrance gate, when someone from my left side called out in English, standing under a banyan tree.
Hello….Hi…will you Spare a minute? Look at these dholak…very nice…Indian music… very cheap…Come have a look.
I found a young man selling Dholak. I pulled up my camera to compose a shot, he acknowledged by posing for a picture. He was holding a Dholak on his left arm.
(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 next to him on the pavement meant for sale to the tourists. His source of livelihood.
I wanted to strike conversation with him. I had many questions in my mind….what caused injury to his left arm? Was he making enough money by selling Dholaks? …….
But looking at the fact that I was short on time and conversation might break his illusion that I was a foreign tourist (I didn’t want to prove him wrong), I decided to move on thinking…some other day! I would love to hear his story, probably with lots of Spare time!! I gave him a smile and moved ahead.
This post is part of Weekly Photo Challenge – Spare
Check out previous posts on Weekly Photo Challenge–Click here
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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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