On my way
to airport a few months ago I picked up a copy of a Photography magazine. It gave
tips to aspiring photographers [like me]! One of the tips was ‘Carry your
camera wherever you go, you do not know what photo opportunity will present
itself.”
I usually
do, but there are days when I have not followed this simple suggestion. And sometimes
spent hours repenting.
Such was my
state of mind after visiting Vohrawad near Kapadwanj. It was a chance visit – I
was taken there without being advised of significance of the place.
I was
stunned by the beauty of the house as Raghav, my young friend who drove the car
entered Vohrawad. I asked him to stop the car, and regretted deeply for not having
carried my camera. This was as if you discovered that your girl was alone, you are
all set to take the first step and you suddenly hear her father sitting in a
corner coughs up to remind you of his presence! The reality struck, I was not
carrying my camera!!
In life, you
have to make some compromises, you have to settle for the second best, and then
tell yourself that such are the ways of an optimist. I decided to use my mobile
camera.
I had stopped
where the road got bifurcated. A building stood there like an old and graceful model
inviting to be photographed. I obliged.
I do not
know many Bohra Muslims. Two or may be three. But I did not know them well,
they were just acquaintances. So never visited their homes, never had any
opportunity to see the way they live. And here I was in their mohalla, Vohrawad
is a small town of Bohra Muslim community. It is there for ages. But now
populated largely by old men and women. And old houses. I saw old ladies in
Burkhas, not black but colourful burkhas, with some embroidery, sitting on the
steps of old houses. Beautiful and ornamental and worn out like their burkhas.
We entered
the arch and I saw an old house there, perhaps abandoned. The local
advertisement for Soda painted on its wall.
A few steps
ahead we entered this lane. Beautiful houses, narrow lanes to escape heat and
harsh winter. Stunning wood work. The mobile came handy, I too some snaps.
And then I came across this house which was pulled down. A pigeon sitting there. Those who have memories of their houses in villages will readily understand that they were themselves like homing pigeon. Lost in the memories of a house which was witness to their growing up. A photograph and nostalgia is a terrific combination, it is like a shot of Tequila. Irresistible. Whips up emotions. I decided to title it ‘The homing pigeon.’
Vivek