Nothin’ but blue skies…
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
...do I see.
India is generally a dusty and often smoggy place, especially in Delhi. That makes a clear blue sky a real treat.
This one comes from Darjeeling, interrupted only by prayer flags and strings of green and white Gorkhaland decorations.
I’m continuing the Darjeeling photos while I’m off diving in Pondicherry.
Tags: buddhist, darjeeling, gorkhaland, india, landscape, photography
Tibetan eyes
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre, Darjeeling
We visited the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre in the Darjeeling hills. At the time, it was a rather dour compound. Adults eyed us — seven foreigners pulling up in a van — with reserve. We spent most of our time in the gift shop that sells traditional handicrafts at fixed, good prices.
Outside, these two little ones made up for the quiet with their laughter. Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: children, china, darjeeling, india, photography, play, portrait, poverty, tibet, tibetan refugee self help center
Copper pot, color kitchen
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Just pretty. That's all
Lonely chairs in the Tibetan roadside restaurant we visited in Darjeeling.
Tags: color, darjeeling, food, india, momo, photography, restaurant, tibetan
Tibetan kitchen is a family affair
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Our tour of Darjeeling was snared by a regular road closure that trapped us in a mountain traffic jam. Perfect Indian excuse for a lunch break.
We ventured to a small Tibetan restaurant where we proceeded to devour steamed vegetable momos and aloo parathas and sweet lemon tea. The whole operation was run out of a cramped kitchen (above) where mom and daughters molded momos (also below) and rolled bread.
Outside, the charismatic papa heckled customers (all of us), refused to serve them tea before lunch (me) and hollered ever-growing food orders (ours) through the door. Pops was absolutely delightful, laughed at my Hindi, and enthusiastically explained (still in Hindi) how to make his lemon tea.
Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: darjeeling, family, food, india, momo, nostalgia, photography, shenanigans, tibet
I’ve been drinking a lot of good tea lately
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Future Darjeeling loose leaf
The last week or so I’ve been drinking two+ liters of fine Darjeeling green tea a day. Hot damn it’s good.
The picturesque hills (above) are easy photographic subjects. Buying tea, however, is a whole other story.
Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: darjeeling, green tea, india, photography, tea, tourism
Citizen journalism, old-school
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Words for a people suppressed
The Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre in Darjeeling proudly displays the old World War II-era hand press that printed the Tibetan Freedom newspaper for 32 years. The newspaper was started on the advice of the Dalai Llama, exiled to India, to spread word of Tibetans, their identity and their struggle against Chinese control.
Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: china, dalai lama, darjeeling, india, journalism, photography, press, printing, tibet, tibetan refugee self help center
Sunset over tea
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
The sun dips behind the ridges of tea in Darjeeling
The Darjeeling series continues with this silhouette sunset.
Tags: darjeeling, india, photography, sky through trees, sunset, tea
Cold sunrise in Darjeeling
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Tiger hill at 6:19 a.m., just as the sun came up
Tags: cold, darjeeling, india, photography, portrait, sunrise, tiger hill
Old Bay and my domestic Indian lifestyle
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
And some of you laughed when I brought along Old Bay
I love photos of domestic settings. There are so many little details to absorb. The one above, though not particularly stunning, is my kitchen.
At the time, I was making some noodle “curry.” The dented can of Old Bay Seasoning, the best salt on the face of this planet, was one of the many things I carried here in my overstuffed backpack. Thank God.
Though I’ve been traipsing about the world, as you’ll see below, I do lead a rather domestic life from time to time.
Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: chili, cooking, curry, darjeeling, delhi, domestic, food, garlic, india, jameson, my kitchen, old bay, onion, photography, tea
Mountain road cricket
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Just don't hit it into the valley just out of frame
Quite regularly, the Darjeeling region in West Bengal organizes a bandh, or strike, to show support for creation of a separate state called Gorkhaland. On those days, the usually choked, winding mountain road and rail tracks between Ghoom and Darjeeling are practically empty.
Perfect time for a pickup cricket game. Indians will play anywhere, after all.
Of course, on the other side of the road, the valley plummets hundreds of meters. Best not to swing for that side.
Tags: cricket, darjeeling, gorkhaland, india, mountains, photography, politics, strike
