Missed MY MidSommar!! NAAA, NOT THIS TIME...

The post was first published in June 22, 2019. I post here to share the delight that not only did I attend but I actually planned my mid summer. 

None of the friends were around, most of them out of town. I had an invitation to join a friend in another town, but I did not feel like travelling. So I went to the closest place of celebration. 

It was a 12 minute bike ride, half of it through the woods. I packed a sandwich, a banana and an orange, a mat and a padded cushion.  A bottle of Mango Lime. 

But most importantly my cameras and a tripod. Even though I have a gazillion pics of midsummer already.

I chose to go to Alters Herrgård (Alters Manor. Alster is a lake in our town).

Alsters Herrgård, the house that belonged to Gustav Fröding a very famous poet from our town. 

For anyone who wants to visit, CLICK ON THIS LINK, book a free guided tour, come for summer dances and concerts. 

It was a stunningly beautiful day. People of all ages danced around the maypole singing 'små grodarna' the frog song and danced. The best was to see children with their grandparents. 

Here are some pics. At the end of this post, you have links to some old midsummer posts. Enjoy....it is truly a magical time of the year. 

PS: NO MATTER HOW SLOW IT GOES, I WILL NOT ABANDON THIS BLOG. EVEN THOUGH AS YOU ALL KNOW I AM WORKING ON ANOTHER ONE CURRENTLY. THIS ONE REMAINS DEAR. THIS WAS MY TESTING GROUND FOR A DECADE, AND I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL. 

BTW, THIS MONTH ALONE, I GOT 1.52 K HITS. 1.39 FROM SOMEONE IN SINGAPORE....XIE-XIE, DHANYAVAADAM, THANKS....

This is from June 6, 2023. Swedish National Day Celebration

Its a family day

The house that Gustav Fröding used to live in has been turned into an art gallery and a gift shop that sells only hand made materials from local artists.

Summer and flowers are synonymous. I got this one on my walk last week with my neighbour. 

Flowers in the hair, and love in the air....

Floral dresses and wreaths always go together in mid summer

His first midsummer, mommy made sure they matched!

June 22, 2019

So yesterday was midsummer's eve and today is midsummer. I am so tuned into the concept of weekend that I forgot that for sometime now midsummer has been celebrated on fridays. I was lost in finishing a paper that needs to be sent in. And I waste much time on laptop.  My mind jumps somedays from one point to another of all the things that I have to do.

Infact, I have bought a program called rescue time which blocks all internet on my computer.

I realised post 5 pm that it was actually the day of midsummer party. Aaaarrgggh....there is nothing new and usually after it ends one just wonders (its really family holiday).  So, if you have seen it once and have no plans to be with friends, then you have seen it all.

But I had planned to take some fresh video as I am making one of my short films for the YouTube channel.

So instead, I just sat in my own yard, meditated for about ...well two sets of 25 minutes, stared at the flowers and felt somewhat sad.

As I had lost something important.

It is midsummer after all.  I must do something soon to recover from this sadness, because it reminded me that if I had a family --I would have planned something.  I could have called friends, but I didn't only because my plans were to make a video.  In which case one needs to be alone.

Arrggh...not a nice thing to miss midsummer.  Today is the longest day and Sweden is happy in all its glory.

So, I added this above picture.  Stole it from twitter.  @Sweden.se  The day after the crazy party of midsummer, people relax and spend time with family.  

Here are some old entries on midsummer--enjoy!!  And I am going to imagine that I was there all over again.  And console myself that there was nothing new that I missed...and so this is what I drew for you all ......

Magic of Midsummer

Midsummer Midsommar sights in Sweden

Midsummer Signs

Mid Sommar MayPole

Sunsets and Sunrises

I know, I know I am slipping, but I am not giving up on this blog. Never will, not matter how rare this becomes. Just to let you know that I do have another active blog, which is 'public' and I will be dedicating more time to that, but this one remains dear and some very dear posts will be shared here only, because I share them with a few special friends who continue to visit this space. 

First published on May 9, 2012, these pictures were taken in Spring of 2009. The first picture is etched in my memory, as one of the most magical moments in my travel. I was on my own that evening, there is a bagpipe show in the town square and as the sunset, it reflected the stunningness of the town in one image. I knew I had to make a memory of it. Hope you all enjoy it too. 

have a beautiful day, wherever you are...and notice the sunsets and sunrises..

__________________________

How many sunsets and sunrises will we see before we tire of them?  I have not come to a conclusion yet.  Because even today, after have numerous pictures of sunsets and sunrises whenever I look at one, I stop, sigh and smile.  And I click. I sigh and smile again before moving on my way.  In a life of uncertainties, there are a few things I can count on.  That these simple-everyday miracles, will leave me breathless is one of them!

The above picture was taken in Queensland, New Zealand.  I was backpacking through the south island, since I knew I was going to be leaving the Pacific soon.  I never regretted it.  Only I travelled so much that year I have only faint memories of NZ.  But what I do remember clearly is--this one sunset in Queensland and one sunrise, above Lake Matheson, from behind the mountains.  I will put up those pictures later. For now, I just wanted to share this sunset reflected in a window.  Almost looked like a painting mounted on a brick wall!! Queensland, New Zealand, 2009. 

The above picture was taken from a plane.  This was important in more than one ways. I was heading towards New Zealand to visit my friends Pat and Peggy.  I had a lecture at Victoria University and  a week later I was to head towards my unplanned backpacking trip of South East Asia.  Those two months remain the highlight of my life so far.  I will write notes some other time. For now, I hope that this bright star makes you do what it makes me do everytime....stop, sigh and smile.  New Zealand, 2009.

So, how many sunsets and sunrises do we see  before we get tired?  Before we say, 'Oh no?" Before we look at it and roll our eyes in 'So what?"... I don't think there is a number yet....so far....like the uncertainty and infinity of Pi, these natural wonders take me to something deep inside me, where I am too insignificant, yet an important piece in the puzzle.....

So, for me, until now, it is Stop, Sigh and Smile....Click!! Share..with you all...

Celebrating a Decade: Paskris: Swedish Easter Tradition (4th most popular)

First Published on March 28, 2015--and republished a few times since, here it is, as we approach easter, a post on how easter is celebrated in Sweden 

So, last published on July 31, 2019--this is being published again for two reasons. Because it is time.  Because it is spring and feathers are around, and I do not need a thick coat, and not having gloves or hats on me is not dangerous. 

But also because even though I have been talking to you all in my head, I know that I want to write this next one properly.   

Btw, for the first time I thinking I need to sell my articles to magazines for money.  I mean I write so much.  It must be age, I start to think about 'the time'.  I love this blog.  But I write for other online portals, all free.  And it can take about 3-5 days for a proper article.  I never asked for money.  But now I think I might want to publish where they will pay.....:)) 

(What do you guys think? Will someone be willing to pay me?? :)

Regardless, whoever you all are, stay safe--this virus thing is nothing but toxicity in the air.  I think it is going to die down soon, Very soon. I will connect again soon.

_________________

First published in 2015--last published last year on March 30, 2018--here is the fourth most popular post. Gives a bit of culture and color

First published on March 28, 2015--republished here because its bright, its easter and spring is back..with its bright and yet somehow annoying million watt light!!  Living the magical life!!

Feathers, Colors, Eggs and Birds: Happy Spring

Come Spring, in Sweden you start to hear the birds in the forests and around your house (although funnily enough you hear some throughout the winter--truly swedish birds).feathers on sticks start to be sold in the shops, along with many wreaths made of feathers….

Paskris, or easter twigs (literally easter-rice) is an Easter tradition in Sweden.  The twigs are taken from supple birch trees that are finally enjoying being able to feel the sap in their veins, and are standing erect in affirmation of their own life. 

As, we all know, many of the Christian holidays/celebrations were imposed on pagan celebrations to convert/transform Pagan celebrations to christian celebrations. So, easter is actually a celebration of resurrection of nature from the dead.  Sweden, is one of the few countries, though christianised as kept many of its pagan traditions. 

Swedish Easter Witches---one of Sweden's and parts of Finnland tradition--is a celebrated by dressing young girls as witches and boys as old men.  Some of its traditions are similar to Halloween--as in trick or treat. Girls and boys dressed as Häxa (witch) or Gubbe (old man) go door to door with a  copper kettle (not that common anymore) looking for treats, in exchange for hand drawn paintings. The tradition comes from old belief that witches would fly to a German mountain the weekend before Easter to meet with Satan, and on their way would pick up young children for their meal.  Swedes would light fires to scare them --a practice still prevalent today to light bonfires--and dress young children as witches and old men to confuse the witches. Every easter there are also Påsk (easter) parades, where children, dressed up in costumes, accompanied by parents and a loud band, announce the arrival of spring.  The above pictures were taken at the parade last year. 

Sheer Elegance

I took these images in 2017 or 2018 summer in New Rajindar Nagar, New Delhi, India. The women must either be returning from a temple ceremony or all of them work for a shop or something.

The uniformity of their outfits, the elegance with which they carried themselves, and the dainty way they pulled their sarees up to avoid dirtying them with rain water (it must have been July or early August, because it looks like the rainy season), was like a little haiku in action.

Had to click. Hope you like them. 

 

Jab Deep Jale Aaana--Come, When the lamps light up

First published on December 22, 2017, here it is again, as the evenings are just as beautiful...

and here is the link to the song, so you can hear its melody and simplicity....from the 1970s...songs in those days used to be based on light classical....Jab Deep Jale aana...

Jab Deep Jale Aaana--Come, When the lamps light up, is an old bollywood song, light-classical, I would say.  The song is a call to the beloved, for a rendezvous. In the dark the evening, no one would be able to tell them apart. 

But evenings in Sweden are utterly and sweetly romantic.  Not as in romance, but as in softness. The brightness of summer is harsh, the coziness of winter is simply warm, despite the crispness.  Its easy on the eyes and makes us aware of a longing that we become oblivious to in summer!!

A Special Post : Two Stories --Same Human Connection

Today I am writing for those who visit this specially.

Those come here to read my updates and those who have followed it for years. As I have mentioned else place on this blog, I have YouTube channel and I have another places where I contribute regularly. 

So, coming here is not as regular. 

But I will never give up this space. 

This blog holds special meaning for me. Not just because this was the first blog I ever created. But for a few other reasons.

1. Those special people who still click on it, on purpose. I know there are many (I get about 200-600 hits a month) who come here for  topic or images.  But then there are others who come for the writing or simply to check up on what have I been upto. So, this post is specially for them, who come to get an update about me, and sometimes email me or leave a comment on the blog. 

Thanks, and please leave comments, it always makes my day. 

2. I have documented my life here in some way for the last 12 years. 

Yes, 12 years. 

This blog does not give a detailed account of my personal life.

Yet, if you read through many of the posts, you will figure out many themes and meanings in my life.

On an average I have about 36-37 posts a year. 

Considering that during this time, I have travelled through 17 brand new countries (not counting those before 2010. The year 2009, which I still need to write about in detail, was something special. I travelled through 13 different countries, on train, bus, boat, and ofcourse planes). 

I have published about 12 professional articles,15 non academic, one short story on amazon, started a youtube channel, working on a larger book length project right now...and released my first 24 minute film last year. I have been India about India about 11 times, to the US 6 times, to Spain 4 times, Germany 3 times, Japan 2 times...so and so forth....

Yet, on an average 36-37 posts a year.

During this time writing emails has gone downhill, although I am one of the few people who still writes emails. 

Most emails, with most people were repetitive.  

Around late in first decade of 2000, people started to put their pictures and thoughts on FaceBook. 

Something, I still do not do.

I share the pictures I take, to give a perspective. Not pictures of me or my family.

Somethings should remain private. My simplistic thinking.

There is a tradition in India of not saying the name of those you love. Especially between married couples. Its a way of protecting that energy. Keeping it sacred. 

Same with images of people. 

But also, a realisation that my pictures should not be imposed on other people's feeds. My pics are not important.  Even if I think they are.

So they remain with me. 

Although to be honest, I have a hard time finding pictures of myself. I am always behind the camera.

A little creativity --and  picture becomes more intriguing rather than a show 

The ones I take of myself are usually on my computer, in Photo Booth. Its like a time lag of 200 photos over 10 years. 

But I choose to write here, because it brings me back the simplicity, when I wrote simply to write, and wrote for a few friends.

And I continue.

Many of the posts here are not saved on my computer. I think they should be. 

I have so many precious incidents documented here.

The past decade has always been difficult with regards to life issues.

Yes Life issues, something that I hardly share on this blog. At least not openly. 

Sometimes, when I return to this blog, I am amazed at how much I have recorded. I could not have written it all in my hand written journals. 

I must admit writing in a journal is different from writing on this blog. I know that this can be accessed by strangers, no matter that it is anonymous. There is always a fear of being found out. And I want to limit some thoughts to my journals. 

There are many ways of adding story to a picture....I love what light and camera angles can do, even with computer's Photo Booth

So, today, on a Saturday, even though I generally post on Friday evenings, I decided to dedicate some time to this blog.

I want to share two incidents from this week. First about food, and second about unplanned conversations that can evoke nostalgia, a strong yet fleeting connection and rejuvenate us because it brings us human connection. 

I have been working in Gothenburg. Love the city. 

But also some days I buy cooked food to save time. And because I am simply exhausted, working between two towns. But more importantly here I have access to so much 'international food'. Even getting nice Chinese or Italian in Karlstad is not easy.

Here in Goteborg, I can get Indian and Greek, and Chinese and Vietnamese ....you name it.

I stay in city centre. Even better, close to metro and buses, and very close to many eateries.

So, this last week I visited an Indian restaurant for a take away twice. I have been having some 'gum' issues.  So have restricted my food to soups, rice and noodles for a few weeks.

Rice and daal, sounded wholesome and warm and healthy.

I got it two days ago on Wednesday. The  yesterday, that is friday, I went again and ordered the same.

The person serving me at the counter insisted I have something else. 

'No try no 81, or 83, they are all vegetarian'.

At some point, he asked me where I was from. He told me the last time he was from India. This time, he told me he was from Nepal and asked if I could speak hindi.

We started chatting in hindi. He insisted that I try something other than what `i ordered.

I have to be careful, and need to have something soft., I said.

'yes,' i assure you 81 channa masala is soft and delicious. he repeated.

Ok, I ordered, and then asked, 'but why do you insist when I am fine with what i had two days ago?'

'Because you have to try other things from our place, because it is good for your mouth and taste to try something new.'

I simply smiled. It was a combination of 'care and pride'. He wanted me to have a good experience, also wanted me to think good of his restaurant.

There's an asian touch. As we call it, Apnapan. The feeling of belonging. 

I smiled, and we talked about a few other things. How he came to this country. He told me he had been here for 5 years. He shared his name. I told him I knew another Kamal *meaning lotus, from Nepal. I told him people usually thought I was from Nepal or Mexico or Spain or Italy, its interesting how I am perceived. 

I asked him I could get a small packet of sweetened aniseed, which you get in Indian restaurants after meals. Its is a digesting and a mouth freshner.

He packed the anise, and two types of chutneys.

Ah, the feeling of familiarity lasted the whole evening. For a short time, on a cold evening, I felt like I was home.

Second Incident.  Three days ago. Wednesday. The first time I went to that restaurant to get rice and daal, I stopped at Kvillefoto (https://kvillefoto.se) to ask if they could get me a few negatives of a few glamour shots, some old family pics etc. (you can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02T6b4NHX7w)

The best part was that without thinking I did my first few minutes of conversation in Swedish.

He said that they did. But today there is no need for a negative because they make a digital image of it and can remove any scratches etc. 

I wanted to ask him about getting a camera for my youtube channel. 

'Oh I know nothing of it' he said. I was surprised. Then he pointed at the long row of cameras behind him and said, 'All these are analogs. These are old cameras. Film is still hard to find, but they are getting more and more demand. Analog is coming back in fashion, people want to see pictures that are not perfect....'

I was listening intently. I talked about my first Pentax and realised that even that was not an analogue. I had forgotten. I never owned an analogue. Maybe the disposals ones.

I have two of my father's cameras. One of them, Minolta, really dear to him. 

So I talked about Minolta, long lenses, and another one that my father gave me, a really old camera.

The man smiled.

Then I told him to watch Sean Tucker's youtube channel.  He said, he already did.

He shared a few pictures, told me about following natural light and showed me various ways I could get some pasteboards if I wished. 

I have been meaning to get pasteboards made of flowers from different countries. 

Then I asked him, if I could interview him about photography for my channel. He agreed.

I was so happy. Only I know how hard it is for me to find time. I have gazillion ideas but to keep it all up is hard.

But still such a soulful conversation, that when I stepped out of the photoshop I had a spring in my walk.

Such power, human connection has.

So, I wanted this to be focus of my very first story of 2023. I hope you will remember and I wish you experience many warm moments like this in the coming year.