CHHATH PUJA CELEBRATIONS AT DELHI

Dear friends,
Here is a report by Indraneel Sen which throws light on Chhath Puja Celebrations in Delhi.
---Dr. Pankaj Sharma
Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya.This festival is uniquely popular in Bihar and Jharkhand. It is celebrated as gratitude to the sun for providing the necessities of life on earth and also for fulfilling particular wishes. Celebrations were in full swing here at Delhi. A big number of people celebrated this festival with pomp and zeal. The banks of the Yamuna were the centre of attraction. Devotees flocked in large numbers for offering evening and the morning pujas. Keeping aside age differences, all the participants of this festival were at their full peak of enjoyment.
This four-day festival commences with the worshipper cooking traditional vegetarian food and offering it to the sun god. This day is called Naha- Kha (literally Bathe and eat).The worshipper goes through one meal on this day. On the second day, a special ritual, called Kharna, is performed in the evening after Sun sets down. On this day also, the worshiper takes only one meal from the offerings (Prasad) cooked to the Sun God. Friends and relatives are invited to the household on this day to share the Prasad of the ritual. From this day onwards, for the next 36 hours, the worshiper goes on a fast without water. The third day is spent preparing the Prasad at home. In the evening the devotees go to a river’s bank or pond where the Prasad is offered to the setting sun. On the final day of this festival all the devotees go to a river for offering Prasad to the rising sun. After that the devotees break their fast and Prasad is shared with all the people around.

(Report and Photographs by-Indraneel Sen, New Delhi)

Photographing Springy Spirals
Dear Friends,
The possibilities of a good photograph are almost everywhere and more or less with every subject. This time I have tried to photograph colourful spirals of plastic. These springy spirals are easily available at any toys’ shop. Children make fun by moving them up and down. I took these spirals and placed them against a dark background in different ways. The source of illumination was a window of my room which provided soft and gentle light. I positioned my camera on tripod and clicked different forms of these spirals. The results are before you all.
---Dr. Pankaj Sharma

Photographing Illuminations on Deepawali
Dear Friends
Deepawali is a festival of radiance. People decorate their homes with lamps (Deepaks) and colourful electrical lights. We have an ideal opportunity to create fantastic photographs on this occasion. I have attempted to create some graphical forms of the electrical illuminations. I set my camera at shutter speed priority and preferred very low shutter speed with ISO 80. After doing so I pointed my camera at various colourful lightings around my home and clicked them one by one. While shooting these lightings at long exposure I moved my camera in different ways every time on the basis of pre visualization. The results I got are before you.

I wish you all a very “Happy Deepawali” and “Happy Clicking”.
---Dr. Pankaj Sharma

A Truthful Photo Artist : Akhil Hardia AFIAP, AIIPC

Dear Friends,
Born on 29th December-1960, Akhil Hardia (Indore, India) had an inclination towards art photography since long. As he grew young, his liking took final shape and he decided to choose photography art as his companion. Presently he works with reputed Hindi Daily, “Dainik Bhaskar”, Indore as Photo Journalist. As a photo journalist he is always in search of something meaningful that may give some positive message to society.
He has exhibited his photographs through 05 solo and various group exhibitions in different cities of the country. He is a regular participant in national/international contests of art photography and has achieved about 120 awards and more than 700 acceptances in these contests. He has been honoured with “Artist Federation Internationale Di L-Art Photographique” (AFIAP) by Federation Internationale de L-Art Photographique, France, and “Associateship” of India International Photographic Council” (AIIPC), Delhi. He has been invited as jury-member in various national/international competitions of art photography. He is member of IIPC, Delhi, FIP, Kolkata, Indore Press Club, CCI, and PPA, Indore. Mr. Hardia is a truthful photo artist and has profound interest in touching social realities.

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

Abode of Natural Beauty: Jhandi Dhaar
Dear Friends,
Jhandi Dhaar is a gorgeous place situated at the distance of about 45 Km. from Almora (Uttarakhand, India). This is a central Himalayan Ridge which joins Binsar Sanctuary and Jageshwar. The height of this ridge varies between 6000 ft. to 7000 ft. (approx.). We can witness beautiful Himalayan Ranges (about 300 Kms.) from Jhandi Dhaar that include Chaukhamba, Trishul, Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot and Panchchuli. The famous Vridhh Jageshwar temple is an important religious place of this region. Another important point of the region is Jhandi Kot Peak. An extremely charming view of Himalayan Ranges can be seen from this peak. We can reach Jhandi Dhaar by taxi or bus from Almora and other important places of Uttarakhand.

---Dr. Pankaj Sharma