Uploads from Lars Pohlmann, tagged india, with geodata

Panchanantala Slum in Kolkata

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 03:42:26 -0700

I was walking around in Calcutta and got lost (yes, I’m usually doing this on purpose). I came along the AMRI Hospital which burned down just a few days before, leaving 91 dead. Just a day before I was talking with Christian Nocon this and about the people from the slum nearby who were the first people to help, and who saved a lot of lives. Talk about synchronicity…

Also by accident, I stumbled across that exact slum, which goes by the name “Panchanantala Slum”. At first I hesitated to enter, so I just sat at the place where a lot of people were crossing the train lines. But after a while, and some friendly chats (as much as you can “chat” with people who barely speak English), I decided to walk in and take my camera out. And of course, the photo printer I carry with me.

It turned out to be one of the nicest, quitest, cleanest and friendliest places I’ve seen in Calcutta so far. I had a lot of fun with the people and especially the kids. So much fun indeed, that I returned 2 days later and stayed for about 3 hours to make photos and hand out some prints to the people.

At times I generated a lot more attention for myself than I usually like, as everybody wanted to have his photo taken and, of course, a print. Sometimes I nearly caused a riot as people were trying to get my attention. For the most part, though, it was a lot of fun and the people were very welcoming and friendly.

I heard before that slums in India are nice and friendly places, but I always found that hard to believe. Now I know, that at least this slum is a very good place to live, much better than many other “nonslums” in Calcutta. Imagine that!
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Bundi

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:14:28 -0700

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Bundi is, for some reason that eludes me, not very high up on the list of places to visit for most travelers. With its beautiful blue houses, small alleyways and very friendly people it was easily the highlight of my time in Rajasthan. Also, you can get the best chai in all of India. Look out for Krishnas Place should you ever come here.
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Panchanantala Slum in Kolkata

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:11:54 -0700

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Badami

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:00:44 -0700

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

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Mysore

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:26:57 -0700

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Mysore is one of my favorite cities in India. The reasons for this are not that obvious. There are no important sights to visit, no mindboggling temples or forts. It's also not a particularly beautiful place. But there is something about the people that I really liked. They are open and friendly. When I was walking through the streets of Mysore I was very often waved at, to come over and sit down and have a short chat… so often, that I had to decline many times, as I wanted to cover some ground and get some photos in the limited time I had in this friendly city.
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Mysore

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:40:33 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Mysore

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:30:27 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Jaipur

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 03:04:55 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Many people don't like Jaipur, for them it's mostly a transportation hub to reach the "romantic" destinations like Udaipur or Jaisalmer, and I understand why: The modern part of the city is really not that inviting. The small streets of the "pink city", though, are in my opinion awesome. I walked around there for three days, many hours a day, and everytime I took a turn into an unknown street, I discovered something new and interesting. So, if you should ever come to Jaipur, give it a chance and explore the "pink city", it's well worth it.
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Flowerseller in Kolkata

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 07:14:13 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Kolkata has to be the loudest, most chaotic city I've ever been to. I spent 8 days there and I was glad when I finally left, because I couldn't stand the constant noise anymore. BUT Kolkata is also a very fascinating place, quite different from other cities in India and well worth a visit.
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Tiruchirapalli

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 05:26:33 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

I spent a few days exploring the temples in Madurai and Tiruchirappalli (also known as Trichy). What an awesome experience! Both cities are loud and chaotic places, but in the temples you'll find an oasis of serenity and cheerfullness. Hindu people who come here show a kind of devotion that is quite alien to me, but I did enjoy the atmosphere a lot. You'll find pilgrims, families and surprisingly few western tourists. There are places inside the temples that are off limits for non-hindus, but I could explore large areas (and the temples really are huge).

Most hindus were very welcoming and many thanked me for visiting. Odd, isn't it? I was often asked to take a photo of them, and again they thanked me, if I did so.

In Trichy I was lucky enough to arrive for a 20 day festival, that happens once a year. The Brahmins would carry around statues of hindu gods which are shown to the public only once a year. Many Indians were very eager to catch a glimpse (and take a photo with their cellphone) of these statues. There was a strange, but very enjoyable mix of devotion and cheerfulness in the air. A mix I never experienced in any other religion.
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Peanut seller in Mysore

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 04:21:30 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Hindu Pilgrim in Hampi

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 04:50:13 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

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Banana Salesman in Mysore

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 03:23:49 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Madurai

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 08:04:53 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

I spent a few days exploring the temples in Madurai and Tiruchirappalli (also known as Trichy). What an awesome experience! Both cities are loud and chaotic places, but in the temples you'll find an oasis of serenity and cheerfullness. Hindu people who come here show a kind of devotion that is quite alien to me, but I did enjoy the atmosphere a lot. You'll find pilgrims, families and surprisingly few western tourists. There are places inside the temples that are off limits for non-hindus, but I could explore large areas (and the temples really are huge).

Most hindus were very welcoming and many thanked me for visiting. Odd, isn't it? I was often asked to take a photo of them, and again they thanked me, if I did so.

In Trichy I was lucky enough to arrive for a 20 day festival, that happens once a year. The Brahmins would carry around statues of hindu gods which are shown to the public only once a year. Many Indians were very eager to catch a glimpse (and take a photo with their cellphone) of these statues. There was a strange, but very enjoyable mix of devotion and cheerfulness in the air. A mix I never experienced in any other religion.

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Holi in Bundi

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:54:42 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

I spent the first Holi Festival of my life in Bundi. I researched quite a bit about this festival before I came to India. I knew I wanted to experience Holi in northern India and I knew that I didn't want to go to the major hotspots like Vrindavan, the big cities like Delhi or the tourist traps like Pushkar. That I ended up in Bundi, is more of a random thing though. I just was nearby... The festival itself was one of the most fun/crazy things I ever experienced in my life! Everybody was smiling and enjoying themselves. It was also much more respectful than I anticipated. I was prepared to get colorful, but I took quite a while before the locals got that. Onc they saw that I don't mind the color, though, there was no holding back the Indians.

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Holi in Bundi

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:49:05 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Varanasi

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:04:35 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Varanasi is a strange place. On the one hand it's full of touts and quite unfriendly locals, on the other hand it's one of the oldest cities in the world and one of the holiest cities in India. The first few days I spent in Varanasi I didn't like it at all. But after a few days I learned to look past all the negatives and discovered a place that is magical in its own right.

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Brahmin Priest in Varanasi

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 04:30:20 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Varanasi

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 07:39:10 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Jaipur

nobody@flickr.com (Lars Pohlmann) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 07:05:07 -0800

Lars Pohlmann posted a photo:

Many people don't like Jaipur, for them it's mostly a transportation hub to reach the "romantic" destinations like Udaipur or Jaisalmer, and I understand why: The modern part of the city is really not that inviting. The small streets of the "pink city", though, are in my opinion awesome. I walked around there for three days, many hours a day, and everytime I took a turn into an unknown street, I discovered something new and interesting. So, if you should ever come to Jaipur, give it a chance and explore the "pink city", it's well worth it.

join me on facebook: www.facebook.com/LarsPohlmannPhotography