Back in the saddle

With summer in my rear view mirror, I take a deep breathe of fresh california air and focus all my energies on the slow process of getting back into 'photography' mode. I have taken the summer off for fun in the sun. We traveled to India as a family and had the most amazing time. We ate, we drank, we bonded with new family members. It was so heart warming watching my boys develop close relations with their "Indian" cousins. Aside from meeting family we were able to visit some monumental palaces and tombs along our route. We started our journey in New Delhi, where Nikhil's aunts and cousins live. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family that opened not only their homes to us but their hearts and love as well.
We hoped into a bus, 10 of us total, and traveled to Agra, Fatepur, Jaipur, Udaipur, Ranukpur, and finally Mumbai where the party really picked up.

For the next few weeks as I edit the daunting 8700 photos that were taken on our iphones, digi cameras and my 5D I will post a few of my favorites for you to see. Enjoy!

 

First stop on this photo tour is the town of Agra. Located about 200 miles south of Delhi, Agra is situated along the Yamuna River. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a dedication to his favorite wife upon her dealth delivering her 14th child. It is a symbol of love and honor. Photographs do not do it justice. The tomb was breathtaking.

 

Monkeys are everywhere in Agra. They have taken over homes and businesses. I imagine they can be quite a nuisance but they sure were cute outside our bus window.

 Cows are all over India in general. I found this quote regarding the cow:

In Hinduism, the cow (Sanskrit: go) is revered as the source of food and symbol of life and may never be killed. Hindus do not worship the cow, however, and cows do not have especially charmed lives in India. It is more accurate to say the cow is taboo in Hinduism, rather than sacred.

There was major construction happening all over the place in Agra. The railroad being repaired, flood control from the Yamuna River (Monsoon season) and basic upkeep keeps a lot of people busy at work. These people carried baskets of rocks over to a truck for some unknown construction project .

 I can't help but think of the saying "It takes a village to raise a child" in this photo it sure looks like that is the truth.

 More manual labor. I am not sure about the labor laws in a country like India but I sawa  lot of children doing some heavy lifting all over the country. I hope my children understand what a privileged life they live.

This view was from the Agra Fort across the Yamuna River to the Taj Mahal. This was Shah Jahan's palace and when his son imprisoned him to his death this was the view he had fro his window of the beloved Taj Mahal.

Kid's followed us everywhere we went.. These two were on our heels for an hour or more.

The "Taboo" Cow

I imagine that this blog will be about India for the remainder of 2013. Until then

Namaste.