Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Encounter in Delhi

Outside Sees Ganj Gurudwara, Delhi

8 comments:

msingh said...

This was during the evening rush hour. There were quite a few impressive looking nihang singhs inside sees ganj gurudwara - I asked a couple of them if they would mind if I took a photo of them, their reply was that I should do some 'sewa' (give money) for the privelage. Feeling a bit confused and a bit cheesed off I decided not to take any pictures. The singhs outside whose picture I've posted were on the other hand friendly and chardhikala.

Anonymous said...

I had some really weird encounters as well...but they are not even worth mentioning in detail. However, I chose not to take any portraits whatsoever. Somehow taking portraits would make me an outsider - it was a strange feeling that made me limit my camera to all things non-human.

You are right about these Nihang Singhs; their smile reflects nimarta :)

msingh said...

sikhi seeker I found there's still a lot of people out there in India who love to have their picture taken. 9 out of 10 times people were only too happy to let me take pictures, and even posed for it!

Walking around the streets of Connaught Place in Delhi I felt more alone isolated than an outsider. Everyone seems to be self-centred, busy, in making a living. The only time people seem to communicate with you is if they want to sell you something.

Mind you in the pind is totally the opposite.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure MSingh ji, but I just didn't venture.

But I'm enjoying the ones you are presenting. The faces are so rich; non-human models can never contain such intensity, or almost never :) There are hundreds of stories and emotions written all over, in every gesture of the body :)

Anonymous said...

MSingh Ji
Welcome back!
In pind even a stranger feel like he/she is part of community. Even here in US in rural areas I can get the same feel I get in pinds of Punjab.
It is nonexist in cities.
Those Nihangs do look happy!
Anoop

Prabhu Singh said...

"Somehow taking portraits would make me an outsider - it was a strange feeling that made me limit my camera to all things non-human."
I find this quote humorous in relation to my own experience. I couldn't help but feel like an outsider every where I went in India and even when I tried to take pictures of objects often times people would still get in the pictures. I have so many pictures where there are random people in the background staring at me.
In Connaught place I ran into people wanting to sell things to me or cheat me. One guy was very persistant and followed me and my brother down the street trying to talk fast and run a scam. My brother pretty much had to threaten him before he would leave us alone. I was wearing my taksali kirpan and I think when he noticed that he realized that I'm not the 'naive white guy,' who's willing to put up with his garbage. His sleaziness and cheating was starting to get so much on my nerves I almost wished for him and his buddies to make a move. This was my last day in India and I think I was ready to release all the emotions built up from the manifold attacks that I have to endure when in India. I haven't been physically attacked in India, there a lot of attacks on my psyche.

Anonymous said...

..aww
I can imgaine it was tough for you

msingh said...

the taxi / tempo drivers were particularily persistant, tiresome and many (probably most) of them looking to rip you off. The metro made it so much easier.

To counter persistent and annoying taxi/tempo drivers I started asking them where they would like to go as I was able to offer them a very cheap fare in my car to wherever they wished to go. Most of them did not seemed to know how to respond.

"attacks on my psyche" - that's a good way of describing the experience.