The sun beats down the other side of the train. I keep this door open. And I stay here.
And watch. As everything whizzes by. Everybody whizzes by. Women walking to work. Men lazing around. And the other way. White fences of the Indian railways. An old man standing by a puddle.
Ducks going about whatever they do in water. Still lakes. Lakes that were. Stiller mountains. Far away songs. A revving engine. Old men beneath coconut trees. Children in the green fields. Barren lands. All of them whizz by.
An ‘Abandoned’ railway shed. Fences. Platforms. Station masters. Pictures of Laloo Prasad and a few others. Some green and red flag holding gent. All of them whizz by.
Everything whizzes by. In super speed. I keep clicking.
I wonder at the speed at which life whizzes by. And then, it strikes me. Actually, everything else stays. Its actually the train that i am in, whizzing by ! All else stays put. And just because i am on something that whizzes by, i think of all else as whizzing by !
‘Can this be some grand theory ?’ I wonder. ‘At least a corollary or whatever they call it?’ As i keep clicking. ‘Whizz theory’ I tell myself.. Or may be ‘the theory of the moving train!’
From somewhere, the missus turns up. She has just had her tea. She sights the camera in hand. “you are at it. Already?’
All other thoughts including the whizz theory whizz away! ‘hmm’ I say.
‘Whats on your mind’ she says.
And i think of the Whizz theory. I look at the watch. Its not even 7.00 am. Its way too early to start the day on that note. And tell her….
‘ Actually, i think hmm… actually, you know, i wonder why would the railways want to differentiate by more than 50 % between taking a bath and…’ as i click this picture.
She sees the writing on the wall! Face palms. And gets started. About me. My mind. About water. About conservation. About men. And habits.
I wonder where the conversation would have gone if i had started out with my whizz theory. I know for sure it would have gone somewhere.
I wonder..I wonder what i would do without her.
A blog where “abandoned” is written over it ??
ps:sorry for not commenting on every blog post .. hmm I dont like commenting on blogger blogs 🙁 and then, why don’t you move to wordpress ? I can help you with that … and you will be happy there 😀 try it out, create a blog and see, if you like it, transfer everything over 😀 what you think ?
Kavi alias Kavi alias Photographer.
shakehands – Well done.
Firstly, Dinu: is he so delicate and sensitive he can’t stand to see the word “abandoned”??
So much art in that shot, Kavi….
(Clicking into prose mode 🙂
Just guessing if this is the Bangalore-Madurai train ?
And I don’t really blame some gent enjoying the train breeze at the door, for glaring at you hovering around ,with innumerable clicks.
But the “abandoned ” place is the star of the piece. A perfectly decent looking , standing, respectable , still upright, thing, versatile possibilities of use, and the nation has no value for it ? Abandoned as what ? Is this an indication of whats wrong with those that rule us ? Hmmm.
An absolutely whizzing post…..
Actually, everything else stays. Its actually the train that i am in, whizzing by !
For a moment there I thought that you were going to launch into an explaination of Einstein’s theory of Relativity!:)
Interesting photo of the abandoned building…
I was hoping to find the meaning of life here, Kavi;) Love the black and white shots!
I guess I’m like your wife. Don’t get too serious with me early in the morning.
Love the pics. The black and white evoked nostalgia. Now train journeys have lost their charm to some extent due to overcrowded platforms, dirty trains and bad food.
But what you said is so true, everything else stays the same, only we whizz by.
Lovely pictures!! Lovely moments!!! Lovely writing as always!! Black and white pictures has come out best!!
Delete my link and add it again, may be then it shows on your reader. Good luck!!
Thanks for the visit to my blog!! Keep coming, your comments means the most to me as i started blogging thru you, and i am always thankful to you for showing me this beautiful way of expressing thoughts as well as reading thoughts!! Thanks again!!
Sorry for the long comment!!
A definite corollary there, nothing moves or stops because of us..we whizz by and usually in a tremendous speed, and once we have whizzed, we are forgotten as fast as the moving train was..lovely pictures.
Dear Kavi,
The ‘Abandoned’ resonates with me and I see that it has with many commentators here as it did with you too!
What’s going on? Time for a hug!
Vivek
Loved journeying by train before the kids arrived to share bunk beds and demand to go to toilet every five minutes. The B & W photos recall that very prehistoric stage of my life. Thanks for the nostalgia!
I wonder at you observing power and camera clicks at whizz… the pictures comes out beautiful in this tone!
I wish I go in train at least ones.
Totally loved the pics!
I have a thing for black and white photos and these few taken by you were beautiful!
uh! Theory of relativity, I guess!! :p
Sorry, my concrete head moves very uncomfortably in abstract situations!!
What a delightful post! Between the pictures and the realization that the objects are not moving, just you are and how it feels the opposite when you are in motion, while the camera captures still shots. Nice, very nice! I liked the pictures and can appreciate waking early to take out the camera!
A moving train is some inspiration, agreed!:) And the pics, I loved the black- and- white era… some quality of romance, there was…Nice, nostalgic!:)
whizz theory..interesting and really gets me thinking of how time is not an abstract concept, not just a means of measurement but a physical thing moving and that these moments are still, but the time moves like a reel in a camera.
Dinu : Abandoned !! hmm ! it was a station building !
And i definitely need to have conversation with you on moving to WordPress
Kavi : many thanks. I am not a photographer. But still. Many thanks !! 🙂
Braja : Arent many of us like that..I think so. Just seeing ‘abandoned’ written neatly in a pristine white building can be disheartening. to me ! Thank you.
Ugich Konitari : yes indeed. Blr-Mdu train.
And thats precisely my point. Pristine. Painted. And labelled. As abandoned. Not abandoned by a state of disrepair ! Such is the state.
Thank you!
Manju : Theory of Relativity..So this man Einstein thought of this as well. Wonder which train he was in !! 🙂
Lou : Meaning of life ! LOL !!!
My wife sure is going to like you ! I am sure ! 🙂
Aparna : Thank you ! The more of the change, the more of the same.
VSP : Resonate it did sir ! I didnt think it would with as many people thoughj…Hope to catch up with you on your arrival here !
Sucharita : I love B & W ! Somehow, it gives me space to fill in whatever colour i want to. And somehow makes things complete ! Somehow !
Jeevan : you will ! Sure you will. Let me know if i can be of help !
Miss M : welcome here. And welcome back to blogging ! And yes..i love B & W !
roshini : Relativity ! Abstract situations ! hmm. this is the Indian Railways…
Well, yeah..some portions of it can be abstract, indeed !
🙂
aleta : Thank you indeed ! And the waking up early…well, the camera guides my sleep timings. Esp when i am traveling !
naperville Mom : Thank you ! And welcome back..its been some time indeed.
Rush : Now now..thats some comment. Time moving like a reel in a camera…was some metaphor.
Occassionally, we stop to have a print done, i guess !!
🙂
Heeheee… the first thoughts that come to my mind as I reach the last lines… “My mind. About water. About conversation. About men. And habits.” and “whizz theory”… I think the conversation would have gone just the same.
Cool work Kavi? Read this.. might be of use to you. its cool!The Photographic Society of Madras founded in 1857 by Dr. Alexander Hunter and the Honourable Walter Elliot conducts Salons and Exhibitions regularly. This year’s Salon and Exhibition is being organised in August. The central theme Incredible
India.The total cash prize is worth Rs.1.35 Lakhs. Three cash prizes per section will be awarded apart from trophies and certificates.To know more about this event click HERE and to download the form, click HERE