Kumaon cameo 2: The cast
January 9, 2009
They don’t make them kids like they used to. Long drives are nauseating, mountains are a drag, and really what’s there to see in this world anyways…but I still love ‘em
Kumaon cameo
January 7, 2009
I reached Kathgodam on a chilly winter morning. It was a beautiful day. Then I discovered that I had left my camera battery at home. Completely washed out, depressed, I managed to carry myself through the day shooting video from a crummy handycam. Next day, I figured, my brother’s camera battery was a perfect match for mine, and I actually did get to shoot sometimes. So here’s a few pictures from those sometimes…
Buy land on the moon!
November 5, 2008
Remember the Swedish massage
October 15, 2008
View from a room, Rishikesh in the background, the garden below is exclusive to a suite
The palace area, where the reception is, a view from the residences
Lawn in front of the palace
Space for private yoga sessions
Streams accompany you as you walk down these stairs
Walk down these paths
...or take the club car
Ananda, either you are rich, or you saved for a lifetime…or you are a feature writer doing the travel beat 
Room with a view
October 13, 2008
Rishikesh, dusk
Ananda in the himalayas
October 12, 2008
My pad for the weekend…hmm…needed the detox. More later people, a foot massage beckons…
Mountain goats are tasty
August 6, 2008
The mountains of Kashmir are quite phenomenal. They don’t soothe you with their beauty and serenity, they simply overwhelm.
We had a fantastic trip. Hectic for the most part, shooting this palace hotel, the grand intercontinental, its huge. In between all the shooting, got pampered like hell. Had mountain goats and sheep for lunch, dinner and breakfast. With an odd trout thrown in. On the last day we took a break, and a trip to Sonmarg
Come pot with me
May 22, 2008
Beautiful little hamlet called Andretta in the Kangra valley, known for a little work shed called Andretta Pottery. Found sweet Indian and European women (no men!) learning how to create pots. I believe its a very sensual experience to caress a mound of mud, no really.
Anyone can go and join up for a workshop, so if you are in the mood for a break, and want to do something really down to earth, go there.
Here’s the info I found on the net:
Mansimran Singh or Minni, as he is affectionately called, is an artist – potter of significant merit. His English wife, Mary, is also a professional potter.
Andretta Pottery came to be because a woman called Norah Richards came to live in Andretta (Himachal Pradesh), in the 1920’s. She was a theatre lady and several artists visited her. Painter Sobha Singh moved here after partition; and Gurcharan Singh who started Delhi Blue Art Pottery would often visit Sobha Singh at Andretta.
In the early 1980’s there were still 120 out of nearly 270 potter families still existing in this area. Mansimran and Mary Singh were anxious to get them interested in pottery to suit modern day demands in an effort to stop the youngsters from leaving to look for jobs elsewhere.
Apart from setting up their own studio pottery workshop, they also established there a pottery and rural marketing centre in 1984, with a view to promoting and preserving the rich but dying crafts of the region.
The Singhs involved the Development Commission, Handicrafts in the Ministry of Textiles, and then the Rural Marketing Centre, which gave them a subsidy of Rs. 85,000 for land building and furniture. Then came a seed capital of Rs. 50,000 against which funds could be raised.Andretta Pottery and Crafts Society was set up in 1983. The Singhs worked in glaze and slips on terracotta, encouraging the village craftsmen to experiment. Since then Andretta Pottery has taken part in many exhibitions all over the country. The traditional potters have also accompanied the Singhs on many of these exhibitions.
Presently Mansimran Singh teaches students and also holds workshops at Andretta. In June 99 five Japanese potters held a workshop for the local potters of Andretta.
Andretta is about 540 kilometers from Delhi. One can go by road. The car journey takes 11 or 12 hours with a few stops on the way. The bus goes overnight as well. An overnight train will take you to Pathankot from where it is a three-hour drive to Andretta.
Take a break
May 16, 2008
and get paid.
Photographed this hotel last week. All work and a bit of play.
