Vishukanni

Vishu  is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala. My childhood flashed before me when we started the preparation for this years Vishu. The roles were reversed - I was  no longer the kid who was awaken from sleep at dawn by his parents :( 


Childhood is such a funny phase - some memories are as fresh as this morning. It was with glee and excitement I looked forward to Vishu every year. Sole reasons being the Vishu Kaineettam and Vishu Sadhya. It is a gift of money given to children by the elder members of the family - something which I would await for a whole year. The Malayalam word kani literally means "that which is seen first", so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu".

The Vishukkani consists of a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh lemon, golden cucumber, arecanut, metal mirror, yellow flowers konna (Cassia fistula),fruits,vegetables and a holy text and currency and coins, in a bell metal vessel called uruli in the puja room of the house.

On Vishu, the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with eyes closed so that the Vishukkani is the first sight of the new season. An auspicious kani (first sight) at dawn on the Vishu day is lucky for the entire year.And it is such a beautiful sight that greets your eyes.

Carlsbad - the flower fields

Come spring and I have always heard about the famous flower fields at Carlsbad in California. Apart from spending 15 minutes two years ago(then a bachelor!) during a "dead spring" in the flower fields and then hoping off to the shopping outlets nearby - the flower fields were a strict "no-no" and a "disinterested" subject to me.

Come spring 2012 - and here we were waking up early and driving 2 hours to "the flower fields". Crowds of flowers and people greeted us! Definitely once a lifetime visit - says the married man! :D I also quite forgot the fact that as a photographer - I started off by shooting flowers to death :)

I am also grateful to what was once a boring subject - shooting the flower fields turned out rewarding monetarily as well. The pink flowers photograph above went for a "$85" sale!!!! Of all the photographs I have shot...gosh!!! Lessons learnt - do not forget your  roots and spend time to shoot the mundane :)

San Pedro and its tryst with the Korean Bell of Friendship

Currently living just 45 miles away from this great photography location, it took me almost 4 years to visit the Korean Bell of Friendship located at San Pedro :D

Fantastic spot to capture sunsets and especially get those sweet HDRs. The Korean Bell of Friendship is a massive bronze bell housed in a stone pavilion in Angel's Gate Park. Resting peacefully on the knoll overlooking the sea gate from which U.S. troops sailed into the Pacific, the bell site affords an unsurpassed view of the Los Angeles harbor, the Catalina Channel and the sea terraces of San Pedro hill. The bell is rung only four times each year: the Fourth of July, August 15 (Korean Independence Day) and New Year's Eve, and every September to coincide with bell ringings around the country to celebrate Constitution week.

The architecture of the stone pavilion housing the massive bronze bell is a beauty to be marveled at. 

For all those in LA - Angels Gate Park in San Pedro is a fantastic sunset spot...the stone pavilion works as a great silhouette. The fantastic colors at sunset is a sight to behold

Need to get more such sunglass shots next time ;)

Linking to Skywatch Friday