When life gifts you a chance, the key is to grab it and run with it. This gift presented itself in the form of a wedding invitation to a remote Indian village in the state of Gujarat at very short notice. It was an easy decision to take as the memories of the welcoming nature of India, the generosity, warmth and fragrant food from a previous trip was still fresh in my mind and no argument could convince me otherwise. I was also excited about experiencing my first Indian wedding.
My itinerary was tight. The journey was to commence in Mumbai, followed by a couple of days in Parkhet, Gujarat for the wedding and then a couple of days in Pune, Maharashtra visiting my Indian colleagues.
Mumbai never disappoint. It’s always buzzing with activity in every corner with endless interest that keep you wanting more. I arrived in Mumbai on Republic Day, the day the Indian nation commemorates the Constitution of India. Indians love a good party and the city was abuzz with parades, flag hosting ceremonies, cultural events, photography exhibitions, and colourful floats. Flags of all shapes and sizes were draped around people, motorbikes, lampposts … and anything tangible.
The street vibe was addictive with ample of photographic opportunities but I learned from my previous trip that with so much happening one must take time to appreciate and enjoy the process of exploration and observation. I enjoy interacting with people and sometimes missed a picture opportunity but then in hindsight taking one would have interfered with the moment.
After an amazing three days I returned to Mumbai by train and travelled by taxi to Pune 150kms away where I met with my team face-to-face for the first time.
Pune is the second largest city in the Indian state of Maharashtra, after Mumbai and one of the fastest growing urban cities. It is a vibrant metropolis and a perfect example of the ‘New India’; with an interesting mix of the old tradition and modernism, academia and business and a perplexing mix of capitalism and ancient and modern spirituality. Because of its close proximity to Mumbai and the availability of skilled resources it is home to several IT companies one of which provides IT support and application development to my local client. It has a pleasant climate throughout the year and is well known for its Western Ghats and hill stations (nature reserves). It is quite acceptable to start work at 10am so I had time in the mornings to explore the city, visiting temples, enjoying street food and chai tea. I’ve been working with the team since 2017 but this opportunity gave me important insights into their work ethic and culture. The team made me feel at home and treated me to some of the best eateries Pune has to offer.
My last few days in Mumbai were spend exploring different parts of Mumbai. On every last Sunday of the month some of the streets in Mumbai are closed for traffic till 11am and everyone comes out to play, ride their bikes, do yoga, meditate, pray, walk, talk, wash their cars and engage in all sorts of interesting activities. Sometimes going out with the intention to get a few good shots doesn’t work. You just have to immerse yourself with street life, soak up the energy, engage with people and that makes me happy even though I sometimes do not get the shot. Once again India did not disappoint and I left with a sense of inner peace and a deep love for this ancient civilisation.
