on the pose of 'cool'

sometimes the pose of radicalism replaces the real critique. the pose being the real object of the enterprise- the arrangement of the hair, the look away from the camera to the distant horizon where a future is taking shape. this pose is carefully made- designed. older, conventional modes of seeing are given the aura of punk through dressing it up. why should this be surprising now when a hologram has replaced a person? to be able to resist this onslaught of images, our only recourse is to create images of our own. a propaganda campaign that positions us as rebels, creating new directions. it may be another matter that these new directions have all been worn weary with the paths that many have traced before. but who cares? embrace the media! let it be you. 

Amsterdam: Beurs Van Berlage

In the heart of the city - the older stock exchange- now a cultural centre. a big hulking mass of brick- the facade to the square and the street make formal symmetries, but the rear with its chimney, its curved glass wall encased within the brick mass reminded me of medieval castles. 

Dad

Mulbekh Buddha

On the road after Kargil to Leh, this enormous rock cut buddha stands literally on the highway surrounded by a small courtyard and fluttering prayer flags.

Srinagar - Patthar Masjid

Dras / Kargil

On the other side of Zojila pass, is the truck stop of Dras with its makeshift mosque and cheap eateries. Further down, past the war memorial with its unfortunately ramshackle museum and it's dark humour is the one street town of Kargil that is connected during the winter months only to the town of Leh. Life of the frontier is life without chicken, eggs, rice- everything we flatlanders take for granted.

Srinagar to Leh - Zojila Pass

every turn is different, from the lush green aqueous valleys of kashmir past the glacier of sonmarg and the rugged high mountains with sheer drops through zojila pass, snowed over for long periods of the year- the only road that connects the ladakh valley besides the road from manali.

Gulmarg

unfortunately crowded as hell with marathi kesari travel tour buses and gujarathi extended families; with purse vaishodevi gujarathi vegetarian eatouts; with a cable car ride that was as crowded as a local train station in mumbai. all to frolic in the snow. one guy took his shirt off and was being pelted by snowballs by his friends. the rolling lawns and distant mountains reminded you of all the hindi films of the 1960's.