Saturday, August 17, 2013

Celebrating 66 Years of Freedom - Happy Independence Day!


Indian_Independence_Day_Autorickshaw_National_Flag_tricolor

15 August 1947, India became a free nation. Pandit Nehru's landmark speech captures the essence of the political freedom from the British Empire, "at the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance."

Indian_Independence_Day_Badge_tricolor

India did not achieve its independence from the British Empire on a silver platter. It was the culmination of decades of struggle led by revolutionaries like Chandrasekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chadra Bose and countless others. In those days Indians weren't considered equal to the foreigners who ruled over them in their own country. Today, all Indians enjoy equal rights irrespective of their race or region. We have the freedom of speech and expression, freedom for life and freedom for hope. We owe our freedom to those unsung heroes who made supreme sacrifices in India's freedom struggle so that we grew up in a free country.

Indian_Independence_Day_Hairband_tricolor

On August 15, we celebrated the 67th Independence Day. The Flag hoisting followed by the National Anthem and some cultural programs is the norm. On this day. the whole nation is gripped by a fervent wave of patriotism. Vehicles, public and private, can be seen sporting the national flag as they ply to and fro. Shops which remain open, are usually spruced up in tricolours, some flying the national flag at the shop entrances. Youngsters adorn themselves with the tricolours of the national flag displaying it on scarves, badges, wristbands, hairbands or face paintings. The spirit is reinforced as most television channels start play patriotic movies and songs as a build up to the Independence Day. The whole nation rejoices in happiness and celebration, saluting the ones who made this possible.

Indian_Independence_Day_Wristband_tricolor

Sadly, this euphoric feeling of unity and big hearted patriotism doesn't last more than 24 hours. People get back to their well paying jobs and cozy lifestyles once the fervour wears off. Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to fly into space, was asked a question on how India looked from space by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He responded, "Saare Jahan Se Acha, Hindusthan Humara!" Given the humble start and plethora of challenges faced by our country, its achievements over the last 66 years are quite remarkable. As a proud Indian, I believe we can be the best. But only if the citizens of this great nation sustain the Independence Day spirit for 365 days of the year. Vande Mataram!

129 comments:

  1. Great photos taken with great skill!!!

    True, the surge of patriotism ebbs in 24 hours:(((((

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    1. It's just one of the shortcomings we need to keep working on. Thanks for the compliment.

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  2. Happy Independence Day!! Your photo treatment is marvellously effective!!

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    1. Thank you for the wishes! Glad you liked the photos :)
      )

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  3. You are a master of this craft ,taht's all I can say :)

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    1. You are very kind. Thank you for the effusive compliment.

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  4. Happy Independence Day! The photos are incredible! I love the black and white images with the highlighted patriotic colors... it gives the photographs a timeless feel.

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    1. Thank you Celia for the wishes and the complimentary words :)

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  5. Ramakant I love the way you made your country's colors stand out, fantastic idea and phenomenal work. Happy Independence Day!

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  6. Yes, wonderful photos, a nice day to celebrate ...!!

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  7. Yep, you are seriously talented, R!

    Happy Independence Day!

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    1. Thank you for the wishes and the compliment. You are too kind.

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  8. Happy Independence day, I really like the selective colorization technique.

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    1. Thank you for the wishes. Glad you liked the pictures.

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  9. Your last para sums it up all. Awesome pics.

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  10. Splendid post - love the use of black and white and colour.

    Ankle almost fixed - just got it strapped now.

    cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. Thank you Stewart for dropping by. Good to know the ankle is doing well. We should see more pictures from you now.

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  11. The colour Indian flag in b&w surroundings is cool... Are you aware of any open source software (in Linux) that will enable me to create similar effects in my photos?

    The cozy jobs and well-paying lifestyles are a myth. As long as expenses are equal to the income, there is no coziness in life - definitely not for middle class Indians. For our own sake, it's better to restrict our non-productive expenditure and look at a more sustainable way of living. Of course, we need to remember the sacrifices made by our freedom-struggle heroes.

    Destination Infinity

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    1. You can try GIMP. It is open source and I believe they have a linux version as well. You can check this tutorial for selective colouring.

      http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Selective_Color/

      When we have people in the country who actually belong to BPL category as defined by the govt (Rs 35/day) and still manage to sustain themselves and their families, it's rather unfortunate when we say we are just able to make ends meet.

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  12. I like how you highlighted the three colors - seems inspired to me.
    The story is terrific - and, you gave me a reason to google so i could gain understanding of the Hindi quote - You have my mind working early in the morning . . such a good thing.

    Thank you very much for sharing with us.

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    1. Glad to hear you enjoyed the visit here. Feels good to get the grey cells working in the morning. The whole day goes smoothly, or so they say :)

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  13. Great independence for all Indian people, everywhere in the wide world, fabulous photos.

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  14. It's no different in any other country, or for most other holidays, for that matter. One short burst of appreciation, and then it's back to the day-to-day routine. It's a shame we humans aren't better at feeling and expressing positive feelings every day. All we can do is try our best as individuals to stir up enthusiasm and appreciation, but it's an uphill battle, because it's much easier and "comfortable" to take things and people for granted than it is to sustain a high level of appreciation.

    I LOVE your photos. Showing your country's colors against a monochromatic background creates a stunning visual effect, and accents your words beautifully.Well done!

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    1. Couldn't agree more with you. But then, we can't give up trying, can we?

      Thanks for the complimentary words. Appreciate them :)

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  15. It's a common affliction, I do believe. We have the same thing here in the states. Independence should certainly not be taken for granted. Happy belated Independence Day to you!

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  16. What a super post. Love how you desaturated the photos. Great job! It's past the date, but I hope you had a great Independence Day!

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    1. I had a fantastic Independence Day. Thank you for the wishes and kind compliments :)

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  17. Powerful images of India's Independence Day celebration, love the creative use of color!

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  18. Powerful images, gorgeous use of black and white with impact full pops of color!

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    1. Thank you Debbie for the king words. Appreciate them :)

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  19. You did a great job on the photos. Great post. Freedom is definitely something to celebrate.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for the kind words.

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  20. Beautiful pics. So true on what you say. It really pains me to say those flags used on Aug 15, lying on roads on Aug 16th... :(
    Bhusha's INDIA TRAVELOGUE
    FASHION PANACHE BLOG

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    1. Thank you for dropping by. I am sure we will gradually evolve as a nation, but it will take some more time.

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  21. Wonderful photographs..very well taken..:-)

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  22. Wonderful images of a very special day of celebration!

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    1. Thank you Jerry for dropping by and taking time to leave a nice comment.

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  23. Ramakant Ji, I'm sort of filthy pessimist about the issue you talked in the last paragraph, so better I don't spill my negativity :)
    BTW, would you mind sharing the technique of making the photograph B/W keeping a small element coloured?
    Beautiful photographs!!!

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    1. And I am the eternal optimist :) Thank you for the compliment on the photos.

      Anunoy ji, I've used Photoshop for selective colouring. It's quite easy using layers. Not sure if you have PS (its a licenced), else you can go with GIMP which is open source. You can refer the tutorial below for selective colouring using GIMP.

      http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Selective_Color/

      Please let me know if you face any issues and I can help sort them out.

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    2. thanks... I use GIMP too but not aware of its potential as I use only basic functions... but now I'll check your tutorial for selective coloring :)

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    3. Sure. Will be on the lookout for the results of your experiment :)

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  24. Great shots and Happy Independence Day!

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  25. What a great idea to celebrate the Independence Day by highlighting the colours that represent your country, the colourful symbols look great against the b&w background!

    I believe we all could do more for our countries and their better future but the day-by-day mundane things hold our attention firmly. We may be lazy, we may follow just our interests, we may have already enough on our plates, we may struggle to get by. But if everybody would make a little extra effort, it could mean a big step forward for the nation. You know, I think there is no need to be the best, I rather appreciate the effort itself.

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    1. I am glad you liked the idea behind the pictures.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts on how we can help do our bits for our nations. To tell the truth, I myself am not an advocator of the need to be the best slogan :) But I do believe in always putting the best foot forward. I guess that's what leads to progressive development with time.

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  26. Congrats on your Independence Day... It is a shame that not just your country but ours also doesn't keep that feeling of patriotism year-round rather than just that one day...

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Thank you Betsy for stopping by. I guess it's seems to be the norm in most places.

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  27. Very nice shots!

    It seems to be the nature of free people to begin to take it for granted. It is unfortunate but it is also the gift of freedom - that people can focus on other things, work for greater success, enjoy life. What we should never forget is that it is a great gift, bought at great price, and is itself priceless.

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    1. Thanks for the compliment.

      Agree with your assessment of the current situation. If everyone always bears this fact in mind, the world would be a wonderful place to live.

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  28. Thanks that you visit our bllog!
    Beautiful photos!
    Greetings from, RW & SK

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    1. I am glad you like the pictures. Thanks for stopping by.

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  29. wonderful photos with beautiful selective colorization. i hope your nation can regain togetherness - just as i hope the US can, too.

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  30. These are really wonderful, and I like the way you've used selective color here!

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  31. I love how you've highlighted the flag's colors in this post. Best of luck for many more years of freedom to India!

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    1. Thank you for your good wishes! Glad you like the pictures :)

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  32. I like how you played with the flag colours.. nicely done.

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  33. I feel this is the case with most countries that are free. We tend to take it for granted that we are free. On certain days and holidays we feel unified and blessed to live in a free country, but then every day life kicks in and we are back to our grumbling and bickering with each other. It's sad really. You have some lovely shots though :)

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    1. Glad you shared your candid thoughts. It's the true picture of the world today and we have all come to accept it as normal.

      Thanks for the compliment :)

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  34. Wonderful photos. Love the tiny bit of color you've included with the B & W. Thanks for visiting my blog!

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  35. Like always awesome photography...beyond words...and highlighting the elements with color contrasting against b&w background is spellbinding...:)

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  36. Great post! I love the way you processed your photographs.

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  37. Your country is beautiful. In India, my daughter was with a friend. Liked them with you. Patriotism is good for the country. In our country, often disappearing ... and it's a bad thing.
    Incidentally, the photos are impressive and clearly show the national consciousness.
    Photos of holidays and prayers are amazing. (Now I will a few weeks in southern Europe. I will not be on the blog). Many greetings for you.

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    1. Its always nice to hear praise of your country from outsiders :) I am quite puffed up with pride. I am happy you enjoyed the different posts on my blog. Wishing you a lovely vacation in Europe.

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  38. Your words touch my heart - well written, beautiful post and I believe your last paragraph is correct. We all should remember each day of the year that we live in a free country and feel unified with other and truly blessed. People seem to forget this after the celebrations. I so enjoyed this post. Have a wonderful day from our small town in Atlantic Canada.

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    1. I am so glad you enjoyed the post. I wish more people start believing in this ideology. The world will definitely be a better place. Have a nice weekend!

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  39. What lovely pictures!
    The pictures show that we as people of India do love our country very much, even the people who were not even there when we got our independence. People are all fine , it is only the roudies running our country that has no regard or respect for our country or the people who laid down their lives to get freedom. They are worse than the ruthless rulers of the past. We must all get together and throw out all these politicians, whatever party they belong, and bring in fresh young blood, raring to put India where it belongs.
    These old worthless people have no right to govern a country so large and diverse. We need good young, educated, modern and responsible people to govern our country. I may not be around to see it, but I am sure that day is not far off when we can call ourselves totally free.

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    1. I wouldn't be that kind in giving a clean chit to the general masses. The people working in govt offices come from this same aam junta. The politicians that lead us have also come from among us. How many politicians will there be in the country? 5000, 10,000 or maybe at max a 100,000. Do you think it is possible for 100,000 people to do corruption in a country of 1,237,000,000 strength? Our leaders reflect the people's character.

      Our leaders look spineless and don't seem to take firm decisions on national issues. The same is the natural of the general populace. Our leaders are often accused of turning a blind eye to corruption. Isn't the same done by the aam junta? You may have seen people doling out some moolah to traffic cops just to avoid paying the penalty they rightly deserve. That's just a small example of corruption. There would be many who will easily forego the mandated bill if the shopkeeper gives a discount of couple hundred rupees.

      The need of the hour maybe new blood to take the reign of the countries politics to take it to the next level. But things won;t change unless the people make a conscious decision to be the change, It will not be all rosy. If we get a clean govt, we must be ready to pay the 500 rs as penalty instead of getting away with a 50 or 100 rs to the cop (just a perspective). We must be ready to buy fuel at market prices instead of hoping the govt to get it to us at a reduced price by giving subsidy. Many will need to forego the option of an easy govt job when reservation in the sector gets implemented the way it should be.

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  40. What a great photo journal. It is interesting, informative and inspirational. Very nicely done. I hope your day is off to a great start. Blessings...Mary

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    1. Thank you for the lovely words Mary. I am glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you are having a good weekend.

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  41. Happy Independence day. and thank you for this small insight into the celebrations and thoughts of the people. I loved the feeling of movement in your first image - fabulous capture.
    Have a great week and thank you for stopping by my blog today.

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    1. Thank you for the wishes. I am glad you enjoyed the post. I was trying a panning shot for the first picture. It seems to have come pretty well :) Hope you are having a good weekend.

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  42. Happy belatedly) Independence Day..... your thoughts were very interesting (and photos are great)...I don't know if what you say about remembering and honoring history (as opposed to being busy with everyday affairs) is too different over here.

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    1. Thank you for the good wishes. Unfortunately, this seems to be the norm everywhere going by what I am reading in the comments. But, we can always hope for a better tomorrow :)

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  43. I enjoy your candid pictures of people as they celebrate. The first picture is a great overall representation of freedom.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a beautiful comment :)

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  44. That's a lovely tribute to the country. That spirit and that energy on Independence day is something! I miss all the festivities: the flag hoistings, the national anthem and watching the parades.

    Very nice pics, Ramakanth. :)

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    1. Nice to see you here. You have been missing for a long time. Didn't see much updates on your blog as well. Hope things are back to normal and we will get to see lovely pictures from your travels soon. Thanks for stopping by.

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  45. Great shots from independence day.

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  46. Wonderful photos! I have to learn this art though

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    1. Thank you so much. Selective colour retention is quite easy with Photoshop or even free software like GIMP. You can find plenty of tuts online on this. Let me know if you run into a wall, I will be glad to be of any help.

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  47. Happy Independence Day!


    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  48. Wonderful shots, Dear! well done...

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  49. very nicely capture theme of Independence day..!!

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  50. the selective coloring works great here :)

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  51. I loved the selective coloring here Ramakant! They just add extra beauty to the spirit of freedom and independence.

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    1. Glad you liked it Anu. I knew that's how I wanted to present these pictures when I clicked them.

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  52. Nice post, great blog, following :)

    Good Luck :)

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    1. Thanks for the compliment and good wishes. Hope you will always find the content here interesting and enjoyable :)

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  53. Exactly.If people realized this, we will have a very different India which will make progress in leaps and bounds.

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  54. I did not realize India was so young in it's independence. I can see why it is so important to Indians, so meaningful. India has such great potential and it's people are greatly admired.
    Beautiful, beautiful photos. I love the mix of black and white with patriotic colors highlighted. Your love of your country shines!

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    1. It's a very young democracy. Just 66 years old. o quote one of the favourite lines from one of my favourite poets,

      miles to go before I sleep

      This always seems apt in the case of India.

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  55. Sorry I'm so late wishing you a happy holiday! Your use of selective colorization is wonderful.

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  56. A wonderful post..... i will follow your blog from now on.

    greetings, Joop

    http://joopzandfotografie.blogspot.nl

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    1. I am glad you enjoyed your first visit here. Hope to see you here more often :)

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  57. Absolutely love the color. Wish I have this kinda skills in photography..

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  58. Nothing new I would be saying to what others have already told...your pics are like those dots which get connected by the literature you fill in between them. And, I must say that I enjoyed every bit of this connection

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Tryst with the Shutter Bug by Ramakant Pradhan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.