Story telling through 'Images'

This innovative way of telling a story through images is an old wine but what I learned more about it during my Reuter's Foundation Willy Vicoy Fellowship at the University of Missouri in Columbia town of Missouri state in the mid-west of the USA, was that how to make it more powerful if worked with a theme and more so to sequence the raw images to make it flow like a 70mm movie in the eyes of your readers.
Like most journalist I too had come out with photo stories earlier to my fellowship but the one we started once a week in the Bhopal Edition of the Hindustan Times was very satisfying as a fotog, and which also made me put into practice the knowledge I had learned from very senior American photographers during my fellowship.
As new launch newspapers who have a lot of space to fill the easy way out for the desk is to fill it with images and so the photographers come in demand during these not so often situation. But I have been very lucky that way, since the start of my career with the City Tab for a year or so, and then later with the Times of India’s Bangalore Edition in 1987 to 1993, the paper had a whole lot of space to fill and so I got the encouragement I needed to go out get anything that will run into the newsprint with a snappy caption to correlate with the picture.
So what you get to see are the scanned copies of some of the photo stories which I had worked on in Bhopal and published in the Hindustan Times – Bhopal edition.
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The first of the Photo Story was on the gates of Bhopal which was in a dilapidated condition, and so after a lot of deliberation between the Resident Editor, Bureau Chief and me this theme was to lead our weekly package. This theme was decided so that we could wake the citizens as well as the city officials to start conserving them before they came down on their heads.

The readers notice read: A photo feature will appear in this space every Wednesday. It will narrate a story on an aspect of Bhopal’s life and times via visuals. For its inaugural edition, we thought it would be a good idea to carry something which epitomizes Bhopal. Hence the gates (and archways). Happy viewing!

MUTE VICTIMS OF NEGLECT

In the era gone by, the town of Bhopal was dotted with huge gates and archways. The gates were entrances to the walled city and the archways led into palace complexes like Taj Mahal, Benazir, Moti Mahal and Sadar Manzil.
They witnessed battles, rebellions, coronations, marriage processions of the royalties, ceremonial welcomes to the state guests and other such grand occasions.
Most of the entrances to the town, like Ginnori Gate, Peer Gate, Imami Gate, Budhwara Gate, Mangalwara Gate and Itwara Gate were obliterated to create spaces (they no longer exist).
However, some survived the mindless attempts to broaden roads and streets. Jumerati Gate, one of the entrances to the walled city, survived miraculously and was repaired a few years back. The archways near Sadar Manzil, Kaala Darwaza, Islami Gate, Benazir, some around Taj Mahal and a gate of the Fatehgarh Fortress in Hamidia Hospital premises are among the few left to tell the stories of the past. Hindustan Times lensman S Shiv Kumar captured some of the remaining gates and archways.

THE BAWRIS OF BHOPAL

Centuries ago, a poet of yore advised those with altruistic inclinations: Pul bana, Chaah bana, Masjid-O-Talaab bana. (Build bridges water-wells mosques and ponds).
The rulers and the pious (and the occasional combination of the two!) followed the advice. Actually, they went a step further and built step-wells (bawris) too. These bridges, wells, places of worship, ponds and lakes are still providing relief to the people.
Among these constructions, which dotted the country, were the bawris. To call them merely ‘step-wells’ is an understatement. These quaint constructions did much more than merely provide water to people. During hot weather they became a retreat for people, as balconies were carved out of the wells’ walls on all four sides. Here people took refuge during afternoons to enjoy a cool siesta with families and friends.
Bawris were preferred over the tehkhanas (basements) because they were always open and provided ample fresh air. They were constructed with elaborate care with beautifully carved arches and rooms inside. No air-conditioners or coolers were needed there.
At least ten of these bawris have survived the ravages of time in Bhopal. A visit to them opens a window to the past. Some are still in a good condition but others have unfortunately been neglected. Some bawris have fallen into private hands (like the one near Aish Bagh) where the crew of a TV channel was recently bashed up. There is still time to preserve this legacy of the past.

BHOPAL'S MORNING LIFE

Bhopal makes up for its lack of night life by the early morning activities. While you are tucked in the warmth of your blanket at dawn, half of the city is up and kicking. By the time sun’s rays hit the city (around 5 am), all its major walks face a traffic jam. Homo sapiens of all varieties – young and old, tall and short, thin and fat can be seen perambulating. And, by 9 am, the remaining half of Bhopal’s populace is revving. Except the oddballs, of course.
One can spot the flower pickers (for pooja) as also who laugh their lungs out at the laughter club adjoining Shapura lake. The earliest to hit the job tracks are the fishermen who leave their house between 4 to 5 am, to serve the city’s fishy people. The newspapers vendors and the milkmen (with their water jugs) follow on their heels. For the bargain seekers, early morning is ‘the’ time to land at the sabzi mandi.
Around the same time, children get thrown out of their beds by their mothers … The otherwise impossible to wade Hamidia road wears a curfew look (but for the sweepers).
It is reporting time on the job for the beggars, in particular for those with the plum outside – the temple postings. The city’s by lanes are by now filled with the smell of Poha Jalebi, its favoured breakfast.
The recent drinking water crisis has converted many in Bhopal to be forced as early risers. Let’s hope the habit stays on. After all, early to rise … makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise.

BHOPAL'S WATER CRISES

For the past couple of years Bhopal has been facing water shortage, particularly during summers. This year, the scenario is even worse. What has brought it about? What can be done about it? In the short and long term?
The concrete jungle that has come up has virtually blocked the surface flow to the lake. Besides, the tube wells dug over the years have lowered the groundwater level. In any case Bhopal’s water resources were not meant for a city of this size. As the city is bound to grow there is no chance of the problem abetting. So something will have to be done about it. Water from Narmada is still a far cry, if at all.
Hence in the short term we will have to manage the present resources better. Ground water recharging could be taken up, but some reports say that it pollutes the water. Harvesting rainwater from the rooftops could be another way. These and some other steps could be taken in the short term. For the long term, a perspective action plan for the city’s water needs will have to be drawn. More than these, it is an attitudinal change that is needed.
However, none of these will work without public participation the problem cannot be tackled. An aggressive and sustained awareness campaign will have to be launched – at once. Else, the citizens of Bhopal will have to accept watered down quality of life.

BITTAN BY 'HAAT'
The Haats are symbolic of the process of Sanskritisation … They are the carry overs when villages grow into towns … Have a culture of their own … The bargaining, noise, smell and the informality make up for a heady experience.

For roughly a quarter century now, people living in and around Bittan market have not worried about fresh vegetables. The secret – a travelling vegetable and fruit market – the Haat – comes to their doorsteps thrice a week (Monday, Thursday and Saturday). The Bittan Haat is a treasurehouse of vegetables, fruits, spices, sickles, clothes and what have you. The Haats are circulating markets which derive their name from the station of the day. Hence the name – Bittan market for those three days. The prices too vary according to the economic station of the people of the area. Thus, if Bhindi costs Rs. 20. a kg at Bittan market, at Nehru Nagar it would cost Rs.16.
The stall owners come from all parts of the city and beyond- Sehore, Berasia, Neelbad, Karod, Misrod, Naya Basera- to name a few. While some just about make their ends meet, others are quite happy with their lot. Shabbir Khan from Baag Sevania, a spice stall vendor in one such person. He says ‘I make a lot of money and that’s why I do not want to put up a regular shop’.
Likewise, Mahesh (who hails from old Bhopal and sells chicken at all the Haats in Bhopal) when asked about the criterion for varying the pice smiles and says ‘it is a trade secret’. Occasionally an elephant strolls at the end of the day collecting sundry gifts from the vendors and passing on them to the mahout. Tea vendors too have a field day supplying ‘cut tea’ at regular intervals to the vendors, at times even in absentia. They end up raking 200 bucks on an average day. The petromax suppliers are another species to inhabit these Haats. (A dozen of them supply lamps at Rs 15 per night).
Saleem, a fish stall owner cites the quality of the produce as the USP of Bittan. He adds on with a smile, ‘However hard the politicians try to divide people on the basis of caste, religion and creed, we at the Haat move on like one family.’ Says a seasoned Bittan visitor ‘it is definitely cheaper than the open market and you get everything fresh.’ Haven’t you been Bittan yet?

BHOPAL'S NIGHT LIFE

To many, Bhopal’s night life is a contradiction of terms. According to them, no such thing exists. (For, they equate night life with glamorous and /or sleazy stuff). There is some element of truth in this. Compared to the cities of its size (even Indore). Bhopal hardly has any activity post prime time TV. In fact, by late evening the city resembles an overgrown village. However, there is more to night life than merely that.
As darkness sets in, the city presents a different picture. If for the majority it’s time to jump into a cozy bed or to play with the TV remote control buttons, there are many others who turn nocturnal to keep the city ticking. Our photographer and correspondent vroomed into the streets and past the landmarks of the city to capture the night’s spirit. Barring a few stray dogs, Bhopal’s night showed no signs of life. As for the ghosts, they inhabit the select areas like the VIP Road. MP Nagar and Jyoti railway under-bridge (according to sources). When our team tried to contact them, they stonewalled saying they do not speak to the press. The idea of the story was to catch the various shades of Bhopal’s night. For which our team zipped roughly from dusk to dawn. The results are hereby displayed.

BHOPAL'S FISHY BUSINESS

“Fishing is not easy as it appears to be”, says Gore Lal a fisherman with 16 children 6 grandchildren, and, of course, two wives.” When asked is it sufficient for such a huge family, he laughs and replies “I just about manage to survive, by god’s grace.”
These fishermen who start the day as early as 4.00am, strain all their muscles till 12 noon, and find solace in the company of a quarter (Pauwa) bottle of liquor, (and good fried fish to go with it.) In the evening Kalu a fisherman from Beta Gaon (on the edge of the upper lake towards Bairagarh), says “We get so tired and the water in the lake being filthy, our full body starts to itch in the evening, so we have a pauwa and sleep like a baby”.
Most of the fishermen are from a select few communities like the KAr, Batham, Raikwar, Manjhi and Nishad, (all Hindus). Bhagwan Das a fisherman of the lower lake sys that it is because of the job crunch that some of their children who have completed their 10th standard and a few who are graduates, too join the family business.
With the BMC leasing out the fishing business to private contractors, these 500 odd fishermen have been forced to make do with a meager sum of rupees 6 to 8 a KG of fish caught by them in the lake.
Fishermen throughout the city are peeved at the way their society is treated by the BMC and the State Government.
“What can we do say’s a fisherman, we all are uneducated and the BMC and the Government has fooled us, by saying that we will be paid more. Earlier, they made at least rupees 100 or more a day, while not the contractors pay only up to rupees 60 per fisherman.

BHOPAL'S WILDLIFE SPOT

In a way wild animals are our reference points. Bhopal has one such spot – the Van Vihar National Park – right in its heart. Situated on the South-West part of the City, perhaps Van Vihar is the only National Park which is situated in the heart of a city and is open around the year. Spread over 400 hectares, it is a microcosm of Madhya Pradesh’s wildlife. Tigers, Lions, Leopards, Cheetals, Barasinghas (the state animal of MP), Bears, Wild Boar and a host of other animals can be seen in their natural environs and a visitor can get to have a close encounter with them. Another significant part of the Van Vihar is the spacious separate enclosures for the carnivorous species. White tiger lends a special charm to it. According to the range officer of Van Vihar Shankar Jangle, a novel experiment was recently carried out here wherein a white tiger was given live bait. The white tigers across the world are in captivity and have almost lost the habit to kill. In this case it was interesting to see it return to its natural instincts. The Van Vihar authorities also help to trap monkeys which create nuisance in Bhopal. In order to promote awareness about wildlife, the forest authorities have set up a shop in Van Vihar selling T-shirts. So, if you have not been to this patch of paradise in southwest Bhopal, do so now.

Plethora of rituals mark Sadhvi's Coronation

This story and pictures which were exclusive to Hindustan Times happened because you as a journalist or fotog build relationship within the seats of power so that you could be tipped of their movements thus ensuring that your newspaper dose not miss anything. I got a call on December 11th, 2003 morning asking me to come to the residence of Uma Bharati since she was heading towards her new office to assume charge as the first woman Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh state. This call came from one of her closest supporters since I had developed a cordial relationship with the person. I would not like to name the person since he/she still has the well wishes and support of the firebrand leader.
I quickly rushed to her home only to see her car leaving the main gate so I followed her all along the route and what you get to see is the Sadhvi's religious side.
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After a fleeting visit and customary Cabinet meeting the day she took oath of office, Chief Minister Uma Bharati's first day in the office today was marked by a stream of visitors in the form of top bureaucrats and long meetings with trusted aides and ministers Kailash Vijayavargiya and Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar.
But not before the Sadhvi, with a tonsured new look after offerings at Balaji Temple in Tirupathi, had said her long prayers and fed fruits to beloved bovines on her way to Vallabh Bhawan.
Mow we know why she refused to sit on the Chief Minister's chair on the day she took oath. Perhaps, she was waiting untill after a visit to Tirupathi and different kinds of puja ceremonies at the Chief Minister's office to seek divine blessings.
Since Digvijay Singh Government was ousted summarily on the twin planks of bad roads and power crises, it was apparently in order that she held long meetings with Kailash Vijayavergiya- trusted ally and PWD Minister and Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar- who holds the key Energy department among others.
Secretariat sources said that the nature of all her meetings today was informal, more in the introductory form with the bureaucrats.
However, the issues of road and power were discussed with the respective ministers in broad terms.
Decisions regarding the Cabinet meeting on Friday afternoon were taken at the Chief Minister's meeting with the officials.

EVILS EXORCISED
As soon as she entered the office, Pandit Pandey and his assistant started the ancient Hindu rituals for propitiation of God and exorcising evils. The Puja went on for more than 10 minutes amidst chanting of mantras. Uma remained standing all through as directed by the priest.
Those present on the occasion were her new Secretary R Parasuram, Chief Secretary AV Singh, Uma's elder brother Swami Lodhi, BJP Organization Secretary Kaptan Singh Solanki, her trusted aide Shailendra Sharma and a host of others.
After she took the seat, the new Chief Minister asked the priest to apply 'Tilak' to the foreheads of all the people present in the room, to which they readily obliged.

Uma Bharati 'Through the Lens'

From Babri to Bhopal, it has been a momentous pilgrim's progress for Uma Bharti, the fiery sanyasin who became the first woman chief minister of India's largest state after sending to political exile her rival raja (Digvijay Singh).
Adoringly referred to as "didi” (elder sister) by her supporters, the 44-year-old stormy petrel of BJP, who steered her party to a landslide victory in the Assembly polls, was born in a backward peasant family at Dunda village of Tikamgarh district in the state.
Uma, who stormed to power promising the moon to the power starved and road-less people of the state, was initiated into politics at a tender age when she came in contact with late Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia and leaders of RSS and VHP.
She had developed a strong inclination towards spiritual pursuits in her childhood and achieved fluency in religious epics including the Gita and the Ramayana. Which helped her in commanding the status of a demi-god at the peak of the Ayodhya movement.

These are some of the images of the former firebrand leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party Uma Bharati who was thrown out of the sangh parivar led party for speaking her mind out. Since I worked in Bhopal form 2000 to 2006 with the Hindustan Times, I have closely followed this mass leader who was politically marginalized by her seniors and juniors within the party fold after she single handedly sweated it out bring the party to power in the 2002 Madhya Pradesh State Assembly elections.



This picture was taken in New Delhi during Uma Bharati's stint as the Union Sports Minister during the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government when the she wished the Indian Cricket Team under captain Md Azzaruddin for the World Cup in 1999.




Uma Bharati feeds her pet dog while on a hunger strike for the welfare of the daily wagers in Bhopal at a makeshift tent which was erected overnight when she decided to fast to death if their demands were not met by the then Congress led Digvijay Singh Government (left) Police stand guard over the two persons who had tried to attack her during her fast unto death (right) even as Uma answers her phone calls informing her well wishers that she is hale and hearty.

Kalpana Parulakar of the Congress party who was supporting Uma Bharati on the daily wagers issue being arrested at 3 in the morning, as later in the day Uma Bharati addressing the media after she had wood winked the police who were all over the city trying to arrest her too (left) Uma Bharati takes a sip of juice from Ramkali Bai the mother of a daily wager who had committed suicide after her week long fast and when the Digvijay Singh government buckled to the pressure by the Central government (right).

The sweet Victory after the hard work: Uma Bharati being welcome by BJP party workers at the Madhya Pradesh state BJP Headquarters after she routed the Congress Party and send Digvijay Singh packing to New Delhi.

After a quick visit to Tirupati and tonsure her head for the victory she got for her party, and later straight from Tirupati she went to th Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain to offer her prayers (left) as she meets a delegation of Christian association members during her Chief Ministership to sort ou the attacks by the RSS on their community in the tribal belt of Bhil (right).

Uma Bharati gets back to limelight after six months of hard work ensuring that the roads and other issues like water, power and issuing jobs to the educated youth, she was asked by the Hubli court to come for her misuse of the National flag. This case itself seemed like a plant to dismantle her from the seat of power, which she also knew but trusted a few old vanguards of the party to keep her seat safe till she returned.

Uma Bharati announces her resignation from the post of Chief Minister ship under the assurance by Arun Jetlie the party General Secy (left) as she sits next to Babulal Gaur whom she had hand picked to keep the Chief Minister chair till her return after the court proves her innocence, but only to be cheat and thus forcing her to split the party but asked her well wishers to stay within the party fold.

Even before she could take the train to Hubli to attend the case against her and be jailed for a misuse of the National Flag her supporters where overshadowed by the larger than life size hoarding of her new appointee Babulal Gaur.

After nearly three weeks of herself in prison and then the Hubli court dropping all cases against her, her supporters came back to the streets welcoming her to the Madhya Pradesh state capital (left) and then after another month of dialogue with the party central leadership she addresses the media to tell them that she was fooled by the party and her senior leaders in the state so that they could eat the cake she had fought to win all along for them.

No Cake on Uma's Birthday

This story just so happened that when the then BJP Chief Ministerial candidate Uma Baharti had come back to the lake city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal to celebrate her birthday that she forced the State President Kailash Joshi to give her ladoos. Since I was present I the room I hit upon this idea of writing this story on how Uma Bharati just coming out of an controversy of offering an egg laced cake to Lord Hanuman during her election campaign which the Congress Party try to use to their advantage only to see themselves defeated by a whole lot of cream on their face by this very same sadhvi who cherished the cake for a year or so before her own party men played her spoils by snatching the cake from her to pass it to a older man and now with a fresh young blood of the right wing block.
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After the egg on her face imbroglio following offering a cake at Hanuman temple recently, BJP's chief ministerial candidate Uma Bharati has probably decided to shun like plague the egg-laced confectionery.
Apparently having decided not to touch a cake with the proverbial barge pole, her 44th birthday today (Saturday, May 3rd, 2003), was shorn of hype, glamour or yes, cake. If she was offered anything, it were the humble Mawa sweets.
The firebrand Sadhvi took a train from Gawalior to Hoshangabad where she performed Puja at the holy Narmada river in the morning. Then, it was time for a meeting. Later in the day, she arrived at her residence in the State capital.
After two hours of rest, she prayed to Gods and Goddesses for the party's fortunes at her home. The chief campaigner of the BJP is facing probably the sternest test of her turbulent political careers as she leads the party in the coming State Assembly elections.
While meeting a clutch of local corporators and party workers, Uma showed the signs of stress and exhaustion after the first leg of her 'Sankalp Yatra'. The travel-weary leader sported a forced smile on her face all the time.

A Gun-totting woman bodyguard brought a genuine smile to her lips when she presented Uma with a rose and a birthday wishes card. The bodyguard received a warm hug in return.
On her way out to the State BJP headquarters to hold a meeting with senior party leaders later, Uma stopped at the Banganga Durga Mandir only to find the temple doors locked. An Aarti she planned to perform there would have to wait for another day.
At the party headquarters, Uma was recevied by a handful of party workers. She proceeded to the first floor of the BJP headquarters where State party president Kailash Joshi blessed her. The party's State general secretary Kaptan Singh Solanki. also greeted her. Sweets, needless to say strictly milk-based, were also offred to her.

Battling a Killer Within

During my first day of social work (photography Classes) for the blind children of Arushi in Bhopal in 2003, I met two lovely looking kids who were brothers. One was rolled into the class room on his wheel chair as his younger brother was gleefully walking behind him waving to his weekend activity mates. After the class I walked up to them and started to chat only to listen to their sordid story and how they are facing death and also challenging it through their grit with which any child would not do with ease. I visited them at their home and spoke to them at length. This story was written keeping in mind that they would get help and they did for sure, from multitude of readers who called me up the next day asking for their address.
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Brothers Deep and Akash are unfazed by the special care they are getting from everyone around them. The two shy children paint and play on a computer at a social organization regularly, while their grandparents wait on them. The special care could be short-lived, especially for 10 year old Deep, who experiences an advance stage of Muscular dystropy.
Deep can no longer stand and needs help even to change his position while sitting. This wasn't the case till five years ago. Deep was born normal and played about like any other little boy in the neighbourhood. ‘But then gradually, his walk changed and he began walking on his toes. Some neighbours with whom we had worked brought this to our notice and that’s when we got him tested. Deep was diagnosed with muscular dystropy, that causes degeneration of muscles. Then, Irish physiotherapist Edwina Carney, who worked with us for two years, confirmed the diagnosis,’ says Namita Gite, a volunteer with Arushi, a social organization working for physically challenged children.
Deep also went to a neighbourhood school in Panchsheel Nagar where he lives. ‘But he had to discontinue the academic session as he can no longer walk,’ says his grandmother. ‘We’ve have been to so many doctors, masseurs. We even tried witchcraft in the Kumbh Mela at Ujjain last year and approached every body with a possible cure.’ But things haven’t improved. Deep’s grandfather says hopefully, ‘if he just begins to stand up on his feet, he’ll be able to walk again.’ Gite says, ‘either the doctors they visited didn’t tell them properly or they didn’t understand what they were told. The doctors keep prescribing tonics and other medicines, but it is misleading as nothing would help.’

Confirms oncologist Dr Shyam Agrawal, 'there are eight-nine types of muscular dystropy and all are incurable. No diet or special supplements can help prevent the gradual and progressive weakness of the muscles, especially the girdle muscles which are first affected.’
Younger brother, Akash, can still walk and run but the disease has hit him too. Though the grandparents are still ‘suspecting,’ Gite confirms that he too is afflicted.
The medicine part of the story reaches a dead end here. Says Dr Agrawal, ‘gene therapy is still being worked upon in the West but India has a long way to go.’
The human tragedy has however just begun. Ever since the condition of the eldest son Deep began deteriorating, the mother of four children (Deep and Akash have a brother and sister too) has begun to keep ill frequently. The father, a paan-stall owner, had lost his kiosk almost three months ago. The family is dependent only on grandfather’s merger earnings.

What is muscular Dystropy?

Muscular dystropies are genetic diseases characterised by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles which control movement. Among the many forms of muscular dystropy, some noticeable at birth (congenital muscular dystropy), other s in adolesence (Becker MD), the three most common types are Duchenne, facioscapulohumeral, and myotonic. Each differs from the other in terms of pattern of inheritance, age of onset, rate of progression, and distribution of weakness.
Duchenne muscular dystropy primarily affects boys caused by mutations in the gene that regulates dystrophin - a protein involved in maintaining the intergrity of muscle fibre. Onset is between 3-5 years and progresses rapidly. Most boys become unable to walk at 12, and by 20 need a respirator to breathe.

Flights of Fantasy over the City of Lakes - Bhopal

The feeling of being above the ground at 4000 feet plus, in an 360 degree open air basket, with early morning chill caressing your skin along with carrying a chilly feeling deep inside down your heart that if something goes wrong at that height. All this is fun at one time when you take a ride in a Hot air balloon.
What can shake one from not entering the fantasy flight is with your inaugural flight crash landing from a height of 400 to 500 feet, with you sitting in crash land position and the basket hitting tree branches and a roof of a building before you realize that you have landed with a roaring thud. This experience happened to me in my first flight along with another fotog from a agency, who refused to enter the hot basket sitting that he would rather shoot from the ground during an adventure ride with the 3 EME center based in Bhopal in December 2002.
The harness wire which the captain of the balloon handles caught fire and snapped. Thanks to Major Bhaskar who was our team captain who kept his cool and did the landing in the safest way possible, thus ensuring that there was no injuries to any of the five occupants. Later before we could reload our senses and take our seats with one member short, we took off again but this time with more confidence and after ensuring that all the things were in place.
As for me I took the bull by the horn, and was all excited to get some very exciting pictures of the city of lakes and the rural side of it.
What you get to see below appeared in the front page of the HT Bhopal Live of my personal experience and the pictures I took from 4000 to 6000 feet above ground.
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Its as close it gets to being on a flight of fantasy in the real world. Rising slowly above the terra firma in a hot-air balloon and seeing the world from 4,000 + feet high. And there's nothing to compare with a hot-air balloon ride. In a fast train the landscape whizzes by in a blur: In a hot-air balloon, the meadows just keep getting smaller and smaller as time virtually stands still.

Even for any Fotog with a seasoned eye for visuals, it's quite a spectacle taking time to sink in. And it was that kind of day for a couple of lens men, who were taken up a hot air balloon with them by Army Adventure Wing members of the 3 EME Center.
Major Bhaskar was at the helm as the balloon took off. For a slow rising mass of hot-air, contraption of ropes and the balloon itself, it was surprising to see it still took a lot of skill to rise slowly and navigate in the face of smoe pretty quirky wind.

Naib Subeidar Santosh was in charge of the other balloon as the two spectacular machines rose in tandem from the Jeet Stadium at the EME Center. The wind was strong throughout and favored North-West. The speed of the balloons was 25 nautical miles before we smoothly landed on the farmland near Khukaria village about 45 Kilometers away from the main road.
Major Bhaskar and Santosh plan to cross the Arabian Sea in February 2003, a feat that would be under-taken for the first time by any Asian. These rides are their practice flights and meant to sharpen their skills. After all, a botched ride over a desolate stretch of the Arabian Sea could be rather unforgiving.

During the ride, we saw nomadic tribesmen from Rajasthan herding their live stock and camels, across the rural hinterland. Their annual migration into the State's 'greener pastures' has just begun.
Even as the camels gently strode across the vast plains underneath, Major Bhaskar's balloon gently brushed some treetops, a bit scary for the second time in one day, for a ballooner but a routine experience for the immensely skilled officer.
The balloon itself was of rib-knit nylon to take up to 140 to 160 degrees of heat blown from four blowers fixed to gas cylinders.

Major Bhaskar says you need a keen knowledge of the wind velocity and also the knack of blowing enough hot air to avert mishaps.
Colonel Balasubramaniam, the head of the ground staff which helps retrieve the hot air balloons after they land, says it is easy to fly high but following the balloon is the tricky part because they have to stick to roads and then make their own track to reach the balloon far afield.