An almost monochromatic Photowalk of “Purano Dhaka”

I am always fascinated with this place, Purano Dhaka. It has colours, shades and every element a photographer want to capture through the lens. I already visited this place several times and every time when leaving the place I wanted to come back as soon as I can. Last time I was there capturing the magnificent colours of “Holi”. It was all about the colours and the vividness of life of the people of Old Town.

But this place not only exhibits a majestic view of life in the colour photography but also the canvas of Black and white can elaborate all the intricate details of life of Purano Dhaka. So last Wednesday 19th August, 2009 I went on a little adventure all by myself in the old town to capture its magic in “Black and White”

From Gulishthan I went to Thathari bajar in a rickshaw. From there I started walking. I move around Nobabpur, Shakhari-bajar, Tati-bajar, Islampur, Bikrampur, Jogonnath University, Banglabajar and finally from English Road to again Gulishthan. I was there around 3 hours and when I was returning home I was so weak that i slept all the way in the buss.

These are some of the pictures from the old town.

But I’m a fanatic of colours I can’t resist myself to pick up some coloured stuff from that place.

For a long time I was not in the street and I was missing the hardcore street photography life so much. And finally I had this solo venture to the other side of the BIG CITY.

I know I’m not that matured with B&W stuff. So tell me what do you think?

Akashe agun Jalie debo..

Akashe agun jalie debo… I will light fire in the sky

Did you ever stand in front of light and when you look back you can not see your shadow? It’s like the light is just penetrating your entity like you are nothing in this universe.

Today the sky was extremely blue. From violate to indigo to blue with red, golden yellow to scarlet every shades and tints was there. Its so instance that I can’t even breath this much blue. And suddenly with that a deep strange sadness came upon me. But I was happy because I know with all the sadness, sorrows and every little bit pain will go away because I am beneath this vast sky.

For last 7 days I’m within the walls of my little two room apartment. Being sick is a bad thing. With the pain and the sleepless nights my horizons were getting dark every moment. But now standing on top of 7 story building I think it was not a bad thing. Because with out the darkness you can not find the light. And strangely I find it true again. This sky, clouds and everything so beautiful, so simple. I can see peoples are waking in the road, little children are playing in the field and some songs from a guitar with a somky jazz voice. Its all so dramatic from here. It’s like I’m watching a theatre, just its a very true reality.

May be we can not understand this feeling when we are in the same plane in the world. Walking in the same road with everyone else. And now I’m 70 feet above the ground and this beauty revealed in front of me. I’m jealous of you God. It’s just me 70 feet above with a eye which vision is not even 20/20. It must be a great view up there.

In my little life i did see a lot of sunsets. From the roof of my Old home in Dinajpur me and my elder sister Mareen used to see every sunset of Autumn. Long ago that was. After the rain had gone only with the clouds with thousand colours we saw the sunsets. But every time it is different from others. Today suddenly it seems like a very similar sunsets not from that distance past. Then I remember its just the clouds. Stretching my arms out I just want to block the sun light and tries to see the clouds fading away.

I can see strange floaters in side my eyes. But I kept looking to the sun with golden red hue and gradually all the floaters are settled down with all my blue sadness that came to me just a moment ago. And I know they will fade with this sun. With the light of the day they will go away in the darkness.

I love this city. I don’t know why but I love this place. All the building in the horizon are now painted with red and black. It’s time to go. I wish my sunshine was here with me. Holding my hand and we would say goodbye to the leaving daylight together. Don’t you worry my dear.. We will have our time….

Ami akashe agun jalie debo,
Prodip hobo gohin bone,
Tomar shopno puron korbo apon mone,
Ar vhalobashbo tomae boro bechi kore,
Boro beshi beshi beshi kore…

Smiling light and shadows..

Smiling light and shadows..

The Look…

May be small, or big. May be in the left or the right. It doesn’t matter. If you have the look then you are the MAN..

Sky..

Yes soo long we’ve searched for the sky with clouds. In a strange way for a few days we did not have a dreamy cloudy sky. remember those days when we just ignored them because every evening the sky wait for us with majestic beauty. alas..

But now when only the crystal blue reminds us the emptiness and void we search for other colours again . Painted with in the western clouds we look for the red, yellow or golden glow.

Remember the day when I told you in the noon that today might be the lucky day. because we have clouds in the sky and when it was evening nothing left there. And suddenly one day you found this sky. Just like the old days but more precious because you didn’t see this for a lifetime, it seems. And i was locked up by myself in the room. Fortunate enough to see just a fraction.

But I saw the sky. with your eyes..

Little smile..

Its a long time i wrote something in this diary of the lost souls. And this time I’m telling you a story. Where i found thousands of souls blooming. And I’m sure they will be the most gorgeous flowers in the future..

It was 27th November. I was fortunate enough to have a trip to “Alok Shishu Shikkhaloy” (Afzalunnesa school). Before I go any further i have to say, I do not know about the detail of the school. So you might feel a lack of information here..

It is the first time I’m doing some project like this. A quiz competition which was arranged by 1° Initiative and though I’m not an official member i was fortunate enough to go with them in a trip of a life time. I’ll tell you my personal experience here but first some info. It is the first of a series of quiz competitions which will be organised by 1° Initiative. And this time it was held in afzalunnesa. Situated in agargong, a primary school for under privileged students.

145 students, 3 hours, 50 questions and unlimited enjoyment with hundreds of smiling faces. What else do you need…

I am a good for nothing wanna be and gonna be Doctor with a camera. What can i do to change the world. I though this for soo long in my life. But apparently it was just an illusion that totally evaporated from my mind after this amazing event. I had my chance to get connected with the little children and to share the moments their life with them.

I was there with a group of energetic young 1° Initiative members. Each of them are awesome in their own way. The song and the enthusiasm and the active participation ( and occasionally the little fights) every thing was soo beautiful. As it was a quiz competition we also had our chance to evaluate the knowledge of the children. And as far as my observation goes they are not a single bit less then the posh students of the society with filthy rich parents. Just a little bit more care and the opportunity can take them a long away.

Little things can initiate a chain reaction that can revolutionised the entire system. And if you want to change some thing then go for the little one. A thousand of little changes that you archive will be far more valuable that dyeing for the greater change. I know what I’m saying will not put your name in the pages of the history books. But what i experienced i don’t give a damn about that fame or fortune.

Or you can take it like this. Little changes are the first step that you take and time will take you where is the greater one.

Heck.. i came far away from my topic. But its just me and my blah blah. I had a real good time and you can see all the pictures here in facebook..

enjoy…

“Pay it forward, save the world…”

The world needs us. And some little contributions of everyone can change the world radically. Just pay it forward, save the world.I came across this concept by the movie Pay it forward directed by Mimi Leder.

Pay it forward, the concept was described by Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Benjamin Webb dated April 22, 1784.

The expression “pay it forward” is used to describe the concept of third party beneficiary in which a creditor who offers the debtor the option of “paying” the debt forward by lending it to a third person instead of paying it back to the original creditor. Debt and payments can be monetary or by good deeds. In sociology, this concept is called “generalized reciprocity” or “generalized exchange”. A related transaction, which starts with a gift instead of a loan, is alternative giving.

“Inquisitive..”

Captured in “Chawk -Bazar”

“Something for them..”

I always want to give this world something back. As I’m in MED it is quite possible for me to do that. But always think some other way to do it. Some unique idea is a bit hard to find out. But I’m doing some brainstorm.. Lets see what comes out.

This is the picture i captured from Mohammadpur. She is a “Window-shopper”…

“Lonely…”

Lonely..

Nop, I’m not talking about any Akon’s song.
I actually feel like this way. The Ramadan started and like last 5 years i had to break my fast alone in this little room of mine. Yellow light, comfortable chair, delicious food and a unsatisfied soul. For many reasons..