the photography

We were enjoying the view from our houseboat (hb) when a person approached with an  album in his hand. He wanted us to have some photos clicked dressed as kashmiris. It looked funny, but the thought of sharmila tagore , dressed as kashmiri in the movie’ Kashmir ki kali’, flashed across my mind. And I got interested. Ashu was bit reluctant at the idea of being dressed as ‘pathaan’ and  I was a bit apprehensive as to how  he would manage to dress us up in public. But the fellow was really trained well for his job.

We waited for the sun to go down little, so that the photos would look better. Luckily it became cloudy after half an hour  and  cold breez started blowing over the lake. The photographer , called Bilal emerged suddenly seeing the pleasant weather and opened his Pandora box. First he took me to his boat and dressed me up as a kashmiri girl. He gave me a red coat called ‘firan’ in kashmiri. Next came a big necklace and then some hanging ornaments  above my ears. Lastly he covered my head with a yellow scarf. And I was all set for the shoot. Ashu was standing on the hb smiling ,and clicking with his own camera. And Bilal started his job. He asked me to pose with flowers and while rowing the boat, while he kept on clicking. The tourists passing by in their own shikaras were grinning seeing this photo session, which embarrassed me a little. But I suppose when we are on vacations a whole different psychy works for us.

Now Bilal called ashu, who was enjoying the sight all this while. Now it was my turn. He dressed Ashu with an embroided firan and a jacket. Lastly came a ‘pagdi’ to complete the attire of a pathan. I couldn’t help laughing  seeing all this. But more hilarious were the poses which the model had to give. Even  the managers of our hb were having a good time. We had some photos clicked at shikara and some even at houseboat. It is a memorable experience till today and the photographs have become something to cherish forever in our lives.

Posing with flowers…….

A kashmiri girl at the dal lake.

Rowing the boat, while the strong winds were creating wonderful waves across the lake.

Clicking, while being clicked…..

Ashu, clicking from the houseboat…….

some moments of togetherness to be cherished forever……..

the pathan with his special poses…

Finally Some clicks at the houseboat,,,