Motorboats waiting for Passengers at Govind Sagar Lake in Una Region of Himachal Pradesh, India

Here is a Photograph from my recent visit to Himachal during Holi vacations. While going to Hamirpur from Delhi, this lake comes on the way near Una and known as Govind Sagar Lake which is a part of Satluj River. This lake was created during initiation of Bhakhra Hydro Project. Although this lake has snatched land of many folks around the place, but at the same time they have got new opportunities to earn their livings. More photographs of Govind Sagar Lake can be checked - HERE

Above photograph shows a very small portion of this lake. Govind Sagar is a huge lake spread in two districts of Himachal Pradesh covering hundreds of kilometers.

Sunset @ Shimla (Sunset view from Mall Road, Shimla)

Post Sunset hues from Trilokinath (Lahual and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, INDIA)

This is a three years old Photograph, which was clicked at Trilokinath Temple in Lahaul & Spiti. Most of the co-travellers can't forget this adventurous trip to Lahual & Spiti. It was the time, when we stuck at a place due to land-slide and our hotel was just 14 kilometers away, but had no option but to go back. After a day long journey from Chandigarh, we were about to reach Udaipur and stuck at a place near Trilokinath.

Finally we came back and stayed in an open ground outside Trilokinath Temple. We got some forest-wood to have bonfire and spent whole night in chilling ground surrounded by snow covered peaks.

Smiling Gladiolus welcoming you in 2012 !!!

Although it's an old photograph, but thought of sharing as I wanted to start 2012 with something colorful and this photograph added a special fragrance as well. 

So Happy New Year !!!

'May the New Year bring to you and your loved ones all the happiness you could wish for and all the strength you need to pursue your dreams.'(courtesy - www.vibhamalhotra.com)

Mobilegiri - Lady from hills, busy in usual morning things with her kids !!!

While travelling from Kullu Srahan to Shimla, this photographs was clicked from moving car. It's a click by HTC Desire HD and somehow it came out quite clear. Folks in the car were wondering, how she can do this to his kid :) ... Weather out there was chilling. Although she is wearing a half sweater, but temperature was below 10 degrees. This place was surrounded by snow capped hills and this kid is taking bath in open. Probably this is not a big deal for them, but this photograph still make me shiver in summers as well. See kid expressions and his hands.

Clouds coming up in the evening @ Viceregal Lodge, Shimla

A wonderful view from IIAS window @ Shimla, Himchal Pradesh, INDIA

Viceregal Lodge or also known as Indian Institute of Advanced Studies is one of the best places to visit in Shimla Town. This Photograph is taken at same place. This a huge building having multiple corridors around it. This is one of the corridor in the backyard. The Cedar tree looks awesome through this huge window on other side of the corridor. Most of the part of this building in closed but some of the areas are accessible from outside. This whole campus has some beautiful gardens with lots of flowers and colorful plants.

New Bus Stand of Capital City of Himachal Pradesh - Shimla

During one of the recent trips to Shimla, I visited Indian Institute of Advanced Studies and Shimla Bus stand was visible from the way which connect IIAS with Boileuganj. Shimla has got this beautiful bus-stand with lot of space. It is located near Tootikandi which is not very crowded region in Shimla. Supposedly this one of best Bus-Stand in North-India till 2011.

Front view of Viceregal Lodge, Shimla (Indian Institute of Advanced Studies)

Marriage band-master @ Pathiar, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

Recently I attended my friend's marriage in Himachal. I was the first one to reach early and other friends were on the way... So had a good opportunities to see various things happening around and of course, there was hardly any other choice :) ... So I was listening to this band group. In Himachal band-group arrives one day before the barat day and they play during most of the ceremonies happen during the marriage. So every 30-45 minutes, they were playing various things like Aartis, Bollywood numbers, local folk etc. 

Usually in these band there is  leader who starts the song with a different music and other carry on further. The person in photograph is band-master who starts and guide through a song. You can notice the other person on left who is not playing anything right now. So he is just listening to the music his master is playing and then all of them will continue. While is proper mood, they do various experiments with songs we listen to. And many times these folk tunes are used by big composers in Bollywood !!!

Beautiful lady in Reshta @ Narkanda, Himachal Pradesh

During my recent trip to Himachal Pradesh, we were roaming around some villages in Narkanda region and having lunch at roadside. This lady was walking through the side-by road and I really liked her dress. I requested one of my friend to ask her in local language, that if we could click one photograph. She happily agreed and I was delighted to have a shot of this lovely dress called 'Reshta' !!!

Tani Jubber Lake near Thanedar in Shimla region of Himachal Pradesh, INDIA

Here is a photograph of Tani Jubber Lake which is near Thanedar and Narkanda.... It's not a very popular tourist destination but a wonderful place to spend some time while roaming around Shimla or going towards Kinnaur... Since it's not popular, it's very well maintained and clean :) ... Will be posting a complete PHOTO JOURNEY on this lake soon...

Shilaroo Hockey Stadium in Himachal Pradesh, INDIA

Shilaroo has got a Hockey stadium as Sports Authority of India's high-altitude training centre. This stadium was inaugurated by Sports Minister MS Gill last year in month of May. This stadium is located  about 55 km from state capital of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla.

The Sports Authority of India Centre, located at an altitude of 8100 feet and surrounded by wonderful places like Narkanda and Hatu peaks with excellent indoor facilities for  badminton, basketball,handball, volleyball, table tennisand wrestling apart from gymnasium and hostel facilities...

This stadium is very close to Vidya Stoke's place...

Side view of Viceregal Lodge, Shimla (Indian Institute of Advanced Studies)

Wondeful view of full-moon sitting on top of snow covered hills of Himalayas !!!

Himachal Pradesh being my native state, I have huge love for these hills and I love to be closer to these. Although my profession keeps me busy in big cities, but there is always an urge to go back to Himachal and do something on my homeland... Hope I would be able to take appropriate decision sometime soon !!!

This Photographs was taken during my last year trip to Kullu Sarahan. It's a small village isolated from various main cities/towns of Himachal and a wonderful place to spend your vacations... Hope to visit it this year as well !!!

Cecil Hotel on the way from Viceregal Lodge to Mall road @ Chaura Maidan, Shimla

A silhoutte of Deodar tree near Indian Institute of Advanced studies, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

  Shimla is one of my favorite places to visit frequently and I have lot of reasons to like this wonderful place. Although I have seen people talking about traffic and other problems in Shimla, but I don't care and it's one of the best hill stations if you are really interested in nature, freshness, nice weather, cleanness, Architecture etc.


This photograph is clicked in back side of Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, which is also known as Viceregal Lodge.

Shshshhhh.... A lonely road near Shimla Mall Road but its all safe !!

 
Many times I meet people visiting Shimla and at times, few of them say - "What's there in Shimla to visit/see".... "Shimla is too much crowded" .... and I say "What exactly you expect to visit in a place like Shimla" ...


In my opinion, Shimla town has best walks around the Mall road which passes through wonderful deodar forests, very old British Architecture and should I mention about weather & freshness of the town?


This is one of the street in the photograph, which is near to Vidhan Sabha... And the BEST part is that places in Himachal are extremely safe but that doesn't mean that one should be careless about it ! bcoz, exceptions are always there which may happen with anyone in bad times.. But Shimla is one of the favorite travel destination. In case you are planning for Shimla and need more info, catch me at VJ@travellingcamera.com and I am not a travel agent :)

Panning Experiments @ MTB Himachal 2010 (Mountain Terrain Biking) - 6

This photograph was clicked last year during Mountain Terrain Biking event in Himachal Pradesh during October. This is first time I seriously tried panning but believe me it was too difficult with these guys :) Everyone has unique speed and very fast, in fact... And there is no chance of clicking two panning shots with one rider :)

Entry Gate to Legislative Assembly, Himachal Pradesh

Legislative Assembly, Himachal Pradesh

 Whenever I go to Shimla, I never miss the wonderful walk from Mall Road to Viceregal Lodge and if time allows, we continue till Himachal Pradesh University in Summer-Hill... On this walk, lot of lovely places come and State's Vidhan Sabha is one of the nearest building to Mall Road !!! This whole stretch is very beautiful having road surrounded by huge deodar trees on both sides... Now I remember each turn, shop or building on this way unless things have changed since my last visit... and the better part is that it's not a climb but a downhill with negligible slope.. So we can consider that we walk in planes only... After Viceregal Lodge, the road is narrow and there is dense forest till the point University campus starts.. It's lovely and if timing is correct, one can see the toy train crossing through hills below the road...