Featured (my favourite) posts
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Gallery of photographs
Over the years I have done commercial photography assignments for advertising agencies ranging from cars to switch-gear. I have taken on commissioned photography and film projects from commercial media, international bilateral agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
I am involved in multiple long-term projects, but I am happy to work on commissioned multi-media assignments. I prefer working on travel related projects or projects related to not-for-profit organizations/causes.
Drop me a line if you have an interesting project for me.
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1 minute read | 87 words
![Packing list for multi-day self-supported cycling trip [Version 2.0]](IMG_1317-2-l.jpg "Packing list for multi-day self-supported cycling trip [Version 2.0]")
Packing list for multi-day self-supported cycling trip [Version 2.0]
Some years ago I had posted a packing list that I had used for my Manli-Leh cycling trip. That post generated many thank-you’s and even more follow-up questions. The Manali-Leh trip was my first major multi-day self-supported cycling trip. Since then I have done many more trips and I am now more settled on my packing list. And my approach to packing for a cycling trip is more refined, or so I’d like to believe.
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7 minute read | 1341 words
#cycling, #featured, #bicycle touring packing list, #cycle tour in india, #cycle touring, #manali to leh cycling
So who was Safdarjung? And why does he lord over the best real estate in town?
Residents of Delhi, even those not terribly interested in history, are likely to be aware of the Safdarjung Tomb. Not because it is a particularly grand tomb, as mausoleum go, but perhaps because it is physically a prominent landmark, on a major road, in the middle of upmarket central Delhi.
This morning I had an hour to kill, and I decide to make some pictures there.
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2 minute read | 396 words
#photography, #photo-features, #featured, #historic monuments
An Indian Going West. To Discover America.
At age 40, in the middle of raising venture funding for my second tech start-up, I had a massive heart attack. It’s a long story, but in essence, while I was lying on the cold OT table and wondering why they were trying to freeze me to death, my loved ones were waiting outside desperately hoping and praying that I make it through. Surprise: I did make it through.
In just a few days I will make it all the way through to 50.
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3 minute read | 486 words
#cycling, #adventures, #featured, #cycle touring, #cycling, #northern tier cycling
Cycling the Sach Pass - 2.0
At 4,420 meters Sach pass is not among the highest ‘motorable’ passes in the country, but it is certainly one of the steepest and one of toughest to bicycle across. A couple of years ago, Punit and I failed to cycle across it (read about the last attempt to cycle across the Sach pass here. What are the chances that I’ll do better on a solo attempt?
It is a little after 4:00 pm and it has already been a tough day of cycling.
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12 minute read | 2547 words
#cycling, #adventures, #featured, #cycle touring, #cycling in the himalayas, #himachal pradesh, #saach pass, #self-supported cycling
Cycling the Spiti valley — Nako to Manali
The hardest part about Spiti is reaching there. It took us a 22-hour bus ride to get to Rekong Peo. For the sake of acclimatization we had planned the night stay at Kalpa, which is not so far from there, but much higher. And also much nicer. Having had our fill with the HPTDC’s ‘ordinary’ buses, especially given the quantum of our luggage, we choose to just hire a jeep the next day to take us up to Nako (technically still in Kinnaur) – another five odd hour drive.
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10 minute read | 2104 words
#cycling, #adventures, #featured, #cycle touring, #cycling in the himalayas, #bicycle adventures, #spiti valley
Which is the best cycle for touring the Indian himalayas?
People often ask me what is the best cycle for touring the Himalayas. It is a hard question to answer, mainly because different people define ‘touring’ differently.
For instance, cycle touring may mean cycling hundreds of kilometers self-supported where the rider carries a tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear on the bike, and has the option to stop and camp wherever she fancies. However, many of the well established Himalayan routes can also be toured ultralight, by eating and sleeping in teahouses (dhabas).
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5 minute read | 1008 words
#cycling, #featured, #cycle touring, #cycling in the himalayas, #self-supported cycling, #cycling in india, #manali to leh
Riding the thunder dragon
Where in the world
do you have a car driver slow down to a halt, to let you finish taking a picture from across the street.
Where in the world
do you have women managing the night desk alone in a small hotel, in a smallish town.
Where in the world
do you have women taxi drivers doing solo cross-country drives.
Where in the world
do you have young women single handedly manage resto-bars on the side of a highway, in the middle of nowhere.
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3 minute read | 460 words
#cycling, #adventures, #featured, #cycle touring, #cycling in bhutan
Choosing a bicycle 101: Roadie, Hybrid, MTB, Touring or fixed gear?
So you’re thinking of buying a new cycle? And you are being bombarded by friends, fellow cyclists and salespeople by all kinds of conflicting information?
I have, in the past, tried to clear some smoke for friends. This is an attempt to make my suggestions available on the web. Do let me know if this post did the job for you. Let me start by saying that you will not get a straight answer.
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7 minute read | 1341 words
Trekking across the Buran Pass, Himachal
She knew. I could tell she knew that I was in pain. I had been making sure that the violent negotiations between my calves and knees were kept to, well, myself. But she could see through it.
I was determined to take myself and the 20 kilo pack on my back, safely to wherever the trail ended. This was the last, and particularly gruelling, day of a 6-day-trek across the Buran Pass.
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4 minute read | 772 words
#adventures, #featured, #himachal pradesh, #hiking, #trekking, #walking
Manali to Leh — Self-supported cycling trip
Ride report form September 2010 Ride dates: September 4th to 14th, 2010
Two riders: Sanjay Jaiman and Ajay Jaiman
After years of thinking about it and weeks of planning we finally did it. Close to 600 kms of cycling from Manali to Leh (because Tanglang La was closed and we had to take a detour at Debring and go via Tso Kar and Mahe bridge).
We rode with all our gear including clothes, sleeping bags, tent, stove, utensils, food, water, cycle spares on our cycles – an estimated weight of about 25 kgs (not counting the weight of the bikes, pannier racks, and bags.
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1 minute read | 171 words
#cycling, #adventures, #featured, #cycle tour in india, #cycle touring, #manali to leh cycling, #bicycle adventures, #cycling in india, #indian himalyas, #manali to leh
Hiking in the Spiti valley
In June I traveled almost the entire length of the Spiti valley in the ‘European backpacker’ style. Using local buses (non-a/c with non-reclining seats), hitching rides, and hiking– from village to village and from monastery to monastery; eating in ‘dhabas’, staying in village homes, monasteries; making new friends (some of whom were perpetual travelers – they do not have a stable snail mail address)…
It is an absolutely incredible way to see the countryside.
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1 minute read | 162 words
#photography, #photo-features, #adventures, #featured, #himachal pradesh, #spiti valley, #hiking, #trekking, #indian himalayas