A more photogenic people you will never see! (Okay, perhaps the Mongolians would give ‘em a run for the cash-money – though I gather that not only is there not any fresh fruit available in Mongolia, there isn’t any produce available full stop. So, much as I’d like to, I don’t think I’ll be visiting there to confirm, one way or t’other, this suspicion.) It’s colder than a witch’s you-know-what here right now, and foggier’n all-get-out; so perhaps the ethereal atmosphere contributes to the magical feeling of walking the streets. But, mostly, I think it’s just that the people are too fucking photogenic for rights.
Before we get to the feature presentation, however, here are my audio recordings from Varanasi. I’m pretty happy with the quality of the recordings; and the performances are to die for. If I had to pick favourites, they’d be the two from the Ashram, the tabla solo, the sitar/violin duet, and the second sarangi performance.
- Ashram Saturday (Sitar and Flute).
- Ashram Wednesday (Indian Slide Guitar).
- Harshotsav – Sarangi #1.
-
Harshotsav – Sitar and Violin duet.
-
Harshotsav – Tabla solo.
-
Harshotsav – Vocal #1.
-
Harshotsav – Sarangi #2.
-
Harshotsav – Vocal #2.
•
If you enjoy these, there’re even plenty more o’ them merrily residing theyselves down at the Flickr page’s ever-expanding India set…
•
And, okay, if you’re all after gonna twist my arm about it, here are a few snaps of the Taj. Walking around inside, I was thinking, “Well, it’s beautiful and all, but it’s nothing that special.” But, then, before I’d realised it, I’d let slip past five-plus hours, just wandering the grounds and gogging the scene – and I only left ‘cause it started raining. So, I guess it must have been pretty great after all…
