Haridwar: Through My Eyes- Part 1

The Sabzee Mandi

You have to be lucky to be born in a small town is what I feel as I stand in the sabzee mandi, holding two bags of vegetables with hot and crisp jalebis and pakoras being fried right in front of me.

Fully acknowledging my exponentially increasing weight, I still go ahead imagining the magic these out of the world, high on fat items will spell in my digestive system.
As if this wasn’t enough that the sudden expression of a lady got my attention. She was bargaining with a small time retailer over an item she wanted to buy. I cannot say that I did not overhear the conversation because I did and as I write this, it is playing in my mind all over again. From there, I somehow lost myself to the numerous human emotions I had around.

Sabzee Mandi, believe me it is the best place you could ever be in if you want to know what humans are. It is a mini outing for many, the happiness of that one gola a father buys for his child, the colorful bangles the girl is happy to even see, that achievement of getting a rupee off.

The chaat-pakori treats, the happiness that is all around. For once, there is no divide of rich and poor, of Brahmin or Kshatriya or any other caste for that matter. For once we all stand together.

The numerous vendors shouting out loud, some just sitting like that; no marketing strategies nothing and yet they make it good. Sometimes for some people it is not a good day but do they end it in a state of despair; I do not think so! The hope in the eyes is what captivates me!

Then occasionally the stray cows and bulls come and the way people run, well it is some kind of a show for those who are just watching.

I sometimes wonder how people can be so hopeful, with so little at their disposal they are still making the most of it and here we cry about the petty things we do not have!

Anyway, with so many emotions around, so many images to capture; as I write this I smile. Knowing it well that I have failed miserably at capturing the emotions, maybe some photographer could have done that better.

Or maybe we all could just close our eyes and feel the same, paint our own pictures, just the way we want them to be!

Emotions! Though art inexplicable!