I HAVE STAR TRAILS!

I HAVE STAR TRAILS!
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain

It was due for a long time... finally i did it!

The first Star trail shot I tried!
75 mins exposure on 26th May 0200Hrs!
AWESOME for a first timer like me...
Thanks Shutterbug Pooja for letting me experiment with her Nikon FM2! You are the best!
This going to get better for sure... !
MEGHANA'S RECIPE FOR STAR TRAIL SUCCESS AS FOLLOWS:

Ingredients:
1 Manual Film SLR
1 ISO 100 film
1 Tripod (don't worry if you don't have one. Like me, you can improvise)
1 MP3 player
1 Alarm clock ( a mobile will do)

Prepration:
Load and set up the camera on the tripod, (lens facing skywards, and a few hours after moonset or before moonrise is good!)
f /11 Exposure time: anywhere between 5 minutes to 5 hours. (If 5 hours, then you need to be really away from civilization...)
Set up your alarm, put on your headphones and ENJOY!

NOTE: No matter how well you plan, how well you set up your camera, LUCK is something beyond our control! (an airplane crossed sometime during exposure in this shot... )

Sounds of India!

Venue: ILC hall, Verite, Auroville.
Date: 6th Sept 2006
Time: 5.30 PM. Broadcast on Auroville Radio.
The first performance I gave in Auroville.

Harshad: Keyboard
Abhi: tabla
Meghana: Guitar

https://soundcloud.com/anahgem/sounds-of-india-part-2

my GUITAR speaks to ME

my GUITAR speaks to ME
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain

My guitar talks to me,
My friend, he says,
I will desert you never.
Be with you forever,
Honestly…

My guitar sings to me,
Of a blissful subsist, so sweet,
The reverberation lingers,
On the tips of my fingers,
And so, I feel utterly free…

My guitar gives to me,
A subdue but expressive resonance,
A profound and soulful pulsation,
A near surreal sensation,
And a welcome diversion from reality.

My guitar travels with me,
He doesn’t grieve,
Doesn’t mope doesn’t cry,
Loves me so to move by,
And my grief is just a distant memory.

Such is he, the love of my life,
The music he makes, the passion in which I lie
The divine slender strings, The luxurious form,
The touch, so delicate, so mellow and warm.
Such is my love… And he speaks to me…
-----------------------------------------------DR (05/06/07)

COME... lets GO...

COME... lets GO...
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain

A sudden though left me wondering, and I penned down a few words...

COME ... lets GO...
Lets go to a place where we can be,
As lucid as water, as vivid as sun,
As soaring as the trees, and equally free…

Lets go to a place where we can hear,
The bird natter, the sea-waves chatter,
The zephyr in my ear, so very clear…!

Lets go to a place where we can see,
The sun ascend, the moon glimmer
The stars so zealous, all for me…

Lets go to a place where we can sense,
The sunlight so tepid, the rain drop so chaste,
Sheer bliss and a love so intense…

Lets go to a place where we can speak,
About each other, the humanity,
To make our vista brilliant, not bleak…
--------------------------------------------DR(29.5.07)

I went to the Moon one day...

Lunar Dreams 02.05.07 8 PM
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain.

I wrote this 5-6 yrs back. I had nothing better to do and since I dreamed of the moon everyday, I wrote a poem about why I should come back to Good 'ol earth!!

I went to the moon one day,
And I saw a little Alien trying to scare me away.

I went near it to talk,
But I seemed to give it a big shock.

The alien took out its Pogo stick,
And went away without any hick…


So, I went hopping mad to mars,
Where I saw a busy street with lots of cars.

All filled up with little Martians,
Dressed up in clothes of the latest fashions.

But without any designer tags,
They all looked like old, work out rags…


That drove me crazy to Saturn!
I was impressed with its lunar patterns.

But it made my head go round and round and round,
Until I fell on to the ground.

I sat up and looked up at the sky…
Oh! Why did it seem so blank and dry?


I was swept off my feet to Earth,
It is after all the place of my birth.

I left it in search of Humanity,
Love and honesty.

People came up to me to speak,
And for my advice to seek.

They welcomed me with open arms,
And protected me from all harms.

I am sorry I left this green planet,
I shouldn’t have been caught in this vicious net.

‘Cause I have just discovered,
There is so much love and humanity here ...still uncovered

------------------------------------------------------------------Meghana Kulkarni

I wrote this one for Harshad while we were in Auroville:

For Harshad (Haytad!!)

The games we play and the games you let me play,

Are at times irksome to you,

But exhilarating and playful to me,

I am a simple, naïve and hollow being,

And the kindly, but astute soul, are thee.

You know, but pretend ignorant,

Letting me feel vanity for the moment,

Even now you know,

But since so kind you are,

Quietly for the good, you let it go.

I am harmless, you think,

A cat without claws, how right you are,

But never show what’s in your mind,

You let my juvenile achievements pass,

That’s how you are, compassionate and kind.

I trouble you with my childlike mediocrities,

And feel superior,

To you, in some ways,

But you let me be stupid and happy,

Living blissfully, in a hazy daze...

It’s a lost cause to admit that I lose,

To you, a superior life than me,

You know that, but cannot comprehend,

How you abide my ways,

And live with all sanity I lost, but still defend.

This is another amateur prank,

I hope you will forget it,

And remember me as funny and poor,

Stupid and naive, but someone who wanted to learn from you,

And to be wise and sound and sure.

Keep forgiving me for being what I am,

The games I play and all that you do not like,

For everything I said that did injure,

Today, I have the strength and the courage to regret,

And to say this, all my lost courage I conjure…

I am so rich…

Lunar Dreams 24.04.07 1900 Hrs
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain.

Have you ever set up a telescope, hoping to see the moon, exactly half, already above the horizon, with, still a bit of daylight around? Have you ever seen through the telescope to see the magnificent moon floating in the inky blue sky? Have you ever seen the moon’s craters, on the bright, shining lunar skin? I bet you have…
But have you ever seen, while watching the same moon, a bird, appearing suddenly out of the blackness, cross paths between the telescope and the moon, seen as a dark silhouette to it’s bright surface, with wings, waxing and waning like the moon, flying across and disappearing back into the blackness it came from.

And I know, that I’m truly a witness to one or nature’s countless, rare wonders. I know, that I am so rich with such experiences, many of which, I am the sole witness to. I know, that my problems are not real problems at all. I know, that my sorrow is not real sorrow. What I consider imperative, is not significant at all. There is more to life that the material, and the social. Vital, is what we never think about. The real ‘good’ is not good at all.
What I do is just a diminutive part of my obligation I must fulfil.
We all look at clichéd and forlorn perception of life no matter how different it seems, and what it means to us, but when do we understand it’s more than just that.
In the understanding of this phenomenal gift of nature, lies the key to our very existence, and I pray for this very miracle to happen to each one of us. To liberate us from the passé, hackneyed and tried, into the beautifully stunning world we stay in, but never live in…

DraconianRAIN

DraconianRAIN
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain.

It rains and it rains. And it rains too. And when it rains… it rains. The rains reign over my mind these days. The reigning good weather, the sudden freshness, the intoxicating smell of the damp earth, the insects flying about, looking for shelter… It’s a whole new bright world! And especially if it comes in midst of the warmest weather the city has seen.
The day is left to gather all the rain clouds in the surrounds, and the evening actually unleashes them on us.
Enthralled by the weather, we step out to recover, and enjoy the gentle fury of the heavens. It’s a time to reconcile, to remember the past, to relive all our past moments and relax in the warm friendship in the midst of the cool breeze. The three of us, we stroll about aimlessly, discussing our life and where it’s leading us to. We discuss about our friends, the past, our future, our classmates, experiences, and all things, which are simply just flowing, but don’t realise the intensity of our feelings towards them. We realise only much later. Getting drenched is the last bit of worry for us, as there are more important things to ponder and converse. For the hour and half we are together, our minds are one, our differences departed, and our thoughts pure and warm as can be. The clouds vary the intensity of their downpour, but does that deter us from an intense debate? No. For there is nothing more important that the three of us, for the three of us at that particular time. This time makes us forget about the worldly banalities and complexities and gives us the sublime feeling of a blissful existence. That prompts us to repeat the experience everyday, but the clouds disagree. What are they, but a welcome respite from our everyday routine, refreshment for the mind, body and soul? An occurrence, if repeated continually, would not remain enjoyable anymore…
I will ever cherish these moments I spent with my friends, because come tomorrow, I might never get a chance to enjoy like this, what I get so effortlessly now, because this might just become the luxury I cannot afford in the future…

STAY... And help me to END the day

STAY... And help me to END the day
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain.

The Moon was yellow as it rose out from the horizon today. through the hazy city sky, it glowed warmly. But went cold as it rose further, with all the compassion dying out and and the cool moon rays lighting up the night.
She stood there in the evening of her life, asking for the moon to stay warm and compassionate, and to celebrate her life and whatever was left.
She was curious. gazing at the moon to reveal its mysteries, as the sky turned to black. And hence I remember:
STAY... And help me to END the day
Stay and help me to end the day.
And of you don't mind,
We'll break a bottle of wine.

Stick around and maybe we'll put one down,
'cause I wanna find what lies behind those eyes.

Midnight blue burning gold.
A yellow moon is growing cold.

I rise, looking through my morning eyes,
Surprised to find you by my side.
Rack my brain to try to remember your name
To find the words to tell you goodbye.

Morning dues.
Newborn day.
Midnight blue turn to gray.
Midnight blue burning gold.
A yellow moon is growing cold.
------------------------------ Pink Floyd (Obscured By Clouds)

Lunar dreams

It was on my mind for a quiet a while to photograph all phases of the moon. It's certainly an amazing feeling to observe the moon from here. And it makes me want to go to the moon and explore. It would look like a cold, desolate place with no one else around.
I might not even like it there. But I would certainly like the earth as seen from there! The other side is always greener, isn't it?
Well, The series started from the 4th of March 2007 at 2130 hrs. IST. That was the night after the eclipse. Technically, the eclipse started on 4th March 2007 at 0230 Hrs IST. The moon looked totally fresh and glowing after the first full eclipse in almost 3 yrs! And ready to be photographed, and looked at.
The next night, the moon rose a little late, and it came up clear above all trees and buildings in the horizon at 2230 hrs. So, there I was on my terrace, romancing the moon again... How I just wait for the Moonrise...!
The moon started receding a little from the top, slow and shy, and I kept capturing it as it rose every day, for the next five days, anticipating it's augmented beauty every next night! It is truly one of the most dramatic sights, as the moon recedes, and disappears.
And what makes it even more captivating is the return to its original beauty. Full and bright, enchanting one and all, it goes on displaying the wonderful sight. Mother Earth got envious of all the attention to it’s satellite, and she sent a stratum of clouds to impede my vision of the moon. But it was no use. It shone brightly, between the skeletal layer of low clouds, giving me a near-perfect image of the moon. The sun still smiled on it’s children, benevolently yielding it intensity.
And with that, it completes half of its chapter, one that it reads over and over again, every month, posturing for me, while it was at it, and for countless others, around the world. I’m just one small microbe in this pool full of organisms, much superior than I. I’m waiting to evolve, to proliferate myself into different spheres of astral knowledge.
Countless generations of human beings have been witness to this wonder of nature. A wonder of time, gravity, light, and movement. But it takes more than an ordinary human being to understand it all. I wish I was one of the few who could. I wish I was one of the few to stand on the moon, walk, run and explore on it. See the earth from it and not feel the sheer agony for not being able to do so.

And consequently, as I reconcile in my limited understanding, and close my tired eyes for the day, I dream… my LUNAR DREAMS

the short journey towards LOVE... and OUT of it...

Laxmi road, PUNE
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain.

It was twilight when I caught the bus from my Fatima Nagar, in the company of more than 50 strangers and (thankfully) my MP3 player. Travelling though the labyrinths of the old town, its sights, sounds and smells, I felt a total loss of my worldly consciousness and I drifted towards a state of extreme bliss. I felt a mildly familiar sense of euphoria at having discovered something so unique, so strange, and yet, so familiar.
The streets were calling, in all of their mocking glory, but it all passed away too fast for me, and I realised I was dreaming, for the very route I had travelled many a times before, had suddenly become a stranger to me, and I didn’t know where I was going, and what beheld my attention on every turn. But I was mesmerised, and don’t remember many a stretch in between, like a void. I don’t know how I got to the next turn; I lost myself in this temporary haze. I was thinking of the bliss I lived in mindlessly in the past, the liberating nirvana I felt during that very small interlude with no worries and complete freedom. I was transported into a world where I believed. In a world where this strange feeling called love –exists. With no rules, no conditions and no melancholy.
I could get used to this. But it was not to be.
A terrific jolt shook me to the point of infraction, and I awoke to find myself out of this reverie into reality, and I had nothing to do, but wait for my stop.
I got off the bus and as I started walking towards home, it started raining. It was the first rain of the year, and I was there to experience. But that walk, although short and familiar, was the most profound and intense walk I have ever taken.
And I am stronger and wiser now, for I loved and lost, than to have never loved at all…

YELLOW leaves

YELLOW leaves
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain.

This yellow will not last forever on the leaves. but i will make it last forever. It was a beautiful day today. I'm glad I went with Kinnari. many a times I learn from situations which dont technically teach me anything. They teach me about myself, about what I am and what I can be.
The beautiful yellow attracted me instantly towards them. It was as if they wanted to be seen, to be appreciated. And I obliged. There's only these leaves that are clear, the rest of the tree and sky is totally uncertain. I don't know what it it. I cannot see it well. I dont know whats beyond. But I see the leaves clearly. Thats what I want to see. I have a clear understanding of myself today. I don't know about tomorrow. And I have stopped expecting and anticipating. I cannot take the dejection.
I am just riding the waves, doing just enough to float, but still in the ocean, not knowing where land is, just going along. I just need to see an albatross, and I'll find the inspiration. These young yellow leaves are my inspiration to keep going. I'll sight land someday.

Yours truly - Line art!!

Yours truly - Line art!!
Originally uploaded by DraconianRain.

I'm not like this. But this is how i would like to be. Like an image, like a perfect person without flaws. But can I be...?
It's truly a misleading image. This is not the real me. But what is the real me? How can I bring out the real me through an illustration?
I tried this for the first time yestarday, pretty successfully! this is how I did it:

1. Open an image in photoshop
2. Create a new layer (line layer) without fill.
3. trace the image using the pen tool (right click and click stroke path. Make sure to change the brush settings before that)
4. delete the Original layer of picture.
5. Create new white layer below the line layer.
6. You can fill in colours using different layers!

It's as simple! Contact me for any clarifications...