Sunday, December 19, 2010

I Am Honored, Bhavesh Chhatbar! - and a List of Some of My Favorite Indian Blogs -December 19, 2010


I Am Honored, Bhavesh Chhatbar! - and a List of Some of My Favorite Indian Blogs -December 19, 2010


People who know me well, and those who have come to know me through blogging, are
well aware of my love for India, a country that I have only visited once for a brief ten days
back in February of 1997.  When I began cruising with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, the
first person I really met was a bartender, Odelio Santos, from Mumbai, and then I became
friends with dozens of other Indian crew, many who became like extended family to me.  I
laughed when they started calling me "Mother India" or their "American mother."  During
my India visit I stayed with Santos and his wonderful family and saw others of my crew
friends who treated me like a visiting dignitary.

When I entered the blogging world, I was delighted to meet Indian bloggers online and
began following many of them - poets, writers, photographers.  It kept me connected to a
country I love but, as of yet, have not been able to visit again - though, someday, I hope I
will be able to return - and I will have new friends to see, along with my old "family." 

Bhavesh Chhatbar is one of my blogging family.  He is an young Indian photographer and
his blog address is:  http://blog.chaukhat.com/.  I encourage you to check it out for his
beautiful photography and interesting narratives.

On December 14th, I published my holiday poem on my blog, Carmen's Chronicles
Bhavesh sent me an email telling me how much he liked it and asked if he might put it on
his blog.  I, of course, gave him permission to do so and it is posted at
http://blog.chaukhat.com/, for December 18th.  His post really lifted my spirits so much
during this difficult time I have been experiencing and I treasure his support and praise.  I
cannot thank him enough.  I do encourage you to check out his website to enjoy the
beautiful photography, to take a look at India, the country of my heart, and to, also, check
some of the other Indian blog sites.  Too bad you cannot experience the incredbile food
via the internet!!

Thank you so much, Bhavesh!

Just a few Indian bloggers with whom I am acquainted:

http://blog.chaukhat.com/ - Bhavesh Chhatbar is a young Indian photographer,  His
photography is also available for sale.

http://mumbai-eyed.blogspot.com/ - Deepak Amembal has several blogs.  He is a well
known Mumbai photographer known as Magiceye.  He also does a blog called
Pet Pride.  His prints are available for sale as well.

http://craniumbolts.blogspot.com/ is the home of Cranium Bolts and Shiju Sugunan,
a wonderful photographer from Bangalore.  You MUST visit his website!

you on a visually exotic trip about this beautiful part of India which I hope, some day,
to see in person.

forum, he does discuss myriad topics openly and candidly.  I, sometimes, wonder
how he can speak so freely without incurring wratch from some of the Indian authorities
and officials!  Some of the topics, I don't completely understand since I am not Indian
and don't live in Indian but I always enjoy his blog.

http://hiteshrawat.blogspot.com/ - The Way It Is, written by a young Indian man,
who is now happily back at home in Delhi after working for over a year in Bangalore. 
His blog is about his personal life.  Admittedly, he is much busier enjoying his free time
with his friends and family than he was previously, far from home!

http://bangalore-city.blogspot.com/ - Rajesh Dangi is a photographer whose blog is
Bangalore Daily Photo and I enjoy my daily visit to this Indian city.

http://isharethese.blogspot.com/ -  Indrani is a blogger from Bangalore who writes about
her travels in iShare.  Her other blog, Frozen Moments, at
http://indisnapshots.blogspot.com/ is a fun task where she provides a photograph and
asks you to suggest captions..

http://visions-priyanka.blogspot.com/ is the blog of Priyanka Bhowmick of Assam, India.
She is a published writer, poet, and photographer and her blog, Lens and Verses is a
lovely place to spend some time.

http://www.incenseandanklebells.com/ - I just love Geeta's blog with its beautiful
name, Ankle Bells and Incense.  She is an American, a young college graduate
who spent time in India and is of Indian background.  Her writing is delightful.

http://www.brajas.com/ is the blog of Braja Sorensen who lives in Mayapur,
India.  Lost and Found in India is truly a treasure.  My only complaint is that Braja
does not write daily.    

Of course, there are many other Indian bloggers I have yet to discover! My blog list is

already so numerous, I spend over ten hours a day at my computer reading other blogs,
writing my own, commenting and writing comments. Heavens, what did I ever do when I
was working! If you have time in your day, I encourage you to check out some of these
wonderful bloggers from India or the other bloggers listed on my blog.



11 comments:

  1. This is such a big surprise. Thank you so much for the mention. :)
    I am glad you enjoy visiting us virtually. Blogging is such a wonderful thing, it connects us all across the world. I too love reading your blog entries. :)
    Hugs,
    Indrani.

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  2. I just saw your comment in my blog. :)
    We commented almost the same time.

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  3. Am honored to be mentioned so highly in your blog. Thank you so much.
    Best wishes for the cheerful season and I hope that you will realise your dream of revisiting India!

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  4. Thanks for mentioning my blog. I am flattered! You are awesome. And, thanks for sharing the blog links, I will definitely check them out.

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  5. Thanks RNSANE !! To tell you something honestly i went to Pushkar with some of my clients and there another client of mine arrived next day with whom i had to meet. Next day morning they came to Pushkar and we had a meeting. The clients were from France and when i saw the lady i just remembered your profile photograph and i asked her "are you a blogger", she said "no" and then i told her that i am connected to someone through blogger who appreciates my travel photos but unfortunately she was not you. Then i showed your blog to her and trust me her face was in resemblance to you. My Client was also happy to see someone like her.Today when i got your mail i reminded the same incident and thats why i am writing it here.

    Thanks to you for encouraging me to do better and better. You wishes are very important to us.

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  6. this is the biggest award i have got till now..... plus this comes on a day with lots of disappointments .... :(

    hope...could blog more frequently ...as i have already been upseting a lot of people who complain about me not being active...... but i surely owe to the ppl i read and to a few readers i have.........


    any who..... thanks for the mention....wish to live up to the expectations..... :)

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  7. Thank you so much for the kind words and place here :) How nice it is to have found someone (many someones) who either live in India or simply love it as much as I do! :) Hope things are settling down, and happy holidays!!

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  8. If you didn't see my holiday poem, it is here:
    http://rnsane.blogspot.com/2010/12/thoughts-of-season-deccember-14-2010.html


    Indrani -
    I know there are many more Indian bloggers. When I read your profiles and see "India", I always feel such a delight. It's been so nice following you.


    magiceye -
    Though the trip keeps getting delayed - and it looks like it won't happen now until after my 67th birthday, I am still not giving up. Remember, you told me you take me to see the flamingoes.


    Shiju Sugunan -
    I am not sure how I first chanced upon your blog but every single photograph has been a delight for me.


    Unseen Rajasthan -
    Bharat, I enjoyed your story about my "double" in France. I have visited there much more often than I have India! It's definitely a much shorter flight to that part of the world than to your area and I've enjoyed Paris but, even more, the coastal areas and Chateaux country and the other areas of France I've visited. I've only had my one ten day visit to India, most of which I spent at a friends in Mumbai, near Sahar...though I did get to Agra to see the Taj, fearing I might never return. It inspired me to write a poem which appeared in "The Eternity" magazine!

    I had hoped to come back to India for six months this past year but became ill. Though I will be 67 in October, I hope to return, probably only for three months because I will have my first grandchild by then and won't want to be away too long. I hope to get to Rajasthan to meet you in person.


    Hitesh Rawat -
    You take time to enjoy your life and don't worry about blogging all the time!!! The internet will always be there.

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  9. Geeta - I had to mention you as your love of India is so evident in every word you write! You are a great ambassador for this country!

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  10. Hi Carmen,

    There is so much to read and to know in this post that I feel short of words. But still, as I am a writer too [may not be as good as a photographer], I have too much to write here :)

    Your poetry is a pure inspiration. As I had mentioned earlier in emails, you must get this published at a larger level. The more the people of the world would read your poem, the better the world will be to live in. Really, I would love to see the phase of the world where people will look at each other with love, not with hate in their hearts.

    I wrote about you because you are a gem!

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  11. thanks for mentioning my blog.
    i always enjoy your poems.

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