ajanta pt3 (that was jan 19th)
I just wanted to share these photos from Ajanta because they came out so cool. They are from one of the last caves (#26). There was actually artificial lighting installed in this cave but the light was really low, and no flash was allowed. Flash would have been to harsh anyway. What I did was prop my camera against the jamb of a wooden door, and used it as a makeshift tripod, held real still, then shot these time exposures. Some of them are two or three seconds long. People trailed past the carving, and you can see them as blurs. The statue, still as ever, just as it always has been, since it was carved, 1400 years ago.
This buddha was huge and amazing, 23 feet long.
I took them after I had been in the cave for a while. I was going to tell this story of how after walking for hours, in the hot sun, water run out, thirsty, tired, I had this intense transcendental moment when I came face to face with this carved buddha. And that I was talking to a friend later about the whole nature of going on, for a better word, pilgrimages (which can mean however you want to define that word). Often quests are set up in a way where it is difficult to reach that final goal. The journey often arduous, uncomfortable, and jolting. It forces you into states of emotion. And if you... well. I could go on, but that's the gist of the concept, and my pseudo spiritual ranting.
I'll just say, these are my favorite photos from the caves at Ajanta and Ellora.
That night, about midnight, I got on a sleeper train and took a 13 hour ride across central India to Hyderabad.
This buddha was huge and amazing, 23 feet long.
I took them after I had been in the cave for a while. I was going to tell this story of how after walking for hours, in the hot sun, water run out, thirsty, tired, I had this intense transcendental moment when I came face to face with this carved buddha. And that I was talking to a friend later about the whole nature of going on, for a better word, pilgrimages (which can mean however you want to define that word). Often quests are set up in a way where it is difficult to reach that final goal. The journey often arduous, uncomfortable, and jolting. It forces you into states of emotion. And if you... well. I could go on, but that's the gist of the concept, and my pseudo spiritual ranting.
I'll just say, these are my favorite photos from the caves at Ajanta and Ellora.
That night, about midnight, I got on a sleeper train and took a 13 hour ride across central India to Hyderabad.