The year ends and this is the perfect time of the year to reminisce and thank each and every one of you, who made the year-long journey worthwhile. While I achieved a lot this year, everything seems to get summed up this collage of pictures, and this one beautiful song, dated to 1995. Here is hoping that 2012 comes in with a new hope that all the wrongs with become right, and the deserving get what they deserve. Here’s to a just and full life! Happy New Year 🙂

About the Gallery: Each collage in the gallery deals with a set of milestones for the year for me. Let me explain in brief about each, in order of appearance.

Family: Meet my close-knit nuclear family. Adversity tells you who your true friends are, but family stands with you not knowing what troubles you. They are just there to pick you up when you fall apart and celebrate with you without any reason either!

Celebrations: Every festival in India is celebrated with pomp and gusto. While I haven’t covered every festival with the lens, here is a summation of the year that was. Then there was mom’s 60^th, aunt’s 75^th, Sumeet’s 33^rd and my 27^th birthday. Lots to celebrate I guess!

Mumbai: The city of dreams, and the place we fondly call home. One of the greatest gifts of discovering photography for me was rediscovering the lost magic of my home town!

Pagoda: The Global Vipassana Pagoda is one landmark that I found most peaceful. At the visit, alone with the camera, I found realized that being escaping for a while is sometimes not so bad, in fact that is the order of the hour.

Beaches: Three beaches in there, Juhu, Dadar and Bandra. Being a Scorpio water is something I love. And my camera loves all the color too. There is so much happening on the beach, yet with such peace. But once you step out the madness of a routine life seems sane.

Fruity Fun: Heathly eating starts with your eyes, what pleases your eyes, will surely appeal to you taste buds!

Birds: Pigeons, Crows, Mynahs and Ducks! Winged creatures are a delight to capture. You never know what you’d end up capturing because they are just too quick with their reflexes.

Animals: As an animal lover, they obliged so nicely when I stuck a camera under their nose. I love dogs best, but pups, cats, goats, elephants, cows, deer, donkeys, even camels (didn’t put the picture here, sorry) … wow … What fun times!

Coorg: Our Marriage turned three this year, and as an annual tradition of celebrating our union, we take a vacation. It’s doing something we both love: traveling, learning, capturing memories together with our best pals!

Dubai: Specially for you Yor! I so wish I could jump off the airport and meet you, but never mind, there is always a next time! My first international visit, what fun!

Prague: My first time abroad, and what a place to be in. I did pat the dog at Charles Bridge, and I so wish I can go back someday with my beloved!

Everything else: What is the point of having a camera if you can enjoy those unexplained candid shots? Hope you enjoyed this long journey as much as I did with you!

Let me end with the Thank you then!

Thank U (By Alanis Morisette)
How bout getting off these antibiotics
How bout stopping eating when I’m full up
How bout them transparent dangling carrots
How bout that ever elusive kudo

Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence

How bout me not blaming you for everything
How bout me enjoying the moment for once
How bout how good it feels to finally forgive you
How bout grieving it all one at a time

Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence

The moment I let go of it was the moment
I got more than I could handle
The moment I jumped off of it
Was the moment I touched down

How bout no longer being masochistic
How bout remembering your divinity
How bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out
How bout not equating death with stopping

Thank you India
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity
Thank you thank you silence

And here is a nice list of blogs you might enjoy reading, as for me, I just like calling them my friends from the blogosphere!

Kalart (www.chai10ya.blogspot.com)
10uta02 (10uta02.wordpress.com)
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AM (aditimitra.wordpress.com)
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Dave “Noobcake” Farmer (davefarmersblog.wordpress.com)
dorisrudddesigns (dorisrudddesigns.wordpress.com)
frizztext (flickrcomments.wordpress.com)
Heartcomplex’s Blog (heartcomplex.wordpress.com)
hugmamma (hugmamma.wordpress.com)
indybrown (firefliesandwiggleworms.wordpress.com)
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itacasillas (estrelladeluz.wordpress.com)
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Jo Bryant (jobryantnz.wordpress.com)
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Margaret (www.cachandochile.com)
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Rebecca (thisismylifeuncensored.wordpress.com)
Redneckprincess (redneckprincess.wordpress.com)
Robin (roobo69.wordpress.com)
rthde/Kevin Freeman (rthde.wordpress.com)
Sacha Calagopi (notesfromanexile.wordpress.com)
Sheetal (thoughtsunrestricted.wordpress.com)
Sophie L. Meunier (sophiesworlds.wordpress.com)
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the happy life (thehappyhappylife.wordpress.com)
the island traveler (consumerjournaldotnet.wordpress.com)
thirdhandart (thirdhandart.wordpress.com)
Touch2Touch (touch2touch.wordpress.com)
truthwithdoris (truthwithdoris.wordpress.com)
yi-ching lin (yichinglin.com)
Yor Ryeter (ittakes10k.wordpress.com)