Naina.co
  • Blog
    • Everything
    • Only Articles & Writing
    • #NAINAxStyle
    • Podcast : The Naina Redhu Experience
    • EyesFor…
      • #EyesForLuxury
      • #EyesForLifestyle
      • #EyesForDestinations
        • #EyesForIndia
        • #EyesForDubai
        • #EyesForEurope
        • #EyesForLA
        • #EyesForLondon
        • #EyesForNewYork
      • #EyesForPeople
      • #EyesForStreetStyle
      • #EyesForDining
      • #EyesForTechnology
      • #EyesForFashion
        • New York Fashion Week
        • Amazon India Fashion Week AW15
      • #EyesForBeauty
      • #EyesForPeople
    • Art
    • #MadeInIndia
    • #NAINAxADOBE
    • #NosedByNaina
  • Photography Portfolio
  • Contact & About
  • Press
  • Clients
  • Newsletter

NAINA.CO

Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Spotify
Facebook
online brand building, photography & art
Naina.co
  • Blog
    • Everything
    • Only Articles & Writing
    • #NAINAxStyle
    • Podcast : The Naina Redhu Experience
    • EyesFor…
      • #EyesForLuxury
      • #EyesForLifestyle
      • #EyesForDestinations
        • #EyesForIndia
        • #EyesForDubai
        • #EyesForEurope
        • #EyesForLA
        • #EyesForLondon
        • #EyesForNewYork
      • #EyesForPeople
      • #EyesForStreetStyle
      • #EyesForDining
      • #EyesForTechnology
      • #EyesForFashion
        • New York Fashion Week
        • Amazon India Fashion Week AW15
      • #EyesForBeauty
      • #EyesForPeople
    • Art
    • #MadeInIndia
    • #NAINAxADOBE
    • #NosedByNaina
  • Photography Portfolio
  • Contact & About
  • Press
  • Clients
  • Newsletter
0
  • Personal Photography Showcase

A bit of Dussehra

  • October 3, 2014
  • naina
Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India

Happy Dussehra! ( Yup that’s a Wikipedia link for details on what the festival is about. ) Here are some photographs from the effigy-burning garden-party in the residential society where I live.

Till today late afternoon, I wasn’t even aware it is Dussehra today. Till I saw some updates on Twitter and spoke with my folks on the phone. The boy is sailing and I’ve been spending way too much time moping around in the house. I knew the residential society does this kind of stuff especially during the Indian Festive season so I had my eyes peeled for updates on the Notice Board.

Luckily they started late so I had enough time to get a quick shower, get into decent clothes ( just a t-shirt and jeans ) and run downstairs with my camera. I figured if I went, I would get a handful of photographs, would spend some time editing them, and publishing them on the blog and just like that it would be night and I won’t have any more time to mope today.

Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India

Of course I was in no mood to get into a conversation with anyone so the ear phones were jammed deep into my ears and the Guardians Of The Galaxy OST was playing on full volume. ( Yes baby, I am STILL listening to this. For the thousandth time and I am not done yet. ) I stood around waiting for something to happen. There was loud music blaring on the speakerphone – the song was about Dussehra and how good wins over evil and I was wondering how ironic it would be if someone got pick pocketed or butt-pinched in the melee.

Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India

The effigy had been tied with thin rope to the adjoining trees in the park and I found a spot to stand at where I could get photos unobstructed. Also I’d located an exit point right behind me in case the fire got intense and I had to get away. Below you can see a string of lights, which was being used to signify the absolute last line beyond which it was unwise to be a spectator since the effigy also had fireworks strapped to it. Since the string of lights is easy to trample upon, there were several children who we standing beyond the boundary rather than outside it. That is until the organizers announced that the fire-fest would not begin till the circle was cleared. Everyone instantly fled. Luckily everyone really did want to see the effigy burn and I didn’t have to stand around longer.

Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India

The Residential Welfare Association head ( don’t ask me how I know that ) then proceeded to light the fire under the effigy’s ass but not before the loudspeaker EmCee had screamed a loud, “Raam Chandra ki Jai!” and waited patiently for the crowd to repeat after him. I was expecting pin-drop silence but clearly the people in my society still believe in things like good winning over evil. There was a loud roar with people screaming the chant and the fire was thus lit.

Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India

In retrospect I believe everyone standing and watching was in harms way and there really were no exit strategies or safety measures. I could feel the intense heat from the effigy right in front of me and several fire-works burst loudly sending mini-shockwaves into the spectators. Everyone fled. I was too busy trying to get a good shot to notice and I recall a fleeting thought that if I ever considered war photography, I would get shot pretty quickly. Debris was flying everywhere and by the time I was done getting photos, I looked around and the only other people as close as I was to the effigy were the security guards.

Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India

The burning effigy tanked in one direction and the head separated and fell to the grass creating even more sparks and debris in every direction. I looked up and the sky was filled with bits of burning paper and fire-flakes. Of course I still smell of smoke as I sit and type this. It’s a nice wood-smoke smell though, not acrid or stinging like it is going to be when people lose their shit over fireworks during the upcoming Diwali celebrations. That stuff is foul.

Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-October-2014-Dussehra-Effigy-Raavana-Festive-India

By the end of it, it was just the cleaners and security guards who were left on the scene, along with a still-burning effigy and a few smoking embers scattered about. I can’t imagine what must have happened to all the beautiful green grass right where the effigy fell. 90% of the crowd dispersed within seconds. I took a walk around the society’s periphery before I decided I needed to get back to my desk and edit this stuff. I’ve never posted about Dussehra earlier – in all my ten years of blogging. Always a first time.

Work smart and be nice. You’ll be good. And evil won’t stand a chance. Mostly.

Happy Dussehra!

 

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Pin it
Share
Share
Share
Share
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • branding specialist
  • Burn
  • celebration
  • Dussehra
  • Effigy
  • festival
  • Festive Season
  • Good vs. Evil
  • indian festival
  • lifestyle
  • luxury blogger
  • Luxury Brands
  • luxury photographer
  • naina redhu
  • naina.co
  • October 2014
  • professional photographer
  • Raavan
  • Raavana
  • Ravana
  • Residential Society
  • Vijayadashmi
  • visual storyteller
  • Visual Storyteller for Luxury Brands
naina

Previous Article
Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-September-2014-Rohit-Bal-Gulbagh-Preview-FDCI-WIFWSS15-01
  • #EyesForFashion

Gulbagh by Rohit Bal, Preview #FDCI #WIFWSS15

  • October 3, 2014
  • naina
View Post
Next Article
Naina.co-Photographer-Raconteuse-Storyteller-Luxury-Lifestyle-September-2014-Jagat-Jewels-Delhi-01
  • #EyesForFashion

Jagat Jewels, Store Visit

  • October 4, 2014
  • naina
View Post
You May Also Like
broccoli, still life photography, food photography, white background photography, broccoli florets, food photographer india, indian food photographer, female food photographer, india, naina, naina.com, naina.co, naina redhu, naina photographer, naina blogger, lifestyle photographer, lifestyle photographer india, lifestyle blogger, lifestyle blogger india, luxury photographer, luxury photographer india, luxury bogger, luxury blogger india, broccoli on canvas
View Post
  • Personal Photography Showcase

Broccoli On Canvas, Still Life #Photography

  • naina
  • July 1, 2020
View Post
  • Articles & Writing
  • Personal Photography Showcase

Hello 40! #40and10in2020

  • naina
  • June 26, 2020
photograph of shallots, photograph of onions, photograph of spring onions, onion, shallot, spring onion, vegetables, still photographer, still life photography, white background, green, purple, naina.co, naina.com, naina redhu, lifestyle photographer india, still life photographer india
View Post
  • Personal Photography Showcase

“Shallots, Spring Onions, Onion Top” Photograph, June 2020

  • naina
  • June 22, 2020
world gin day, world cucumber day, 13th june, 14th june, worldginday, worldcucumberday, beefeater, pernod ricard, beefeater india, beefeater gin, cucumber slice, schweppes tonic water, schweppes, drink responsibly, cheers, world gin day india, india, product photography, product photographer india, lifestyle photographer india, luxury photographer india, luxury blogger india, lifestyle blogger india, gin and tonic, gin tonic, tanqueray, french 75, pink gin, aviation gin, gin day, national gin day, international gin day
View Post
  • #EyesForLifestyle
  • #KhaosPhilos
  • Personal Photography Showcase

World Gin Day & World Cucumber Day : Photo Series

  • naina
  • June 15, 2020
daffodils, still life photography, nargis, narcissus, flowers, art exhibit, friends, preserving flowers, dried flowers, flower art, artwork made of dried flowers
View Post
  • Articles & Writing
  • Personal Photography Showcase

Daffodils. Nargis. Art. Friends.

  • naina
  • March 30, 2020
View Post
  • Personal Photography Showcase

Magan’s 40th

  • naina
  • August 27, 2019
Naina Redhu, Naina, Naina.co, Family, Photographs, Saket, New Delhi, Lunch, Get Together, Young Photographer, Summers, India, Lifestyle Photographer India, Luxury Photographer India, Professional Photographer India, Lifestyle Blogger India, Luxury Blogger India, Professional Blogger India, Lifestyle Influencer India, Luxury Influencer India, Professional Influencer India, Experience Collector, Visual Storyteller
View Post
  • Personal Photography Showcase

Young Photographer in the Fam! #LunchScenes

  • naina
  • May 1, 2018
View Post
  • #EyesForLifestyle
  • Personal Photography Showcase

Glass Globe & Vine #StillLife

  • naina
  • April 15, 2018




Naina Redhu is a professional photographer & visual artist.

Her career, spanning 16 years, started with an MBA in IT & Systems, to a job as an Innovation Management Consultant, to branding & graphic design work for international clients, to a full-time solo-entrepreneurship as an Experience Collector.

Naina started her blog 16 years ago and it has evolved from writing about Creativity & Innovation, to sharing case studies about Branding & Graphic Design to finally a destination for some of the leading Luxury & Lifestyle brands as Naina writes features for these brands and photographs them.

Having traveled all over India as a child ( the advantage of having a father serving in the Indian Army ), she is also well-traveled across Europe ( Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy and France ), Asia ( Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam ), America ( New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco ), and Canada.

Naina has her own podcast called The Naina Redhu Experience, where she talks about the business and professional aspects of photography, blogging and influencer marketing in India.

Her abstract art, under the KhaosPhilos label can be shopped on the Naina.co online store and she is available for bespoke commissions as well.

"The New Rules of Online Brand Building", Naina's on-ground workshop, recently wrapped up its 7th Edition. Launched in 2018, "Workshops By Naina" is going to be seeing more editions across the country & online.

Naina is also available for hire as a Speaker. She has been invited as a Keynote Speaker at a blogging conference and also speaks about the business of photography in India.

Always learning & evolving online, she has presence across several online spaces including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok and her podcast can be found on all podcast channels and apps.

#EyesForLuxury
  • janavi india, jyotika jhalani, naina redhu, LMIFWSS21, FDCI, Shaurya Athley, aprajita puri, janavi love, fdci goes digital, talisman, handcrafted, made in india, cashmere, shawls, luxury cashmere, eyesforluxury, madeininda, cashmere, kiera chaplin, spectaculars, eyeforfashion, fashion week, india fashion week, lotus india fashion week 2020, fdci fashion week 2020
    Talisman by Janavi India #LMIFWSS21 : Evil Eye Luxury Cashmere Collection
    • October 18, 2020
  • midsummer jardin, hand-painted jacket, impressionist, pointillism, impressionism, post-impressionism, contemporary art, khaosphilos, wearable art, wear a painting, wear art, made in india, make in india, madeinindia, makeinindia, wearableart, wearart, wearapainting, khaos philos, naina redhu, naina.co, naina, indian artist, art on garments, painted jacket, painted blazer, flower garden, midsummer garden, artist's garden, monet, seurat
    Midsummer Jardin : More About My First Hand-Painted Jacket #KhaosPhilos
    • May 31, 2020
  • bmw, eyesforluxury, automobiles, automobile brand, bayerische motoren werke ag, german company, german automobile, bmw 8 series gran coupe, the8, luxury grand tourer, four door, thegentlemanconnoisseur, nainaxbmw, india art fair, bmw at the india art fair, bmwatiaf, indiaartfair2020, new delhi, lifestyle photographer, luxury photographer, car, automobile photographer, art photographer, art fair, naina redhu, naina, naina.co
    BMW at the India Art Fair 2020 #EyesForLuxury #BMWAtIAF
    • February 22, 2020
#KhaosPhilos Art Label
  • wearable art commission, art commission, contemporary art, brooch commission, william grant and sons, hendricks gin, cucumber and rose, rose and cucumber, artist, original art, certificate of authenticity, gin brand, roses, cucumbers, naina redhu, naina.co, khaosphilos, madeinindia, handmade, hand-painted, circular canvas, round brooch, magnet clasp, artist commission, painting commission
    #WearableArt Brooches Commission for Hendrick’s Gin
    • April 19, 2021
  • brooch, magnet clasp, hand painted, hand cut, acrylics on wood, original painting, one of a kind, independent artist, made in india, spring drip, naina redhu, khaosphilos, handmade, handcrafted, single artisan
    “Spring Drip” Art Series of Brooches #WearableArt
    • February 11, 2021
  • The “NUANCE” Wearable Art Series of Brooches Made From Hand-Cut Paint
    • November 26, 2020
Social Links
Products In The Shop
  • Brooches (97)
    • 2 Inches Diameter (41)
    • 2.5 Inches (39)
    • 3 Inches Diameter (15)
    • Oil (1)
    • Sculptural (53)
  • Collections (134)
    • ALIVE (6)
    • Benches (5)
    • DOTS (17)
    • HORIZONS (23)
    • IN TIME (16)
    • METALS (20)
    • NUANCE (8)
    • Paper 2018 (20)
    • Spring Drip (6)
    • The Early Experiments (18)
  • Garments (14)
    • Caps (2)
    • Masks (11)
  • Original Paintings (38)
    • On Canvas (16)
    • On Paper (20)
  • Prints (32)
    • Paintings (22)
    • Photographs (9)
    • Posters (1)
  • SOLD (53)
  • Uncategorized (21)
  • Workshops (3)
Your Cart
#EyesForDestinations
  • narendra bhawan bikaner, narendra bhawan hotel, bikaner luxury hotel, naina redhu, holi 2021, narendra bhawan, siddharth yadav, swimming pool, traveller's table, suryagarh, private haveli, private pool, suryagarh jaisalmer, holi celebrations, bikaner railway station, gurgaon railway station, bikaner to gurgaon by train, gurgaon to bikaner by train, pranay baidya, duck salad, eyesfordestinations, eyesforluxury, india, rajasthan, eyesforrajasthan, eyesforindia, rajasthan tourism
    A Rajasthan Holi, 2021
    • April 7, 2021
  • narendra bhawan bikaner, narendra bhawan, eyesforrajasthan, eyesfordestinations, bikaner, rajasthan, travel photogapher, nainaxnarendrabhawan, best boutique hotel in india, indian boutique hotel, narendra bhawan india, narendra singh, naina redhu, naina, lifestyle photographer, travel blogger
    The Nine Stages of Experiencing Narendra Bhawan Bikaner
    • December 17, 2020
  • bhairon vilas, bikaner, hotel bhairon vilas, dive bar bikaner, dive bar, narendra bhawan bikaner, rajasthan, eyesfordestinations, eyesforrajasthan, rajasthan photographs, travel photographer, bikaner photographs, bikaner bar
    The Dive Bar at Bhairon Vilas, Bikaner
    • December 9, 2020
ART SHOP
  • Cucumber & Rose, 2021, 2.5 Inches ₹5,000.00
  • Repeatedly Relentlessly Resourceful, 2021, 64 Inches in Diameter, Hand-Painted Acrylics on Stretched Canvas ₹1,920,000.00
  • Fragrant Flames, 2021, 16x16 Inches Acrylics on Canvas ₹152,832.00
  • Savannah Cloud, 2021, 16x16 Inches Acrylics on Canvas ₹152,832.00
  • Lipstick Hot And Pink, 2018 #TheEarlyExperiments ₹5,000.00
  • Lipstick Orange And Pink, 2018 #TheEarlyExperiments ₹5,000.00

All Copyright rests with Naina Redhu. All Rights Reserved 2020. Written permission is required for you to copy & use images or text from this website. Email n@naina.co to ask.

NAINA.CO
  • Blog
  • Photography Portfolio
  • Contact & About
  • Press
  • Clients
  • Newsletter
All Rights Reserved. Copyright Naina.co 2020.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.