This Sunday was marred by the nasty earth quake that shook India from Sikkim to Ghaziabad. But, it was quite late in the evening, by which time I was back from the photo competition, I was participating in the 2011 edition of the Canon Photo Marathon. It was certainly not a bad choice to spend my Sunday going around hunting for camera friendly situations and some photogenic faces. The Photo Marathon is unique in a way that it does not ask you to submit your best photo taken earlier. In fact, it is something like on-the-spot photography, in which you are given a topic then and there and asked to report back within half-an-hour with your best exposure during that period. Participating in such events gives me an opportunity to keep my spirits young and hone my creative instincts. Thus, I try to grab such opportunities as much as I can.

The first theme that was given to us was ‘games people play’. The theme was given to us at 10:00 and we were instructed to ensure our submission latest by 11:30; no concessions on time. If you happened to be late even by a minute, simply good bye you! I thought myself totally in control. I knew where to go and what to look for. Working on the project ‘Monuments of Delhi’ I had observed that the secluded monuments were favourite hang outs for indulging oneself in a game of cards. Being in South Delhi, it was even easier to locate a monument. The place is almost full of such treasures from our past. Hardly had I set off on my car, when I was blocked by a police constable on ‘duty’ near Greater Kailash – II. He asked me to show the ‘documents’, which I did. But he kept asking for more and more documents, till I had no papers to show him. I apologized and asked him to let me go because I was quite in a hurry. He obliged, but at the same time said, “Will you not like to offer us some cold drink on this hot day?” No points for guessing what were in his mind! He must have been playing trapper for quite some time, while he did not even have to wait for his prey on this busy road. That was his idealistic way of spending the Sunday!

Forgetting all about Anna Hazare and his crusade against corruption, I offered him a hundred rupee note since I had no change and quickly made my exit because I did not want to lose my precious time in altercation with this ‘staff on duty’. I am sure consideration for time is one of the major factors that compel us to fell prey to such corrupt practices. I thought to myself that isn’t this one of the main ‘game’ people play. Still, I had not guts to snap a photo of the event and so I proceeded for a more amicable situation.

Yes, I was right. The players were there, where I had speculated them to be, nestled in a cove of the Lal Gumbad in Malviya Nagar. They were so engrossed in the play that they hardly noticed my entry, but as soon as I pulled out my camera, they all almost pounced at me. I was A volley of question was hurled on to me – Who I am? Why am I here? Why do I have to take the snap? They were getting as hostile as hard I was trying to pacify them with my replies. I could easily sense that they were a bunch of hooligans, well intoxicated by marijuana. Maybe this was their idea of a wonderful Sunday! In order to save my skin and my camera, I made a great escape.

If playing cards are a favourite pastime in this country, then cricket is definitely a favourite indulgence here. So, my next best option was to go to any which park and find the budding cricketing talents of this country. It certainly wasn’t a difficult task and I could manage to capture some decent shots under those not-so-good lighting condition. I must have been panting while I returned to the venue. I just had a couple of minutes to spare before I could submit my first photograph.

By this time we also had a celebrity in Soha ali Khan to grace the occasion. She was accompanied by Dr. Alok Bharadwaj, Senior Vice President, Canon India. Soha willingly obliged the shutterbugs, who also took this chance to deviate from the themes of the photo competition. The second of the themes was announced by Soha Ali Khan. It was – Building values for the Next Generation India. The time given was again one and a half hour with no concessions. This time I made it a point not to go towards those waiting trappers in the guise of uniformed men. So I ventured in the opposite direction, towards Tuglaqabad. On way I came across a number of urchins extending their arms inside the car window for alms. Then there were others, of self-reliant type, who were busy selling bananas and things on the cart. This was their compulsion to spend the Sunday or for them Sunday never comes. I thought to myself, are we really building values for the Next Generation India?

Anyway, I did get some excellent shots to go with the theme and was back in time with almost twenty minutes to spare. The third theme was preceded by a lunch break. The theme was, Thinking Green! It was definitely not so easy as it sounded. There could be various interpretations of the theme and there was. With over five hundred competitors trying to outsmart the rest with their imagination, the organizers must have landed with some stunning photographs. To think that the competition was on simultaneously at two other locations in India – Mumbai and Bangaluru, made the challenge all the more tougher.

Back home, while I was sipping a nice cup of coffee to ease out myself, I felt that tremor! Sitting on top of the building (read fourteenth floor) I must have felt the building shaking for almost a minute. While we were absolutely safe, the Sunday had spelt its wrath on several others in the eastern part of India!