The only and most let down was that they were selling dog meat!!! I wish they stop commercializing Dog meat! It's a sham actually...
==============Updates==============
Well it took me hours to convert about 2000 Raw Photos to JPEG. To make it easy to share, I divided the photos into folders according to the taken dates so now I have 5 folders from 19 to 23rd of September 2013. Maintaining a tour diary- I have randomly selected few photos for sharing.
The photos below are unedited and as it is. Resized in Adobe Photoshop CS6.
P.S.- I have not watermarked my photos. Kindly do not take/ use them without permission.
JOURNEY TO ZIRO 19.09.2013:
With Reekam bengia, Dibit and Dinu Tatak.
The above photo is of Yazuli NEEPCO Hydropower project.
Had tea and paratha on the way. Photo by Reekam Bengia
Hindu Sadhu looking on. They travel around hitchhiking and often with the charity of good Samaritans. We shared our breakfast with him.
Above Photo courtesy: Reekam Bengia
Above Photo courtesy: Reekam Bengia
Above: Dibit and Reekam's driver
The burnt mountain above is just before reaching Ziro. Dibit said that it looked like a cake.
Reached Ziro- (L to R)- Me, Jento, Dinu, Reekam, Angela and Dibit. Photo by Reekam's driver.
From there without resting, went to Mr. Tilling Dole paddy field:
Fish farming in Ziro paddy field.
The above photo by Tilling Uncle
The host: Mr and Mrs. Tilling Dole
From their farm we went to the Ziro Festival of Music ground. The ground was being prepared for tomorrow's event... Stalls were still under construction and people were seen arranging for the next day.
Construction of food stalls for Ziro Festival of Music 2013
Bamboo cane conical basket as dustbins
Full moon over paddy field
IP Singh (Guitarist of Menwhopause) and Jento Gadi got beers... had beer with dinner at Angela and Jento's and went to sleep...
=============END of 19.09.2013=============
DAY ONE of Ziro Festival of Music. 20.09.2013
Woke up to a wonderful day.
My brother-in-law (My second brother's wife's younger brother) Dayut who is friends with Angela along with Angela's younger brother- Kardak Bado and other friends came from Itanagar to Ziro for the fest. Dayut took us ladies around the town and also chauffeured us to and fro from the Music festival field.
The above is Maan yaluk (in Adi-Galo language)/ Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia in Assamese) is one of the world's hottest pepper. It is commonly found and grown in Arunachal.
The below is a view from the window of the cottage where we stayed:
Dayut took us around the outskirts of Ziro town:
Ziro is actually a marshy area and it doesn't have any river body. It has streams like this though.
There was this small hillock and we decided to climb it. The view from above is very good. Also it was a windy day. Good place for picnic.
LOL at my dress... Photo by Dayut.
Some of these photos, I'll have to work on the saturation and tweak a little on PS and share on flickr and FB... Many of the photos here need some sort of tweaking but since I don't have time, I have shared them as they are.
Great thing about manual lenses is that I can control the aperture but the older the lenses, lesser the multicoating so the photos can look washed out. Sometimes I love the looks and at times I prefer the colours of modern lenses with good contrast and colour.
I have been observing these marking on the culvert, jungle woods and on the road...wonder what it means....
Those towering antennae is called "Babo" is the remains from Apatani's Myoko festival where ropes are tried to such poles and people hang or play on it... One can Google further on it. Even I have not seen the game in person, just photos of it.
Cute boy standing on his traditional varandah
South American looking man.
Small shops like this are seen everywhere in Arunachal. The pink shawl is tied to keep away from direct sunlight.
On the way to the Ziro Festival of Music ground
People especially visitors and bikers pitched their tents inside the Music Festival ground for a minimal fee
Done my nails...okay look away from my fat fingers...that's the ZFM 3 days entry band. Thanks to Mithy Tatak- drummer of The Vinyl Records.
Line up of performing Artists on his back.
Watching on...
Media from Delhi.
Omak Komut Collective: The singer here is seen holding a machete and wearing few other traditional ornaments. He is usually in the garb of a Adi-Minyong Shaman. The singer is Omak Komut, who is a folk singer of Adi-Minyong tribe. The guitarist seen in the right is Getem Apang, a known brother. Getem Apang is also the founder of the girlband- The Vinyl Records and the very band Omak Komut Collective.
Also seen (even though not obvious) India's got talent- 1st Runner Up- Drummer Toko Taji.
Tao Mary and Getem Apang. Getem is wearing a traditional Adi-Minyong vest worn by men in general.
Not many people on the first day and first show.
Dibit and me, we bought Ziro 13 tees from Hage Mamung (my friend Ampi's cousin) seen here in the photo.
Dibit and Minam Teksing, bassist of The Vinyl Records.
Purple Fusion – Dimapur, Nagaland:
The singer was very good... She has very strong and powerful vocals.
Banu Jini- Guitarist of The Vinyl Records watching Yesterdrive.
Yesterdrive – Arunachal Pradesh:
Bobby Hano- one of the organizer
Girls of Vinyl Record- L to R- Mithy Tatak, Boy from a band, Cheryyn Bark and Minam Teksing
4 member all girls band from New Delhi. Cheryyn Bark, the singer is from Assam, Minam Teksing as the bassist, Banu Jini as the guitarist and Mithy Tatak as the drummer. The last three girls mentioned are my juniors from Arunachal.
The Vinyl Records has released their first album- WHIMS and they played their original songs from there and one cover song.
Pretty guitar. Love the flying birds details on the guitar.
IP Singh the Guitarist from Manwhopause was super excited for the next performance from Peter Cat Recording Co. Jento and Dinu looks equally excited!
The lead singer was tripping...his profile complimented the stage especially for photography. I was looking forward to his gig since everyone around me were hyping over the group, but I was a bit let down. Music was good but his drunk/high act was just too oblivious and took something away from the stage. Artists should respect their art and stage... Also his voice broke so many times, guess he was just too high.... Maybe next time...
He started with a Hindi fusion no...Don't really remember which one it was but I believe it was a Mujra song from a Bollywood film. He warmed up with showing bills...and people got hooked on....
Guess Peter Cat Recording Co. moved this fan into tears...
...and made this one break into a dance routine...
:With girls from The Vinyl Records and artists of Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth).
Photo is by Gary Ligu I believe.
:With ___________kindly fill in the blank. Photo is by Gary Ligu I believe.
ZFM Tees being sold... Gary Ligu, Dibit and Dinu
The Vinyl Records! L-R: Banu Jini, Cheryyn Bark, Mithy Tatak and Minam Teksing
============= END of Day One of ZFM=============
DAY TWO: 21.09.2013
This is the Lodge where we stayed
Had breakfast outside. Mithy stayed over and left with Dayut and others for Itanagar on 21st of September 2013. Seen in the photo is Dayut, Dibit, Dinu, Angela and Mithy
Dayut, Mithy and Angela's brother Kardak.
Frisky Pints – Mizoram (correct me if I am wrong)
The act was fun and he rapped in Bengali which was not that great but got people moving... He looked like an uncle wearing his nephew's clothes and specs...Funny but interesting
The guitarist looked like a politician or some student union leader than a guitarist which was actually interesting to note...
Digital Suicide from Assam:
My favourite band of the night. I really like their music! Heard for the first time, a fan already! I wish all the performing artists sold their CDs.. I got The Vinyl Records' debut CD with signed autograph from each one of them for myself and my friend Ampi who unfortunately couldn't come.
This was COOL!!!
Wish I could take sharper image of them but guess I was just so engrossed with their performance!
Ghosts...
Monica Dogra is phenomenal! Just loved her! One of the best acts I've seen!
Pretty skirt by Jenjum Gadi, designer from Arunachal Pradesh. He is the older brother of Jento Gadi.
After the concert ended we headed off to Paradise Guest House, A Urban Department built guest house for After party dance. I didn't take that many photos but these are from there:
Charles' Angles: Dibit Tatak, Mari Tao and me. We went to the ladies room and I thought of having some fun and had us three do some silly stuffs... Set 12 Secs selftimer.
========END OF DAY TWO.21.09.2013=========
Dibit and I were supposed to wake up early and reach the meeting ground at 5AM in the morning to go for Bird Watching but we got up at 7.30AM, thanks to After Night party! Luckily when I called the organizers, they were good enough to send us on a 2nd round and sent a pick up car. The person who came to pick us up turned out to be the President of Arunachal Pradesh Birding Club. Mr. Kojmama Taman who is also a member of my facebook Photography group "Arunachal Photography and Film Lovers".
Above Photo by Dibit Tatak
Mr. Kojmama Taman, Dibit and Mr. Bamin Baro
Had bread and potatoes. The milk tea flavoured with spices was just very yummy!
Very innovative. Heard it was inspired from online.
OKAY! This is the only bird I could capture while Birding!!! Hahahaha.... We saw 7 species of birds (don't remember any of their names) and all of the were just too flighty even with naked eyes and also since we came in an odd hour (daytime), we hardly saw any birds sitting in one place for long... Anyways it turned out to be good hiking trip! Next time, it's definitely going to be a morning trip...
I had on those bird calling instruments, a gift from my Korean friend Seung Woo Lee. Tried them but no birds responded because I guess those birds are not found on these part. At least I made Rohan Pandit laugh with the Duck calling instrument because it sounds like a fart!
...with Rohan Pandit- the Researcher and Photographer, Dibit and Chada- our guide.
Lovely wild flowers on the road side
This was definitely one of the best bands after Digital Suicide and Shaa'ir and Func, and I am already a fan. The singer Raxit Tewari is a multi-talented artist. He was also the DJ for the previous After Party.
These guys are one of the main organizers of the Ziro Festival of Music with Bobby Hano.
Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth):
They are very talented and quite famous in the circle. Especially I loved how Lee Ranaldo played the guitar with a bow. Respect.
He looked bored... lol... Maybe tired...
================END OF DAY THREE==================
RETURN TO ITANAGAR FROM ZIRO
Dayut returned from Itanagar on 22nd night and we left with him and Bakin Darang-his friend for Itanagar.
The above mural of Jesus Christ was done on wooden fence and it looked so lovely...Saw it, when Dayut stopped the car to buy water. It is near the entry gate of Ziro. Whoever the artist is, she/he has done a lovely work!
Photo post processed in PS6
I had motion sickness and got off the car and walked few distance on foot with Dibit. I don't know the name of the village/ town. It looked very lovely. Those zig-zag roads are common in Arunachal, Pretty to look at but it gives motion sickness.
Below is Yazuli NEEPCO Powerplant in late evening...
Dibit, Self, Dinu and Bakin
Taking home all the good experience of Ziro.
P.S.- I have not watermarked my photos. Kindly do not take/ use them without permission.
