Tuesday 20 October 2020

Sunset Photography

 || Hari Om ||

Sunset Photography


Reader beware: do not let the title deceive you! Though I am an enthusiastic (amateur) photographer with a particular obsession for sunsets, this blog post is not about the technicalities of photography (which I don’t know anyway ;) )

Rather, this is bunch of thoughts that have been going through my mind over the last few months. Before getting to the bone of the topic, let me give you the backstory; a bit of preamble so to speak.


I have recently cleared my MD General Medicine and also secured a good rank for my Superspeciality entrance. I have spent most of the last few months completely immersed in the preparation. In fact, since 2016, the rollercoaster ride which started from my internship has continued through the highs and lows of residency, right through to this moment, without much of a pause or breather. 

Still, it was during these last few months of preparation, as I was watching the changing hues of the setting sun; from the windows of our house, with my parents, that the seed of this idea sprang to life!

There was a single moment frozen in time, when by some miracle of nature, the entire sky was lit in a soft orange. It was as if we had stepped into Heaven, and everything had turned to gold. There was such beauty, that you could feel the energy in the air. Yet, this beauty was something that no camera could capture.

No camera, except one. The Human Eye, the camera made by that Great Craftsman.

And I still carry that moment, the bliss of that evening, the company of those dearest to me, as treasured memory.

That moment got me thinking, about photographs, and what they really mean.

These days, we are so busy capturing moments with our devices that maybe, just maybe, we forget to capture them with the devices God has already provided us with.


The real photography is in savouring the moment, enjoying the company of our loved ones; tasting the salt in the breeze at the sea-side; feeling the breeze upon your skin.

And then, when you look at the long-faded photo that you clicked that day, everything else that you felt comes back to you.

It is a great temptation to say: “I wish this would last forever, that we could watch the sunset together, everyday”. The truth is, we all have work to do, which cannot just be swept aside. And perhaps the real beauty of such moments, is that they are fleeting, a small gateway into a different world, which gives you the energy to keep moving. It is said that nothing lasts forever; I disagree. Maybe everything last forever, we just have to take a moment to “save the file”, so to speak.


Is finding beauty only about going to exotic places and scenic locations? Well, it isn’t, at least to me. I find true beauty in the little flowers that bloom outside my window, the chirping of the sparrows as they go about their search for food, in the pattering of raindrops, in simple acts of kindness, in the intricate workings of the human body, in the heartbeat that keeps us alive. There is beauty everywhere, all we need is a moment, a moment to open our eyes.

I always hoped and prayed that I would get some time off to rest and relax, and I got much more than I had ever hoped. But it is more than that: The One I was praying to showed me that I would find happiness and bliss not by waiting for some perfect occurrence, but by enjoying and treasuring the little moments of joy He gives me, everyday.

So, when you get those little moments of peace, treasure them, preserve them. And later, come calm or storm, close your eyes and let them take you away, into the photograph.

You may click a photograph, you may share it everywhere on social media, but at the end of the day, only you know what feeling you were trying to capture. That’s what makes it even more precious!

So, I close my eyes and let my mind take me away, to the beach, the place which has always been the closest to my heart. I can feel the sand beneath my feet, feel the breeze gently ruffling my hair. With closed eyes, I see the hues of the setting sun, as the sky is ablaze, with more shades of red, orange purple and pink than I can name. A thousand photographs, a thousand paintings on the canvas of the Great Artist. As I admire the Creation, I dive deeper and deeper and am immersed in the beauty of the Creator. For He that made such beauty, must be so beautiful Himself. And as the waves tap gently against my feet, I look to horizon. I see Him there, standing with His arms wide open, waiting for me. Welcoming me home. I open my eyes, and I see Him still.




|| Shree Ram || || Ambadnya || || Naathsanvidh ||

- Dr. Arnav H. Tongaonkar 

20/10/2020

My older blog posts are listed at the top of the page.
If you liked this post, do read the others as well ! All comments and feedback are welcome.


13 comments:

little dreamer said...

It amazes me that such a simple thought leads you to such profound realisations, words so beautifully strung together that they must resonate with everyone who reads them. Lovely, and such a treat to read👌

Unknown said...

Beautifully written. You wrote about what I always felt. Many a times, I tried to click a particular sunset but could never get the colour right. Those are the times I felt that,its better to just look and enjoy those precious moments and store the picture in my mind. Maybe it was Gods way of saying, you can't always capture my creations.Yes it's so important to enjoy the simple things in life. This pandemic has hopefully made everyone aware that there better things to do in life, rather than compete in the rat race or keep up with the joneses. You are indeed a mature writer. God bless.

Unknown said...

Hey Arnav the 2nd one is mine.. chitra Natarajan

Anonymous said...

Yet, this beauty was something that no camera could capture.

No camera, except one. The Human Eye, the camera made by that Great Craftsman.

^^^You've referred to Him and His creations so beautifully !!!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful.. Just Amazing. Wishing u more achievements and success in whatever u do. May Bapu (God) bless you forever and always. Waiting to see more from U. Well done.

Geeta Diwan said...

The canvas of the Creator and His beautiful colours...
Enjoying life with the consciousness of His presence in every moment is the real bliss...
What an easy flow of thoughts!
This 'file is saved' in our hearts and our minds, dear Arnav!
Bapu bless you!

Anjali Phadke said...

Arnav really well described. This year everyone is posting sunset photos as if it happened this time only. But they forget it was always there but now because of pandemic they got time to enjoy it. So as you said,it is important to see it by yourself first then only you can capture it in the camera.

Ajit Gunjikar said...

Lovely expression Arnav and so true!!!!!! Keep it up.👏

Anonymous said...

Very well written and described.Keep writing, Arnav!!
...Rupa Gaitonde.

Unknown said...

Wonderful words Arnav!! Proud of you!!
Keep it up!!👍👍

Meeta H. Tongaonkar said...

Very well written Arnav.You have really penned your thoughts beautifully. Your post has reminded me to enjoy each moment to its fullest and capture photos with my mind's camera so that it can be retrieved anytime and with all the emotions attached to it. We should really learn to treasure every moment and count our blessings. So proud of you. Waiting eagerly for your next post. Bapu bless you forever.
❤��

www.komaljavle.com said...

Congratulations Dr.Arnav for you have penned your thoughts so well. I really had never even thought that God has gifted us with such a great and natural camera, that every small moment in my life I can so easily capture. Yes finding happiness in every single small moment and feeling happy from within, is what we are lacking in today's hustle and bustle. That smooth sand which would tickle us when it escaped from beneath our feet on the beach, the chirping of the bird, the cool breeze that would gently touch and pass, the vivid coloured sky, everything is so special you have made it realise through your post.
Thanks and Ambadnya for sharing it and making us realise how truly gifted we are by our creator and almighty , who stands with his arms open for us always

Munira Hirkani said...

You echo my thoughts about inability to really and completely capture the moment in a photograph. Experience it and relive the memories . Photographs are a mere trigger .