Trying to catch up with some sleep after a long chat, the alarm goes out of control. Damn, how could it be 5:00 AM so early?
6:00 AM
Danny is woken up by the Auto rickshaw guy!
Danny: Vandan, the auto has come!
Me: Well, I am ready ;)
Sindhur: Shit Man! I don't want to be late for the race!
Danny: Wake me up once he is ready! And tell something to this auto fellow (zzzzzz)
Me: (Called the Auto fellow), 15 minutes bartini!
Danny: ha ha ha ha ha ha!
6:45 AM
Changed from a Delux room to a single occupancy room, since we just wanted a place to keep our luggage. Room no. 412!
7:00 AM
Boarded the Auto!
Danny: Kadri Kambala!
Auto: Hmm!
7:15 AM
Kadri Kambala Venu! And there is not even a sparrow!
Danny: Fuckers, 6 AM you woke me up! I could have slept for some more time.
Me: So where do we go for a shoot now?
Sindhur: I am hungry!
Danny: Ya, lets have some breakfast!
Auto: Sir!
Danny: Sir, take us to some place to eat!
7:30 AM
Some Darshini near to the venue!
Danny: Idli Vada!
Me: Idli Vada!
Sindhur: Idli Vada!
Auto: Idli Vada!
...
Danny: One plate Vada!
Me: One Plate Vada!
8:00 AM
In the Auto!
Danny: What places are there to see here?
Auto: (He spoke a lot of places, mainly temples, something that I heard was the church)
Me: *Sigh! The mass is going on! lets go to some other place!
Auto: (Again a lot of temples suggested and this time i heard something) Fishing Village!
Me: FISHING VILLAGE! We go there!
8:30 AM
At fishing village! Fish everywhere and anywhere!
A Mouth Watering Experience is all I can say!
9:30 AM
Back to the Venu! Kadri Kambala and extremely glad to see some people!
One thing about Mangalore Auto Drivers! This auto driver was with us from 6:00 AM! He waited for us for an hour! He took us to half of Mangalore, to make sure we get something to shoot! And at the venue
Auto: 113 Rs Sir!
Me: Danny give him 200!
Danny: :)
Auto: Thank you very much!
At the venue!
Me: Hey Ashit! Good Morning! Are you on your way to Kadri Kambala!
Ashit: Hi Vandan! I will be there in about 5 minutes!
10:00 AM
Meet Ashit for the first time! Not getting into the details of introductions!
So Kadri Kambala was scheduled to have a Slush water running race, a tug of war and finally the buffalo race!
12:00 PM
The running race gets over...
1:00 PM
Me: Chicken Curry and Neer Dosa
Sindhur: Chicken Curry and Neer Dosa
Danny: Pork Curry and Neer Dosa
Ashit: Pork Curry and Need Dosa
BURP!!!!
Danny: Fuck, I never expected this food to be so tasty!
2:00 PM
(sleeping)
The tug of war gets over...
3:00 PM
(sleeping)
The buffalo team starts coming in!
As long as I have knows these creatures, they are pretty shy and calm animals.
But these guys are different; huge, aggressive, blood shot eyes and that nasty look on their face. We got into conversation with one Shravan (a local of Mangalore) and got decent piece of information about these buffaloes.
Shravan: So you have come to watch the Kambala!
Me: (No, I am hear to fly kites!) Yes :)
Shravan: First Time!
Me: Yup!
Shravan: Good! Its fun to watch these guys! Did you have a look at the buffaloes?
Me: Yes, the one in that corner!
Shravan: Oh they are new ones! You should wait for the champion buffaloes!
Me: O.. K..
3:30 PM
Drumb starts beating up, the traditional trumpet blows real hard and in comes the champion buffaloes. Now thats a grand entry in the battle field. They went on playing for about half an hour until the complete ceremony was over. The buffaloes are decorated, tied hard, so that they don't get loose, cause these guys are capable of killing someone!
Me: So, has anyone been injured seriously by these buffaloes!
Shravan: Injured! One buffalo has claimed 16 lives! He is not tied all the time, doesn't come in the race.
Me: Good!
Me: So the ceremony is done by every team before the race!
Shravan: Yes its a tradition. Because they will be beating up the buffaloes during the race so that they run faster!
Me: No wonder the animal rights are trying to ban this sport.
Shravan: Well these buffaloes are taken care royally!
Me: Meaning?
Shravan: The entire year, they get no beating. They have food for 24 hours, one person is always there to give them. And once in a week they get a complete body massage!
Me: MASSAGE!!!!
4:00 PM
The first trial run happens, and it sends your adrenalin high! You are facing them head on, charging at you, clicking away, and at the last moment, you run to your safety.
The one bad thing about these races; it takes almost half an hour before both the races and their buffaloes are standing with all their feet stationary. With you sitting down to capture shots since morning, my ankles had given away. Tried find Danny, he was sitting in the pavilion! Sindhur was no where to seen.
I station myself right opposite to the race track, and right in front of the pavilion. A good 20 feet away form the finish line! Was that safe! Well I didn't bother. I had the best place to shoot from!
The race happens, I start clicking and don't stop until they cross the finish line. I get my camera down and see not one single soul near me and the buffaloes about 4 feet away! Well thats not bad! :)
Me: Hey Ashit, come along, just sit here, its pretty cool!
Ashit: Are you sure? Is it safe!
Me: Well I trust these guys, the moment the buffaloes cross the finish line they run and catch them.
Ashit: Oh, Good!
...
The next race starts, me and Ashit click away to glory. Ashit managed to click through a pair of legs too!
Ashit: Fuck, the bulls were right next to us!
Me: Yeah, but its safe!
Ashit: Fuck, I am so tired, I am not getting up!
6:00 PM
Danny: Lets go to Liquid Lounge!
Sindhur: No, lets go to the hotel and packup!
Me: I am coming!
Ashit: Where is this place?
6:15 PM
Danny: Ashit and Sindhur, you take this auto and reach Liquid Lounge! We will take the next rick!
6:20 PM
Walking on the streets of Mangalore, tired and hurting legs, heavy gear on the shoulders and the tripod in the hands.
Danny: Fuck! If someone sees me here like this...
Me: LOL
6:30 PM
At Liquid Lounge!
Ashit: Khodays with Coke and Soda
Danny: Old Monk with Coke
Sindhur: Kingfisher Pint!
Me: Lemonade!
6:45 PM
Ashit: Khodays with Coke and Soda
Danny: Old Monk with Coke
Sindhur: Kingfisher Pint!
7:00 PM
Talking about Photography
Ashit: Khodays with Coke and Soda
Danny: Old Monk with Coke
7:15 PM
Talking about Blues :)
Ashit: Khodays with Coke and Soda
Danny: Old Monk with Coke
7:30 PM
Talking about American Music History
Ashit: Khodays with Coke and Soda
Danny: Old Monk with Coke
7:45 PM
Danny, Sindhur & Me: Singing Hotel California!
Ashit: :)
7:55 PM
Danny, Sindhur & Me: Singing Summer of '69!
Ashit: :)
8:00 PM
Me: One Pineapple with Cheese, Ginger Chicken and Prawn Tawa Fry!
Sindhur: I will eat at the hotel!
Danny & Me: :D
8:15 PM
Sindhur: Lets go man, we have a bus to catch!
Danny: See, getting a ticket without booking from Bangalore is easy! To go back its not easy!
Sindhur: No no, we will get!
Danny: We will not get the ticket, I am telling you!
Sindhur: I am telling you na, we will get!
Me & Ashit: Busy eating and talking more on Blues!
8:30 PM
Sindhur: Lets leave man!
Danny: One more shot and we go!
Me & Ashit: Finished eating and talking about cooking!
8:45 PM
Sindhur: Lets leave man!
Me: (Laughing) Danny, lets go!
Danny: (Laughing) Ok!
9:00 PM
Group Picture!
9:15 PM
Outside Liquid Lounge! Raining in Mangalore! And for some reason, we don't like the Auto drivers!
Me: Buggers, no Auto and no one wants to come to Poonja International!
9:30 PM
Me: Poonja International amale KSRTC!
Auto: Sari!
Me: Swalpa munde hogi, yerd jana ede!
Auto: Yelli?
Me: Swalpa munde hogi!
9:45 PM
Me: Swalpa wait madtida! Bag togon bandini!
Auto: Sari Sir!
10:10 PM
Me: Checkout!
Danny: My t-shirt is missing!
Reception: We will check with the room service sir!
Danny: I left it in room 508!
Reception: Checking Sir!
Danny: I want my t-shirt!
Watchman: Sir, your auto left.
Me: WOHA! We didn't even pay him!
Watchman: I paid sir, and I also got one more auto for you!
Me, Danny & Sindhur: Startled!
Danny: I want my t-shirt Vandan!
Me: Ya, they are checking!
Reception: The office staff has left, we might have given it in laundary. Can you check tomorrow.
Danny: (Starring) OK Fuck it! Lets go!
Sindhur: I am hungry!
Me & Danny: (Laughing) Well now you know, why we ordered so much at Liquid Lounge! :)
10:45 PM
At Mangalore KSRTC Bus Stand!
Sindhur: I am hungry man! You people book tickets, I will see if I can get something to eat!
...
For some reason, Me and Danny were only laughing and Sindhur was the only person tensed!
Danny: No tickets available vandan!
Me: LOL
Sindhur: Fuck man! Lets ask the bus driver!
Danny: LOL
11:00 PM
Danny in a brawl with a Bus Conductor!
Conductor: Sir you are drunk!
Danny: Yes I am! What about it?
Conductor: huh?
Danny: I know you had tickets and you gave the tickets to this person because he got influence.
Other Person: Hello!
Danny: #!@#%@#^@#!@E!@$@!%@#$^&%^&*%^&(
11:15 PM
Danny: (Laughing) That was fun man!
Me: What happened?
Danny: I know that the conductor had goofed up something, but he didn't know about it.
Me: LOL
Sindhur: I will go and ask about other bus!
Me & Danny: Ok! (still laughing)
Sindhur Calling!
Sindhur: Vandan, all bus service to Bangalore have left it seems!
Me: Ok!
Sindhur: Now what to do!
Me: Lets ask an auto!
Sindhur: What?
Me: Bangalore KSRTC
Sindhur: Fuck you man!
11:25 PM
Me: There is one Red Bus and tickets are available!
Danny: Are you sure you want to go in that bus!
Me: I don't mind!
Sindhur: Lets board it than!
...
Me, Danny & Sindhur: Lets get out and go tomorrow only!
11:30 PM
Me: Wait let me call Ashit!
Me: Hey Ashit, Vandan here! We didn't get a ride back to Bangalore!
Ashit: LOL
Me: Can you ask the hotel reception to book a room for us, we will be there in 15 mins!
Sindhur: So we are not going?
Me: Yes we are, to the hotel!
11:45 PM
Checked into Shrinivas Hotel
Sindhur: I am hungry!
Danny: Now, even I want to eat!
Me: Ok, lets ask the auto guy!
12:15 PM
At a Kerala Mess!
Me: One parota, and matte curry
Sindhur: Chicken Biryani
Danny: Me too!
12:35 PM
Danny: Raja, One plain Biryani
Raja: One half Biryani!
Danny: No, One Biryani!
Raja: Ok, One half Biryani!
Danny: No, One Biryani!
Raja serves One Half Biryani!
1:00 PM
At Hotel Shrinivas, room no. 124!
Danny: Lets see the photographs!
Me: Nice shot Danny!
Danny: I love my lens!
Sindhur: z Z z z
Danny: Lets download yours!
(downloading)
(reviewing)
Danny: Over?
Me: Yeah!
Danny: Goodnight!
