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The Sacred Source - A Portrait of the Ganges
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DfN Sketch of Har Ki Pauri  
Monday, June 4, 2007
Up early this morning and off to sketch the ghats. Supposed to be back about 9:30, then head to Musoorie via Dehrudun. One of my objectives in Haridwar is to capture some of the essence of the Hari Ki Pauri ghat. This is one of, if not the most sacred spot in India, dating back thousands of years. When I first lived here Haridwar was a quiet little pilgrim town. Today, on a hot Sunday morning at 7:00 am, the temperature already over 100 degrees, the place was bedlam. There were easily 100,000 people jammed into a 2 block long stretch of the river. Old women, young wome with their daughters, boys with Rambo t-shirts and hip sunglasses, entire families who have come here from all over India with the purpose of bathing in the Ganges River at this spot mostly ignoring each other, forgetting modesty because for most it is a sacred experience. We simply have nothing to compare this to. As I watch, trying to evaluate the scene from an artistic point of view, what to sketch, what to paint, how to arrange a composition, studying the light, values, colors, design, it is overwhelming. Behind all of this is my sense of amazement that all of these people no matter how chaotic the scene may look have an astounding deep reverence for this river. I spent probably about 45 minutes working my way around the scene looking and studying the possibilities then selected a high location with the brilliant morning sun in front of me so that the temples and clock tower would be backlit. I started a sketch with the very top of the clock tower and worked my way down trying to capture as much of the detail as I thought I needed. Then I worked my way across to the temple in the middle and the darker one behind it and by the time I got to this point I had 2 to 3 dozen people watching me sketch. It is an odd thing they were so respectful of what I was doing that I didnít even hear them. I had been so intent on my observations that I hadnít noticed them pressing up all around me until one of them sucked air. This is a term I use to describe the sound I've found that Indians make when expressing that they like or approve of something. I checked my watch, it was 9:00 and it was time to head back to the hotel. Time to get the car loaded up, stop at the cyber cafe, download journal entry, will have to do images later, and off. The car drive was an experience. There had been an accident on the road between Haridwar and Rishikesh/Dehradun. Traffic was barely moving and a 2-lane road became 6 lanes. Motorcycles were weaving in and out, cars were trying to squeeze between each other, anything to move ahead. Several men got out and started walking down the middle of the road, and directing cars back into a more orderly process. That would last for a few minutes and then here would come those who couldnít stand to wait, squeezing in. Cars even came down the shoulder of the road going the wrong way. Motorcycles were going horizontally across the lanes weaving about. Although we have an air-conditioned car for this part of the trip, we couldn't run it, so there we were crawling along in the exhaust fumes and 105 degree heat, smashed in with cars, jeeps, trucks, motorcycles, 3-wheelers, bicycles and pedestrians. Some of the 3- wheelers had more than 12 people in them. A vehicle more suited for at the most 3-5 people. People were getting out with their babies and walking alongside, cars would come up behind them and honk their horns that they should get out of the way. It took 2 hours to do the first 12 kilometers! The hotel is the highest in Mussoorie. It's an old hotel, a bit tattered, but spectacular views and birds everywhere. Babies are popping out of nests and everywhere you look thereís something else begging to be sketched or photographed. We were warned not to leave our balcony doors open or the monkeys would come in. We headed to the garden and had them bring a table out and ate French fries, pakoras and tea. We kept ordering more and jumping up to photograph another new bird every few minutes. Kelly was enchanted with a slate-headed parakeet that remained invisible to Deanna even with both Ashleigh and Kelly's directions of where to look.
 
Photo credit:
Equipment Used:
AFC Flag Expedition #2:
The Sacred Source - A Portrait of the Ganges™
AFC Flag Expedition Artist and AFC Flag Ambassador: David Rankin
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