Saturday, May 24, 2014

Old Photos- Various Vintage Photos - Part 138

Benares (Varanasi) Riverside Scene and Architectures - c1890's

Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Foreign Minister V. K. Krishna Menon - 1957

Jain Temples in Palitana, Gujarat - c1880's

Temporary Brass Ware Stall During a Festival - 1956

Vietnamese communist leader Nguyễn Thị Bình with Indian Foreign Minister Sardar Swaran Singh - 1970

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Talking Parrot



 There is an old story about a fellow who lived alone and went to a pet store to buy a parrot.

 He thought the bird might fill some of his lonely hours. The very next day, however, he came back to complain, "That bird doesn't talk."

  The store owner asked if he had a mirror in its cage, and the man said he didn't. "Oh, parrots love mirrors," he explained. "When he sees his reflection in the mirror, he'll just start talking away." So he sold him a birdcage mirror.

 The bird owner was back the next day to gripe that his parrot still hadn't said a word. "That's very peculiar," allowed the pet expert. "How about a swing? Birds really love these little swings, and a happy parrot is a talkative parrot." So the man bought a swing, took it home, and installed it in the cage.

 But he was back the next day with the same story. "Does he have a ladder to climb?" the salesman asked. "That just has to be the problem. Once he has a ladder, he'll probably talk your ear off!" So the fellow bought a ladder.

 The man was back at the pet store when it opened the next day. From the look on his face, the owner knew something was wrong. "Didn't your parrot like the ladder?" he asked. His repeat customer looked up and said, "The parrot died."

"I'm so sorry," the stunned businessman said. "Did he ever say anything?"

"Well, yes. He finally talked just before he died. In a weak little voice, he asked me, "Don't they sell any bird seed at that pet store?'"

 Some of us have mistakenly thought that happiness consists of lining our cages with toys, gadgets, and other stuff. Excessive consumption has become the hallmark of our life. "Whoever has the most toys wins" seems to be the likely candidate to be the bumper sticker for an entire culture. But is it so?


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Old Photos- Various Vintage Photos -Part 137

General Election Scene in Delhi- 1952 
A blind old man being carried towards a polling booth by his son, to help him to cast his vote, near a polling station in Jama Masjid area in Delhi.

A view of Polling Booth at Modern High School, in New Delhi. A long queue of women voters are seen waiting for their turn to cast their votes.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952). Vote for Hut a symbol for Smt. Sucheta Kripalani (KMPP). One of the candidates for Parliamentary Constituency.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A close up of a poster pasted on a government resident in Delhi.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A Congress Election Camp near Willingdon Air Port, New Delhi.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A Congress procession showing bullocks and flag. A pair of bullocks was the election symbol of Congress Party.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A cyclist canvassing for the Congress candidate.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A front view of Congress Party election procession. A pair of bullocks was symbol of the Congress Party.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A number of elecltion campaigners on cycle doing propaganda work for a candidate of the Jan Sangh.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A pair of bullocks – this was the election symbol for the Congress Party.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).A poster of Socialist Party posted on a gate of a New Delhi residence.

General Election Scenes in Delhi (Jan. 1952).‘Hut’ was the election symbol of the K.M.P.P. Party. A model of ‘Hut’ for Sucheta Kripalani, one of the candidates for the House of People.