Old Pic of Mhow "Scotch Kirk"

"Mhow Scotch Kirk" clicked in the early 20th century... sent to me from Canada by the descendants of Reverend Norman Russell who was a priest at the Builder Memorial Church Mhow and died in Mhow. I was lucky enough to find his grave in the cemetry near the Railway Station when his great grand nephew sent me a request via a message on Youtube... The commune of 'Rasalpura' on the outskirts of Mhow is named after Russell...

Pic Courtesy: Mrs Peggy McQuirk of Canada, a descendant of the late Reverend Norman Russell, priest at the Builder Memorial Church, Mhow in the late 19th and early 20th century...

Squirrels Sunbathing on a winter afternoon

December 20 2012

From my nature diary entry of Dec 20: A beautiful sight I saw this morning... Four squirrels
sunbathing on a Siris branch... A fifth one couldn't fit in the frame :-)

Diwali 2012 ... A photo essay...

Diwali is celebrated in a unique manner in Mhow. Unlike other parts of India where the day of Lakshmi Puja is the main day of this festival in Mhow the next day is the main day. It is known as 'Dhok Padwa' (aka Govardhan Puja - the day cattle are worshipped).  It is a unique sight one sees in the Mhow market.  People  get dressed in their best and visit one’s their neighbours, friends and acquaintances.  Friends embrace each other and wish each other a happy Diwali. The young bend down and touch the feet of their elders as a mark of respect and receive their blessings.  The word “dhok” refers to the respectful  obeisance towards one’s elders which the young pay by touching their feet.  

The Mall - All lit up. Midnight of 12-13 November 2012. 

Firecrackers being sold on the outskirts of Rau, near Mhow. 

Garland seller near the Mhow Fort, selling garlands at Rs 10 per garland. 

Sreyas and Shruti were with their grandmother during Diwali. They do not like the Diwali of Mumbai. 

The Member of Parliament from Indore Mrs Sumitra Mahajan visits Mhow without fail on Dhok Padwa and wishes the citizens here a happy Diwali. 

These boys told me that I had clicked them on Holi and so I MUST click them on Diwali as well!!! Impeccable logic, I must say....

The Sai Bhaktas wishing every one a Happy Diwali.... 

Mr C Kulkarni with the model he made for his grand-daughter. 

Rangoli made by 70 year old Mr Dhodapkar....

Rangoli (Maharashtra Samaj area)

Rangoli being made at the Kulkarni house. 

Rangoli competition at the Maharashtra Samaj...

Rangoli with a Radha Krishna theme being made in a house in the Maharashtra Samaj area...

Celebrating Dhok Padwa.... 

These gracious ladies readily agreed when I requested them for a 'Dhok Padwa' shot... 

Last but not least.... 

On Main Street in Mhow Bazaar... Clicked by Raj Kumar Saini... 

From Mhow to the London Olympics

Mhow and the Olympics at London - Two connections. 

A hockey player and a shooter....

1948 London Olympics 
Shri Kishan Lal (February 2, 1917 – June 23, 1980) of Mhow was the captain of the Indian hockey team at the 1948 London Olympics. The team won for India her first Olympics hockey gold medalafter independence. He played for Indian Railways in the domestic circuit. Public domain image from the Wikipedia... 

2012 London Olympics  


Subedar Vijay Kumar of the Indian Army's Mhow based Army Markmanship Unit (AMU) is representing the nation in the 25 m rapid fire pistol event. All the best Vijay we pray that you come back with a medal... Pic Courtesy: Army Marksmanship Unit, Mhow

Saturday Lunch... (14 July 2012)

 Clockwise from 12'O' clock - Kheera raita (Cucumber in curd), drumstick leaves, rotis, rasam, dal

Some Mynas I saw lately....

Clicked on my morning walk on 12 July 2012....

"Not very early and I still got the worm," says the common myna atop a broken branch of a karanj tree (Indian beechtree, Milletia pinnata, Pongam Oiltree). The tree had a heart shaped hollow at this very spot in which I had seen and clicked a spotted owlet many a time. Unfortunately a storm, two years ago, broke the tree at this very spot but I am glad I continue to spot the spotted owlets on this tree ... 

"Doesn't look like a gun, must be a camera....one just cannot trust these humans..." 

The Elusive Rosy Pastor/ Rosy Starling....

Two sightings of the Rosy Pastor/ Rosy Starling (Sturnus roseus) when I did not have a camera. Two 'non-sightings' when I went with the camera :-) Praying that I catch this migrant bird again on my camera after three years...

Holi 2012... A day of colours...

Mhow, Dist Indore, Madhya Pradesh,

Thursday March 8 2012 - the day of playing with colours (Dhulendi)

A Hundred and One years for the Indian Army's Corps of Signals

101 years of the Corps of Signals, Indian Army

Celebrations at Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) Mhow

Pagal Gymkhana held on Sunday 12 Feb 2012.

A young Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi at a fancy dress competition to celebrate 101 years of the Corps of Signals at MCTE Mhow today Sunday Feb 12... खूब लड़ी मर्दानी वह तो झाँसी वाली रानी थी

 

                                             "Catch me if you can..." Kids enjoying themselves during the 'Pagal Gymkhana' 

Quite a mouthful... Children's favourite - Jalebi Race in progress...

"Calmly..." Thread and needle race 

"No flying today" said the pilots of the micro light aircraft of the Army Aero Nodal Centre who were supposed to perform a fly past. I was told that the wind speed was around 20 knots - double the 10 knots that is the upper limit.

                                            "He Ram!" A boy dressed up as Mahatma Gandhi for  the fancy dress competition 

 

 

Rupak Kulkarni clicked during a SPICMACAY concert....

Rupak Kulkarni plays the flute accompanied by Aditya Kamalapur on the tabla - SPICMACAY concert at KC Bansal Technical Academy, Umaria, Mhow, Indore

  

MP Remount &Veterinary Squadron NCC of Mhow excels at Republic Day Camp

NCC R&V Squadron from Mhow adjudged best riding team at Republic Day Camp

              



MP Remount &Veterinary Squadron NCC of MHOW performed excellently at the Republic Day Celebrations Equestrian Events 2012 at New Delhi, with the unit emerging as top most medal winner and first amongst all Remount & Veterinary Squadrons of the country. The squadron won a total of 3 best rider trophies apart from 5 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze and 2 highly commended medals in various equestrian competitions conducted at the event. A contingent of one Officer, one JCO, 2 Instructors, 3 boy cadets of Senior Division, 2 Girl cadets of Senior wing and 5 horses of this unit participated in these events.

                 


Lt Col Sanjay Rawat, the squadron commander, said that the unit had a rigorous training and coaching camp at its newly constructed training grounds for over 2 months, under the guidance of Risaldar SS Singh, Dafedar Omveer Singh and ex cadet Yashowardhan Dwivedi. Senior Under Officer Sunali Raina of this unit was adjudged Best Rider (Girls), whereas Md Shah Rukh was honored with Best Rider (Boys). Other medal winners from the squadron include Cadets Govind Bali and Tejaswinee Potekar. The events conducted were show jumping, dressage and hacks. The winning horses include Lucky, Mahabali and Tarzan. 
  




On 15 Jan 2012, Lt Gen PS Bhalla, PVSM, Director General NCC, witnessed the horse show at RDC Grounds New Delhi. SUO Md Shah Rukh won the show jumping competition here and was awarded the ‘Best Rider NCC Trophy’. Brig VK Adappa, SM, Dy Director General NCC (MP&CG) and Col VK Saini Commander, NCC Indore Group, have congratulated the Mhow based squadron for their sterling performance.
 

 Pictures Courtesy: 2 MP R&V Squadron NCC Unit.

RESULTS:

(1) Senior Under Officer (SUO) Sunali Raina of Senior Wing, Veterans
  (i)  Gold Medal in Show Jumping Normal  on Lucky
 (ii)  Gold Medal in Dressage on Mahabali
(iii) Silver Medal in Show Jumping Top Score on Mahabali
(iv) Highly Commended (4th Position) in Show Jumping Normal on Mahabali
(v) Best Rider Trophy, Girls

(2)  Senior Under Officer (SUO) Md Shah Rukh of Senior Wing, Veterans
 (i) Gold Medal in Dressage on Shaktiman
 (ii) Gold Medal in Hacks on Shaktiman
(iii) Silver Medal in  Show Jumping Top Score on Lucky
(iv) Bronze Medal in Show Jumping Normal on Lucky
(v) Runner Up in Best Rider Trophy, Boys
(vi) Best Rider Trophy, Director General NCC Horse Show

(3) Cadet Govind Bali, Senior Division, Novice

(i) Gold Medal in Hacks on Tarzan
(ii) Silver Medal in Show Jumping Top Score on Lucky
(iii) Silver Medal in Show Jumping Normal on Lucky
(iv) Highly Commended (4th position) in Dressage on Tarzan.

(4) Cadet Tejaswinee Potekar, Senior Division, Novice
(i) Silver Medal in Show Jumping Top Score on Lucky.



                                                               ===============XXX================

A Two Day Army Exhibtion (Fauji Mela) in Mhow

Fauji Mela in Mhow.

Jan 12-13 2012.

To celebrate National Youth Day (the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda).

The station commander Brigadier Mukesh Kumar was requested by Mhow MLA and State Industries Minister Shri Kailash Vijayvargiya to extend the mela by one day so that people from Indore could also see it. That is the reason why the exhibition of military hardware was open on Jan 13 too...

An infantryman atop a T-72 Battle Tank .

पैदल सिपाही (रायफलमैन) टैंक पर ....

           The infantryman, the infant and the artillery..... The 105/37 Indian Field Gun... एक फौजी अपने पुत्र के साथ....

                                         

     A visitor is curious about the ATGM (Anti Tank Guided Missile) Launcher टैंक को नष्ट करने वाले ATGM  के बारे में जानकारी लेते हुए....

Small arms and other Infantry weapons on display...

पैदल सिपाहियों के हथियार की प्रदर्शनी

 

                                            40 mm Multi Shot Grenade Launcher
                                 ४० एम् एम् मल्टी शाट ग्रिनेड लौन्चर

84 mm Rocket Launcher RCL Mark III

८४ एम् एम् राकेट लौन्चर आर सी एल मार्क III

                                               

30 mm AGL-17, Automatic Grenade Launcher.

३० एम् एम् ऐ जी एल - १७ आटोमेटिक ग्रिनेड लौन्चर

 

7.62 mm Machine Gun

७.६२ एम् एम् मशीन गन  

                                       
Click here to see my photo essay on the same event in the English daily DNA (Indore Edition) (www.dnaindia.com)