Abundance In Austerity- Finding More In Less

I used to admire people with luxuries, now I admire people with inner peace!

The more things we accumulate, the more cluttered our lives become, and the more time we spend sorting the unwanted. Every change has a trigger point which makes us reason and challenge the obvious. Sometimes these trigger points are God sent to make us see the unseen.

Last year my wife and I had travelled to a place called Gili Island in Indonesia for our 10th wedding anniversary. Like typical Indian travellers, we had a load of luggage and we reached the Island in a boat from Bali. To our relief, when we got off the boat, a tour operator representative was waiting for us. I looked around for our car for about 5 minutes, and to our pleasant surprise what turned up in the form of our transport was a horse cart! We managed to get our XL sized luggage on the cart, fit ourselves trying to balance the weight on either side so the horse could give us some respect and take us to our resort without any unwanted  on road turbulence.

To give you a background, Gili island is about 3 kilometres long and 2 kilometres wide with a population of 1500 people. Yes, that small! The best part is that there are no cars, no bikes, no petrol, no fancy possessions and the only way to travel or move around is by walking or by using a bicycle. As for things to do, there are abundant activities involving spending time with yourself – be it diving, cycling, spending hours on the swings inside the sea, looking at the beautiful sunset or walking into the sea green waters. My four-day stay there seemed like a month during which I had totally forgotten about Facebook, Instagram, the tall city buildings, my phone, the fast city life and started admiring what is real, what was right in front of me. Mumbai, on the other hand, as most of us are aware, is an archipelago of 7 islands stitched together with an altogether different pace of life, which would give Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes a run for its horsepower.

The first seeds of austerity were sown in Gili and I came back with countless thoughts in my mind. For one, it was easier to live the scarce life when I was an island. The challenge was to do the same in Mumbai. But the seeds were sown, and the magic started happening. After we returned to Mumbai, I started feeling a bit nostalgic and the peaceful life of Gili refused to leave my mind. Then it was all about bringing and making small changes in life first from the heart, and then from the eyes.   

Since then, I’ve experienced a different world through a different me. Along the way, I discovered something even better than owning less: wanting less. Okay, before I give up the ‘worldly pleasures’, sell my ‘Ferrari’ and start running after horse carts, let me confess, like any of us, I still pursue my materialistic ambitions. But somewhere, deep inside, I am learning and have found my own happiness equilibrium which reminds me about the balancing act on the horse cart in Gili.

My pictures are shot in random parts of the world including Dubai, Bali, Rajasthan and Mumbai. Some were shot before Gili happened and I happily revisited them with a different pair of eyes. What is more important is what I see in them, which is, what I want to see in them now. 

Enjoy my humble attempt to share the magic of ABUNDANCE IN AUSTERITY- Finding more in less!

From one by three soup, to one by three coffee

Secret Garden Café in Dubai is a must visit for me on every trip. It has the most beautiful, fairyland décor with the best desserts. When I went there with two friends I couldn’t take my eyes off the red cup sitting alone happily in the corner. To give it company, three of us decided to share a single cup of coffee in this beautiful cup. Simple pleasures!

A few drops of love are enough to give anyone a lifetime of strength. Being happy is not having everything in your life be perfect. Maybe it’s about stringing together all the little things

I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go for a walk in Aarey forest next morning because of an extended monsoon in Mumbai. It had rained overnight, and I decided to take a chance in the muddy waters. Within 5 minutes of my walk I saw this beautiful rain kissed plant with droplets clinging to it with Mother Sun providing vitamins for growth. I was overjoyed with what I saw.

Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience. Don’t compare your progress with that of others. We all need our own time to travel our own distance

Another monsoon morning with branches kissing each other and the leaves looking at them in admiration from the ground. This is at Aarey forest and I felt it was like a golden carpet inviting me to walk through the jungle. To add to the beauty the aroma created from the wet ground and little chaos made this moment unforgettable.

Everything is designed, few things are designed well to calm the mind

Rainy day. I was at the ITC Hotel in Parel, Mumbai for a business meeting. Once the meeting ended, I came out in the open area of the business lounge and spotted this small fountain. The first thought that came to my mind was that we should respect every drop of water, irrespective from the sky or the eye. The fountain beautifully blends rainwater, recycled water with its own water, and remains happy and content.

Happy are those who take life day by day, complain very little and are thankful for the little things in life

Earlier this year in Dubai, me and my friends were driving around the Palm when we came across this open sea facing café. We managed to spend hours looking at the sea and sky and dreaming. When our coffee was served, I felt that it’s so important to slow down and appreciate the day, the moment and the piece of chocolate.

A few beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost

Nahargarh fort in Jaipur, India had this breath-taking view at the top. When we reached this point, I paused. The rocks, the steep climb, the curves, the wind here made it very special. The first thing that came to my mind was that while it’s good to aim for the top, it’s more important to be happy where you are today.

With no possessions, it’s easy to fly, with your head held high

On the way to Elephanta caves, Mumbai are these beautiful sea gulls who make your journey memorable. It is an ardous task to get them in the frame as they are constantly on the move. I was lucky to see & capture this pair, a bit away from the crowd, flying smootly and peacefully like they have set out on an infinite journey.

Love the life you have, while you create the life of your dreams

This part of my life is called happiness. The happiest way to spend is your time is in the service of needy and sharing moments of joy with them. This was one such session in a school in rural Maharashtra, Mokhada district. I accompanied some volunteers to distribute books, food and take an educational session. To see these happy and contented kids made me feel how blessed we are.

Minimalism helps you achieve freedom – freedom from fear, freedom from worry, freedom from overwhelm, freedom from guilt, freedom from depression, freedom from enslavement. Freedom. Real freedom!

This picture was shot at India’s most haunted fort: Bhangarh Fort. The entry is restricted after 6 PM so braced souls like us take a tour during the day. While I did manage to reach the fort and take a self-motivated tour, while coming out I saw this woman in orange robes and dark burnt skin sitting alone with hardly any possessions. In this place full of fear, she looked fearless, filled with freedom.

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful

The beautiful Samod palace on the outskirts on Jaipur. Loved this section which had minimal decor but a deep, strong & vibrant character. So empty yet so powerful and serene. Sometimes it’s our own character and personality that’s enough to define who we are.

I am here to welcome everyone with open arms. I stand tall on my principles and values. I span differences, join the divide and connect everyone  

The Mumbai sea link bridge may be one of the most often clicked pieces of infrastructure and yet every time I cross this piece of architecture it brings out a child in me. I like the fact that how selflessly, tirelessly, the sea link bridges the gap to fulfil thousands the dreams in the city of dreams – Mumbai.

Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are, the whole world belongs to you

It was the simplicity in the pic which made be pause and ponder, that sometimes there is so much beauty and calmness with no weight of any clutter. This is very unlike Mumbai, where we are all used to the chaos and we miss it when we don’t find it around. This one is for the inherent beauty of ‘Bombay’.  

If you are not content today, there is nothing you can buy this weekend to change that.

This man was happily enjoying his Hukka in the middle of Aarey forest at 7:30 AM. He had a sense of contentment on his face and I could feel he was really enjoying his life and moments, with his limited pursuits. I wished to taste the hukka too but decided to save that for another day.

Don’t be scared to be alone, your dreams are personal

In the middle of abundant greenery, I saw this tree standing tall alone with no frills. In fact, I felt it was this tree which made the greenery around look alive and gave a breath of air to it. 

Living simply is not about living in poverty but living an examined life where one knows what is truly important and enough 

Sunset, sound of waves, clouds which look like a canvas and a man walking into the unknown. Couldn’t resist myself for capturing what I saw and felt deep inside on this secluded island called Gili in Bali. True Happiness is defined by what we feel and not what we possess.

To attain knowledge, add things every day.  To attain wisdom, subtract things every day

Saw these two friends studying and perhaps preparing for their exams in the wee hours of morning. No fancy iPads or laptops or Montblanc pens. Just a diary, paper and books. Guess this is how we grew up studying. I realized it’s all about our goals in life, which we have to fulfil with our available means, happily.

Abundance is about being rich, with or without money. Collect moments, not things.

Saw this lone ranger staring at the Sun at a relatively aloof place in Aarey forest. He looked content and unmoved by whatever was happening around. He was at peace with himself, his surroundings and by being the subject of my picture. Not everyone can own a boat, but everyone can dream.

A simple life is a life of both less and more. Life of less distraction, less consumption, and less of the inessential, to make room for more mindfulness, more intention, and more of what matters, just like the sunlight  

This place is my favourite spot in Aarey forest. It has the perfect sunrise where the Sun brings the whole forest alive! When I looked at this beautiful galore, I felt we have to unfold our own myth every day and rise every morning like the Sun! 

Please Note : The copyright of all the images is with the author