GandiKota - Andra pradesh , India

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The grand canyon of India is grand not in scale but in the silence and simplicity that you often forget about when living in India.

We headed out there at 2 in the morning to catch the sunrise. It was a 4 hr long ride from Bangalore and when we got there we couldn't figure out if the sun was out or not. After figuring that out, we explored the village nearby(walked through). There were no stores, no hotels which was surprisingly pleasant. The fort was picturesque and clean. We found a renovated watch tower and settled in to watch the sunrise; along with it sweeping views of the land, clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds.

I had something planned before heading to Gandikota; a crash course in time lapse photography. I did not have a camera stand or a timer, so it wasn't a good plan. So I sat down at spot for 2 hrs and hoped for minimum skin damage.

Those few hrs will be something I won't be able forget. There is an immense clarity in looking at the shadows of the hills recede, birds circling or flying really close to the water surface, and clouds coming over your head and changing shape or disappearing altogether. I let my hair go, at the mercy of the wind(big mistake). They tangled and covered me from the sun, and when they moved I would concentrate on the wind, its temperature being cold even when the sun was beating down on us.

I took pictures at my pace(something all photographers would frown upon) and took more pictures when the cloud's shadow was moving through the frame. It made a very choppy, amateur time lapse video but I was happy to have experienced something other than my couch on a weekend.

Do visit in the summer to watch the sunrise and apply a lot of sunscreen if you want to stay for long.

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