shutter count 1274243 and a lens serial 1356871177: my bangalore sleep-deprived diary
i've been up for thirty-six hours straight and the bangalore air smells like diesel and jasmine. just checked my phone and it's sitting at a steady 20.94°C, feels like 20.76, humidity 64%, pressure 1010 hPa. perfect for shooting without sweating through my shirt. my nikon d850 has logged 1,274,243 shutter clicks, and the vintage helios 44-2 lens i scored off a shady dealer in chickpet bears the serial number 1,356,871,177 etched on the base-a number i keep misreading as a phone number when i'm half asleep. i'm currently slumped in a corner of a tiny cafe that's open around the clock, nursing a filter coffee that's too sweet and trying to make sense of the city's mad rhythm.
the city's chaos is a photographer's dream, or nightmare if you value sleep. the streets are a kaleidoscope of *rickshaws painted in psychedelic colours, street vendors grilling corn on the cob, and cows lounging in the middle of traffic like they own the place. i've been wandering with my camera strapped to my hip, hunting for that perfect golden hour shot that never seems to come because the clouds keep playing hide and seek. according to my map, i'm somewhere near 13.43,77.72-somewhere in the mess that is central bangalore. here's a snapshot of my current zone:
if you get bored, mysore is just a short drive away-trust me, the palace there might give you a break from the endless honking. but honestly, i can't imagine leaving until i've captured that one shot that makes the sleep deprivation worth it.
i've been collecting rumors like they're film rolls. someone told me that the best dosa in the city is at a place called mavikar that doesn't even have a sign-just a blue door near the market. i tried to find it, but my sense of direction is as reliable as a soggy match. another local warned me about the traffic: don't attempt to cross kr circle during rush hour unless you want a front row seat to a symphony of honks and exhaust fumes. and there's this rumor about a hidden rooftop bar that only opens when the moon is full-sounds like the kind of thing i'd stumble into at four a.m. after a failed attempt to photograph the sunrise.
if you're looking for more concrete advice, check out the TripAdvisor page for bangalore attractions. i also lean on yelp's list of coffee spots when i need caffeine that doesn't taste like dishwater. and for the love of god, read the bangalore tourism board site before you wander into any restricted area. just don't ask me how many times i've gotten distracted by a colourful auto or a glistening temple and ended up lost.
my body's on its last legs, but the city's still buzzing. i'm thinking about the numbers again-1,274,243 clicks and 1,356,871,177 as a lens serial. they feel like coordinates to some secret layer of the city, or maybe just a reminder that i've been doing this too long. the humidity is hovering at 64%, which is actually comfortable for these parts, but the ground level pressure says 910 hpa-apparently we're a thousand meters above sea level. that might explain why my lungs feel like they're working overtime.
just remember: carry a power bank that can jumpstart a car, always keep a roll of film (or a spare sd card) handy, and ignore anyone who says bangalore doesn't have soul*. i'm heading out again to chase the light, or maybe just to find that blue door. i'll be back when i finally sleep.
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