Bijapur Photo Gallery by Serena Bowles at pbase.com

Bijapur

I had been looking forward to the town of Bijapur, with it's ruins from the Moghul days. Coming from Bidar I found it a disappointingly dirty place, full of hassle. Groups of men dogged me around the sites; children nearly ripped by camera from my neck, and they all asked for pens and money. An inordinate amount of people asked me to photograph them - those shown here are just a fraction of those I took. Strangely, everywhere I looked the fronts of houses had been torn down leaving halves of rooms, or first-floor front doors with no way to gain entry. This left the town looking like a war zone, and accounted for the high levels of dust, even for India.

Some of my photos are now available to buy in a variety of sizes and finishes, or as digital files, at Serenity Photography.

You can keep abreast of my travels by visiting my website.

Barefoot Through the Rubble	Pretty Houses	Dusty Town
Golgumbaz	Colourful Visitors	Decorative
Looking Below	House Front	Hiding
Knocked Off	Ibrahim Rauza	Market Colour
City Scene	From the Whispering Gallery	Girls' Talk
Prayer Niche	Statue	On the Roof
Take Our Picture One	Take Our Picture Two	Take Our Picture Three
Piggy-Wigs	Underneath the Arches	Plastic Pig
Room With a View	Shack	Tricky Access Above
Hey, Baby	Quick Run	Watch Out Below
Stone Mason	Underneath	Shadow Tree.

post a comment

RAJAHMED		03-Nov-2008 07:43
RAJAHMED MAKANDAR I MISS BIJAPUR FROM LAST ONE YEAR. THIS TOWN IS VERY PEACEFUL HEAR ALL PEOPEL R GOOD THINKING. SPECIALY I MISS GOLGUBAZ, MY FRIND CIRCAL,

VC		04-Apr-2008 21:50
As some one born and brought up in Bijapur I would say - leaving aside the glossy shopping centers and new aminities that have come up in India over last ten years or so and are accessible to only about ten percent of the population - broadly speaking, Bijapur is a reflection of development in India where cities are getting dirtier every day (dirtiest cities in Asia), population keeps on increasing at a pace much faster than the speed with which infrastructure can be adjusted etc etc (within last 40 years Bijapur's population has increase fourfold !).Sure officials need to work better but what about the people ? Are they really looking for a better life or do they just tend to accept things as they come and that's why things don't move ? Well whatever,I agree with the comments made about my city but must add - whilst leading a life in comfortable/clean surroundings in Europe, whenever I hear the word "home", immediately the images of that dirty, dusty, over crowded, "almost nothing works city" flash in my mind.....and behold I am in bliss - Home Sweet Home (so strange is the human psyche)

Fatima Ahmed		27-Mar-2008 18:38
These are excellent pictures, I miss my Bijapur very much! Yes, due to haphazard road widening by the government the front portions of many people's houses has been torn down. It is sad that Bijapur has become so dirty - I was visiting there just last month and was incredibly shocked to see the level of garbage that has accumulated in the city, with no one to do anything about it! You should also mention the incredible scarity of water and electricity, which cannot be photographed but deserves immediate attention by the state and local authorities. Increase in population and unprecedented levels of pollution - not to mention the rapid increase in the wild hog population at each street corner (that has gone unchecked for decades now, allowing the rodents to run rampant across the length and breath of the city)- is making Bijapur increasing unlivable for the average - and even the most affluent - citizen. I sincerely wish the government of Karnataka would look into the city's hygiene and sanitation situation. This is not only promote much-needed tourism, but also place Bijapur on the civilized world map. People have awareness of modern facilities, but no access to basic hygiene. What kind of progress are they heading for? At present, America still seems the best option for retirees like me, no matter how much we want to go "back home" to India. Until India is able to deliver proper infrastructure, and its rural towns become cleaner and truly greener, NRIs will continue to build housing to clog cities and then, when they actually come to live there, they will balk and pull out of India altogether. Bijapur city needs a major overhaul - one that is long overdue!

Premanand		10-Mar-2008 13:50
The rubble you find is because of the road widening process. I agree the city and the citizens need to be more proud of their city and help the civic authority to administer it better. The district administration is also responsible in not attending to beautification of the City. Over all the comments would have been more tempered.

noushad		28-Jul-2007 13:32
excellent work

click on thumbnails for full image