PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

                                                       CAMERA

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My Dear readers.I was visiting Jammu & Kashmir with my parents and my aunt (mothers younger sister) None of us owned a camera. I realized that the only way to capture the sights would be a camera.Since I had just begun working in a steel township office as a clerk, I couldn't afford anything better than a Agfa ClickIII. I did not know how to handle a camera but hoped that I could click a few photographs unhindered. I was always optimistic you know.The smell of the leather casing was indeed alluring.I felt quite "butterflies in my stomach" when a 120mm Black & White film was loaded by the shopkeeper. Proudly I slung the camera across my shoulder expecting everyone to cast admiring looks at it. The unending second class train ride to Jammu Tawi.At Jammu I clicked two snapshots only.I was scared that the film would run out. One film was good enough for 12 photos only.En route to Srinagar by a wobbly bus I couldn't dare to take any photographs of the scenic beauty. Why ?? For the simple reason that there was no flash and my inherent warning "Don't waste expensive film" Thinking back I sadly mused that what if I had an expensive Zeiss Super Icon camera with flash. Then I could catch the fleeing lovely scenery of the meandering road criss-crossing bridges and with the view of numerous waterfalls sparkling in the sunlight.

Three days at scenic Srinagar had me clicking hpefully at the shikaras, boatmen, flower gardens and the chinar trees."Will the photos come out right?" I kept wondering.At Gulmarg and Pahalgaon I envied the other tourists with heavy and imposing looking cameras flashing away in the dwindling hazy light.Unfazed, I clicked away hoping for the best.At Pahalgaon, as I clicked at my parental trio ,the clicker got stuck !!! "What happened !!!" I approached a tourist guide and showed him my camera and requested him for a diagnosis."Your film has fineshed..." he remarked."Are 120mm films available here?""No!" he replied.So... I had to tuck away my camera until we returned to Srinagar.At Srinagar another film of 12 photos was loaded.I felt elated and was again on cloud nine!! I clicked away happily at the distant mountain range of the Himalayas with their beautiful snow-capped peaks ,each with a name.

The return journey was uneventful.On arrival at my hometown I took the expsed roll and the camera with the second roll still in it to the photoshop."Please take the roll out and develop both the rolls"... "Please come after three days" After three days I discovered that only 15 out of 24 films had turned out good enough to be printed.I asked him to make "contact prints" which served as excellent memories to retain.With the same camera I trundled to seasides,Kumaon hills,metropolises and of course the good old Darjeeling.The photographs are now sticky with moisture yet they serve the happy purpose of reliving the travails of mine.

Then my kind employer presented me with a Kodak Chroma 35mm camera with a built-in flash.It worked on two pencil batteries.It was an aim-and-shoot type.I was overjoyed !!! A camera with a flash and 35 colour photographs in one roll. It was a dream come true. My annual vacations were never as colourful and convenient in the matter of capturing the views. The paper carton is still undamaged.But somehow I had developed a liking towards it.Just cant scrap it.Although I now own a digital camera I still take the Kodak Chroma with me loaded with film and batteries.I seem to trust it more than the digital avatar.As for the Agfa ClickIII ,I just can't find it anywhere!!! Yet the snapshots remain sparkling as ever.