A Music Video Exploring The Culture And Community Of Mumbai: ‘This City’

by Anna Brones on

Made popular by the cinematic hit “Slumdog Millionaire,” there’s a certain romanticism with the Indian city Mumbai. We’re drawn in by the color, culture and music.

With over 12 million inhabitants, Mumbai is the most populous city in India. The slums of the city are a backdrop to the hectic daily life that’s indicative of a large Indian city. With its infrastructure and inhabitants, it’s the perfect place to think about urban planning, which is why for 2013 the BMW Guggenheim Lab has set up shop in the city’s vibrant streets. The mobile think tank for improving urban life around the world, commissioned a song by the Indian folk-rock band Swarathma.

With snippets of daily life – complete with a group doing dance lessons – “Is Sharar” is an excellent look into the many aspects of the city. The title translates to “This City,” and the music video is not only a look into what living in Mumbai is like, but it’s also an ode to togetherness and unity.

A selection of the lyrics:

Is shahar ki saansein hum (we are the breath of the city)
Is shahar ki aankhein hum (we are the sight of the city)
Is shahar ke honto pe (on the lips of the city)
Khilkhilaati baatein hum (we are the happy conversations)

You can find the full lyrics and translation here.

Photo Of The Day: Trekking Chadar

by Meg Nesterov on


Today’s Photo of the Day sort of resembles what many of us will experience when traveling over the coming holiday week, or at least, it can feel like a trek. Flickr user arunchs shot this on the famous Chadar Trek, one of the most majestic but challenging in the world. These people are actually crossing the frozen Zanskar River in India, walking over the slippery and icy surfaces of the Himalayas, often carrying luggage on their backs in inhospitable conditions. Some Buddhist monks will walk across the chadar (ice) in their bare feet, so consider that next time you complain about removing your shoes for airport security.

Want to wow us with your travel photos? Add them to the Gadling Flickr pool for another Photo of the Day. Happy holiday trekking!

[Photo credit: Flickr user arunchs]

Photo Of The Day: Hampi

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Hampi is a village in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important religious place. It is photographed here at sunset by Flickr user arunchs, who has captured a glorious fragment of time at the most poetic time of day.

We like sunsets. They’re beautiful and they allow us to imagine that we’re on the road. So upload your best sunset images to the Gadling Group Pool. We pick our favorites from the pool as Photos of the Day.

[Image: Flickr | arunchs]

Photo Of The Day: Varanasi Ritual

by Meg Nesterov on


There are many common motifs in travel photography: sunsets, markets, funny signs that might include unique and amazing images, but are found all over the world. It’s the rare photograph that shows us something unusual, perhaps something completely new. Today’s Photo of the Day is by Gadling favorite and Flickr user arunchs is from Varanasi, India, capturing the evening ritual of Ganga Aarti. The Hindu religious rite involves an offering of lighted wicks, flowers, and other items to represent the elements, and is performed here on the banks of the river Ganges. It’s also interesting to see people in the photo wearing scarves and long sleeves for the chilly nights in Northern India, a country typically associated with scorching temperatures.

Share your unusual travel photos in the Gadling Flickr pool for a future Photo of the Day.

[Photo credit: Flickr user arunchs]

Video Of The Day: Take A Walk Around The World

by Libby Zay on

Planes, trains and automobiles are what first come to mind when most people think of the act of traveling. But really, some of the best people and experiences are discovered by simply walking. This fun video, created by filmmakers Kerrin Sheldon and Gaston Blanchet, takes viewers on a long walk through 12 different – including India, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan. The pair made the video over a period of eight months while shooting for their project, Humanity.TV, in which they are working to document the lives of individuals all over the world. It’s a great reminder that sometimes going back to basics and taking things in slowly is the best way to really discover places. If you agree, check out the project’s Kickstarter page.