Why this blog is called "Gallimaufry".

gal-uh-MAW-free\, noun.

Originally meaning "a hash of various kinds of meats," "gallimaufry" comes from French galimafrée; in Old French, from the word galer, "to rejoice, to make merry"; in old English: gala + mafrer: "to eat much," and from Medieval Dutch maffelen: "to open one's mouth wide."

It's also a dish made by hashing up odds and ends of food; a heterogeneous mixture; a hodge-podge; a ragout; a confused jumble; a ridiculous medley; a promiscuous (!) assemblage of persons.

Those of you who know me, will, I’m sure, understand how well some of these phrases (barring the "promiscuous" bit!) fit me.

More importantly, this blog is an ode to my love for Shimla. I hope to show you this little town through my eyes. If you don't see too many people in it, forgive me, because I'm a little chary of turning this into a human zoo.

Stop by for a spell, look at my pictures, ask me questions about Shimla, if you wish. I shall try and answer them as best as I can. Let's be friends for a while....

28 February 2009

Red!

What a colour!
Say "red", and you have a kaleidoscope of mental images: warning, passion, anger, guilt, sin, joy, communism, sacrifice, courage, blushing and above all, love.






In Chinese culture, it stands for courage, loyalty, honor, success, fortune, fertility, happiness, passion, and summer. For the Japanese, red is a traditional color for a heroic figure. Indians, specifically Hindus associate it with heat and fertility, with wealth and beauty. Many Central African cultures see red as ambivalent, better than black, but not as good as white. Indeed, red bears a connection with death in many parts of Africa.






A chilli, a sunset, a poppy, a bonfire and some strawberries - all red, all from Shimla. Isn't it a great contrast to yesterday's post on hazy shades?

2 comments:

Ann said...

Now these are art. You are such a good photographer. I'm glad you told me that was a chilli, I thought it was a sausage.

Geetali said...

Thank you, Ann!
The chilli was used as a tempering in a curry I had yesterday. The colour's so great, isn't it?

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