SHINING PEARL

My motherland asks me a question, “Have you forgotten your own nation?

Whenever you visit me for vacation, in that whole duration,

Your mind and body stay with me but your heart and soul are in some distant destination!”

Can’t lie to you Ma…yes, I leave a part of me in the small island with a big heart,

 A land of two seas, a beautiful duet, an amalgamation! 

I enjoy the pours back home but the ‘petrichor’ here gives me an unalike sensation,

The worth of showers, can only be relished after a meticulous eight months calculation!

This is the year eighteen, but it feels like yesterday, 

When I peeped through the aircraft window, ready to station,

Blue and green water, a wow combination, left me speechless, out of narration!

The world calls it, an acreage of opportunity, I call it a warm community,

An expat and locals’ unity, so indispensable for a healthy and strong foundation.

A welcome smile, a warm hand shake, a bear hug, an arm on shoulder,

The sincere gestures melt hearts, moist eyes of any beholder

The way to a happy soul is through a healthy digestion,

Shawarmas, Machboos, Kebabs & Kibbeh,

You name it … Bahrain is the best Barbeque Nation!

Imagine the palatable, by the beach, basking in the sunset radiation,

Zallaq, Marina, Naruna, Askar, Dilmunia … the sandpit is far stretched for clear respiration,

Not to forget a melting ice cream on a camel hump or a pony gallop, a great association!

Fun stroll through the souq street, hunting for the stuff obsolete,

Arabic aroma, Indian treat, shopping thy name is fascination!

Spices, pottery, old world charm, can leave one bedazzled, disarm,

Herbs, veggies fresh from farm, the hustle bustle has effect so calm!

Educate the ‘Just arrived’, It’s Bab Al not “Bubble Bahrain”, clear the notion, 

A perfect place to feel ‘home away from home’ amidst hubbub & commotion.

Paving way to ‘Vision 2030’, trophies of the enchanting skyline,

WTC & BFH make the pearl in the oyster gleam & shine!

Nodding donkeys rocking day in day out, pumping the lifeline,

Surrounded by the mesmerizing echoes from the holy shrine. 

The highways witness it all, the skyscrapers obverse, mounds beyond the wall,

Fortified history in Qalats overlooking the modern expansion.

Weaving the fabric of ethos, old and new, some young, wrinkled a few

Making it a unique civilization, of ancient and novel generation.

Dates date back to Dilmun, F1 and air stunts, thrills of speed and aviation!

The wait for autumn fair, the December 16 passion, 

The symphonic desert by stood some turbulence and fluctuations,

But the realm of ‘Tree of life’ resonated peace, amity and harmonization.

May the ‘Red and White’ flag waves always tall, crafting magic spell,

All stays well with the camel country, the unique Kingdom of Oil Well.

For her it is stimulating to see the world through a third eye and a sixth sense!

A picture is the voice of the subject, and only the capable hands of a sensitive photographer can instill soul in it. Her current weapon of choice is a Canon 5D Mark IV with a relatively wide range of lenses. She has been fortunate enough to be on the double-spread pages of a few prestigious local magazines and newspapers.

It has always been her humble attempt to give back to society through community service. She is also the founding member and the current Chairperson of ‘Shutterflies’, a one-of-a-kind Photography Group under American Women’s Association.

She fervently pursues short film production as well and one of her short films is going to be released soon. She considers films, a natural progression of photography. 

Her family has been her strength and the wind beneath her wings. Not to forget friends and followers on social media who have always supported and encouraged her in all her endeavors. 

For Shikha, creativity is a way of life and a state of mind. One just needs to have an eye for it backed by unbridled passion. Her goal is to beat her own benchmarks and keep surprising herself. She would like to continue expressing her artistic self through various mediums, be it photography, writing or filmmaking.

Shikha loves traveling and invites you to visit her photo-travelogue - a reference for all the keen travelers! Shikha wants her photographs to reflect her view of the world in unimagined ways. While she has successfully managed this in some ways, there is still a long road ahead!

Instagram: @shiks_cliks 

W: https://shikscliks.wixsite.com/mysite 

CLICK to view Shikha's photography.