January 18 , 2005



I saw much of India from the bus windows. This is not as unadventurous as it sounds. The streets are lively places, and the bus offers a higher vantage point. Gridlock, which was fairly common, allowed more time to examine the surroundings, which was less taxing than examining the chaotic traffic.

The traffic deserves examination just as much as anything, however. Everything that can be decorated is decorated. The autorickshaws and taxis have standard colors of green, black, and yellow, but their drivers customize them extravagantly. A common feature is the request “Horn Please” painted on the rear bumper. Our favorite variation of this was “Horn Please Speed Stop,” which could be interpreted in a number of ways. We also saw lots of lightning bolts, swastikas, and once, a very thorough, symmetrical Spiderman theme. Our bus usually had flower garlands hanging from the rear view mirror, and sometimes a blinking mini-shrine on the dashboard. Especially in Cochin, where there was a big export business, we noticed the colorful trucks. They often had signs above the front window with the name of a god painted on them. “Vijaya Lakshmi,” “Ganesh,” and, due to Cochin’s large Christian community, “Jesus,” were popular choices. Tinsel and flower garlands were strung on nearly everything. All this adornment suits the bustling streets. It's welcoming. I can't imagine India without its colorful, glittery decoration.