Friday, April 17, 2009

Railways



The trains in and around Bombay are so great.
Before the terrorist attacks in CST (aka VT) and Slumdog Millionaire brought these scenes to global attention, I was enthralled with trains and train stations. I've ridden Indian trains a lot, and lately keep wishing I had my video camera.

The movement, the blur of the outside world passing, the claq-kuk, claq-kuk of metal wheels on steel rails....

The various chaiwallas and paniwallas and food vendors' voices, like birdcalls - mungphalimungphalimungphaleeeeeah.....
The bluster of open windows and strenuous fans on hot days, and the persistent smell of engine grease, mingled with bodies and hair oil....
It's a moving world that is always changing, always similar, and never fails to fascinate me, though I arrive hot, windblown, covered with a layer of grime.

(click on photos to see them larger)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

India is full of such pedestrian beauty.

































These images are from Bombay and Igatpuri.