magic carpet ride

lee and i went to india the first couple of october weeks--as if you didn't know.  amazing, dirty, beautiful, india.  an auto driver told us--referring to driving--that "anything is possible in india". prophetic?  oh boy. 

arriving late on wednesday night, we discovered that all of the cars, trucks, and gas pumps were decked out in flowers, paint, and palm leaves, and the streets were full of smashed pumpkin like fruits colored with red dye.  huh?  come to find out that the day before was the day of blessing machinery or practical objects.  in india, it is easy to see right off that your mode of transport needs blessing.

have you ever driven--or been driven--in india? what a joy.  i'm serious.  i suppose one less wondertaken than i could have been a bit frightened, but i loved the traffic and noise.  the horn is the most important tool of the driver.  in fact, all of the flower painted trucks had "please honk horn" painted in fancy letters on the back.  honking can mean "i'm coming", "get out of my way", "move over", or "hi", it seems.  horns are not just squawk and circumstance; horns may sound like bells, music, ducks, or donkey brays. 

conservation of space seemed to be the primary motive of the driver.  although most streets had typical lanes--2 or 3, the lanes did not determine the number of vehicles side by side.  what did determine that number was how many could fit.  one lane could be filled with motorcycles, autos, pedestrians, and a car (and depending on where you were, a camel or donkey or several) in the same space that in the us would hold only a single car.  this might look harrowing to a more tame driver, but most folk seemed to navigate swiftly and efficiently.  

my personal favorite mode of travel was the auto or automated rickshaw.  i loved feeling a part of the street energy.  being able to see the colors and movement and smell the decay and incense and feel firecracker surprise at the sight of temples and shrines popping up everywhere was like a magic carpet ride with wheels.  plus, in jaipur, the autos were all decked out.  the leather seats and interior would be decorated with cut out hearts and mirrors.  the dashboards always had a ganesh or other icon.  the requisite flower chain was always present.  the outside was painted with flowers and flourishes.  what could be more endearing?  much better than a horse and carriage ride where there is no need to get cozy.