February 22, 2019 -
“India has always had a strange way with her conquerors. In defeat, she beckons them in, then slowly seduces, assimilates and transforms them.” - William Dalrymple
Isn’t this a great picture? And it is so...India.
We took a car to travel to Jodhpur today. You wouldn’t think that would be a stressful event, but then, you haven’t traveled in India. Not only are the roads in poor repair but our driver seemed to feel he was in a Mad Max movie and drove at ludicrous speeds. The roads were filled with everything including innumerable cows in the lanes, goat herders, pedestrians, buses, bicycles, other cars, and at least one elephant. Our driver, while reading his phone and shifting would swerve around them at high speeds narrowly missing them. He would chuckle when we gasped.
I checked- India is behind only China in the number of traffic fatalities. And, you do not need a driver’s license here.
But he would stop for tea abruptly and we found the above bucolic scene. He is using the cow to work the pulley system to bring irrigation water to the wheat field behind his house. Here in the 21st century to see such medieval technology was mesmerizing.
Despite the insane drive, you get totally drawn in to the magic of this place.
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