photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Fifty Seven: Expressions of Faith > Motorized aphorisms, Cochin, India, 2008
previous | next
03-APR-2008

Motorized aphorisms, Cochin, India, 2008

An aphorism painted on the side of a truck expresses an aspect of faith. The words are enhanced by the masses of optimistic colors and floral designs that cover the metal. I don’t show the truck itself – rather I show only that part that contains the message I want to convey.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/500s f/5.0 at 46.6mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis04-May-2008 05:46
Thanks, Celia -- we saw many incongruous and ironic sights in India, and this was certainly high on the list. You are right about the rules of the Indian Road. In many places there seems to be none. Fortunately, we had very good bus drivers on our tour but even with them at the wheel, we had a number of close calls. Our taxi rides in Bombay were hair raising. The national sport of India is now cricket, but in many places, it seems to be "chicken."
Cecilia Lim04-May-2008 04:22
Having been to India myself and seen how often these truckers drive like mad fools, it's a very incongruous and funny thing to see that their trucks are the very antithesis of their terrible devilish road etiquette! Their trucks appear to be the embodiment of beauty, innocence, purity, wisdom and saintly piety, but in reality these trucks terrorize the roads with little regard for traffic rules (if there are any) or the life of anyone using these roads. Perhaps by displaying these aphorisms they're hoping that they will act like a blessing or good luck charm to protect them through those hair-raising road journeys! Thanks for posting this image - it offers us a wonderful glimpse into the Indian psyche!
Phil Douglis19-Apr-2008 23:44
You are right, Tim. Many Indians wear their faith on their sleeves, so to speak. We know what they believe by how they may choose to dress, or how they may act in public, or how, as in this case, they may choose to decorate their vehicles. This gallery is all about such expressions of faith.
Tim May19-Apr-2008 19:39
Some of us carry our faith inside - some make ornate displays of faith. India certainly seems a nation full of the later.
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment