Fruit Merchant
Location:
Mussoorie, Uttaranchal, India
October 2004

Photographer:
E.K. Schafhauser

Rupees? Rupees? You like this for rupees? Merchants are heard from every shack and street shop. A fruit merchant on one of the busy corners of Mussoorie sits and seemingly waits for a customer to come his way. This is different than most other sellers that advertise with loud calls of good prices. The fruit merchant is slow in his movements. He stares into the distance at times when he does not tend his produce. His stare is vacant and solemn. In contrast the steep one-lane corridor market streets are a hustle for pedestrians to avoid being run over by traffic. Horns blare, and people scuttle to be barely missed by a vehicles tire or a cows hoof. Though the street is busy with activity the fruit merchant remains silent. To notice such silence when surrounded by so many distractions of noise and movement takes no more than observance.