India Streetphoto

Today (9.12.2011) I’m leaving Delhi for Jaipur. I don’t know if it’s just fatigue or what, but I wasn’t feeling photographically inspired in Delhi. I did a lot of walking around, and in retrospect I think maybe I should have been using the metro to go see some sights rather than immersing myself in the street life. It’s pretty hectic here, and almost everyone you pass has something they’d like to say to you. With all the dust, noise, busyness, and chatter, just an hour or so of walking can finish you off for the day.

Even the people who aren’t trying to sell you something or ask for money, seem to want to have the standard conversation, “From what country you are coming? USA? Nice country! I have friends in USA, in Colorado, California, New York, Chicago. How long have you been in India? Where are you coming from? Where are you going?” It’s always some variation of this, or just someone wanting to help you out with information, the assumption that you don’t know where you are or what you’re doing, which is often true. This morning I needed to go mail a few things and I knew the post office didn’t open until ten. I was doing my best not to be too early, but then I found myself just sitting around waiting and I figured I could sit here or sit there, it was all pretty much the same, so I headed out. On my way a man started calling me out on my overzealous punctuality, yelling down the street that nothing would be open for another half hour. It reminded me of this time I was visiting a friend in Oakland, California. I was just about to leave the house and I spilled coffee down my shirt. I was kind of in a hurry and didn’t want to change so I told myself that no one would notice, much less comment on it so I should just leave the shirt on. Five minutes down the street this kid shouted out, “Damn girl! You spilled coffee all over yourself. You made a terrible mistake!” They say reality is just projections of our own subconscious. What I want to know is why my subconscious is always publicly calling me out on my decision-making?

The post office ended up being open earlier than I thought, and I handled my business. On my walk back I bought some bananas and headed for the guesthouse. A guy sitting on his stoop decided to forgo the scripted Indian local / tourist conversation and asked instead, “You like banana? Special banana!” I can only assume what he meant. After some exploration of the possibilities, I’m not sure I’d like to know. I think a lot of the street vendors in India just simply have too much time on their hands, thus their willingness to enter into inane conversations of all shape and size. I can relate. Before I left on this trip my job was working on making commercials. On days that you’re on set you can literally be there for fifteen plus hours, for days in a row, and there can be long stretches when you don’t really have anything that needs to get done. Out of total boredom people just start blathering about whatever absurdity pops into their head… special bananas.

I’m certain I missed some amazing things in Delhi, but sometimes you have to sacrifice sight seeing for a little me time. I managed to cross a ton of tiny stuff of my to do list, and reorganized my bag, shedding eight pounds! That feels good. Now I’m ready to board the train to Jaipur, special bananas in tow. See you soon.