Day 40

Last day in India and from an auto rickshaw on the outer ring road see the preparations of a traditional wedding. And this is the thought I am leaving with…with all the changes in India which have in many ways been adopted from the way others do business then what will eventually be the marriage of globalisation and ‘Indianess’?

Day 39

Is it possible to visit India and not see the Taj Mahal? No, and no matter how many images or documentaries you see of the Taj, you are not prepared for its magnificent beauty when seem in real life.

Day 38

I do not recall Indians being tourists but now, in a period of rediscovering their past, tourism is on the rise.

Day 37

Stop off at the bird sanctuary between Jaipur and Agra  - I do not capture any pictures of birds as I require a long telephoto which I do not carry. But I feel a kind of sanctuary as well…we are not really observers of nature and only when part of the natural world do we feel connectedness. Maybe this is why we feel distance from the damage to the environment when we live in urban environments. We have just passed the line where more people live in cities than they do in rural settlements.

Day 36

Leaving Jaipur the taxi driver takes us to a temple hidden between mountains creating a serene and spiritual setting. There are many visitors here and I wonder if one of the reasons why India will come to dominate business is the sense of history and confidence it engenders. Indians can mine philosophy and past glories that extend well before 1CE.

Day 35

A coachwork at the side of the road constructing the body of a passenger bus…but done in that Indian way were the pace seems slow but the work gets done

Day 34

The observatory at Jaipur, now a world heritage site, is fascinating and one wonders if the history of science has underplayed the influence of the East.

Day 33

Jaipur is the ‘pink’ city which is a colour wash on the stone. Many of the key or large buildings are preserved however the more peripheral and yet significant features are eroding and perhaps will be lost. This feels like a metaphor for India in the chase for growth.

 Day 32

The Amar Palace in Jaipur is known for its architecture and a part of it is the wall - rulers of all ages have built walls - perhaps to keep people out but they also appear as a statement of human will imposed on nature.

Day 31

In Jaipur and the colours of Rajastan are evident even in the displays of the street vendors. Indian businesses have a real feel for display and this may help in the growth of India…if India produces its own brand of capitalism.