Autos — a convenient, yet increasingly expensive mode of transport, but also a blank canvas for its humble driver, on which he may express his individuality. It is interesting to consider the motivations behind the tacky, jarring and colorful artwork one often sees all over auto-rickshaws in Bangalore city. Could it be that the cost of an auto falls in the perfect range wherein it is considered safe to do a little experimentation (something one would never do to a shiny car, lest it is ruined for good or needs to be repainted for an unreasonable sum)? This aspect of cost might very well explain the lack of artwork on the new green autos. While I have no evidence to support this premise, it is easy to imagine the fear of a green-auto-owner of damaging the shiny green paint. Much like we subconsciously realize that the minute we take the protective plastic sticker off the screen of our brand new (unscratched) cell phone, it will cease to be new.
Quite similar to how we covered every available surface with sparkly stickers when we first discovered those magical things that just stuck to other things, auto drivers seem to delight in covering their beloved vehicles with stickers that they believe tell a story about themselves. Their autos are like their own personal journals, adorning it with a new sticker every once in a while, like we add charms to a bracelet. The autos are like a chaotic collage, most often proudly displaying the driver’s name on the front. The little window at the back is almost a devotional portable temple-like space, regardless of whether this devotion is directed towards god, actor or cricketer. The rest of the auto is mostly decorated with graphics such as red roses, women’s faces, cheesy quotes and the like. One never knows, there might be a popular adage among auto-drivers in Bangalore that roughly sums up to something like “The more the stickers, the better the auto.” But it’s probably dying out anyway.
-Ruchika Nambair
Quite similar to how we covered every available surface with sparkly stickers when we first discovered those magical things that just stuck to other things, auto drivers seem to delight in covering their beloved vehicles with stickers that they believe tell a story about themselves. Their autos are like their own personal journals, adorning it with a new sticker every once in a while, like we add charms to a bracelet. The autos are like a chaotic collage, most often proudly displaying the driver’s name on the front. The little window at the back is almost a devotional portable temple-like space, regardless of whether this devotion is directed towards god, actor or cricketer. The rest of the auto is mostly decorated with graphics such as red roses, women’s faces, cheesy quotes and the like. One never knows, there might be a popular adage among auto-drivers in Bangalore that roughly sums up to something like “The more the stickers, the better the auto.” But it’s probably dying out anyway.
-Ruchika Nambair
Plagiarism.
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