A road trip is a visible expression of freedom.
Travel is all about dreams you being there amongst landscapes, towns and people.
Traversing backroads is a rich example of the journey as the destination.
Peregrinating the golden sands of Thar, my idea was not to linger anywhere, but to keep on moving. Creating a panning shot of the desert in my mind. Each day and days after the first, was to set off after morning tea and breakfast, going as far as possible and then find a place to rest for the night by pitching a tent with bonfire.
Thar desert landscape is so stark and dramatic. In the brooding expanse you would find a withered shrub or a cactuses or a crossroad with black topped roads enveloped with sand dunes on either side and lead nowhere. You are so tempted to deviate from the route and find the answer to the road leading nowhere. Thar desert is not an illusion of emptiness but an assertive power of exclusion. This power of exclusion forces you to find your inner self. Go deep down and flick that reset button. Perhaps is what a traversing backroads trip is all about.
But there are moments which go against your "not to linger nature of the road trip.” Those are the moments when you are crossing a remote town. Flooded on both sides of your vehicle are people attired in bright colours. Women especially in collage of colours. Men match this duel of colours with turbans and matching moustache. Is this the spirit of humans? Making a brooding stark expanse colourful. That’s the moment of halt where this picture was pictured.
A tiny shop in a remote village, with its wares on display. Local nomadic musician couple were there probably to replenish their stock. The walls of this tiny shop decorated with foreign languages. The signage and display is like a cinema set from classic western movie. I was so lost pondering that I became a magnet for curious stares.
That’s the assertive power of exclusion of Thar. It just casts a spell on you.
Join and ride on a road trip with many tales.
Dates - 23 to 28th December 2018
