Horn Please: The Trippy Psychedelic World Of Truck Art

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With spending countless miles and days spent out on the road hauling loads between cities and states, a truck for many truckers is their home away from home. With extended periods out on the road comes the need to make the thier trucks feel a bit more homely, and the result are some vibrantly decorated vehicles adorned with a mélange of bright colours, quirky slogans, religious symbols and political icons among others; mostly personalised to the taste of the driver and owner.

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Beyond the bling and beauty of these embellishments, these aesthetics are also a mode of communication for these drivers often reflecting their likes, inclinations and where they come from. And this communication is more important than we think. India is stretched across over 1.40 lakh km of national highways with trucks a major source of transporting goods from place to place. Some states do not permit truck drivers to move during the day, compelling them to cover long distances through the night. And that's no child's play, especially with the monotony of the long and winding empty roads. Passing another moving vehicle, and a vibrant truck at that, brings the assurance that one is not alone. And sometimes, that's the only refresher one needs.

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Truck art has also come a long way going from just folk-inspired hand-painted birds and flowers to graphic stickers of Bollywood film stars, movies and more. The traditional methods of painting intricate details by hand too has seen a decline in recent years in favour of more modern and less time consuming printing techniques which have opened a doorway to new dimensions. Hitherto, truck artists who have been carrying the profession of painting for generations have resorted to print-and-stick art to sustain themselves. That said, most truckers believe in personalising their trucks themselves using the age-old brush and paint. And, they take huge pride in it. And why not, these trucks serve as a canvas to demonstrate their creativity, and also as a conversation starter at highway dhabas.

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But, truck art is not just limited to the exteriors. Step inside and you will be able to tell well-nigh everything about the person driving. Pictures of families, figurines of individual deities or a make-shift temple at times, personal belongings, and objects to keep bad omens at bay are just some of the embellishments that can be seen. Apart from that, there are the usual suspects that can be found inside a real home like curtains, beddings, utensils, ornamental decorations, and lights in different colours. After all, comfort brings the most happiness. As for us non-truckers, happiness lies in the extravaganza of these trucks that brighten up most dull journeys.

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