Picto Diary - 14 January 2017 - (Part 1) - Mumbai Early AM
Above: TIMDT watches ice shaving. Sassoon Dock fish market. 5:00 AM. Mumbai, India. 14 January 2017.
For whatever reason, the fish market itself forbade image taking.
The fishing trawlers delivering the day's catch were low in the water at low tide. Fishermen would put the fish in covered baskets, then, toss the fish up to a man on the dock. All very skilled and smooth. I wonder if they have a "fish toss" competition festival?
Above: Bread delivery by bicycle. Early AM Mumbai. 14 January 2017.
Above: Newspaper sorting station. Mumbai, India. Early AM. 14 January 2017.
22 languages. 70MM circulation India wide. China 90MM circulation. Japan (surprisingly) 60MM circulation. High percent aging Japanese read newspapers, don't carry smart phones. Largest circulation English newspaper in the world? "The Times of India." At least according to our guide, Dipika. Newspaper circulation continues high in India. Despite there being 900 million cell phones in the country, only 12% of the cell phones have are "smart" application.
Guide Dipika says most of the people here sorting the papers are illiterate. But, they recognize the different scripts of the different languages so as to enable correct sorting.
Above: Newspaper delivery boy loads his bike. Mumbai, India. 14 January 2017.
Above: Chicken delivery. Crawford Market. Mumbai early AM. 14 January 2017.
Chickens are farmed in Pune, large city 250 km distant. Each truck carries 1500 live chickens.
Above: Man carrying live chickens from Pune. Crawford Market. Mumbai. 14 January 2017.
Above: Sassoon high school. Mumbai. 14 January 2017. Early AM.
Synagogue behind. All Jewish faculty. Student body 98% Muslim. There are fault lines that sometimes fester, but India makes multiculturalism work better than most. Party in power, BJP, is Hindu
nationalist. To many, BJP's nationalist strain represents a threat to the multiculturalist "calm" experienced under Congress Party rule post a violent partition period in 1948.
Above: Knife sharpener using his bicycle pedal to power sharpening wheel. Byculla Station market. Early morning Mumbai. 14 January 2017.
Above: TIMDT and tour guide Dipika. Byculla Station vegetable market. Mumbai. 14 January 2017.
Above: Hanuman (Hindu monkey god) temple near Byculla Station. Mumbai. 14 January 2017.
Temple abuts against a mosque. A Catholic cathedral is across the street.
Unlike the west, India is not in spiritual decline. Spiritual symbols pervade in India. As with the marketplace Hanuman Shrine shown here, symbols of religiosity pervade in India. The tone in India is aspirational. Religious belief buttresses culture. A strong culture progresses. India's culture is complex. Her method is chaotic. But,she moves forward. India GDP growth rate is 7%.
It's why we come to India every year. She gives us a dose of hope for a better future.
Addendum:
Am I wrong, or have you lost a lot of weight?
Torquemada,
Sandy, UT
I've learned how to capture flattering images.
Hi Steve, You look healthy and great. Have fun on your trip.
LaPsy,
Los Angeles, CA
Enjoy your picto diary!
Big Bad John,
Park City, UT