Bombay Taxi

It feels like there are more taxis than private vehicles in Bombay. Traveling to work everyday, I was involuntarily immersing myself into a colorful and maddening world while in transit. I began to photograph the vehicles, drivers, interiors, dashboards - and it occurred to me that Bombay probably has the most spectacular breed of hired cabs in the world. From their gaudy plastered interiors to the diversity of the drivers, each trip turned out to be ridiculously memorable. Every taxi has its own individual identity that makes it incredibly unique. Each day, I made tiny discoveries ; for example, no autorickshaw driver I came across ever wore their shoes while driving, instead opting to keep it by their side, constantly threatening to slip out of the cab and onto the road. Bombay's traffic is impetus enough to get a conversation going, whenever we approached a signal there always seems to be something to talk about, with topics ranging from politics to potholes. There were arguments over fares and fights over routes but more often than not our conversation ended with a portrait. As the city grapples with an infuriating pace of change, these old ricks and rusty Padmini’s have their slow death set in stone. But what an unfortunate loss. There’s no experience like the nauseating ride through narrow pothole-ridden roads with a dangerously brave autorickshaw driver. Or trudging through the rain in a gleaming black Padmini, struggling in first gear on some of the city’s slopes - with it’s characteristic slow hum and failing brake lights. This series is an attempt to immortalize the culture of the Bombay taxi, and shine light on a world that may be soon disappearing.