In order to break the monotony of their 'unending travails', the truck drivers nurture several addictions, ranging from a nicotine high via a bidi, the numbness induced by tobacco, the caffeine kick of a 'cutting chai' or simply the joy of playing cards. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
A truck parked on a New Delhi road. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Reminiscent of an advertisement of a popular adhesive which shows scores of people clinging on to a truck on a dusty village road, this scene too displays the versatility of a truck as a mode of transport, which is used not just for towing goods from one place to another, but also people - the more the merrier. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The grin on this truck driver's face says it all! 'This is my palace and I sit on my seat of power.' Literally, the truck is its driver's kingdom - or exclusive territory - where his word is regarded supreme. No one dares to fool around in this scared space, his driving cabin, where he spends the better part of his life. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The cold and arid landscape of Leh and Ladakh forms a formidable backdrop for these brightly coloured trucks, which break the bleakness of the scenario through their technicoloured bodies. The mighty peaks seem to be complementing these 'kings of the road' in terms of sheer size. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The lone truck is like the solitary ranger holding forth on its own in this largely uninhabited stretch. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The coiling road is akin to the serpent and the trucks dotting it are like the scales of the cobra, adding colour and a distinct character to this vast barren expanse of dusty hills. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Huddled over steaming cuppas of chai and a growing bonfire, the drivers are all smiles before they embark on their journeys. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Braving the early morning chill, a truck driver's day usually begins in the wee hours of the morning, as he hopes to cover larger distances in relatively less traffic. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The two truck drivers walking arm-in-arm and followed by a third one seem to have stepped out of their driving seats to exercise tired and cramped limbs and get some fresh air. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Narrow routes, bad roads, poor lighting and overloading are some the common causes for breakdowns and accidents in the lives of the truckers. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Two men shovel sand into a truck from a sandbank by a river. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The candy-flosswallah offering a quick snack or a crisp shoe shine from the local boy by the roadside or the purchase of some decorative motif for putting up on the truck from a wayside stall... these small-scale vendors punctuate the rural landscape. The trucking operation employs more than a few crore individuals directly or indirectly through related sectors. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The bird is heading to its nest after a long day of gathering knick-knacks, twigs, straws and food for itself but the truck driver's journey goes on well into the night. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
There is rarely a path left for the truck drivers to cover. They have seen arid deserts to lush green landscapes on their journey. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Be it broad daylight or dark nightfall, trucks are constantly at work, plying literally round the clock. However, this truck seems to have stopped for some breather or repair and maintenance job before resuming its journey. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Several trucks stand with their backs open and chained to keep the shutters open, enabling them to unload their wares on arrival in the mandi or the open market, in the hub of most towns and cities. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The energetic festival of Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha, as a harbinger of prosperity and removal of all obstacles. The festival is celebrated for 10 days. The final day brings the immersion of this idol, in the holy river or ocean; the idols are transported in trucks amidst a lot of singing and dancing by the accompanying masses with colour, frolic and drum beats and chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Moriya'. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
The Army trucks are usually sturdier and stronger versions of common trucks, whose capacity varies from 3 to 9 tonnes, depending upon the terrain they are designed for. The non-Army trucks are much lighter in body weight, so that they can load more stuff, while the Army needs the strength for transporting arms and armour without any damage. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
Kids dancing on a parked truck. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)
These two elephants seem to be bidding adieu in style. Often the journeys of truck drivers begin with poignant goodbyes to friends and family and it is often days and sometimes months before they are able to return to hearth and home. (From the book 'Horn Please: Trucking in India' by Pawan Jain and Divya Jain; Published by Safexpress; Price Rs 2,500)