Mammals or Motorized Vehicles?

 

By: Trevor W. and Majd M.  2nd hour A day

 

     Transportation in India has been developing for hundreds of years, but as the saying goes, old habits die hard.  Even today on the streets of India, it is common to see mammals such as horses, camels, and even elephants.  In many the many rural places in India, elephants, horses, and camels are used as transportation, but in the urban cities, modern technology such as cars, buses and electric rickshaws are used by the population for travel.  When these two methods of transportation meet on the same road, conflict can occur.  Elephants and electric vehicles are not compatible, like water and oil.  Elephants are slow and large, while cars are small and fast.  Many accidents occur when elephants and cars are near each other.  Possibly the most common method of transportation in India today is the Indian Railway.  India's rail network is the longest of any country and the fourth most heavily used system in the world.

     We chose the "tug of war" of transportation in India because we were curious as to what methods of transportation people in India use everyday and how they differ depending on a person's economic status.  We discovered that because cars are so expensive, only the wealthier people in India own cars and that most people in India use the trains or mammals as their main method of transportation.

 

 

http://www.travelindiasmart.com/images/threetrasnportationmodes.jpg

 

This image is a perfect example of the diverse and unique ways of transportation in India.  In India people can take a cruise on a motorcycle, a bus, or even an electric rickshaw, so why not an elephant.  Transportation in India is special, there can be mammals such as elephants and horses on the road along side modern cars and buses.  Unfortunately, these new methods of transportation create a possibility of more accidents occurring on the roads.

 

 

http://www.indiavisitinformation.com/india-tour/india-transportation/road/index-transportation.shtml

 

The Indian Railway is one of the most effective networks that keep together the social, economical, political and cultural fabric of the country intact of transportation in India today.  Trains were one of the first modern ways of transportation in India and continue to be a major method of transportation today.

 

Majd Mokbel and Trevor Wood A2

India Transportation Skit

Background Info: The Traditional Indian is from the Kshatriya caste, and the Modern Indian is visiting from the US. Both of the people are at the market.

 

Traditional Indian: (Sitting in rickshaw waiting for a person to carry him off), Were the devil is he?

Modern Indian: Why are you sitting in a cart?

TI: It is not a cart it is a rickshaw, and I am waiting for my servant to take me home

MI: Servant?

TI: Yes my servant, my horses were sick so I told my servant to take me to the market.

MI:  A horse carries you?

TI: Yes is there a problem with that.

MI: No, if you like smelling like poop because of the horse.

TI: That is absurd, anyway how do you get to your places?

MI: I take the train

TI: The train has too many people

MI: What about a car?

TI: A car is too noise and it starts to stink

TI: I would rather ride my magnificent Elephant

MI: An Elephant’s dung would be bigger than your rickshaw

TI: That is a ludicrous statement. I always let my elephant go before I leave my house

MI: I still think that a car would fair better than ridding on an uncomfortable back of a smelly pooping machine

TI: A smelly pooping machine, How dare you insult my animals, Your smelly pooping machine has been ridden by my father, your father, and probably every Indian in the world, these beautiful beasts have been ridden for years.

MI: Yeah, but they are not as fast as a train, your elephant will move slower than a slug on steroids.

And a car can go ten times as fast as your horse over their

Servant: are you ready to leave master.

TI: I am ready. But let us show this man that a rickshaw is better than a car.

MI: PSHT, yeah right

Narrator: They ride around on the rickshaw

MI: This is pretty cool but it does not beat a car

TI: in a car you do not get the open air that you get in a rickshaw

MI: How about a motorcycle?

TI: a motor cycle what is that?

MI: stop here, I will take you on a ride, come on follow me.

TI: Fine

Narrator: The arrive at the rental for a motor cycle

TI: this contraption seems quite dangerous

MI: it is pretty safe all you need to do is wear this helmet

TI: I have changed my mind; I don’t want to ride the motorcycle

MI: Come on are you scared

TI: No, I just don’t want to die so soon

MI: You won’t die, it is very safe

TI: Fine

Narrator: They get on the motor cycle and are on an open strech when the Modern Indian starts to speed up

TI: you’re going to fast

MI: who cares are you scared

TI: No, go faster, this is very fun

MI: Whatever you wish

TI: Oh My Gandhi

Narrator: the stop at the market and discuss the different rides that they have

TI: I really liked the motor cycle

MI: and I really like the rickshaw, maybe next time I could ride on your elephant.

TI: you mean my poop machine

MI: Yeah, your poop machine

TI: and maybe you will take me on the train and maybe even go on an airplane

MI: Maybe next time

TI: I have to go bye

MI: bye

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

"Infrastructure and Transportation, 1857–1947." Encyclopedia of India. Stanley Wolpert, ed. 4 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. Reproduced in History

 

     Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>