Photo Gallery

The camel cart is the perfect means of transport in arid regions such as here near Jodhpur, on the edge of the Thar Desert. Such traditional carts still characterise the rural and semi-desert landscape there to this day. The local desert dwellers use these carts every day to transport crops, dry grass or cotton between the surrounding villages. The wide car tyres on the cart prevent the heavy team from getting stuck in the fine, hot desert sand. – 1990

A bustling street scene in Jodhpur, where a camel cart – a traditional means of transport – makes its way through the modern traffic. The camel shares the road with motorbikes, buses and pedestrians. – 1990

A nomad travelling with two dromedaries in the village of Khuri in the Thar Desert. These animals are perfectly adapted to the hot, dry conditions of the desert. They carry wooden saddles or racks used for transporting water, firewood or trade goods. – 1990

Cattle market in Phalodi, situated in the heart of the Thar Desert between Jaisalmer and Bikaner. Although camel caravans have become very rare, dromedaries remain important as riding and pack animals in the desert. – 1990

A trader at the livestock market in Phalodi sells traditional, very large metal basins or cooking pans (often referred to as kadhai or tasla). The basins are made of sturdy, hammered iron or sheet steel. The individual metal plates, which have been firmly joined together with rivets, are clearly visible. These handmade vessels are used for preparing large quantities of food at festivals or for agricultural purposes. – 1990

Camel carts such as these are a typical and traditional means of transport in the rural areas of Rajasthan. The cart, pulled by a dromedary, is heavily laden with large tree trunks. It is fitted with modern, pneumatic rubber tyres, which make it easier to pull along tarmac roads. – Pokhran – 1990

A camel cart, women dressed in traditional colourful saris and a classic car all reflect the lively daily bustle at the foot of the massive defensive walls of the majestic Jaisalmer Fort. The structure is famous above all for its monumental, circular bastions and walls of yellow sandstone, which shimmer like pure gold in the sunlight. It is one of the very few remaining ‘living forts’ in the world, as its interior still houses residential quarters, markets, hotels and centuries-old temples. – 1990

This truck is a classic example of the colorful and artistic truck decoration that is a tradition in India and Pakistan. Indian script (Devanagari) can also be seen above the windshield. The license plate displays the letters “RNM.” In the old Indian license plate system (in use until the late 1980s), the combination “RN” specifically stood for the state of Rajasthan. On the left side, a camel pulls a transport cart—a common mode of transportation in Rajasthan. - The vehicle and scenery shown bear a striking resemblance to the famous truck from the Indian film “Road, Movie” (2009/2010), starring Abhay Deol, which was also filmed in the distinctive desert landscapes of Rajasthan. – 1990

Dromedaries and their guides near the city of Jaisalmer. These animals no longer carry spices, but instead transport tourists on excursions in the surrounding area. – 1990

Perhaps camels laden with spices once passed through here on their way across the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. In the distance, you can see a caravanserai where the camel drivers would rest at nightfall before continuing their long journey toward the Middle East the next morning. - 1990

A 13th-century relief depicting a camel driver in Moorish attire, located on a wall of the Palazzo dei Cammello (or Palazzo dei Mastelli) in Venice. It is easy to imagine that the dromedary’s pack-sack is filled with spices. – 1989