One of the most unbelievably specialized jobs I’ve ever come across, the plastic bucket fixers of India embody “Jugaad.” These guys are scrappy in all the right ways. Only making a few rupees per transaction, they make a living by walking around neighborhoods and fixing plastic buckets, an item that every household has at least one of. If you’ve never been a person who has lived with the reality of the bucket bath, there are many things that could go wrong with your bucket: 1) it could burn from the electric water warming rods, 2) the handle could break, 3) it could crack – ok maybe only three things could go wrong with your bucket. I am shocked these guys even make enough to feed themselves. How do they survive? What if you miss your chance to have your bucket fixed when the bucket guy walks by? These are questions for which the world needs solid answers.

The Lifecycle of an Elephant

The mythological story of Sati throwing herself on Lord Shiva’s funeral pyre has had more than just a place in Hindu mythological books. Reports of widows allowing themselves to be burnt alive hundreds of years ago has long plagued the minds of Westerners. For those who have more than elementary school book knowledge, we know that India is more than caste, cows and child marriage. Does sati still happen? Yes. Is it common? No.

Mussoorie has to be one of the eeriest microcosms on the planet. A hill station with stunning scenery, fresh weather and access to the plains of India, it is one of the highly coveted vacation spots for Indians and visitors alike. However, the sociological makeup of Mussoorie is one that leaves me scratching my head. As a highly accessible mountain area, many people end up there from all over the world from partying American college students doing internships at local hospitals to wandering goat herders from Garhwali villages. The Landour Language School and places lake Rokeby Manor throw you for a loop with their international guests, mingling amongst wandering Sadhus and pilgrims seeking solace in the cool foothills. The colonial history of Mussoorie hangs thick in the air along with the dense clouds that sweep your feet as you hike the mountain roads. The world needs to understand how all these people mix, mingle, and call Mussoorie their home.

Like any traveler, I’ve talked to a fair amount of Indian taxi drivers in various cities across the United States. On any given evening, a passenger will stories of young men who drive taxi in the evening while they study engineering at American universities during the day. One would see the crushed dreams of old men who came to the U.S. with intentions of practicing medicine in their youth, but couldn’t pass the USMLE, and ended up driving a taxi their whole lives to put their kids through college. The cabby hangouts in urban America are epicenters of conversation, food experimentation, networking, and even community development. What do these drivers see on a nightly basis? How do they interpret America nightlife when they come from some of the most conservative cultures in the world? Someone needs to take a camera, and capture these guys’ lives.