Notes from India: Up on the Rooftop

A good deal of Indian family life is played out upon their rooftops. Where every square foot of space comes at a high price, the open roof is like having another floor in which to live. When I'm in India I always relish the hours I spend on the "top of the world" just observing and soaking in the many layers of daily life I see and hear there.

What Can You Hear?

In the cities there is always noise from the ever-present throngs of traffic. Horns honk constantly sending their messages that allow all manner of vehicles to weave down the roads together with minimum numbers of accidents. There is also the continual addition to and repair of buildings so there are the clangs and bangs of tools and shouts of workers one to another. Sand, cement and dirt are carried in shallow metal pans upon the head and tossed with precise timing to other workers higher or lower on the building. High piles of bricks are balanced with ease, again on tops of heads. Watching the workers is entertaining; something like seeing the plate-balancing acts from old variety shows. You'll hear the voices of vendors calling out their wares on the streets far below as they walk the narrow lanes. They push their wooden carts up and down the maze of streets selling everything from vegetables to clothing. There is the sound of music blaring from radios and the rehearsals of the peculiar brass and drum bands that attend so many Hindu ceremonies including wedding processions, and there are the regular calls to prayer from the local mosques.

Local Wildlife

There is "wildlife" on the roofs of the buildings and overhead in the skies too. There are hawks, pigeons, parrots, songbirds, cats, chipmunks, lizards and bugs. On the crowded streets you will see cows, goats, pigs and lots of dogs who fight and chase one another. Foot traffic moves amongst them, barely noticing their presence.

The Children

Children play on the roof and I've observed them dropping small pebbles on unsuspecting people or animals far below. Sometimes they play house, doing pretend cooking or they play chase games as children do everywhere. Another rooftop favorite for boys in India is the drama of kite flying. Boys are deadly serious about this sport where the object is to cut the line of kites flying from the roofs of their neighbors.

A Place to Relax

In spite of all the noise of the city, there is a kind of ease and peacefulness on the rooftops. Women bathe their children and hang their wash on lines. They comb out freshly washed hair to dry in the sun. They stroll around visiting with one another and they clean and prepare herbs, spices and vegetables for the family meals. You can see people reading newspapers or just lounging on cots woven of leather or rope. When large groups gather to have a "function" the meals are usually served on the rooftops.

The Rhythm of Indian Life

All the rhythm of Indian city life is played out on the rooftops. There is always something to observe and enjoy. Work and play are mixed together and there's never the feeling that people are in a hurry. Through the haze of smog there are spectacular views of endless buildings as far as the eye can see, and the evenings offer beautiful sunsets. Slices of life; a glimpse into the lives of those we would love to know, it's all there up on the roof.