Image: India banyan tree Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR’s global reporters share photos of minutes from their lives and work all over the world.
August 6, 202511:21 AM ET
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Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR’s worldwide reporters share pictures of minutes from their lives and work worldwide.
Banyan trees are my continuous buddy as I take a trip in India. These trees sprawl out, sending out down roots that grow from their branches like ropes that kids swing on. In both Hindu and Muslim locations, it’s not uncommon to see oil lights nestled in respect at the tangle of banyan roots– the tree is viewed as life-giving. Often, there are strips of fabric fluttering off branches in hopes of prayers responded to.
The trees are likewise shade-giving, like this one I saw in late spring outside Dingucha town in the western state of Gujarat. These males were sitting rather still in the late-afternoon heat, capturing a break beside a stall that offers paan, a mix of ground betel nut and flavorings. The light looked sepia-toned– as if I ‘d entered an old picture– and I started snapping. There was no such break, however, for the stream of girls I saw strolling previous, stabilizing heavy pots of water on their heads– an intense job they’re often anticipated to duplicate a number of times a day.
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