Evening in a Rabari village near the Little Rann of Kutch. A Rabari herdsman unties his milkcow.A Rabari woman playfully hides her face.The dhobi ghat in Mumbai or Bombay. All the laundry is done by men, mostly by hand although some had machines to spin the water out of the clothes. The clothes were hung out to dry on rooftop lines.A Harijan woman goes to the well for water. The young women wear the heavy nose ring for the first few years of their marriage. When it becomes too heavy, they wear a smaller ornament. A ribbon attached to a clip at the back of their head helps to hold up the heavy nose ring.Another young woman fetching water at the well in a village north of Bhuj, Gujarat.  She wears a typical heavy necklace, a smaller nose ornament and many bangles plus the white bracelets made of 'lac'. These colorful costumes are worn everyday. My clothing was rather dull compared to the Tribal women's and I wondered if they pitied me for my lack of finery.We visited this village near the Little Rann of Kutch. It was evening and this woman was enjoying the cool breeze after working all day. Perhaps she is no longer the beauty she once was, but to me her smile and the look in her eyes makes her beautiful. The tattoos on her legs and feet give the impression of a Roman sandal. Stylish.This man is a blacksmith in a small town near Baroda. The day I visited they were making scythes for cutting grain and grasses.Another blacksmith who seemed to be an apprentice.He sharpens a scythe.A Rabari boy who was eager to have his portrait taken, grabbed up a piece of cloth and tied it into a turban. I pressed the shutter as he stepped into the light. How beautiful he looks!The drummer boy! This cute little boy stood next to a gigantic drum in the Rabari temple and dazzled me with his smile.A small boy chases his 'hoop' made from an old bicycle tire.This activity was common during the 1920's in America. Maybe it can't compare with computer games, but this little fellow is having a wonderful time chasing it across the empty salt flats of Kutch.A village chai khana. Indian tea is boiled in milk. No water is needed. The chai man sweetens it to your request.Gwiakor Palace near Baroda. The palace was abandoned years ago but is still a lovely place. I used Painter 11 to turn my photo into a 'painting'. What fun!A cobbler in Khavda in northern Gujarat. This town is known for it's sweets and the fact that Pathan people live here. They emigrated from Pakistan generations ago, but have married within their group and so retain their distinctive facial features.The hands of a Rabari matron wearing silver cuffs.A young woman prepares to gather dung for the cooking fire. She will place the ring she holds in her left hand on her head and then the large metal bowl on that. The tribal women have gorgeous posture.A dhobi wallah, which means washerman, rinses clothing in his small pool of water. He wears a dress shirt and slacks which he has rolled to his knees. Each Dhobi walla has his own water filled cubicle. There is a large stone in the middle of it. He uses that to beat the clothes.Another Dhobi Wallah. He has the dry clothing all bundled and he will deliver them from his push cart.
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Evening in a Rabari village near the Little Rann of Kutch. A Rabari herdsman unties his milkcow.