A Photo Exploration of India’s Ragtag Truck Culture

For centuries, the Grand Trunk Road has transported goods and culture across South Asian countries, by way of diagonally cutting through India to reach Afghanistan. Life along the ancient Indian highway is a chaotic clamor of horse-drawn carts, food stalls, cyclists, and trucks--the latter of which caught photographer Dan Eckstein’s eye while traveling through the north country. What struck Eckstein, specifically, were the ornate decorations adorning the looming highway vehicles. “The trucks are decorated like a high school kid would decorate their room or locker,” the Brooklyn-based photographer tells Co.Design. “It’s very much a reflection of who they are.” The images, beads, flowers, baubles, talismans, and so forth, express myriad things: Some trucks resemble mobile shrines, and depending on the region, brim over with Hindu, Muslim, or even Christ...