In pictures: On the buses in Rajasthan
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In a man's world
Vimlesh Sharma is a woman in a man's world. There are not many female bus drivers in India.
Twenty years ago, when Vimlesh lost her husband and child to typhoid, she knew no skills. "I went from door-to-door begging for work. I did odd jobs, but nothing worked out. Then I started learning to drive a truck." Why a truck? "Why not a truck?" she answers.
Words and pictures by Geeta Pandey -
For my parents
Today Vimlesh drives a bus from Jodhpur in western Rajasthan province to Surat in neighbouring Gujarat. Vimlesh says life's been one long hard drive.
"When I started driving, society shunned me. They questioned my morality. But I stood my ground and fought. All I care for is my parents. Whatever little I earn, I give to them," she says.
Vimlesh now owns the bus. "The manufacturer offered to waive the interest. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to afford it." -
Lord Shiva
In the bus, Vimlesh has set up a little altar to her favourite god, Lord Shiva. A marble statue of the deity, plastic roses and sweet-smelling incense sticks complete the picture.
"Whatever I am today is because of him. He keeps an eye on me as I drive," she says. -
Bus bathing
The bus leaves at 1800, travels the distance of 800km (500 miles) in about 16 hours and starts its return journey after a few hours' break.
Work is not easy. Vimlesh spends most of her time on the road. "I don't get much time to sleep or eat and sometimes even have to bathe in the bus. Sometimes there's a problem with the bus which needs fixing or I have to replace a tyre and I don't find the time to go home." -
Unfazed
Vimlesh is much respected by her colleagues for her grit. "She works a lot harder than I can," says Moolchand Chaudhary, who has been driving with her for the past 10 years. "She drives a bit fast, but she's safe," he says.
It takes courage to drive on India's highways - all sorts of vehicles hurtle towards you at breakneck speed. But Vimlesh seems unfazed. "That's one emotion I don't know," she says when asked if she ever feels fear while driving. -
Impressed
She's a big hit with the passengers too. Amit Dave is a computer student. Taking a ride on Vimlesh's bus, he's impressed and not just by the well-maintained, clean bus.
"It's wonderful. This is the first time I've seen a woman drive a bus. It's amazing. It's great for India." -
On a par
Among the passengers is Abhilasha Sancheti, an accountant and lawyer. "I feel elated. A woman should do everything a man does. I work alongside men, most of my colleagues are men, and it feels good to work on a par with them. Generally buses are driven by men so I feel great that a woman is behind the wheel."
Abhilasha's mother, Nirmal, says a woman bus driver gives them a feeling of safety. "If a woman can fly a plane, why can't she drive a bus?" she asks. -
Lewd remarks
At the local dhaba, or roadside tea stall, Vimlesh is treated as one of the men. "Initially when I started driving a truck, most men found it difficult to adjust to a woman on the road. Other truck drivers would pass lewd remarks, some even tried to misbehave. But I fought them all. I did not give up."
Now, on the buses, she says, it's different. She's respectfully addressed as "madam-ji". -
'Madam-ji'
At the end of the long drive, the entire crew of the bus gathers. It's time for a cup of tea and a few laughs. And a few secrets spill out.
"Madam-ji" has one drawback - she can swear and curse. "As soon as she wakes up, she utters at least 50 obscenities," says Moolchand Chaudhary. Vimlesh's excuse is "too much stress and tensions of daily life". -
Tax plea
Finally, home - to the room she rents in Jodhpur. The green walls are adorned with big colourful posters of Hindu gods and goddesses.
She bows her head to pray. "For tax cuts," she says. "I have to pay 40,000 rupees ($880) in taxes to the state governments of Rajasthan and Gujarat. With the loan I have taken for the bus, it's impossible to make ends meet. I'm going to ask the Rajasthan chief minister for a tax break." That might be a long journey for Vimlesh. -
wah...she dosent really looks so feminine