The Bicycles of Bhavnagar

Guest post by Ankur Z. Zalawadia

Bhavnagar is a coastal city in the state of Gujarat in India. The city has an old part (built before India gained independence in 1947) and a new part. In the old city you can find a sketch to draw in every corner. Almost every sketch of my bicycles is done in the old part of the city.

This is a typical narrow street in the city. I tried to catch the atmosphere here: narrow street, vivid colors of the walls, hanging saris. Wherever you start looking at the sketch your eyes will end on that red gent’s bicycle.

This is a typical old fashioned house with a red ladies’ bicycle in front of it. The house entrance, known as otala, is used to wash clothes and dishes.

This next bicycle is a milkman’s bicycle. Hanging on it are cans the milkman uses to deliver fresh milk to homes.

And this is a modern child’s bicycle, leaning against a wall instead of being propped up on its stand.

Bicycles are one of my favorite subjects. When I was a very small child, my dad used to take me and my younger brother for a ride on the family bicycle, which is one of my earliest memories.

Ankur Z. Zalawadia is a Professor in Anatomy at Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. You can see more of his work here on flickr