Everyday Monuments
Punjabi villagers turn the mundane into items of symbolic importance
India is full of cultural monuments. Humayun’s Tomb, the Golden Temple and of course the resplendent Taj Mahal come to mind, magnificent structures clad in sandstone, gold or marble showcasing key moments in the evolution of the country and its inhabitants.
It may come as a surprise then to see what Punjabi villagers in the Doaba region of northwestern India have done to commemorate their side of the story.
About 100 brightly-colored statues of people, animals, vehicles, and airplanes sit atop their houses announcing to the world, and to each other, who they are and want they do. A tractor sculpture identifies the family as farmers.
A soccer player kicking a ball means that the inhabitants like sports. An airplane sculpture lets the neighbors know the family has the money to leave India in search of overseas success.
These statues began life as humble rooftop water tanks, large, round, plastic vessels inside concrete cubes or plinths. There’s nothing complicated about a water tank. Well water is pumped to the roof and gravity fed to the rest of the house below. Simple, dull…
