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{{Short description|Decorated trucks in the Indian subcontinent}}(File:Pakistani_truck.jpg|thumb|upright|250px|A typical decorated truck in Pakistan; most Pakistani trucks have an augmented rooftop to increase space for decoration){{multiple image|align=right|image1=A decorated truck in India.jpg|width1=122|image2=Artwork on a Rajasthan truck rear view (detail).jpg|width2=122|footer= Front and rear view of two trucks in India, showing detail of various decorative symbols used in Indian truck art}}Truck art in South Asia is a popular form of regional decoration, with trucks featuring elaborate floral patterns and calligraphy.WEB,weblink Pakistan's Indigenous Art of Truck Painting, Mughal, Owais, June 18, 2008, All Things Pakistan, February 10, 2015, WEB,weblink Tracing Truck Art beyond 'Horn OK Please': India and Pakistan's Truck Art tradition, 16 November 2016, Creative Yatra, en, 31 July 2017, Largely a domestic art in its early years especially in North India and Pakistan, the ideation of beautifying trucks, lorries, and rickshaws with multifaceted patterns and calligraphy was common., It is especially common in Pakistan and India.WEB, McKenzie, Sheena, 5 August 2015, Pimp my ride: The psychedelic world of Indian truck art,weblink CNN, en, For truckers in India, that means a kaleidoscope of colors, slogans, and intricately painted symbols that are as much about bling -- as shrewd business sense. ..."A better looking truck attracts more business," says Shantanu Suman, graphic designer and filmmaker behind 2013 documentary "Horn Please," which explores India's spectacular truck art tradition., 31 July 2017, During the War in Afghanistan, Pakistani decorated trucks that ran services between Pakistan and Afghanistan came to be known as jingle trucks by American troops and contractors who were deployed across the latter country.

History and origin

The concept of decorating transportation and vehicles goes back to Indus valley civilization era, where people used different items for decorations on transportation,WEB, Rathnayake, Zinara, 2022-09-01, Pakistan's Trucks Are Vibrant, Bedazzled Works of Art,weblink 2024-04-28, Atlas Obscura, en, in Sindh the art of transportation decoration is very ancient, back in time the wooden traditional Sindhi boats were beautifully carved with amazing designs and patterns, small mirrors were applied on it, the ivory inlaid, metal bells, Ghungroo, Phundra, beads, shells, colors and metal plates with dotted designs were used on boats and carts. The domestic animals used for different carts are also adorned with different jewelries which are specially made for these animals, Sindhis are very fond of decorating their domestic animals and spend alot of money for it, such jewelries are usually made of different metals but Silver and gold is also used. Another art of transportation decoration is camel hair cut, the camels were common in allover Sindh, the locals cut the hair on its skin in different floral designs and geometric patterns, and apply henna and black color.WEB, سنڌ جا زيور2 : (Sindhianaسنڌيانا),weblink 2024-04-28, www.encyclopediasindhiana.org, sd, WEB, Hamdani, Anas, 2018-08-22, Eid makeover: The art of camel barbering,weblink 2024-04-28, DAWN.COM, en, WEB, 2021-07-22, Pakistani barbers decorate camels with ancient motifs in elaborate Eid makeover,weblink 2024-04-28, Arab News PK, en, {{Multiple image| image1 = SukkurHolz.jpg

Ivory or elephant tooth designs and mirrors, made and used by Mohana (community)>Mohana| image2 = SukkurIndus.jpg| caption2 = Close look on the carvings and mirrorwork on the Sindhi boats.| image3 = PkSukkurIndusBoote3.jpg| caption3 = Woodcarving, metal petals with dotted design and mirrors on Sindhi boats.}}In early 20th century during British Raj the modern transportation like trucks were introduced in Sindh, in Karachi "General motors" first introduced trucks in 1930s, the locals started decorating these trucks, after partition Karachi became the biggest city and was hub of truck art.The concept of truck art itself generally goes back to the 1920s during British rule over South Asia.WEB, Dianna, Wray, December 2021, Pakistani Art Trucks on a Bridge of Culture,weblink January 28, 2024, AramcoWorld, WEB, 2018-04-11, Truck art from Pakistan,weblink 2024-01-29, Zahra's Blog + Brown Lady Art Collective, en, However, it wasn't until the 1950s in Karachi that it began to become widespread, by artist Hajji Hussain.WEB, Sheikh, Ziyad, 2021-11-05, Pakistan's Truck Art: A Beautiful Expression...,weblink 2024-01-29, Paradigm Shift, en-US, The term "jingle truck" is military slang that was coined by American troops serving in Afghanistan, although it may also date back to the British colonial period. The term came to be because of the jingling sound that the trucks make due to the chains and pendants hanging from the bumpers of the vehicles.WEB,weblink A Way With Words, Barrett, Grant, 26 May 2005, 2 September 2017, Practice File:A truck being painted near Cochin, India.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|left|Truck being painted in KochiKochiMany trucks and buses are highly customized and decorated by their owners. External truck decoration can cost thousands of dollars.WEB,weblink On Wings of Diesel: The Decorated Trucks of Pakistan, Elias, Jamal, 2005, Amherst Magazine, February 10, 2015, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140517232757weblink">weblink May 17, 2014, The decoration often contains elements that remind the truck drivers of home, since they may be away from home for months at a time.NEWS,weblink Pakistan's truck art inspires catwalk fashion range - BBC News, BBC News, 2016-10-23, The art is a mode of expression for the truck drivers.WEB,weblink Inside the World of Indian Truck Art, Vice.com, 2019-07-05, 2019-09-18, Decoration may include structural changes, paintings, calligraphy and ornamental-decor like mirror work on the front and back of vehicles and wooden carvings on the truck doors. Depictions of various historical scenes and poetic verses are also common.WEB,weblink Masterpieces to Go: The Trucks of Pakistan, Covington, Richard, Spring 2005, Saudi Aramco World, February 10, 2015, Outfitting is often completed at a coach workshop.WEB,weblink The Painted Trucks of Pakistan, Nyland, Tim, October 19, 2006, Penn Current, University of Pennsylvania, February 10, 2015, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110113101127weblink">weblink January 13, 2011, Chains and pendants often dangle off the front bumper.Pakistan's Dazzling 'Jingle Trucks' Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (www.rferl.org). June 14, 2017. Retrieved on 2017-06-19. In India, motifs depicting eagles, kites, cow nuzzling calf and nazar battu, and catchphrases like "Horn OK Please", "Blow Horn" and "Use Dipper at Night" are frequently seen.WEB,weblink India's Vibrant and Idiosyncratic Truck Art, hyperallergic.com, Iyengar, Radhika, 2 June 2021, 17 May 2022, Religious iconography, poetry and political logos are also common.WEB,weblink Ode to the Road: Truck Art of North India, Kafle, Dinesh, Sahapedia.org, 22 March 2021, 17 May 2022, An example of such a space, the bumpers of the trucks in North India are often painted with couplets and quartets. Among North Indian trucks, those registered in Uttar Pradesh often carry writings that are closest to what we call truck literature: couplets and quartets., Artists One of the most prominent truck artists is Haider Ali. Trained by his father from his youth, he first came to international attention in 2002 when he painted a Pakistani truck as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.NEWS, Hart, Hugh, 14 November 2014, A Jingle Truck Artist Brings The Mobile Art Of Pakistan To America,weblink Fast Company, 17 August 2017, Nafees Ahmad Khan, a truck art artist in Indore, is well known throughout India and has been designing one truck every day for over thirty-two years. Mr. Syed Phool Badshah, also known as Phool ji, is a well known truck artist who is best known for his unique style of doing Fine Arts with Truck art.WEB, Syed Phool Badshah – Karachi Art Directory,weblink 2020-06-28, en-US, Regional styles File:Tank truck on Phuentsholing-Thimphu highway, Bhutan.jpg|thumb|A tanker truck in Bhutan with Tibetan buddhist symbols like the snow lion used for decoration]]In Pakistan, Karachi is a major city centre for truck art, though there are other hubs in Rawalpindi, Swat, Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore. Trucks from Balochistan and Peshawar are often heavily trimmed with wood, while trucks from Rawalpindi and Islamabad often feature plastic work. Camel bone ornamentation and predominance of red colours is commonly seen on trucks decorated in Sindh.In India, the Delhi-based artist Tilak Raj Dhir states that the slogans he adds to his truck art, which is prevalent throughout the National Capital Region, often change with the socio-political atmosphere.WEB,weblink Meet the men who convert trucks into colourful canvases, Sharma, Manoj, 20 April 2015, Hindustan Times, en, 1 August 2017, The state of Punjab is considered a major centre of truck art in India, with a distinctive style and expert artists.WEB,weblink India's trucks are works of art, Johnny, Harris, Christina, Thornell, 17 July 2019, 17 May 2022, Vox (website), Vox, Poetry is commonly seen in truck art across northern India, and particularly in Uttar Pradesh. Truck art in Hindi and Urdu is sometimes called Phool Patti.WEB,weblink HERITAGE: SAYING IT WITH FLOWERS, 22 April 2018, dawn.com, en, WEB, Dover Rug & Home Presents Truck Artist, Haider Ali,weblink Wellesley Weston Magazine, 17 September 2019, 30 July 2015, In recent years, Ali and his students, and their students, have started a company they named Phool Patti, which translates to ‘flowers leaves’ in Urdu/Hindi., Influence File:Naan_sense_peshawar.jpg|thumb|upright|250px|Truck art decorates the façade of a business in Peshawar, PakistanPakistanTruck art has extended beyond the decoration and ornamentation of trucks into other forms and media. Cars Though cars are not traditionally decorated in South Asia, there are examples of cars embellished in a truck art style. In 2009, The Foxy Shahzadi, a 1974 VW Beetle decorated in a truck art style, travelled from Pakistan to France in a 25-day journey.NEWS, Foxy Shahzadi running away for good,weblink 13 June 2014, The Dawn, 24 December 2010, NEWS, Walsh, Declan, From Pakistan to Paris, by VW Beetle,weblink 13 June 2014, The Guardian, 9 November 2010, In the Indian city of Mumbai, some drivers decorate their taxis in a truck art style.WEB,weblink Indian Truck Art and Taxi Design-artnet News, Kinsella, Eileen, 5 August 2015, Artnet, en, 1 August 2017, Buses The buses in Asia are colorful wonders to behold. They are decorated with fancy paintings that blend spiritual images with nature motifs. In Pakistan, these ornate buses and trucks feature beloved folk art. The so-called "jingle trucks" of Pakistan showcase this art tradition all over the country. Each vehicle displays complex designs and patterns, made by talented local artisans.WEB,weblink Did You Know These Surprising Facts About Buses?, bustiming.in, 30 November 2023, Fashion The lively colours of Pakistani trucks have inspired some fashion designers.NEWS, Pakistan's truck art inspires catwalk fashion range,weblink 13 June 2015, BBC, 17 August 2012, The Italian fashion company Dolce & Gabbana used truck art-inspired displays in a 2015 campaign.NEWS, Sheikh, Ibriz, Pakistani truck art takes over streets of Milan,weblink 13 September 2015, The Express Tribune, 30 May 2015, Although used more often on women's fashion, some men's clothing have been inspired by South Asian truck art.WEB,weblink Truck art and fashion, pakistantruckart.com, 16 October 2015, Apart from clothing, truck art has also been incorporated into shoes by some.WEB,weblink Pakistani truck artist gives new flair to kicks, Forbes India, 17 May 2022, Print Design Farid Bawa, an Indian graphic designer, collaborates with Indian truck artists to make and sell prints of truck art online in a bid to preserve the tradition of truck art.WEB,weblink Shrivastava, Cara, This Collective Is Taking India's Unique Truck Art To The World, 17 May 2022, Homegrown.co.in, 8 June 2021, Gallery File:The symbol of art (1015808925).jpg|Decorations can be highly detailed.File:Pakistani_decorated_Wheels_Trucks.jpg|All parts of the truck are highly embellished.File:Such beauty (1015799377).jpg|Wood-paneling is often carved in high detail.File:Indiatruck.jpg|The phrase "Horn Please" is used extensively in Indian truck art.File:Sisters_getting_ready.jpg|The backs of Pakistani trucks are often intricately decorated.File:Gilgit-Skardu_road.JPG|Decorated trucks can be found in even the most remote corners of Pakistan.File:Traffic jam on the Rohtang.jpg|Decorated trucks stuck in a traffic jam at the remote Rohtang pass in Himachal Pradesh.File:Truck Pulled over due to lockdown in Nepal-Shambhunath Municipality , Nepal-4553.jpg|Truck art in Nepal often contains modern symbols alongside traditional ones.File:PK Truck on N-5 near Thatta asv2020-02 img2.jpg|Two decorated trucks on Pakistan's N-5 National Highway.File:Colourful afghan truck.jpg|Decorated truck in Afghanistan.File:Goods carrier on Chowpatty beach.jpg|Decorated truck at a beach in Mumbai.File:A truck being washed near Bangalore.jpg|Driver washing decorated truck near Bangalore.File:W-P-AD20070217-16h21m13s-e.jpg|A decorated truck in the wood-paneled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa style.File:KolkataTrash.JPG|A decorated garbage truck in Kolkata, India.File:Fuel trucks (3879104430).jpg|Decorated Indian fuel trucks in LadakhFile:Jingle truck in Delaram, Afghanistan 01.jpg|Jingle truck in Delaram, Afghanistan.File:Truck in Rangpo, Sikkim.jpg|In SikkimFile:A road leads to Sharda, Neelum Valley AJK.JPG|Many local buses in Pakistan are decorated with truck art.File:El Gouna Bus R01.jpg|A public transport bus in El Gouna, Egypt customised and highly decorated in Pakistani styleFile:London - Pakistani decorated bus.jpg|A Pakistani-decorated bus on Euston Road, London.File:Karachi tram nightime melbourne.jpg|The Karachi to Melbourne Tram, decorated by Pakistani truck artists, during the 2006 Commonwealth Games See also Karachi to Melbourne Tram Dekotora Tap tap References {{Reflist|2}} External links {{commons category|Decorated trucks in Pakistan}}{{commons category|Decorated trucks in India}}{{commons category|Decorated trucks in Afghanistan}}{{commons category|Decorated vehicles in Pakistan}}{{commons category|Jingle trucks}} Pictures of decorated Pakistani trucks In Pictures: The Colourful and Magnificent Truck Art of India by Tanaya Singh Horn Please (Documentary) Flickr photos More Flickr photos US Military blog, nice photos CNN site