UP Secretariat car

In Devanagari by HindiRinnyLeave a Comment

Photo taken: March 2011. New Delhi.

उत्तर प्रदेश सचिवालय (Uttar Pradesh Secretariat)
राज्य सम्पत्ति विभाग (State Department Property)
उप्र ३२ बीजी ३७६५ (UP 32 BG 3765)

From my trip to New Delhi, here’s a beautiful old car, with an equally beautiful hand-lettered license plate. In the center, a painted version of the Uttar Pradesh state seal. I love the contrast of the two lettering styles, and the Nepali-style ५.

I know nothing about automobile history, but this appears to be a Hindustan Ambassador, by Hindustan Motors. I am assuming that this is the same model used by many cab drivers (when painted yellow, of course). I remember seeing a lot of them in Kolkata.

There are so many beautiful vehicles in India — classic cars and motorcycles, bicycle rickshaws, hand-pulled carts, decorated buses and trucks — American streets are so homogeneous! Blargh!

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