Old Pushta

Last fall I wrote several posts about pushtas, the retaining walls that are everywhere on the Hillside trying to hold back the inevitable landslides. Walking along the Chukker last weekend I saw this older one that is going to need to be replaced before too long. The house above is pretty close to the edge; the owner would be best served to replace the pushta before it falls during a monsoon.

This close-up shows the loose stones and bulges that are gradually eroding it.

Just where Zig-zag path heads down near Sisters' Bazaar, we saw a rare object that used to be common. This is a kundi, a deep basket with a cutout and a seat for a rider to sit in. Back in the 1940s and 50s it was common for young children to ride between home and school in a kundi on a coolie's back. Even older people occasionally rode in them if they were on crutches or couldn't walk for some other reason. When I saw this and pulled out my camera, the coolie/owner called and wave to us from a nearby bench. He seemed happy that I wanted to take a picture. I wonder where he was going -- I haven't seen anyone in a kundi for over 30 years.