0:00:03 > 0:00:06We're going on an incredible journey.
0:00:09 > 0:00:14Driving through one of the most crowded and chaotic countries on Earth.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15This is chaos!
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Taking two very different cars.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24No way! How many headlights?!
0:00:24 > 0:00:26On two very different road trips.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29What's this?! Does the rubbish come free?
0:00:31 > 0:00:36Risking life and limb on some of the most dangerous roads in the world.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Look at this! Oh, my God! Look, he's on the fast lane.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43It seems we are properly stuck.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48But this journey has a very serious purpose.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52India's car industry is booming,
0:00:52 > 0:00:56helping power the country's extraordinary economic growth.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09But out in India's heartlands, the economic revolution
0:01:09 > 0:01:13is leaving hundreds of millions of people behind.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Namaste.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17He is telling his land his here.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Whoo!
0:01:19 > 0:01:23As India embraces a motoring revolution
0:01:23 > 0:01:26we'll be asking whether this vast nation
0:01:26 > 0:01:29can really turn itself into a global superpower.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34We've been fighting for the last 45 years.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And what impact such a transformation could have
0:01:39 > 0:01:41on India's ancient traditions.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46And the rest of the world.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Delhi. India's capital.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13This is the starting point for our epic journeys.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18I'm Anita Rani and I know this city well.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Justin Rowlatt, though, is a first-time visitor,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and I'm taking him to a must-stop for any Indian petrol-head.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27So this is car parts bazaar. You see up on the top
0:02:27 > 0:02:31of all these buildings, that's where they store all their parts.
0:02:31 > 0:02:36- You've got car bonnets, bumpers, exhausts.- All piled up there?- Yeah, on the tops of these buildings.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40- You name it, that's where they store it.- Car Parts'R'Us!
0:02:40 > 0:02:44- Some wonderful old steering wheels there.- Hub caps.- Suspension.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47If you want to pimp your ride, you come here.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Before we set off,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53we need something no new driver in India can live without.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55TOOTS HORN
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- I love it.- That's a good horn! - Brilliant.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59HONK!
0:02:59 > 0:03:02That's so loud!
0:03:02 > 0:03:05- Have you got one that goes... - HE SINGS "DIXIE"
0:03:05 > 0:03:10HORN PLAYS "JINGLE BELLS"
0:03:14 > 0:03:16- Anita, I've found my horn. - Bloody awful.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Look at that, that's a monster.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24'Negotiations open, and the dealer's quick to take advantage of Justin's enthusiasm.'
0:03:24 > 0:03:30- 5,000?!- 'Fortunately, I'm able to lend a hand.'
0:03:30 > 0:03:32That's 80 quid.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34I know, it's crazy. SHE SPEAKS IN DIALECT
0:03:34 > 0:03:36- 1,000.- 1,000.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39- 2,000?- 2,000, 2,000.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43- SHE SPEAKS IN DIALECT - 2,000?- 2,000.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49- Good man. Good deal. - Justin, do you know how to attach this to your car?- No idea.
0:03:49 > 0:03:55'Navigating the Delhi street traders, though, is just a first taste of what's in store.'
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Because Anita and I are going to be attempting to drive
0:04:00 > 0:04:06thousands of miles through India, along two very different routes.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I'll be discovering a very modern India,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14making my way down to Mumbai, the financial capital,
0:04:14 > 0:04:18and then on to Bangalore, Asia's Silicon Valley.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23While I'll be hitting the back roads in search of an older,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26traditional India -
0:04:26 > 0:04:29bumping my way down to the colonial capital of Calcutta,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32and into the ancient tribal lands of Orissa.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35The plan, if we make it at all,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39is to meet up in the mega-port of Chennai in just three weeks' time.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52To discover my modern India, I need a very modern Indian car.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57This here is the Mahindra Bolero.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Made in India, designed in India, Indians love it,
0:05:00 > 0:05:05because everything about this screams Indian middle-class aspiration.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10India has one the fastest-growing car industries on Earth.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Factories here produce millions of cars.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Everything from small run-arounds to luxury saloons.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Among the more upmarket options,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24the Mahindra Bolero is India's top-selling 4x4.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28ENGINE STARTS
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It's not bad, is it? I've ordered myself one.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Top of the range, in black.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35For my traditional journey,
0:05:35 > 0:05:39though, I'm on the hunt for the quintessential Indian motor.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47The Hindustan Ambassador, or Amby as it's affectionately known,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49has been made in India since 1948.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Its solid-steel chassis has protected presidents and prime ministers,
0:05:55 > 0:06:00starred in countless movies, and charmed tourists in iconic taxi cabs.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05And I reckon I've sniffed out a good one.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06This must be it.
0:06:06 > 0:06:12Its proud owner surprisingly wants to part with a 14-year-old classic.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13Mr Singh?
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Gulsharan Singh. Hello?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- Is this the car? - Yes, this is my own car.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Solid, isn't it? ..Oh, this is it. This is the accelerator?
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Do it again.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Well, it works, but, um...
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- Oh! - HE LAUGHS
0:06:32 > 0:06:38- What about the air conditioning? Air con.- Air conditioning is just a fan.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40This is... Ho-ho!
0:06:43 > 0:06:50Oh, my...! What's this? Does the rubbish come free? Free gift.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Look at that!
0:06:54 > 0:06:56We'll have it.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02This doesn't bode well, we can't even close it!
0:07:02 > 0:07:06A dodgy bonnet, though, could be the least of our worries.
0:07:08 > 0:07:14Police CCTV reveals just how dangerous Indian roads really are.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17125,000 people are killed here every year.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20That's 15 road deaths an hour.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25And Justin and I have got thousands of miles to cover.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30I'm quite worried about what it will be like
0:07:30 > 0:07:33actually having to get on the roads.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36I think once I've had a go tomorrow,
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I'll probably feel a bit better about it.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42But up until that point, a big part of me is genuinely afraid.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48I'm even more worried for Justin.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52While my gleaming Mahindra rests in its showroom,
0:07:52 > 0:07:58a team of mechanics is working flat out just to weld his Amby into one piece.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02Oddly, though, he seems full of confidence.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06The thing's a tank, it's rock solid, and you want to feel confident
0:08:06 > 0:08:11that if you do have a little knock, let's hope it doesn't happen,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13but if you do, you'll come out on top.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23It's morning.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27And to give me a fighting chance of making it across
0:08:27 > 0:08:29rural India in one piece,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33I've recruited a local guide and co-driver.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38You must be Abra. Hi. And the car's out of the garage.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Yeah, at last. They said they did their best.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42They did their best?!
0:08:42 > 0:08:47- So, is it going to make it all the way down to Chennai?- Let's see!
0:08:47 > 0:08:52I'm itching to get going, so shall we go? Let's go!
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Back at the hotel,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00my co-driver's arriving with my new Mahindra Bolero.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03No way! How many headlights?
0:09:03 > 0:09:07This is...awesome.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11I don't think I'm going to have any problems driving on the roads in India, somehow.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Hello, Taji! This is Taji, he's going to be my co-driver,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18because we are travelling just shy of 2,000 miles.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23So, he's going to give me a hand. His English isn't great, but I speak a bit of Punjabi.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Shall we give it a go? Look at the grill!
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Leather interior!
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Two very different cars
0:09:37 > 0:09:41about to embark on two very different journeys.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44HORN TOOTS
0:09:45 > 0:09:49You are joking? You are not serious!
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Check out my wheels!
0:09:51 > 0:09:53- This is outrageous. - Isn't it wicked?
0:09:53 > 0:09:57- How big is this?- Er, 2.5.- 2.5? Air conditioning, no doubt?
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Air conditioning, CD player.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01- Power steering... - Electric windows, the works.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05- It's a beast.- I don't want to be rude but this car, Anita, is vulgar.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Come on! This is what it's all about, Justin.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- This is modern India, mate. - Check my ride!- What the...?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13You see, mine makes up in style...
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- No, Justin, it's a hunk of junk. - She's a solid little engine.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18It's a rust bucket.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21I have got something for you, a little gift. A little Auntie-ji.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23INDIAN ACCENT: Auntie-ji!
0:10:23 > 0:10:24To help you as you travel across India.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27By Chennai, you'll be doing this as well.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30I will after bouncing along those Indian roads!
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- Thank you. See you in Chennai. - See you in Chennai.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35- In three weeks.- See you there.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Here we go!
0:10:39 > 0:10:43If all goes to plan, we'll meet again far to the south
0:10:43 > 0:10:45on the edge of the Indian Ocean.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49ENGINE ROARS
0:10:59 > 0:11:01The first leg of my journey
0:11:01 > 0:11:04is going to take me out through the wide avenues of New Delhi
0:11:04 > 0:11:09to the rapidly expanding city of Jaipur, 150 miles away.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Left, yes.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18I'm going to overtake this three-wheeler. Come on!
0:11:18 > 0:11:21HORN TOOTS And that's how you do it, you bop your horn.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25HORNS SQUEAL
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Across town, and I'm still trying to get out of Old Delhi.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31HORN TOOTS
0:11:32 > 0:11:37Abra, this is chaos. No room whatsoever. How do I signal?
0:11:37 > 0:11:38SEVERAL HORNS BLAST
0:11:38 > 0:11:41You can't just walk in front of cars!
0:11:41 > 0:11:43HORN BLASTS
0:11:43 > 0:11:46What do you mean, what am I doing? Not in the middle of the road!
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I honestly can't believe it.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53This is much worse than I thought it would be.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57I thought that cars might be a bit aggressive towards us
0:11:57 > 0:12:01but not pedestrians, children, people on bicycle rickshaws.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08- How do you feel?- I feel tired.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12I've been driving for three minutes. Already I'm exhausted.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- I'm pouring with sweat. - This is just the beginning.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30I'm joining the first stretch of what's modestly called
0:12:30 > 0:12:33the Golden Quadrilateral Highway,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37a vast new road network linking India's biggest cities.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43To make space for the millions and millions of new cars here,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46the government is spending £10 billion a year
0:12:46 > 0:12:50to build an incredible 15 miles of new road every single day.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56It's opening up this country like never before, transforming India.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Here in Gurgaon, right on the outskirts of Delhi,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04ancient farmland is being torn up
0:13:04 > 0:13:07to answer the urgent call of modernisation.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10This road, which is very obviously under construction,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13just a few days ago was still farmland.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18In fact, all this area around here was fields of wheat, barley and mustard.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21At this incredible rate of development,
0:13:21 > 0:13:26they say within the next ten years, Gurgaon will have no farmland left whatsoever.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39To get out of Delhi and into the country's rural heartlands
0:13:39 > 0:13:44I'm passing a powerful symbol of India's new status on the world stage.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52India's very first Formula 1 circuit.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58Since its tarmac's still wet, I'm not allowed onto the track itself.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01But alongside it, I've found the next best thing
0:14:01 > 0:14:05to finally get my Amby's pistons pumping.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Look at this. This vast highway is supposed to be closed.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13But I just drove up and said, "Would it be OK if we had a go on it?" They said, "Go ahead."
0:14:13 > 0:14:17So this is my chance to put this baby through her paces.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Woo-hoo!
0:14:25 > 0:14:29MUSIC: "On The Road Again" by Canned Heat
0:14:35 > 0:14:38HORN TOOTS
0:14:42 > 0:14:47I'm amazed at how much India is expanding,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49the amount of construction work that's going on.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Maybe it's because I've been travelling around the roads
0:14:53 > 0:14:56but it seems that it's happening everywhere.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01Six-lane motorways being cut through farmland!
0:15:03 > 0:15:08The Indian roads are... they're just chaos.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11You drive along and literally anything can happen.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15You've got to be constantly, constantly, constantly alert.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20If you stop concentrating for just one moment,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23you could easily have a horrific accident.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26In fact, I'm amazed that I haven't seen more accidents
0:15:26 > 0:15:30because it's just so dangerous.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44India boasts an astonishing two million miles of roads,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47second only to the USA.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Most are just dirt tracks,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52but spanking new tarmac highways like this
0:15:52 > 0:15:57mean faster journeys for people and products.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00And new roads are bringing new economic opportunities.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03As well as the roads being built
0:16:03 > 0:16:09come the businesses that need to be on the side of the road for the people travelling.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14So you've got everything that you'd expect - cafes, snack shops,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18but also shops selling car parts, tyres.
0:16:18 > 0:16:24Anything you can think of that you'd need. Phone shops, hotels, temples.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28Any time of the day, if you want something, no problem!
0:16:44 > 0:16:49India's economy is growing by an impressive 8% a year.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52For a country that's been a byword for grinding poverty,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56that's little short of an economic miracle.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59But rapid growth comes at a cost.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08My Amby and I have reached Agra.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11It's the number-one stop on India's tourist trail.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14People flood here for one very special reason.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20The Taj Mahal pulls in three million visitors a year.
0:17:26 > 0:17:32But one of the great wonders of the world is facing an uncertain future.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Brij Khandelwal, a local environmental campaigner,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40believes air pollution is damaging this remarkable building.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45That patch over there doesn't look healthy to me.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It looks sick and tired.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51- The colour has changed?- Yes, and the stress is visible on the stones.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55All these patches and marks over here seem to suggest
0:17:55 > 0:18:01that there is some effect of pollution or atmospheric changes.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Actually, all the way down here, this looks like staining.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Staining, yes, yes.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10How can you say that discolouration is down to pollution?
0:18:10 > 0:18:15Someone will have to do a study and prove if it's natural or man-made.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Brij thinks it's the expansion of traffic in Agra
0:18:19 > 0:18:22that's responsible for the damage.
0:18:22 > 0:18:28In 1985, we had only about 40,000 registered vehicles, when the size of the district was pretty big.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34But now the figure has gone beyond 740,000 registered vehicles and the number is going up.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Hold on. That's about 20 times as many in less than 20 years.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Yes. Now everybody has a vehicle in Agra.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44The small kids driving, they are all using petrol-based vehicles.
0:18:44 > 0:18:50The nitrates and the nitrogen oxide level has gone up.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53That will definitely have some effect on the marble.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Disfigure, discolour, or even erode the surface.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04There's no definitive agreement as to what's affecting the marble of the Taj,
0:19:04 > 0:19:08whether it's pollution, or time, or perhaps a bit of both.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14But it seems to me that the emissions
0:19:14 > 0:19:19from hundreds of thousands of vehicles certainly can't be helping.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24And it's not only India's greatest monument that's under threat.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Across town there are signs that air pollution is affecting
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Agra's four million inhabitants as well.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35The city's main respiratory hospital
0:19:35 > 0:19:40treats patients suffering from diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Dr Gupta, thank you very much indeed for seeing me here.
0:19:43 > 0:19:50Dr Devendra Gupta has seen a dramatic leap in the number of people seeking his help.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53More than 50% of the population will suffer from respiratory diseases.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- Half the population will have respiratory illness?- Yes.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00It is more common among young ages, boys and girls.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03They are subjected more to the dust environment
0:20:03 > 0:20:06when they are going to school, coming from school.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09The number of vehicles has increased like anything.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14What effect does that have on the patients that you see here at the hospital?
0:20:14 > 0:20:17They are suffering from more diseases.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20- As pollution increases, the number of patients increases. - It's that simple?
0:20:20 > 0:20:22That simple. As it is, as it is.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27It's stark evidence of the human cost of India's economic boom.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34Over half the world's most polluted cities are now in India.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40And cars must take some of the blame.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45New cars and new roads are critical
0:20:45 > 0:20:48to sustaining the country's expanding economy.
0:20:48 > 0:20:54But at what price to India's heritage and its people?
0:21:04 > 0:21:06150 miles to the west,
0:21:06 > 0:21:11I've reached another of India's historic cities - Jaipur.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16This is the India we so often see on the covers of tour guides,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19colourful, magical and exotic.
0:21:28 > 0:21:33In Jaipur, like much of the rest of India, the local economy is booming.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39Tourists are pouring in along those brand-new roads in increasing numbers,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43bringing with them billions of pounds' worth of valuable foreign currency.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48But that success story is also creating new problems.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Behind me is Jaipur.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Built in the early 18th century,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08it's said to be one of India's first planned cities,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12but now it's expanded way beyond the original walls.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15You can just make out, through the heat haze,
0:22:15 > 0:22:19the new urban sprawl which goes as far as the eye can see.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27In the last decade, India's population grew by over 180 million.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33As rural, predominantly young people flood into the cities
0:22:33 > 0:22:35in search of better lives,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39the population of places like Jaipur is simply going through the roof.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Entering the old city, the problem is striking.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51You can see immediately that they're trying to expand this road
0:22:51 > 0:22:54but they're obviously going to have problems
0:22:54 > 0:22:56because there's physically no space to do it.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05The promise of employment,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08with a good living to be made from the tourist trade,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11attracts migrants from all over India.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22Many new arrivals come in on India's famous network of trains.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25But after journeys of hundreds of miles,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29some don't get any further than Jaipur's central station.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Beneath a new flyover right beside the station,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39there's a world far removed from the tourist trail.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47This is home to hundreds of Jaipur's street children.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51SHE SPEAKS IN DIALECT
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Teenager Selma has spent her whole life here.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57THEY SPEAK IN DIALECT
0:24:00 > 0:24:02She's asking her mum how old she is.
0:24:04 > 0:24:0719? 19.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12She's her daughter. She's called Sanya. She's one year old.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14THEY SPEAK IN DIALECT
0:24:18 > 0:24:22I said, "Was she born in hospital?" She says she was born at home, which means right here.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30I said to her, "What's it like here?" She says it's nice.
0:24:36 > 0:24:42Charity worker Prabhakar Goswami has been helping support children here since 1993.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46How big is the problem at the moment? How many children are we talking about?
0:24:46 > 0:24:50There is an estimation only that half a million children
0:24:50 > 0:24:53are on the street or pavement or in a slum area.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Half a million children.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58How old are these children that come here alone?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01At any time, four or five, six.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Four years old?
0:25:02 > 0:25:06- Children will come on their own at four years old?- Yeah, yeah.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- They've come to find a better life. - Better life.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10But they don't seem to get beyond the train station,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- because we're still literally under the bridge.- Yeah.
0:25:15 > 0:25:16The children here survive
0:25:16 > 0:25:20by scouring through other people's rubbish.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26These water bottles will be washed, refilled and resold.
0:25:31 > 0:25:38- What are we looking at, Prabhakar? - Children are boarding the train from here.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42And they will again collect the used bottles,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46and then they will bring the bottles here
0:25:46 > 0:25:49and they will clean it, recycle it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Whatever people have discarded, that is an asset to them.
0:25:53 > 0:25:54It's an asset.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59- They can earn their bread and butter through that.- Right.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Do they get injured?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04- Sometimes.- It's quite dangerous.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05Yeah, quite dangerous.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13While these kids survive by recycling old bottles from the trains,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17nearby, there's another migrant community
0:26:17 > 0:26:19who scavenge from the roadside.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25These families collect old tyres.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30Some are recycled. Others are chopped up and sold as cheap fuel.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37But with Prabhakar's help,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40their children could be saved from the same fate.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Hello.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44Thank you.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47'His charity, I-India,
0:26:47 > 0:26:48'arranges daily classes
0:26:48 > 0:26:53'for over a thousand street children across the city.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56'I'm joining an afternoon music lesson.'
0:26:56 > 0:27:01They're about to perform a popular nursery rhyme which is very appropriate for our trip,
0:27:01 > 0:27:02because it's about the motor car.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05# La la la la la la la!
0:27:05 > 0:27:08# Me me me me me La la la la! #
0:27:08 > 0:27:10CHILDREN GIGGLE
0:27:10 > 0:27:11I'm just getting my voice ready.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15TEACHER SINGS
0:27:15 > 0:27:19(TRANSLATES) "My father drives a motor car."
0:27:19 > 0:27:23TEACHER CONTINUES SINGING
0:27:23 > 0:27:25CHILDREN REPEAT LINE OF SONG
0:27:25 > 0:27:28"They put diesel in his car."
0:27:33 > 0:27:36TEACHER AND CHILDREN CONTINUE SINGING
0:27:36 > 0:27:40"My father pushes his car to get it started."
0:27:46 > 0:27:50Many of these children have never been to school before.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57A basic education is vital if they're to break the cycle of poverty.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04They are getting lessons in Hindi, English, of course,
0:28:04 > 0:28:10mathematics and general knowledge, social values, painting.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14- So everything that normal children would learn in school?- Yeah.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19'As well as an education, these kids get to experience another luxury.'
0:28:19 > 0:28:21All right, time to brush your teeth.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23'A twice weekly wash.'
0:28:23 > 0:28:28These kids' parents can't afford toothpaste. You only have to look at the mum and dad's teeth
0:28:28 > 0:28:30to see that they've never seen a toothbrush.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Oh! Shower time!
0:28:38 > 0:28:42Whoo! Kiddies, time to get hosed down.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Oh! Shampoo. Shampoo time.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53'Travelling across India along its new highways, it's easy to forget
0:28:53 > 0:28:57'that many people are locked out of the country's economic miracle.'
0:28:57 > 0:28:58Here it comes!
0:28:58 > 0:29:02'Projects like this help a few.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05'But it hardly touches the other half a million children
0:29:05 > 0:29:09'living in abject poverty just in Jaipur alone.'
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Day three, and my trusty Amby and I are heading on
0:29:31 > 0:29:33from Agra to Varanasi,
0:29:33 > 0:29:38a sacred place of pilgrimage for India's majority Hindu population.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43And I'm making pretty good progress myself,
0:29:43 > 0:29:48speeding out of Jaipur towards Udaipur,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50250 miles to the south.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02The further I travel,
0:30:02 > 0:30:06the more I see evidence of India's growing economic might.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13This country boasts vast natural resources and a huge, cheap labour force.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18We in the West should be paying attention,
0:30:18 > 0:30:22because it's coming our way as Indian ambitions go global.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Ah, Indian Oil.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Now, this is something that I'm seeing a lot of,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46which you wouldn't have seen 10 or 15 years ago -
0:30:46 > 0:30:47Indian petrol stations.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51It was only this year that an Indian oil company,
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Essar, bought a Shell refinery in Cheshire - that's right -
0:30:55 > 0:31:00which supplies 15% of all UK fuel.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04Which means we may be seeing a lot more
0:31:04 > 0:31:08of these Indian petrol stations in the UK.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13# Oh, keep your eyes on the road
0:31:13 > 0:31:17# Your hand upon the wheel
0:31:19 > 0:31:22# Keep your eyes on the road
0:31:22 > 0:31:25# Your hand upon the wheel... #
0:31:33 > 0:31:36'Indian petrol stations may be about to spread across the globe,
0:31:36 > 0:31:37'but I'm not so sure
0:31:37 > 0:31:41'Britain is quite ready for Indian service stations.'
0:31:41 > 0:31:46- Can I try some of this stuff, whatever that is?- Yeah.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50- This is called pakoras. - Mmm! That's nice.
0:31:50 > 0:31:56- Freshly made, yeah.- It's what you eat with tea instead of biscuits.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59You won't see any biscuits here.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Don't know about that! Right...
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Chai, that's tea stewed with milk and sugar.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12It's a nice drink.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Oh, it's piping hot.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18- You just smash them?- Yeah.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39What...is...that?
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Health and safety?
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Looks like he's had an accident,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49picked himself up and started driving again.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00- What, what happened? Bunty, what happened?- Peacock.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05- A peacock?- Yeah.- What, jumped up and hit the car? I can't help but laugh.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09This is a peacock-related accident? You've got to laugh.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14This is the crew car that follows my car. And we laugh, but actually,
0:33:14 > 0:33:15this could be very dangerous.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18It certainly was for the peacock!
0:33:18 > 0:33:21# Keep your eyes on the road
0:33:21 > 0:33:24# Your hand upon the wheel... #
0:33:24 > 0:33:27With night falling fast,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30we set off to find a mechanic who can fix the crew car.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36As for me, after 14 hours on the road,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39I'm pulling over for the night.
0:33:39 > 0:33:45It's been a long, arduous, hot, tiring day,
0:33:45 > 0:33:52and I am so exhausted today, I can't even be bothered to have any dinner.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54I'm going to go straight to bed.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00# Let it roll, baby, roll
0:34:00 > 0:34:04# Let it roll
0:34:04 > 0:34:07# All night long... #
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Meanwhile, I'm still making up lost time.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13But when I eventually stop at a local hotel,
0:34:13 > 0:34:18it seems that the evening is only just beginning.
0:34:18 > 0:34:24Look at this, Abra. Night's fallen, and we had to pull off the road,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27and this was the only place we could find to stay.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31And look at this. There's an Indian wedding in full swing.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35I'm going to see if I can gatecrash it.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42'Even here, it seems the car has pride of place.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45'The groom has turned up in a decorated Honda.'
0:34:45 > 0:34:50Check it out, look at this! Roses. Beautifully decked out.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- So this is a symbol of status, really.- Yeah.
0:34:59 > 0:35:05'It seems we've suddenly fallen into the midst of Indian high society.'
0:35:05 > 0:35:08LOUD MUSIC PLAYS
0:35:09 > 0:35:14And it's a brave man who'd dare tell this lot to turn the noise down.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21'I might be tired, but after nearly a week on the road,
0:35:21 > 0:35:26'the wedding disco's a welcome chance to give my legs a bit of a stretch.'
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Throughout its long history,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49India has been a land of sharp social divides -
0:35:49 > 0:35:52the fabulously rich...
0:35:52 > 0:35:56and the masses of astonishingly poor.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02As I drive through India today,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06I'm wondering how much its society might be changing,
0:36:06 > 0:36:11as a new, aspirational, car-owning generation begins to assert itself.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18It's day six, and I've reached Udaipur,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22built by an ancient royal family who are still holding on
0:36:22 > 0:36:26to the traditions of the past. I'm on my way to meet
0:36:26 > 0:36:31the 76th Maharana of Udaipur, Sriji Aravind Singh,
0:36:31 > 0:36:39who is part of the longest-running dynasty on the planet.
0:36:39 > 0:36:44They can chart their history back to the 8th century AD.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02The Maharana's great-grandfather brought the very first cars
0:37:02 > 0:37:04to Udaipur almost a century ago.
0:37:13 > 0:37:18- Hello, I've come to interview the Maharana.- Maharana? OK.
0:37:18 > 0:37:19Thank you very much.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22They're obviously expecting us.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31For a car lover like me, a chance to see the Maharana's priceless vintage car collection
0:37:31 > 0:37:34is an absolute must.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Today, he's promised to show me one of his favourites.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53- Hello, your Highness. - Good morning.- Good morning.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56- Pleased to meet you. Anita. - Lovely to see you. How do you do?
0:37:56 > 0:38:00I'm very well, thank you. This is magnificent.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- Not bad, is it?- Not bad at all.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06- Only one careful owner. - One careful owner.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08This has been with us for 70-odd years now.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13'This Rolls-Royce 20 horsepower convertible was made in 1924
0:38:13 > 0:38:16'and imported to India by the 73rd Maharana.'
0:38:16 > 0:38:18My great-grandfather,
0:38:18 > 0:38:23he liked convertibles because he was very keen on hunting,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26and this was the sort of car which would suit him very well.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29Don't tell me he'd go hunting in this?
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- All the time. - All the time?- All the time!
0:38:32 > 0:38:33What was the reaction
0:38:33 > 0:38:36on the streets of Udaipur when this came out on the roads?
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- Fascination.- The Maharana is out,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42- going hunting in his Rolls-Royce. - Well, or wherever.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44This is India.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46THEY LAUGH
0:38:46 > 0:38:51This is India. This is absolutely India. Can we sit in it?
0:38:51 > 0:38:53'During the Raj, it was only the very rich,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56'the Maharanas and the British aristocracy,
0:38:56 > 0:38:58'who could afford such a luxurious mode of travel.'
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Where's the horn,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02- the most important bit? Is this it? - In the centre, yeah.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04HORN BEEPS
0:39:08 > 0:39:11A typical Rolls-Royce original horn.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14That's the horn I want in my Mahindra Bolero.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- You can get them, you can get them now.- One more time.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19Sacrilege!
0:39:20 > 0:39:23'I had been promised a chauffeur-driven tour
0:39:23 > 0:39:26'of the palace grounds, but this being India,
0:39:26 > 0:39:31'the Maharana's driver broke his leg in a road accident on the way here.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36'So I've persuaded the Maharana to let me take the wheel instead.'
0:39:36 > 0:39:40I'm going to take the Maharana, the 76th Maharana of Udaipur,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43for a ride in his 1920s Rolls-Royce.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45I hope I don't stall it!
0:39:45 > 0:39:49- Are we in first?- You're not in first.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51You have to press the accelerator.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54It's in reverse.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57- I don't want to go backwards again. - It's all right.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01- That's not the accelerator. - I know... Here we go.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03ANITA LAUGHS
0:40:06 > 0:40:07Oh, my goodness me,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10there's no power steering on this thing.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16I can't actually reach the gear. There we go.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30The Maharana's palace feels like a preserved relic of a bygone age.
0:40:30 > 0:40:35And the Maharana has a particularly aristocratic take
0:40:35 > 0:40:37on changing Indian society.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41Today, it's the industrial houses and the industrialists
0:40:41 > 0:40:44and people in business and trade,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47and professionals like doctors and IT and all that,
0:40:47 > 0:40:49they can all afford to buy cars.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51They can afford to buy more expensive cars than I can.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Do you think this ability for more people to buy cars
0:40:55 > 0:40:58affects the traditional class divides?
0:40:58 > 0:41:04The class divide has been always there and will always remain there.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07There's nothing you can do about it.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12It's a human tendency, it's a human weakness, it's the story of mankind.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16The Maharanas once ruled from this palace
0:41:16 > 0:41:19over their city and far beyond.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22But these days, the world's oldest royal family
0:41:22 > 0:41:26is making compromises with the changing society.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Today, if you've got the money, whatever class you are,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33you can stay in the Maharana's palace,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36part of which is now run as an upmarket hotel.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42It's quite a change from the distant days of the Raj.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02What with peacocks and wedding parties,
0:42:02 > 0:42:04I've been hammering the Ambassador
0:42:04 > 0:42:08just to cover the 300 miles from Agra to Varanasi.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10# I'm a road-runner, honey
0:42:10 > 0:42:13# And you can't keep up with me... #
0:42:15 > 0:42:18It's about 2.30 in the afternoon,
0:42:18 > 0:42:19and we're on schedule for once,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21on our way into...
0:42:21 > 0:42:24HE BEEPS CAR HORN
0:42:24 > 0:42:26..on our way into Varanasi.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32Oh, dear, Indian...Indian roads!
0:42:32 > 0:42:38Varanasi is a place of pilgrimage for the world's Hindus.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43And even in this ancient city, the transport revolution
0:42:43 > 0:42:46is enabling ever more people to flood in,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48with surprising consequences.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52Whoa, look at this chaos.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58So ridiculous.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00For thousands of years,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03pilgrims and visitors have come here
0:43:03 > 0:43:04to cleanse their souls
0:43:04 > 0:43:09in the sacred river that runs through Varanasi, the Ganges.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12Local priest Silesh shows me how it's done.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15So we're very discreetly...
0:43:15 > 0:43:19- maintaining our modesty at all times.- That's true.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22'Although I'm not a Hindu, Silesh has promised that this will rid me
0:43:22 > 0:43:24'of my sins.'
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Oh, there we go, steps.
0:43:26 > 0:43:32So we put two fingers here. Nose here. And then go down.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34One, two, three.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42I'll tell you why I'm slightly hesitant to do that.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45I read in a book a couple of days ago
0:43:45 > 0:43:50that the amount of faecal matter in the water is 1.5 million times
0:43:50 > 0:43:53the allowable level for Indian drinking water,
0:43:53 > 0:43:56so this water is really not that clean!
0:43:59 > 0:44:04- No need to be worried about it. It is not that poisonous!- OK, OK.
0:44:04 > 0:44:07So this is the last time we are doing it.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14But not all the visitors to Varanasi
0:44:14 > 0:44:18are seeking absolution before returning home.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21Some are very much on a one-way ticket.
0:44:23 > 0:44:28For a Hindu, there is no better place to be cremated than Varanasi.
0:44:28 > 0:44:32They believe being cremated here breaks the cycle of reincarnation,
0:44:32 > 0:44:36allowing the soul to ascend straight to heaven.
0:44:38 > 0:44:43For centuries, it's been a privilege only enjoyed by locals.
0:44:43 > 0:44:47But now mourners are travelling increasing distances to Varanasi,
0:44:47 > 0:44:51transporting their rather unusual cargoes.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56So as cars become more common in India, how has that changed
0:44:56 > 0:45:00the amount of cremations that happen here at Varanasi?
0:45:00 > 0:45:05Before, it was possible to bring the body by walking, or by any kind of horse cart
0:45:05 > 0:45:06or bullock cart.
0:45:06 > 0:45:10But now, with the introduction of cars and other vehicles,
0:45:10 > 0:45:12it's become very easy.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15So a lot more people are coming to do the cremations.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18- And they come from much further? - Yeah, that's true.
0:45:18 > 0:45:26'This family has driven five hours to bring their father, Rahdi Sham, from the rural countryside.'
0:45:32 > 0:45:37'This, they trust, will guarantee him an auspicious passage to heaven.'
0:45:44 > 0:45:48This is extraordinary. This is the first time I've seen a dead body.
0:45:48 > 0:45:52It makes me realise that in Britain we are so distanced from death.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55You know, to be honest, I find it surprisingly affecting.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59It makes you that... realise how real death is.
0:46:01 > 0:46:05'Mr Sham's body is dipped in the Ganges three times.'
0:46:10 > 0:46:15'His relatives then lovingly lay him on a newly built funeral pyre,
0:46:15 > 0:46:21'one of an estimated 250 cremations that take place here every single day.'
0:46:22 > 0:46:28So why don't you find this upsetting or disturbing, all this death that you see here?
0:46:28 > 0:46:33Because death is the universal truth. Why will you be upset about it?
0:46:33 > 0:46:38If you are accepting your life, like anything, why will you get disturbed with death?
0:46:38 > 0:46:41Because I'm terrified - I don't want to die!
0:46:41 > 0:46:44That is the power of our Hindu philosophy and religion,
0:46:44 > 0:46:49that gives us a power to accept the death like you accept your life.
0:46:53 > 0:46:58'To a westerner, Varanasi is a strange place.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00'The way modernisation, in the shape the car,
0:47:00 > 0:47:04'is seamlessly combined into India's most ancient traditions,
0:47:04 > 0:47:10'says something about the strength of the old here, as well as the new.'
0:47:20 > 0:47:23Day nine of my journey, and I'm closing in on my next stop,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Ahmedabad, a mere 300 miles away.
0:47:26 > 0:47:32It might be 45 degrees outside, but in my air-conditioned Bolero, life is sweet.
0:47:32 > 0:47:36# Take it easy Take it... #
0:47:36 > 0:47:39CAR HORN All right.
0:47:39 > 0:47:44Some other road users, however, have a rather more direct cooling system.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52OK, there's a vehicle in front of me on the left, packed full of people.
0:47:52 > 0:47:55So full, that they've got the back door open
0:47:55 > 0:48:00and a guy just hanging out on a motorway, as you do.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06HE SPEAKS IN PUNJABI
0:48:06 > 0:48:08Yeah! Don't wave at him!
0:48:08 > 0:48:12Taji seems to be a man of few words, but occasionally he'll come out with a little gem.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20After ten hours on the road, I've made it to Ahmedabad,
0:48:20 > 0:48:25home to a vehicle that's intended to revolutionise the car industry.
0:48:28 > 0:48:31Meet the Nano, the cheapest car on the planet.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36It's made by Tata, a giant Indian conglomerate
0:48:36 > 0:48:38that owns steel plants, telecoms,
0:48:38 > 0:48:41and even Britain's luxury car brands Jaguar and Land Rover.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45The Nano is at the other end of the scale.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49It costs just £1,500 on the road.
0:48:50 > 0:48:56Just one wing mirror, a single windscreen wiper
0:48:56 > 0:49:00and its tiny 12-inch wheels have only three wheel nuts -
0:49:00 > 0:49:02all to slash costs.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07According to Tata executive Debasis Ray,
0:49:07 > 0:49:12the concept of the Nano was dreamt up by company boss Ratan Tata.
0:49:12 > 0:49:19He saw a typical Indian family, parents and two children, on a two-wheeler.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22It was raining, and the family skidded.
0:49:22 > 0:49:27And it struck him that why can someone not offer
0:49:27 > 0:49:32an affordable car for a family which cannot afford a car?
0:49:32 > 0:49:34- Right. - That's where the Nano was born.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42This factory already churns out 500 Nanos every day,
0:49:42 > 0:49:46and by 2012, daily output is set to double.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50It's all part of a nationwide trend.
0:49:50 > 0:49:54India now produces more cars even than the USA.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58- So who's buying it - the man on the motorbike and his family?- Yes.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02- I've seen a lot of those.- Yes, they are buying, and India is prospering.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04A car is a symbol of prosperity.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11'Although the Nano is now selling well, people have questioned
0:50:11 > 0:50:16'whether this tiny car really has what it takes to survive India's rather basic roads.'
0:50:19 > 0:50:21Here you go.
0:50:21 > 0:50:26OK. So this is the vibration bed, where they test the...
0:50:26 > 0:50:28Oh, here it goes.
0:50:28 > 0:50:29It's quite good fun.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33And it's speeded it up for those extra-potholed Indian roads.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39Superb - it's just like being out there on the highway.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43I'd like one of these at home.
0:50:46 > 0:50:51I might just get my wish. Tata has global ambitions.
0:50:52 > 0:50:57By 2013, they'll be exporting these cut-priced cars to Europe.
0:51:03 > 0:51:08'So what can the Nano's mighty 624cc engine really do?'
0:51:08 > 0:51:11Oh! I thought I was going to topple over!
0:51:15 > 0:51:17This is good fun.
0:51:17 > 0:51:23I don't know how safe I'd feel if I was on a highway with those massive trucks coming past me.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26But it's definitely good fun.
0:51:26 > 0:51:320 to 60 in about 25 seconds.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37Yeah, 60. We're pushing towards 70.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41We haven't tried the most important thing - hang on a minute.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44CAR HORN
0:51:55 > 0:52:01I've finally left the congestion of India's chaotic cities behind.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05And out here in the countryside, there's hardly a car on the road.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08Well, we're out in the sticks now, out in rural India,
0:52:08 > 0:52:12and the roads are a lot clearer, there's much less traffic,
0:52:12 > 0:52:15but the roads are also a lot more bumpy.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18And we're here to meet some of the poorest people, not just in India,
0:52:18 > 0:52:21but in the whole world, some of the poorest people on Earth.
0:52:23 > 0:52:28Despite the enormity of the cities, India is still predominantly a rural country.
0:52:31 > 0:52:36About 600 million Indians, half the population, live off the land,
0:52:36 > 0:52:38often as subsistence farmers.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44'And one family has invited me to stay.'
0:52:46 > 0:52:49Raj Kumar, I'm Justin from the BBC.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52Very nice to meet you. Thank you for having me on your farm.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57'Everything this family eat is grown on the land around them.
0:52:57 > 0:53:01'It has to support 22 people.'
0:53:01 > 0:53:03So what have you got here, what plants?
0:53:03 > 0:53:07- Ah! Lady's fingers. This is bhindi? - Bhindi.- Bhindi.
0:53:09 > 0:53:13It's enormous. That's a huge lady's finger.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15That smells good.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18HE SPEAKS NATIVE TONGUE
0:53:18 > 0:53:21- You can eat it, he is saying. - What, now?
0:53:23 > 0:53:25Mm. That's really nice. It's sweet.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29Raj, how much land have you got?
0:53:31 > 0:53:33So from the road there...
0:53:33 > 0:53:37Have you ever measured? How big is the field that you have?
0:53:41 > 0:53:44A third of an acre. That is tough, isn't it?
0:53:44 > 0:53:48And is that enough to feed the whole family?
0:53:48 > 0:53:50- It's not enough.- No.
0:53:52 > 0:53:56'The Kumars supplement their meagre income by making pottery.'
0:53:56 > 0:54:01- What are you doing, Raj? - Koola.- Koola, koola.
0:54:01 > 0:54:06- Cups.- Ah, these little cups! This is the chai cup, for chai.
0:54:06 > 0:54:10'The family produces 400 teacups a day.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12'They sell for about a penny each.'
0:54:12 > 0:54:14Oh!
0:54:16 > 0:54:20So effortless. It appears like magic.
0:54:23 > 0:54:28So, Raj, can I have a go? You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?
0:54:28 > 0:54:29Can I have a go doing the pottery?
0:54:36 > 0:54:38- JUSTIN LAUGHS - I knew!
0:54:38 > 0:54:42I'm on a hiding to nothing here. Oh, hold on...
0:54:44 > 0:54:47Oh, so close. But it's getting better.
0:54:47 > 0:54:49So you go like this...
0:54:50 > 0:54:54Oh, man! It's really hard!
0:54:56 > 0:54:59Don't show off to me, Raj!
0:55:06 > 0:55:08He knows.
0:55:08 > 0:55:10LAUGHTER
0:55:10 > 0:55:13That's all right! There you go.
0:55:15 > 0:55:19'There are hundreds of millions of subsistence farmers in India.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23'Most don't have electricity or running water.
0:55:23 > 0:55:28'So what does this family make of India's car bonanza?'
0:55:28 > 0:55:33Do you imagine any of your three daughters would ever own a car, drive a car?
0:55:47 > 0:55:52'The conditions here show just how far India still has to go.'
0:55:52 > 0:55:58They're collecting cowpats, which they dry and then burn on the fire.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01- You just pick it up? - Mm.
0:56:17 > 0:56:21'Tonight, we'll be having fresh aubergine and potatoes
0:56:21 > 0:56:24'with a unique smoky flavour.'
0:56:33 > 0:56:36Very, very good. It really is very good.
0:56:36 > 0:56:40It may have been cooked on a cowpat fire, but it's delicious.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42Fresh cumin, garlic in there, chillies.
0:56:42 > 0:56:48I sound like Jamie Oliver, don't I, but it really is pukka! It really is very good.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52'Having made it this far on my epic journey,
0:56:52 > 0:56:56'I decide it's time to see how Anita's bearing up on hers.'
0:56:57 > 0:57:01- Hey, Anita, how are you doing? - I'm very well, thank you. Where are you?
0:57:01 > 0:57:03We're in the depths of rural India,
0:57:03 > 0:57:07and I'm sitting next to a dried cowpat fire.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10Shall I draw a little compare and contrast?
0:57:10 > 0:57:14I have my feet in the pool and a Martini by my side,
0:57:14 > 0:57:16and it's beautiful.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19How are you finding it?
0:57:23 > 0:57:27'Next time, though, things start to get tougher...'
0:57:27 > 0:57:29I'm in the fast lane of a motorway.
0:57:29 > 0:57:34'..as I get to grips with the traffic in high-tech Bangalore...'
0:57:34 > 0:57:38- I'm in training, I'm in training! - Come back! Anita!
0:57:39 > 0:57:41SHE SCREAMS
0:57:41 > 0:57:45'..and take a lesson from one of India's top rally drivers.'
0:57:45 > 0:57:48I'm falling out of my chair!
0:57:51 > 0:57:54'While I'll be travelling into ever more remote regions...'
0:57:54 > 0:57:59Oh, man! '..seeking out signs of global warming
0:57:59 > 0:58:04'and meeting ancient tribes, threatened by industrial expansion...
0:58:05 > 0:58:09'..before coaxing my Amby towards my date with Anita
0:58:09 > 0:58:12'on the shores of the Indian Ocean.'
0:58:12 > 0:58:16The fuel gauge says it's full, but we have been driving for about two and a half hours
0:58:16 > 0:58:19and we've just run out of fuel.
0:58:29 > 0:58:31Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:31 > 0:58:33E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk