Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) - March 20th, 2007

The family came back from their little vacation last night and soon after a big storm arrived. Lucky they were home!
This morning when I was in the terrace drying my hair, I noticed an empty lot in between this house and the next four-floor luxurious home. In this lot with a lot of garbage around lives a very poor lady with children. Their dwelling is made of carboards, plastics, sticks and the like. After such rain last night, she was drying all blankets and clothes on the rope sweeping the front of her little hut, and I wondered how can a family grow and live in those conditions. The little girl was running around and when she looked up and saw me looking at her, she got very shy and run inside. These children were playing in the street with the other neighbors' children of high cast.
It was comforting to see that, even though the cast system is so much part of the Indian system (and I totally disagree with) creating inequalities on human beings. The children seen equal in playground, their innocence is not corrupted, and they mingle and play with each other as equals. An example like this the Country should follow.
I went to see the mother and gave her something in private, and half hour later everybody knew about it. Of course, there are no secrets in India neighborhoods. You are always being watched!