Smelly Delhi...
In Old Delhi, I was shocked with the stark reality of classism and the 'unseen' in India. Whilst getting around the city, I ventured through New Delhi, where all the buildings are so large and grand, the streets are so clean and pristine, and the people have fancy clothes. I remember thinking how different it was to the rest of India. How if a tourist came to this country and only visited New Delhi, they could be fooled into thinking this is a western, developed society. However, you take a trip to the other side - Old Delhi and it's a different story altogether.
I was in a rikshaw, and lost on the way back to my guest house. The guy was going down the back streets, all over the place really. Then we turned down this road, there was lots of trade men working away, and a heavy black smoke came from burning tires. We turned down this road, and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. Down this street was a number of orphanages and women's refuges. There were people laying by the side of the road, frail and wasting away. There was excrement everywhere... human and animal. Then I noticed the naked children climbing the iron walls of an orphanage, they were so malnourished.
It felt like some sort of horrible nightmare, how did I end up down this street? These poor human beings have to live this reality every single day. Who is helping them? Certainly the folks of New Delhi have the power and wealth to help them, why have they not? These images will stick with me for the rest of my life, and although they are so sad and confronting, I do not want to forget what I saw.
Being faced with such polar opposites really makes you appreciate what you have, and realise just how lucky we (if you're reading this, you are priveleged enough to use technology) are.
Look out for my next post about animal exploitation for tourism.
Peace and love x
