8 Things I Learned Visiting A New Delhi Slum: Photo Editorial
India is famous for it’s “Slum Dog Millionaire” movie. We get images and ideas in our head’s about horrible conditions that are inhuman with hopelessness and crushing poverty everywhere you turn.
I visited a slum in New Delhi and this is what I learned.

1) It’s right to be cautious, from beginning to end when traveling.
I didn’t go by myself, I took a guide with me. He didn’t take any money, probably because he didn’t want to be responsible if anything went sideways. I had my camera on me a 5D Mark ii and a Omni VR camera. We had taken a taxi to the slum which name I can’t remember, but was wedged into what India would call a “perfectly nice neighborhood,” right next to the metro.

When we arrived we began to walk in and were confronted by 4 men, all very menacing at first, seeing I had a camera. I expressed to them I wanted to see the slum and take photos and learn more about the place. Through my guide we negotiated 500 rupees or around $10 dollars US. to be paid after, I emphasized AFTER.
I didn’t pay him until the very end, when myself, the guide and he all walked to the ATM and withdrew the cash. The first two ATM’s did not have any cash in them, a common problem in India.
I asked the guide what if I was unable to get the cash. He expressed that was not an option.
Until the end of the experience I was aware of my surroundings, expressed I had no cash on me and told the guide at any point he felt unsafe or saw something unsafe we would immediately leave. Trust your gut, follow your instinct and it will keep you safe, and take you places you never imagined and teach you things you never thought possible.

2) Expect the Unexpected
After we had made the agreement we walked into the slum, which was clusters of hovels, narrow walkways that doubled as sewers and people. People at every turn. As he walked us back to his home we went through a small opening and he sat us down and asked us to wait.
I could see the guide was sweating, and so was I. It was very hot, about 110 degrees and my nerves didn’t help. It was mostly my nerves. I looked at him. His eyes were big, and concerned.
To my surprise he, not joking in the the slightest pulls out puppets. Ornate beautifully made puppets. A King, A queen and a Snake. Then he proceeds to give us a puppet show. In his hovel. In the middle of a slum. In New Delhi.

Moments before I was seriously considering if I was going to be robbed. Now, the three imposing men with no smile to be found I was concerned were going rob us now had huge smiles on their faces giving us a puppet show.
3. Talent is Everywhere

The show went on for about 20 full minutes telling us several stories from courtship, court life and simple tales of love and loss.
These men were the sons of an apparently famous master puppeteer who had played for the likes of the Queen of England.
They proudly took another 20 minutes to lovingly show me newspaper articles and a scrap book to prove it.
Article after article, papers from all over the world with a man with the exact puppet. There were papers from all over Europe and the US, as well as local papers. A man with a puppet and huge smile, the same smile his sons had.

So here I am in a slum thinking, perhaps going to walk out lighter, but find myself instead paying for a world class puppet show, in a small humble hovel in a New Delhi slum.

4) People choose community.
They had lived here and grown up here with their father, whom had lived there as well. Many people had been in the slum for generations.
40 years plus these three men, living with each other in community. They even had a play house where they put on communal events, and puppet shows. The Guide was more surprised than I was.
They chose to remain in this community for several reasons. One of many was actual community. They expressed that everyone helped each other here regardless of caste or religion.

They expressed what a unique place it was that they were not hindered by religion and caste to hate each other but instead worked together to support each other, and help each other. Unconditional love in a slum community.

5) Never underestimated the idea of home

These people were and are being thrown off the land, trying to be moved by the government. They live in a hovel and don’t want to go. They used these exact words “ we happy to live where my father before me” and did not want another place. They were happy with home.

6) Joy is everywhere
The next thing that struck me was the joy of the children. I came expecting to find sadness, grief and a downtrodden spirit. Instead I found joy, playfulness and talent. Two of the boys playing and constantly wanting their picture taken, the children smiling and happy, well fed and clean, considering it was the afternoon and they were running around as children do, in rubble.

That’s the the thing that affected me most. These kids and people looked and felt happy, once you got past their initial, understandable defensiveness. Apparently I looked like a surveyor and my camera looked like surveying equipment.
After they learned I was simply interested in them and their story they were nothing but gracious and kind, valuing home, community, family and happiness over the apartment the government was offering them and segregation from the community they grew up in.

7) Sometimes you have to buy the ticket to take the ride.

Sometimes you may be hesitant to offer money for a guide, or tour or safety, and there is every reason to do so. Sometimes you take a chance, sometimes you inadvertently buy a ticket to a puppet show and tour of a place made of rubble but filled with community and smiling joyful children
8) People will consistently surprise you and themselves.
This is something in all my travels that I have found. Most people are essentially good, wary at first, but when given the opportunity to shine, and to express themselves they will surprise you with their thoughts, their talents, their joy and their point of view.



These people were happy, hospitable, safe and open. The only person more surprised than me, was my Indian guide. He the was most stunned of all. He admitted being afraid when he arrived, and left with brand new eyes about people from the slums.

That he admitted to me at the end, that was the first time he had ever been to a slum and thought poorly of the people. He planned on going back.
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