Episode 5: I want to write music
Sujal Shah
If you look at our social media posts, living in India probably looks pretty nice. The reality is that we live in a bit of an expat bubble, and, of course, we filter what we post to social media.
The interesting thing is that it's the things we don't share that might have the biggest impact on us.
Once you listen to the episode, hopefully the photo above will make sense. This is someone we saw in Chennai who definitely looked like a kid to me (teenager). I wonder what his story is, and why and how he ended up driving a kulfi kart at 8 or 9PM on a school night.
A final note: we debated sharing this episode. Looked at through one lens, it will seem quite narcissistic - our feelings while we live in comfort. I hope what comes across is that this is the most honest, authentic way to express the magnitude and scale of poverty here. Hopefully it comes across as more empathy than sympathy.
Related Links
- Manual Scavenging (cleaning sewers) is often restricted by caste & is still very dangerous: In 21st century Bengaluru, men still die cleaning manholes
- Here's an example of the kind of advice we've received about dealing with beggars (not this site, per se, it's just an example): India Beggars and Begging Scams: What You Should Know
- We mention Hijra's in this episode. We had a good collection of links in our Outsider episode about who they are and the nuances of their culture in India.