Tafih

After visiting my second NGO in Dharavi, which btw I was really pleased with myself that I found my way to (almost) after only being there once before, I decided to try to find a centre which I will be visiting tomorrow. After I found the centre I decided to keep walking so to reach the other end of the trainstation. After walking a while I realized that I was lost.

I have always enjoyed walking around and getting lost in new places as a way to get to know them. Getting lost in one of Asia´s biggest slum might be taking it a bit far. Nevertheless I did enjoy walking around there and after a while I relized I probably wasn´t in the slum anymore. When seeing rickshaws on the road I knew for sure I wasn´t. Rickshaw don´t go much further then Bandra and I understood I must have walked quite far. So I stopped at a food-stand and had some sweets and water before I continued my stroll. Upon the realization that I did not have a clue where I was and that I would not get any wiser by continue walking I took a rickshaw home.

When I reached home a girl stopped me and asked if I wanted to put on a t-shirt and smile for the camera. Apperently some big cricket-player has his birthday this weekend and they where making a video for him that would go on youtube. Since I never done anything like that before I was obliged to say yes.

 

The more I see of Dharavi the more it grows on me. I find it strange that people don´t hassle me. They probably stare at me, I don´t registere that anymore, and say´s hi, but noone beggs me for money or hassle me in any other way.

The other day while waiting to meet a friend in Bandra, which is one of the "better" areas in Bombay, a girl that was about ten years of age begged me for money. She scratched my arm and pinched my skin til it left a mark. In Bandra I noticed many people begging, I spend most of my time in this area since I live here. Today in Dharavi I asked for directions and a boy, maybe 12 years, showed me the way. Afterwards he just walked away, I ran after him trying to give him some money as thanks for helping me but he refused to take it. I am not saying that one is poorer than the other, cause that I don´t know but I do find it fascinating that in a area like Dharavi where you would expect it people do not beg while in Bandra they do.