The Humans of New Delhi
November 26, 2014Beneath the crumbling and rising buildings, and in the alleys and throughways the humans of New Delhi populate the landscape in every dimension. They sit on roofs, they lay on floors, they drive TukTuks and sell spices; they beg for money and they sit in presidential estates. They are literally everywhere. New Delhi is very densely populated: 5,800 people per square kilometre. This dense population and other complicated factors makes life a lot of things in Delhi.
As a traveller you know a few things are going to happen: you’re going to get hustled, and people are going to stare at you - especially if you’re a woman. We’ll get to that, but let’s take a minute and appreciate the art of the hustle.
You never want to be that traveller who get’s hustled into a city tour or end up paying 250 Rupees for a 50 Rupee tuktuk ride. At the same time, you recognize the inevitability of the hustle - it’s coming and it will happen at one point. The people who rely on the tourist industry do this to feed their families and live their lives - they have been hustling foreigners since before the tourism industry was even a thing.
This is how we met Akbar (the great). Akbar saw us moseying around Red Fort kind of wandering aimlessly getting ready to hit up the bazaars of Old Delhi. He approaches us from a distance and strikes up a conversation.
I got into my usual anti-hustle mode, but Akbar didn’t really try to hustle. He welcomed us to India and asked us some questions about ourselves. He spoke impressively good english - the best I’ve heard while in Delhi and showed us a photo of him being featured in the local newspaper. So 60 rupees later ($1.00) and he said he’s got us for the day.
Akbar let us in through the streets and alleys, to the rooftops and the slums showing us slices of Delhi life. There were businessmen, beggars, women in high fashion saris and old men selling vegetables on the street. All of these people exist within a culture, a society that treats them all differently and yet they all congregate on the streets of delhi. The beggers are next to the vendors which are next to the rich - and they all must share the same space.
Every story is different, and every perspective can enhance and ratify your own story in some small way. The humans of Delhi showed me that our society is capable of great things, of great progress and great achievements, but that it might all be fluff unless we can bring all of our fellow humans to a place where they can enjoy the fruits of human civilization.
Peace and Love
Sandro