A Snapshot of India

Posted on by

Sometimes it is true that a picture can paint a thousand words. This week’s photo challenge: A Split-Second Story, inspired me to dig deep throughout my vast archive of photographs, each one telling a story of a certain place and time. In my opinion, there is no place on earth that a simple photo can tell so much about a place than India.

India, one of the most populous countries on the earth, is full of color, contradiction, glory and pain. It is a place of wonder, sorrow, fear and hope. India bursts with humanity on every street or corner you pass. You can see it all there – poverty, wealth, good, bad, happy, sad, beauty and tragedy.

Behind the beautiful, lavish parts of India always lies the most abject poverty imaginable. Nothing can prepare you for the stark reality of desperation, misery and despair of walking through a real live slum in the heart of India’s capital. Sometimes the most severe poverty is hidden behind the walls and within the confines of a slum. Other times, it stares right back at you like a hard slap across your face. You try to look away, and ignore the creeping, uncomfortable nagging guilt. But you can’t.

Dignity

Woman leaving the newly constructed toilet compound thanks to WaterAid.

Irony

Women living on the street, outside the walls of the American Embassy near Vivekananda Slums in Delhi, India.

In the background of the lush green, beautiful grounds of the American Embassy lies the Vivekananda Camp, one of many unauthorized slums that surround every single part of Delhi. I visited this slum as part of a tour with WaterAid, a global NGO that provides safe drinking water and sanitation to areas around the world that do not have access to it.

The stark contrast between the neighboring American Embassy and the Vivekananda Slum were almost too hard to morally comprehend. These two places represent the immense contradictions and inequalities that can be found all throughout Delhi and India as a whole. One of the greatest inequalities ever seen anywhere in the world is right there staring into your face, making it impossible to not feel deeply distraught.

In the Vivekananda Camp, a slum of approximately 500 households, there is no running water, no sewer lines and people live in absolute dire circumstances. Thanks to WaterAid, improvements to sanitation have been made by the building of a Community Toilet Complex (CTC), a compound containing 20 toilets for women, 20 for men and a few for children as well as a couple of showers, providing some sort of dignity in a place where dignity hardly exists.

When I saw the old woman leaving the Community Toilet Complex, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was moving slowly, at a snail’s pace, with the help of an old wooden cane. She was heading back into the deep confines of the dirty, dingy slum, to her home.  I watched her gait with wonder and hope. She had to be in her eighties and most likely spent almost all her life without a proper toilet. Finally after all these years she had the one thing every human being on this earth is entitled to: Dignity. It brought tears to my eyes for the simple things we take for granted.

Less than a third of people ( 772 million people) have access to sanitation in India, and 90 million people in India do not have access to safe water per WaterAid.  Over 186,000 children under five die from diarrhea every year. With 17% of the world’s population (over a billion people), the water crisis in India is only getting worse and is becoming life or death for millions of people.

-WaterAid

This post was inspired by the Weekly Photo Challenge: Split-Second Story. To view more entries, click here. 

 

Note: Right after I posted this today I saw the following tragic press release from WaterAid. Lack of toilets reportedly linked to murder of Uttar Pradesh girls . Via @WaterAidAmerica

60 thoughts on “A Snapshot of India”

  1. “India bursts with humanity on every street or corner you pass…” I feel similarly about India. It’s overwhelming in many ways but definitely one of the most incredible places I’ve ever been, too. One question I kept asking myself is: how could you even begin to approach poverty on such devastating levels? My own ignorance hit me hard.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks for the comment Sarah. Yes it is so hard to reach poverty when it is so huge but I do know there is a lot that can be done such as promoting education, and also improving health of its people as many people die from disease. This is an entire new blog post in itself! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  2. Pingback: WP Photo Challenge ~ Stories in Pictures | In Da Campo

  3. Sue Slaght – Calgary, Alberta Canada – www.traveltalesoflife.com Many years from now, when I am an old lady sitting in the nursing home, I hope to be the twinkly eyed resident still entertaining anyone who I can corner to listen, about all of the wild adventures attempted in a lifetime. Well into the second half of the game of life there is no time like the present to get out there, live big and laugh a lot. Living in Calgary, Alberta, married to my best friend Dave for over thirty years and Mom to adult children; my decades as a nurse have shown that in a moment life can change completely. Passionate about social justice, volunteerism and not letting the phrase “What would people think?” or my own fear get in the way of trying something new; the possibilities are endless. Enjoy the tales and I hope you will be inspired to try something you have been thinking about doing.
    sueslaght on said:

    Astounding and very sad statistics. The ‘snapshot’ your photos bring give a deep message.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Sue. Yes it is crazy what a bubble we live in here in the western world. So much heartache going on and oftentimes it gets missed.

      Reply ↓
  4. Tina Schell – I am passionate about photography, love traveling and exploring new places and faces, and seeing the world from different perspectives. My lens is always on the lookout for something beautiful or interesting.
    Tina Schell on said:

    Wonderful captures telling a powerful story. well done.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you Tina!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes water is such a scarce resource that is necessary for life. It is devastating that so many people don’t have this simple need around the world. It was really hot in India too that day. 120 F and I couldn’t stop drinking bottled water I was sweating so much. However the slum had no running water. The water truck would drive up and the women would fill their buckets for the day. I can’t even imagine a life like that and they are the lucky ones that actually get access to water.

      Reply ↓

  6. Pingback: Daily post photo challenge – Split second story | The Wandering Poet

    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you.

      Reply ↓
  8. jaime perez – Maracay, Estado Aragua, Venezuela – Born and stablished in Maracay, Venezuela, I´m a teacher and a passionate about photography. The idea of this blog is to share my vision of the world trough my pictures as welll as enjoying the views of the rest of the Wordpress comunity. Feel free to take a look and coment any post in my blogs; I'll appreciate it and I´ll take your feedback into consideration.
    jaime perez on said:

    Splendid Nicole; picture one: how many stories on that back?!

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you Jaime. India was an unbelievable place. I would love to go back someday as I’ve only been to Delhi (twice) a small piece of such an enormous vibrant country.

      Reply ↓
  9. deannawt – American mom of two boys relocating to Hyderabad, India, for three years. This blog has been created to give our friends, family and total strangers insight into our adventures as ex-pats in India.
    deannawt on said:

    As an expat who has lived in India for 3 years, this post (and the pictures) have special relevance to me. I have volunteered during my time here as an English teacher in a government school for children from one of the local slums. Two years ago, some local companies and an NGO provided funds to build toilets at the school, as there had been none previously. We were so happy to give these to the teachers and the children. We had to teach them how to use the facilities as this was a foreign concept for them. Within months, the facilities became dingy, dirty messes, but they were still in use. The privacy of doing “business” behind closed doors was still there, but many of the children still choose to use the street. Have you encountered similar situations with your time with WaterAid? Do they provide instruction on how to use the toilet to the residents? I would be curious to hear if the facilities are still in use in a few years, or if they are abandoned due to cultural differences.

    This is a SIGNIFICANT issue in India. I see people (of all levels of income) doing their “business” on the street daily. It’s the norm here, and diseases are spread quickly through its practice. Thank you so much for sharing this story and the photos.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you so much for this comment. Wow, three years in India must have been amazing. Do you write a blog? If so have you shared your experiences? I would love to read it if so. Yes water and proper sanitation are so essential to life. It is hard to believe that in the heart of cities they don’t even have these available always. It really was amazing to see the changes that the toilets brought to this community. I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like. Thank you so much for commenting and sharing your experience!

      Reply ↓
  10. Wooly and Raeski – Wooly was born with the travel bug. Raeski caught it somewhere in her life. And when they met they had no idea what craziness would ensue.
    Wooly and Raeski on said:

    I’m very concerned about what’s happening to the world’s most precious resource, fresh water. I feel for those who will have to live in the world 100 years from now after we have melted the world’s glaciers and countries go to war over fresh water. GREAT PHOTOS that tell possibly the world’s most important story.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks so much for your comment. Yes, water is so precious and so important and we are wasting it and contaminating it. It is very scary. Besides being an advocate for women and girls, I also am very concerned about our climate and our planet. There is so much to concern us now. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      Reply ↓

  11. Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Split-Second Story | The Adventures of Iñigo Boy

  12. Pingback: WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: Split-Second Story | Nola Roots, Texas Heart

  13. loca4motion – Phuket, Thailand – Travel feeds my soul. The kick of living in foreign cultures keeps me awake. Photography, writing and the great outdoors are my passions.
    loca4motion on said:

    Powerful images and heart wrenching statistics, Nicole!

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you Lucy. It is sad reality especially at this day in age.

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you Lauren. I’m so glad the post touched you. Yes being in this slum with these amazing people made me cry for humanity. It is so unfair but I’m glad that they got at least some dignity in their lives. 🙂

      Reply ↓
  15. Van Nomads – We are Maria and Jason. Two crazy 30 somethings from New York City who decided to trade in our metro cards for a young-at-heart cargo van. Retired from being a phone company's service vehicle, Houdini, is has transformed into our home on wheels and is taking us all the way to the southern most tip of South America. Follow along on our adventures.
    Van Nomads on said:

    It really is such a horrible disparity. Just the other day my girlfriend and I were discussing this as we were walking in NYC and there was a water truck driving down the street shooting water at the planters on top of a light post wasting probably more than half the water (and this was also a day before it was supposed to rain)

    I loved my time in India and found the people there to be incredibly friendly and nice but the slums were definitely shocking and sad to see.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks for the comment. It is crazy how much water we waste. When I got back from my first time in India, I remember taking my first shower at home and feeling guilty. Even now I am very aware of how much water I use when washing dishes and other things but still, it really is insane. I’m really glad that I was able to get this first eye view in the slums and learn about some of the fantastic programs they are doing to help people.

      Reply ↓
  16. cowboychupete – "The poor girl liked to be thought clever, but she hated to be thought bookish; she used to read in secret and, though her memory was excellent, to abstain from showy reference. She had a great desire for knowledge, but she really preferred almost any source of information to the printed page, she had an immense curiosity about life and was constantly staring and wondering." -Henry James "The Portrait of a Lady"
    cowboychupete on said:

    Reblogged this on cowboychupete and commented:
    This is what breaks my heart about India….

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you so much for the reblog and spreading the word.

      Reply ↓
      • cowboychupete – "The poor girl liked to be thought clever, but she hated to be thought bookish; she used to read in secret and, though her memory was excellent, to abstain from showy reference. She had a great desire for knowledge, but she really preferred almost any source of information to the printed page, she had an immense curiosity about life and was constantly staring and wondering." -Henry James "The Portrait of a Lady"
        cowboychupete on said:

        Thank YOU for showing us a little of piece of the world from your travels 🙂 I enjoy seeing the beautiful faces and the stories behind them.

      • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
        thirdeyemom on said:

        So glad you enjoy the posts! 🙂

  17. anotherday2paradise – Durban South Africa and Florida USA – I enjoy writing about absolutely anything, and started blogging with WordPress in 2012. This was my 'Hammock Lady' blog, and I really enjoyed sharing my travels here: http://adinparadise.wordpress.com/ In November 2013, I decided it was time for a change of scenery, so I started my blog afresh, and here it is. I love to travel, and have been fortunate enough to do two round-the-world trips and visit more than forty countries so far. This year we visited our 7th continent, Antarctica. I enjoy photographing wildlife, especially in my backyard in Florida. I was born and brought up in England. My husband and I emigrated to South Africa in 1970. We now live in Florida, USA. I have a son and a daughter and five gorgeous grandchildren currently aged between 6 and 21 years. I'm so happy that you've taken the time to visit my blog, and would love for you to join me on my travels. Sylvia.
    anotherday2paradise on said:

    Very moving images, Nicole. What a tragic existence those poor street dwellers have.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Sylvia. Yes it is. Life can be so unfair.

      Reply ↓
  18. restlessjo – Hi! I’m Jo! Johanna when I’m feeling posh, Jan to my Dad, and Joasiu to my Polish family. A bit of a mix-up, that’s me. The one constant, however, is my restless nature. I love to travel and to explore our world. It doesn’t have to be the big wide world. I can be ridiculously happy not too far from home, so long as I’m seeking new horizons. Of course I have a wish list, and it was to help me fulfil my dreams that I started to write travel guides for a venture called Simonseeks. I’d always kept a travel diary, and it was hugely satisfying to share my experiences and to make new friends who shared my passion for travel. Alas, Simonseeks hit a few troubles, but I still find myself writing about my travels. I’ve become addicted. I’d love to share them, and to make more friends. So, it has to be a blog- right? Or do I mean- write?
    restlessjo on said:

    Impossible to imagine a life like this, Nicole. It’s just unbearable.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes it is Jo. Very sad.

      Reply ↓
  19. charlieeasterfield – North West Ireland – I am an Artist, sculptor, calligrapher, photographer, teacher and environmental activist, living in the North West of Ireland, where I built a large timber home and studio in 2000, and developed a flourishing garden. Also: Bi-polar, veering between slob and perfectionist!
    charlieeasterfield on said:

    Wonderful, if heartbreaking, photographs! Water is going to be the next massive world problem. Crazy world we’re living in.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes very true. It is heartbreaking and so sad.

      Reply ↓

  20. Pingback: Split Second Story – Weekly Photo Challenge | 365 Days of Thank You

  21. Pingback: 5-31-14 Weekly Photo Travel Theme Challenge: Split-Second City Story (South Bronx Edition) | The Quotidian Hudson

    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes it is heartbreaking. Thanks for the comment!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks. I am getting excited too! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  24. Pingback: Another day in Paradise | Words & Pics

  25. LuAnn – Two young-at-heart retirees with a passion for exploring and the desire to "pay it forward".
    LuAnn on said:

    I was teary-eyed reading this post Nicole. Your passion for bringing difficult topics to light is very moving.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks LuAnn. So glad it had an impact on you! 🙂 I always appreciate your kind words and support. 🙂

      Reply ↓

  26. Pingback: Single Frame #photography #haiku #beach | Moondustwriter's Blog

    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed.

      Reply ↓
  28. Kat at travelgardeneat – Life sometimes gets so busy, we forget to stop and smell the roses. Travel.Garden.Eat is a reminder to slow down and enjoy the things that make good memories and replenish the soul!
    Kat at travelgardeneat on said:

    This was such an insightful response for the photo challenge — truly these photos say so much in that split-second capture.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Kat. 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes that would be wonderful! Both are in Delhi.

      Reply ↓

  31. Pingback: Naughty Doggies on A Hash | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity

  32. Your post beautifully captures the complexity and contrasts of India. The vivid descriptions bring the country to life, highlighting both its vibrant pikey peak trek culture
    and its stark realities. The way you express the emotional impact of witnessing both beauty and hardship is deeply moving. It’s a powerful reminder of the stories a single photo can tell and the emotions it can evoke. Well written!

    Reply ↓

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.