Brains, Trains and Leprosy

Me and the Gender recource workers

Since the last time I managed to get to a computer I have been rather busy. On the 15^th I had a pretty chilled day caching my breath from the day before, but in the evening I did managed to get out and see the Night Shelter. Just a 3 minute drive from the Brotherhood is a larger barn styled building, with a concert floor and a few plugs sockets that operates as the shelter. In the day it is home to informal education program for local children but by night it is the home of anywhere between 6 and 50 street kids. This being the summer numbers a lower so when I arrived there were about 7 boys sitting round a bored playing what can be best described as finger snooker crossed with curling. It was good to see how a simple game could bring so much joy but even more inspiring was how the boys all looked after each other, with the weaker and younger members not being bullied or left out; something I think the most developed countries in the world struggle to do. The following day we said goodbye to the Aussies and went to Connaught place for a spot of shopping, it was about 10 when we arrived there but it seems people don’t do morning shopping as only a small scattering of shops were open; but we occupied ourselves for a while then when off to see the Target Intervention Program, a relatively new scheme that just less that a year old which helps support sex workers in Delhi. For lunch I was treated to proper Indian restaurants not this air conditioned nonsense but a buzzing, full to the brim, spill your food all over the table kind of place; where I ate BRAAINNS, along with other rather tasty curries. Puka. After been shot with a silver bullet it was off to the national train museum. Your probably think wow that’s going to be an impressive museum with India and its famaus for its trains and what not, well not quite. It was more a scrap yard of mighty steam engines, but unlike most muses you could clime all over these exhibits. So I had quite a bit of fun. After while I stumbled across a ‘photo’ exhibition which was rather interesting, but by far the best thing there was the elephant skull. The unlucky chap had been trying to cross the tracks when he came to his unfortunate end as the 9.15 came steaming into. But he didn’t go down without a fight in his demise he managed to de-rail the locomotive and 7 of its carriages. On the 17^th I Visited the women’s self help groups and gender resource center. It was a long sticky drive away not helped by the narrow streets, large capacity of traffic and everyone trying to get through first, resulting in complete and utter logjam. But once there I was show the initiatives that were in place to teach women sowing and other skills while also helping them to acquire a government loan to start there own businesses. I think I must have made quite an impression on the women as while there I was give chi, cake, crisps, various other sweets, along with a song and dance as well as a group photos. Some say the leaving party was the main reason why there was cake etc. but I beg to differ. that evening me, Danesh, Monodeep and Daneshes’ friends cruised the streets of Delhi, eventually ending up at India gate, it was rather impressive monument, but the lights had been turned making it a bit tricky to see but it look a bit French, so not my cup of tea. Then it was of to Karmins restaurant, meant to be famous but id never heard of it, food was good though. After getting in a 01.30 from our little jaunt the 07.00 wake up was not a pleasant one, but we were off to the leprosy colony where Father Monodeep was leading the Sunday service. The sermon was completely lost on me though, think it being said in Hindi didn’t help, but what was excellent to see was the dedication of the people to be there. One boy when wheeled a man with only stumps for legs and hands to the church door then he went back home to put on his Sundays best before attending the service himself. This had once been a very successful self-sufficient project but the development of a chemical factory near the sight had destroyed all the crops and killed all the chickens; while the weaving business had ended due to the progression of the disease and a problem with the distribution of the goods. Now the Lepers we completely dependant on the Hindus bring them food. In the afternoon it was back to the cricket were the boys from the street played those from the night shelter plus me and lets just say its was another English white wash, we were undefeated, I put in a good few sixes while we had some super bowling dismissing batter after batter.

India Gate 



Boys from the street



redundant looms and reals