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they run
they run
run fast
but just run
run for their lives.
our's is not the only world,
our's is not the only life.
there does exist another world,
another life, which we haven't yet seen,
not yet lived.
one shouldn't deny it's existence.
basically no one can!
you can't just ignore 65 million people who share with you, your country.
surely, it's not anyone's favourite place,
but still for these 65 million people,
it's HOME.
and for the rest,
it's SHANTY TOWN.
you are basically from Khurda right?
yes
so, why did you come here?
my brothers were here from before, so I also came here.
what do you basically do here?
business
and you live here?
yes. nearby only.
did your wife come with you?
what is your business about?
what business can I do? I just run a shop.
did the cyclone affect you?
not much!
the house suffered damaged, and we had to go empty stomach for a night.
what about electricity?
no electricity for 3 days.
and water for your household work?
we were forced to use the rainwater only! from drinking to bathing.
so you had enough candles?
no nothing.
the irish call it a bleak or destitute place,
but I prefer the word "MESS".
What people generally refer to as "GOD'S TEARS"
has made this place more of a mess now.
I look around
it's all the same.
the road, the water, the garbage
everything is everywhere together.
I always thought of myself as a TOUGH guy.
but this is TOUGHER.
these people are TOUGHER,
and IGNORANT.
they know how to accept.
why did you have to come here?
for work.
what does your husband do?
carpentry.
you manage the house-hold work?
yes, I manage the house and the children.
what problems do you face living here?
you asking about water related and all?
not specifically water, but everything.
water has been just arranged.
no proper electricity till now.
the electrician will be coming in a day or two.
what about the health of the family members?
everyone is fit.
didn't the rain cause any water problems?
water was not available. So we had to use the well.
drinking water was available right?
yes. We had already rationed it.
We locked up our houses & lived in the Slum Hospital building during the rain.
Life
its more than just living
its about surviving.
And this place
might be the best place to learn this fact.
This place will teach you how to survive.
It never looks at you work, your past, your family.
It just provides you with a support that will help you survive.
I always found myself overloaded with work
always trying to finish early to get some spare time.
But looking at these people,
their commitment,
it changes the very definition of OVERLOAD.
This place is a hive of activities
oscillating between the very difficult work of managing everyday life.
and the equally hard work of earning a daily living.
For me,
It will be working,
even while sleeping.
Do you go to school?
yes.
which class do you read in?
class 9.
which class do you read in ?
same. class 9.
is he your friend too ?
yes.
does your father work ? in a shop?
yes. 104 00:07:01,050--> 00:07:02,040 you going somewhere to play?
no. We were just roaming.
This was a one day trip of mine.
A one day venture into a place called SLUM, to know the difference.
To know how people live with less than bare necessities.
To know what was the other face of the human society I live in.
The research i did
before I started here was kind of true,
till a certain point.
A point which enveloped the general definition of a SLUM.
There had to be a reason why God was worshipped,
even in this God forsaken place.
but as the minutes turned into hours.
as the people who were first looking at me like
I was an intruder,
into their private lives,
started interacting.
My facts turned wrong.
The expectation to find the difference,
turned into the expectation to realise
the SIMILARITIES.
These are human lives.
They can't be different just because they live else where.
Its all the same.
Its WE
who have to accept that.
SLUM is a Fact of life.
You see me rocking in that chair.
Pseudonym to getting literate,
I try.
Hey, watch me as I open my eye.
Rust on these chains.
Dyed or died?
Over-blued they stand, they stare.
Clowns? In this Reality fair?
Tick Tock
The hands have stopped.
Fermentation, is not yet done.
Rot, rot,
rot until you rot!
They allow everyone to pass,
they allow everyone to frown.
I just stand,
I just stare.
It was nice to meet you.
Good-bye from Shanty Town.