Just round the corner from the Oklha metro station the sight of cows clustered around a pile of rubbish had me reaching for my camera. We had just been told no photographs. So, I sighed quietly. Instead settling for a good look at the festering mess which these cattle were happily munching on.
We continued along the dusty road, stepping carefully between the dark unidentified patches and a couple of cow pats. The smells wafting past weren’t what I had expected. Perhaps it was the time of year, with winter approaching and only 25 degree heat, which limited the impact on our nostrils.
We were here specifically to explore one of India’s slums. Not something on every visitor’s itinerary.
Our guide Naresh was a well spoken young guy, who has plenty to share.
Working life
At our first stop, a recycling area for material scraps, he told us the women were paid just 200 rupees a day to sort sack loads of fabric into colours and quantities. Today the temperature was reasonably cool, but I could imagine the heat in the peak of summer being unbearable here; as there was little in terms of shade.
Home life
Sanjay Colony in Delhi covers 18 acres with 45,000 residents. The first people started living in the area in 1979. They were attracted to the Oklha industrial area with thousands of factories producing everything from electronics to automotive parts to garments.
At the edge of the housing area, Naresh asked us what the word ‘slum’ created in terms of pictures in our minds. I tried to avoid stating the obvious.
In truth, it was different to what I had expected. There was a public toilet block. Most people were wearing shoes. The piles of discarded rubbish were generally swept to one side or other of the road. Even the open drains seemed fairly well kept, although clearly functional.
Water is kept in large blue barrels. Running water, available from time to time, can be unreliable. Diarrhea is common.
Community
The sense of community was immediately confirmed as we began to wander the alleyways inside. Children chanted hellos and many people just let us pass through without much more than a glance and acknowledgement. The lack of staring eyes was a really different experience. Especially after the metro journey here, where we were actively avoiding eye contact.
As we ventured further we peeked inside houses, explored a temple and enjoyed meeting several other residents in the doctor’s office and at the school gates. Naresh has lived here all his life, so he really brought the place to life with stories and experiences.
Take a tour
Exploring India’s slums on a tour with Reality Tours is something you should include on your itinerary. It’s a side of the country that many visitors avoid, but which I highly recommend. There are a number of different slum tours available through the NGO in Delhi, but also in the city of Mumbai.
Planning a trip to India, make sure you explore Delhi whilst you are there. Read more from my experience after more than a decade since my last visit – Delhi after a decade.
If you are travelling to India with space in your luggage, why not pack for a purpose.
