1.03.2009
Today I spoke to some teenage glue/heroin addicted children living on the streets of Delhi. Most are teenage runaways who either have no parents, a sole parent who couldn't support them or had left intolerable households of sexual/physical violence in search of a better life. Their journey has led them to the harsh realities of life on the street and unfortunately to an often bleak future. I felt honoured to have spent some time conversing about life in general and enjoyed the willingness of the children to talk about their lives. I was particularly perturbed by a quiet, 'strung out', dishevelled teenage girl who didn't talk, but when she gave a beautiful smile she revealed braces. The knowledge that orthodontic work is only in the realms of the wealthy made my heart sink at the possibility that unlike some of the other children she may have parents somewhere in this city or beyond. I wondered what circumstances had led this particular girl to be on the streets of Delhi. I did not find the answer.
Holi is only a week away and the Delhi Government Environmental Department (DGED) is working with several NGO's to promote the use of natural colours during Holi. The Khelo Holi Naturally campaign is trying to encourage the 'playing of Holi' to be a toxin free event. The stalls selling pichkari's (water gun's), a version of Mickey Mouse who 'pees' on you, face masks and rows of stainless steel bowls containing mountains of gulal in a myriad of bright colours are spectacular. However, the synthetic colours often contain lead oxide, engine oil, diesel, chromium iodine, copper sulphate and rhodamine that can cause skin irritations, allergies, eye damage and in extreme cases - blindness*. Various stalls have now begun selling some natural options including pastes of sandalwood, rose petals, bougainvillaea flowers, mint, tumeric and beetroot. The DGED via newspaper advertisments is also encouraging making natural colours at home. More on the meaning of Holi later!
The Delhi Municipal Authority is valiantly refuting claims that venues for the upcoming Commonwealth Games (October 2010) are woefully behind schedule or that they are displaying a 'slack and lack lustre attitue' to the handing out of contracts for building venues. While Delhi-ites are suffering from a form of 'cultural cringe' leading up to the Games, it appears that being under the International spotlight equates to attempts to erase out the very "Indianess" of the streets, as the grumbles from the wealthy about litter, beggars, roaming cows and street vendors hit a cresendo.
Vast sums of rupees are being directed toward 'world class infrastructure' which some argue is a misdirection/use of funds. The concept of the Games in Delhi is mind boogling if the city intends to overcome the obstacles that the wealthy consider an issue. And I doubt that the latest suggestion of ferrying athletes around by helicopter (well.... that's one way of not being confronted by the black, sludgy Yamuna River) will solve the aforementioned issues. But - this is India where everything is possible!
Bonnie
PEAK
*The Source of information on the detrimental effects of Holi gulal: The Hindu 1.3.09.
