A night in the life of Delhi’s homeless

Brut India

During the biting cold wave in Delhi-NCR this December, Brut spent a night with the homeless near Vinobapuri and Moolchand to understand how they cope with freezing nights.

Transcript

00:00We have no place to go to, if we go under the bridge, the police will chase us away.

00:12Why don't you sleep in the bus stop?

00:14We have a bus stop, but there are kids and girls with me.

00:18Times are very bad these days.

00:25Doctors are telling us not to sleep outside.

00:28If we don't have a place to sleep, we will sleep outside.

00:58What is your name?

01:04Aakesh.

01:05How long have you been living in Delhi?

01:07I have been living here for 25 years.

01:09We used to live inside this wall.

01:13When this wall was built, we left for Punjab.

01:16When we came here, no one allowed us to live here.

01:22What do we do now?

01:24We polish our clothes and feed our children.

01:28We earn Rs. 200-300 a day.

01:31What is your name?

01:32Chetan.

01:33Do you live here?

01:35Can you tell us where you live?

01:37Mohalchand.

01:38What do you do for a living?

01:40I sell toys.

01:42Where do you sell them?

01:43Here at Red Light.

01:44What is the price of those toys?

01:46We sell them for Rs. 100 for Rs. 70-80.

01:49How much do you earn a day by selling toys?

01:51We earn Rs. 150-200 a day.

01:55If we don't sell them, we don't earn anything.

01:58Where do you live?

01:59Rajasthan.

02:00Where in Rajasthan?

02:01Sawai Madhukot.

02:02Why did you come to Delhi?

02:04We are helpless.

02:06We have 4-5 children.

02:10How long have you been living in Delhi?

02:14We have been living here for 3 months.

02:17We came to Delhi on Diwali.

02:22We have been living here since then.

02:24Why do you sleep on the bus stop?

02:27We don't have a place to sleep.

02:31If we go under the bridge, the police will chase us away.

02:34The guard will chase us away.

02:36We sleep on the bus stop.

02:38The kids are sleeping on the bus stop.

02:40It is very cold.

02:41That is why we sleep on the bus stop.

02:43How long have you been living under this flyover?

02:46It has been 10-12 years.

02:49You came to Delhi from Rajasthan 10-12 years ago.

02:53Why did you come to Delhi?

02:55How did you come here?

02:57We are helpless.

02:59If we are alone, we can beg for food.

03:05But we have 4-5 children.

03:07Where will we go?

03:09We have to feed them.

03:12Why don't you sleep in a bus stop?

03:18We don't know where to sleep.

03:20There is a bus stop in Kalaikha.

03:22But there are no places to sleep.

03:25All the passengers are sleeping there.

03:27With their children.

03:29That is why we sleep on the road.

03:31Doctors are telling us not to sleep outside.

03:34We sleep at home.

03:35If we don't have a home, we sleep outside.

03:37There is no safety there.

03:40I have small children with me.

03:43Have you ever lived in a bus stop?

03:45I have seen it many times.

03:47Different people come there.

03:49Like what?

03:51They do drugs.

03:53Different people come there.

03:55Different people come there.

03:59That is why we don't want to live there.

04:02There is no safety for me.

04:05I don't have anything.

04:06What will I do?

04:08I have small children with me.

04:11I am worried about my children.

04:14If they get admission in a school.

04:17If they hear about our poverty.

04:20If they get admission,

04:22they will take us to a room for 1500 rupees.

04:25People from all over the world have come to Delhi.

04:29They have told us that we will get a house.

04:31But we haven't got a house yet.

04:33What time do you start your day?

04:36We leave for work at 10 in the morning.

04:40When the market opens,

04:42we drink tea and go to the market.

04:45When the market opens,

04:47we go to the central market.

04:49We come home at 2 or 4 in the morning.

04:52Where do you take a bath?

04:54In the toilet.

04:56Is it free?

04:58The toilet is free.

05:01But we charge for the bath.

05:03How much do you charge?

05:0520 rupees per person.

05:08Is this your mattress?

05:11Yes, it is.

05:13The car drivers give it to us.

05:15Someone helps you.

05:17What do you do for food?

05:19Where do you get the ration from?

05:21The car drivers give it to us.

05:23If we don't get it,

05:25we get flour.

05:27We make roti and eat it.

05:29Where do you make roti?

05:31We make it here.

05:33You make it here?

05:35Yes.

05:36Where do you get drinking water from?

05:38We get drinking water from wherever we find it.

05:40Whether it is good or bad.

05:42We get it from wherever we find a tap.

05:45We have a temple here.

05:47You have a temple?

05:49Yes.

05:51Don't you have a place to sleep?

05:53No.

05:57There is a Gurudwara in Kotla.

06:00You can stay there.

06:02Or you can eat food there.

06:04You can see the situation there.

06:07You will see it for yourself.

06:10A man can stay there.

06:14You can't stay with a woman.

06:17Will you go back to Punjab?

06:20Yes, we will go to Punjab.

06:22There is no facility to stay in Delhi.

06:24What facilities are there in Punjab?

06:26We have a Juggi in Punjab.

06:28We can sleep there.

06:31Then why don't you stay there?

06:33Why do you come to Delhi?

06:35There are a lot of people there.

06:38That's why we tell them to come to Delhi.

06:41We have a lot of work to do.

06:43We have a lot of work to do.

06:45How many months do you stay in Punjab?

06:47How many months do you stay in Delhi?

06:49We stay in Punjab for 6 months.

06:51We stay in Delhi for 4 months.

06:53We don't have a house.

07:01We don't have a house.

07:02We don't have a house.

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