Rachel Elkind Photography

Elders in India – An apartment turned Nursing home

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I was invited to visit what we would call a nursing home in India.   I met 10 of the 15 or so people living there.  There were 2 women and the rest men and most were there because they had been abandoned.  When I walked in 4 were in one room watching TV and four others in another room.  Through translation they let me know they liked action movies.

New Delhi Vivekanand Slum

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When I arrived to New Delhi for the first time, I was dropped off by the cab driver to a location across the street from a slum.   I wasn’t sure if I was actually in the right place so I asked the cab to wait until I triple confirmed that I should actually get out of the car here.   I quickly walked over to some security guards and stood near them until my friend met me.  I couldn’t help but wonder what went on across the street yet was glad that with my bags that included cameras and a computer..that I was near security.   Over a number of days I was introduced to people who did some outreach, fundraising and educational programming at the slum and I asked about going over there and walking through it.   I was introduced to someone who lived there who walked me through.   The first time I was a bit scared.  I was overwhelmed by the smell, the kids running up to me, and the fact that I really had to watch where I walked as I could step in anything at any moment.  At the same time I found people to be mostly receptive to me being there.    What I saw was kids playing, women washing or cooking or chatting, dogs everywhere, garbage everywhere.   I went back in the evening and saw people warming themselves by fires, people watching TV in their one or two room houses and groups of kids or adults hanging out.  By slum standards this was one of the better ones and still life for them meant one set of bathrooms for everyone, no running water and sewerage that could run off into the narrow streets.

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INDIA – Old Delhi

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I had been wanting to come to India for a while.  I wanted to feel like I was in a different place.   I got what I wanted.   I was up early and went through some of Old Delhi.   Most of guys in the photos are getting ready for market.  I think I walked in on where they live.  I guess they do the live/work thing like we do but with outdoor showers.   They are in the spice market area.  rachel_elkind_Delhi_002having a smoke rachel_elkind_Delhi_010getting ready for market belowrachel_elkind_Delhi_001

rachel_elkind_Delhi_008making breakfastrachel_elkind_Delhi_004

kind of groomsmen shotrachel_elkind_Delhi_007spoung bathrachel_elkind_Delhi_006

his hair dye matches the color of the sacks of spicerachel_elkind_Delhi_011dessert anyonerachel_elkind_Delhi_005

more showeringrachel_elkind_Delhi_009

just a super sweet guyrachel_elkind_Delhi_012traveling in a rickshawrachel_elkind_Delhi_013shave anyonerachel_elkind_Delhi_014

i watched this monkey steel this piece of fruit and run up here.  Check out the electrical work which is really common.   I don’t know if the monkey is good for sales for the ladies boutique but I did notice the sign.

Old Delhi is a busy place…dirty and loud but with lots of character.