Most of the people who have got a chance to visit Delhi, will understand when I say, Connaught Place is the heart of Delhi and India Gate makes up for its rhythmic beating!
What provides this heart with its soul is not only the crowd, the immense beauty this structure pertains but the ever-smiling faces we see every time we visit this place.
This monument not only commemorates 70,000 soldiers who lost their lives while fighting the First World War but also enlightens us with the hundreds of people working here to earn their livelihoods, each one of whom has a story, a reason and an experience of a lifetime to share.
Little girls dressed in their traditional lehenga cholis pursue everyone they can, requesting each to get his or her name embedded in beads which they then skilfully weave into bracelets. Nisha, a 10-year-old, who knows how to read and write, is one of them. She only responds when you talk about the beads in her basket or her work. Excited about the concept of Friendship Day, she asks, “Are you a friend now”? Seeing me nodding positively, she immediately took out a pair of earrings and gifted them to me as a token of our friendship. Such is the heart of a 10-year-old!
“The experience that we have gained by working here, meeting all kinds of people every day, learning what’s right or wrong, is something we couldn’t have learnt from a 9-5 job”, said Naveen, a winner of 2004 Mr. Delhi Bodybuilding Championship from YMCA who is now happily selling post cards here. Following his family tradition of work, he couldn’t resist but mention the perks of being the master of his own life. He feels that to work like this is being independent. There is nobody you’re answerable to, no boss you are supposed to report to. He had once owned a gym that shut down due to monetary issues. He plans to start it again in the future. He is proud to claim that he could help his brother learn Spanish and motivate him to continue in the field of linguistics.
Mukesh, a 30-year-old man from Saharanpur who draws sketches ranging from Rs 200 to 4,000, has one corner all to himself. Being the only artist at this heritage site, he says he is here only till the monetary situation becomes favorable enough to pay for his further studies at the College of Arts. "I have no complaints with people here. We laugh together, we eat together, we live happily here”, he says.
Vidya Singh, a 43-year-old who has devoted 20 years of his life to selling toys here feels that even after studying he will not get a job without bribe. And bribery, in his words, is something he can never resort to, even in his worst conditions. "I am working for myself,” he answered when asked about his love for work.
Lali, who is not even aware of her age, is angry at the policewaalas for always asking them to leave the place. Her daughter-in-law, Kesar, says that her family has spent 25 years of their life in this business. “We aren’t the only ones who like tourists at these spots, after all who doesn’t like humans?” she remarked when we asked her about the special tourist customers.
Waiting for people to visit the place, we see men who have cameras in one hand and a demo book in another. Many of them who are working as part time photographers believe that this is not only an opportunity to have extra income but a path that provides a way for them to follow their love for photography.
Abu Sama, a 22-year-old who was seen clicking visitors in varied poses, works in a company which maintain gardens in various hotel chains on weekdays, therefore giving him time to carry out his passion for photography on the weekends. “The pose when two people make a heart around India-gate is my favorite” , he said when talking about his list of favorite poses from all time.
Rajesh, who sells soap water bubbles at India Gate, feels the business has witnessed tremendous changes in the past 10 years. “I have found myself working at India Gate as long as I can remember”, he says. He reminisces the old ways of making this soap water solution at his place and feels the new ready-made ones aren’t as fascinating to the children as the old ones were. Being a strong believer of karma and hard work, he preaches and follows “Karo aur Khaao (work and eat)” motto.
Regardless of the scorching heat of the summer, the drizzles in the monsoon and the biting cold of the winters, these people are seen at India Gate earning their livelihoods with a full smile playing on their lips. Cherishing their freedom and working hard, they live their lives to the fullest, becoming an inspiration to many!
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