Recycling

This is how garbage is recycled to a large extent in India.Each major city has millions of ragpickers,mostly very poor people who have been forced out of rural areas because of poverty and drawn to the opportunities in cities.They live in shanties and slums and eke out a living by collecting recyclable trash and sorting them out.Ragpickers sell paper,cardboard,bottles,tins , plastic and cloth to scrap dealers who aggregate the scrap and dispatch it to the factories with the capacity to recycle them.

Construction Workers

One striking feature of India on the move is the countless number of construction sites all over the country and all the new heavy machinery that has appeared in the last 10 years.The infrastructure requirements of the growing economy has spawned a lot of jobs in the construction sector.These jobs are often taken up by migrants from the poorer areas of the country.Avi caught these construction workers taking a chai-break on a cold morning in winter.These workers are restoring the facade and redeveloping Cannaught Place in preparation of the Commonwealth Games.The Games ,it is hoped ,will give a boost to tourism,sports and infrastructure in Delhi.

The Cobbler

Avi shot this picture of a road-side cobbler in his lean to,intent upon his work ,around Sarojini Nagar Market,New Delhi.The man makes a living out of resoling shoes ,selling laces, stitching together torn slippers and shining shoes to a mirror-finish.Each job fetches him just a few rupees and even though his shop is situated in the middle of a government colony with many middle-class office-goers its hard to see how he manages on so little maybe its his faith in the Hindu Gods whose pictures he has given an honoured place in his shop.

The Rose Seller

Avi took this picture one fine morning in the flower mandi at Connaught Place.The subject is Tiwari, a flower trader who along with his son deals exclusively in roses.In the '90s,before he started dealing in flowers,Tiwari worked as a supervisor in a factory in Bangalore.In his trademark safari suit,and his polished language,Tiwari is a regular feature in the mandi.

The Tea Boy

This is a picture taken on a cold winter afternoon in Sarojini Nagar,New Delhi.

Selling Chai=A sweet Indian tea is a seasonal occupation for many people during this time of the year.The kettle contains a mix of boiling hot water, milk and sugar and the bucket is filled with disposable plastic cups,teabags and instant coffee and sometimes chocolate powder.Five Rupees gets you a cup of tea and seven a coffee topped with chocolate.Pretty nice on a chilly day!

Man and Nature

This picture was taken around Jahu,HP.The tiny human figure in the field and the somewhat bigger buildings provide a perspective on where man stands in relation to nature.

Little Girl Looking Out Of A Car Window

Avi took this picture on Janpath,in front of TBZ.He was in his car with his mother and uncle waiting for the traffic to start moving,when all at once, this cute kid,straight out of an AMUL ad,stuck her head out of the car,and here is, that KODAK Moment caught by Avi's camera.Like it?

The Family Bike

In a country where not every-one can afford a modern means of transport,a bike often serves the role of the family car.Avi photographed this middle class family in Sarojini Nagar Market---a budget shopping area of New Delhi.

Woman of the Hills

Business often takes Avi to the hills of Himachal Pradesh.This picture was shot on one of his numerous trips through the small towns of the state.Every time he visits Himachal he is struck by how hard the women there work.And as he puts it,'the men seem to just enjoy their drink and play politics while the women do all the work.'

Girl Selling Balloons

People living or doing business at traffic signals have always fascinated Avi .He shot this picture, one chilly evening, when he was on his way back from dinner with his mum at Faridabad.The colours and the lighting caught Avi's eye as he was waiting at the traffic lights on Bhikaji Place,New Delhi.

Resting

Avi took this picture while he was out on his evening walk.The picture is shot in the JNU campus,Delhi.Avi liked the restfulness of the scene:The greenness of the grass and the old gentleman at his ease,pyjamas hiked up,slippers off,legs stretched out,leaning on his walking-stick,enjoying the coolness of the grass.After a lifetime of care and toil he seemed to be enjoying a well deserved rest.

Pretty Girls

This picture of two girls on their way to school in the morning was shot in Sarojini Nagar,New Delhi.I like the picture for the innocence it captures.Avi ,however, thinks it is a pretty ordinary photo.What do you think?

The Bullock Cart

Avi took this picture of an ox drawing a cart laden with chemical drums as he was driving around Delhi,going about his daily business.He says that in the middle of driving he suddenly became aware of the cart and was struck by the beauty of the scene.He just had to capture the scene on camera.Here it is!Enjoy!

The Siblings

The pictures were taken a couple of days before Valentine's day on the streets of New Delhi.The first picture was shot when the older boy offered roses to Avi.The next picture is a truly priceless one of brotherly love,shot in a fleeting moment when the subjects were unaware of a camera following them.