The kids are great, they are so sweet, so naturally loving, affectionate and usually so happy, regardless of the conditions. Of course you can't let them actually be affectionate because they are so dirty, I mean, generally speaking they are absolutely filthy so even though they want to touch you and climb all over you or whatever kids like to do you have to shoo them away like little mosquitoes. If one touches you it's out with the Wet Ones or hand sanitiser because you just never know where their little mitts were five minutes ago and try not to even think about it. The only time they are not happy (and this is my own personal opinion here, is when they are malnourished. they get a sort of a miserable dull look about them, their eyes have no life in them. It's actually rare as there is really no hunger here, other that the fact they don't get as much food as they want (that really makes sense doesn't it ? I know what I mean and it's my blog so there !)
The kids just love to have their photo taken and ask all day long. It's amazing how in an instant it goes from one kid to a whole bunch, as if they come out of, well, the gutters (which they pretty much do most of the time) the other thing is that in the next instant they are already organised into a "pose" for the photo. Then they love to see the image on the camera display of course, that's really important.
School kids. Most kids actually get to go to school, quite a few even have uniforms. the Westerners that visit often have made sure that most kids get to go to school, though some parents won't let them because they will simply grow up to do what their parents and grand parents have done before them.
This little one was just dropping the pants in order to have a poop on the path.....nice !
Here is a good "strike a pose" example. These little ones live in huts out in the alley way behind Ramanashram, they are such cool wee kids and very funny. These ones don't get to go to school unfortunately and was talking to them and their older brothers today about that. Seems they will simply "go into business" whatever that means.
Another "strike a pose" group, they just sort of...form up.
This is one of those times where if you take one photo you may well have to take ten, unless you can get away quick enough. So one kid......
....turns into two !
OK so this is one of the sickly, snot-nosed malnourished looking ones I mentioned, see the lack of life in the poor little urchins eyes and face in general ?
