Street People in Amaravati
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One of the most challenging experiences for westerners visiting India is deciding how to respond to the constant demands of the beggars on the streets. I saw people out of sympathy giving a few coins to a crippled person or to a 14 year old girl carrying a baby. Then five or ten more people will huddle around chanting "Ma" or some other word in English, frequently pursuing the giver for blocks. Other visitors will never even look at or talk to a beggar.
There are many rumors of Indian gangs "running" beggars, enforcing daily quotas. We heard stories of parents maiming their children to make them more pitiable to visitors. Here is a link to a BBC story on doctors who were being paid by gangs to amputate limbs.
While we were at the Teaching Site, on the days of the ceremony, when 150,000 or so people were in town, suddenly there were hundreds of beggars all lined up asking for money. How did they get there? We were told they were transported from nearby cities.
What is the answer? I don't think there is one single answer. Certainly supporting efforts to reduce poverty is the long-term answer. In the short term, when confronted by an outstretched hand, we each look inside and decide what to do in the moment.
There are many rumors of Indian gangs "running" beggars, enforcing daily quotas. We heard stories of parents maiming their children to make them more pitiable to visitors. Here is a link to a BBC story on doctors who were being paid by gangs to amputate limbs.
While we were at the Teaching Site, on the days of the ceremony, when 150,000 or so people were in town, suddenly there were hundreds of beggars all lined up asking for money. How did they get there? We were told they were transported from nearby cities.
What is the answer? I don't think there is one single answer. Certainly supporting efforts to reduce poverty is the long-term answer. In the short term, when confronted by an outstretched hand, we each look inside and decide what to do in the moment.
Asking for money
Night Time