Alleyways

Ben Lerner

Whenever I travel to other cities I always try look for the alleyways. The small, quirky, mysterious side streets off the main road. I think alleyways say a lot about a city. 

For example, Hozier Lane in Melbourne (a favourite alleyway of mine) told me of the huge presence of art in the city and the appreciation that the city has for art. 

However, in India, alleyways are different. They still hold mystery and character, but people live in them. After one alleyway there is another, and another, and another. They uncover the layers of India. 

In Kolkata I went down an alleyway with the jungle crows. Down there not only were the homes of hundreds of people, but also a vibrant school with passionate teachers and happy kids. This was my first experience with the depth of Indian alleyways.

Today we went down another alleyway. It uncovered another vibrant happy community, living with almost nothing. The kids were mostly taken under the wing of the Mumbai Magicians, the local rugby club we are spending time with here. The thought of rugby made these kids ecstatic, especially considering most assume that because we're from New Zealand we're All Blacks. There were so many colours, smells, people and stories in that alleyway. 

We were invited into homes. These homes were small, compact and dense, however the people in them were still very happy, and glad to see us. It again made me consider the life of privilege I live in New Zealand and how content these people were, with so little to the point that their possessions could fit into one of my drawers.

The alleyways of India are fascinating. They give life to the cracks and crevices that most people will never encounter. They offer community to those that need it. They give a friend to play cricket with to the child that needs it. They give support to a mourning widow. They are like no other alleyways I have ever seen.