Humans of India by Humans of New York

“We moved to the city thirty years ago when I was a small child. We hardly had a penny at the time. My father sacrificed everything for us. If I needed new clothes, he’d wear old clothes. And he never complained. If business wasn’t good, he’d keep it to himself so we wouldn’t have to worry. Once when I was twelve years old, I really wanted a bicycle. So he bought one for me. Shortly after that, I noticed that he wasn’t wearing his favorite ring. He told me that he was getting it fixed. When I became an adult, I asked him again: ‘Where is that ring? I want to make one just like it.’ Finally he told me: ‘I sold that ring to get your bicycle.’”

(Jaipur, India)

Today in microfashion...

(Mumbai, India)

“The only time they’re peaceful is when they’re watching cartoons. They argue over everything. They fight over toys. They call each other names. But as much as they fight, they also can’t live without each other. Anytime I try to separate them, two minutes later they’re talking again.”

(Jaipur, India)

“My wife passed away last month. She started shivering when she came out of the bath, and then she fainted. I took her to the hospital but she had a heart attack before I could admit her. I’m trying to stay busy. I’m OK when I’m at work, but the minute I enter my home, I begin to think about her. Her photographs are still by my bedside. Thankfully my ten-year-old grandson has been sleeping with me. He watches my shows with me. And he talks constantly. He goes on about his school and his class and his teachers. A lot of what he says is nonsense, but I enjoy it. And when he falls asleep, I fall asleep.”

(Jaipur, India)

“I came to the city when I was twenty-one because I wanted to meet my favorite actor. I thought that I’d wait outside his apartment, and he’d appear shirtless on his balcony just like in the Bollywood movies. But he never came out. I didn’t want to go home without meeting him because all my friends would laugh at me. So I slept on the streets. I had no money to survive. I began working at a bookstall just so I could eat. And every day after work I’d return to his house to see if I could find him. I finally got my chance when there was a big movie premiere. I knew he’d be there. I waited along the rope line and met all of the other actors. But when my favorite arrived, he walked past without greeting anyone. He didn’t even make eye contact. I was heartbroken. He didn’t even acknowledge his fans. At least now I have a bookshop. I can thank him for that.”

(Mumbai, India)

"I love that she loves love."

(Jaipur, India)

“My sons used to protect me from my husband. He’s an alcoholic and he becomes violent when he drinks. He beat me so bad once that it injured my spine. My sons used to stand beside me. They’d try to stop it. They’d scream at him not to hit me. Then afterward they’d comfort me. But they’re teenagers now and they’re starting to go down the same path. They stay out drinking until 3 AM. I can’t get them to wake up in the morning. Today they got in a fight and one of them punched his fist through a window. There was blood everywhere. I came out here to calm down but my hands are still shivering. I don’t know what to do. I ask them to stop drinking but they won’t listen. There’s nothing left for me. I gave them life, I guess that’s all I can do.”

(Mumbai, India)