A slum generally does not have a positive image and the conditions are not always that good in our western eyes. Yet 48 percent of the population in New Delhi, India lives in a slum. And if you look closer, life is actually not that different from other places. Here too, people live a daily life. There are schools, doctors, temples, markets and people go to work and visit each other, just like in the rest of the world. With guide Saggy from Reality Tours in Delhi, I was allowed to go out for half a day to experience daily life in Sanjay Colony, a slum in New Delhi. Quite an experience. Read more about my experiences in Sanjay Colony in India and what you should take into account when booking a slum tour in New Delhi.
Sanjay Colony Delhi is a small slum located in the south of New Delhi (near the Bahai Lotus Temple and Iskcon Temple) in India. A 20 minute metro ride takes you from the luxurious Khan Market to the remote Harkesh Nagar Okhla metro station, and the difference between these places couldn’t be bigger. The metro station is where I meet Saggy, my local friend for the day. Saggy immediately makes me curious to start this New Delhi slum tour. He is an enthusiastic and positive guy who has been doing these tours for years.
One of the first questions I ask him is what people actually think when they see foreign guests. He explains that when he walks through the community alone, people immediately ask him: “Where are the guests?” He also tells me that there is an important saying in India: “Our guest is always a god.” His answer is good enough for me to feel comfortable.
Before we continue, I am given a brief introduction to Sanjay Colony and our schedule for today. Currently, more than 50,000 people live in the community of Sanjay Colony. In the 1970s, when this region was still a forest, people from different parts of India came here to settle. The main reason for this was the lack of employment and services in the regions where people came from. In Sanjay Colony, the government provides water tanks, public toilets and electricity. Although medicines have to be paid for, doctors are free.
Saggy explains: “A slum tour in Sanjay Colony in New Delhi India usually takes half a day and is a way for visitors to get a better idea of the everyday life of Delhiites. The aim is to create more understanding and respect for other cultures and ways of life, thereby breaking down stereotypical preconceptions about slums.
I immediately notice that people are open and friendly. Everywhere I see smiling faces and people ask me where I come from, what my name is and if I want to be photographed. The women look beautiful, in a word. Children shake my hand and I am warmly welcomed everywhere.
Saggy explains that photos are normally not allowed during the Sanjay Colony slum tour, to respect people’s privacy. Reality Tours in Delhi makes an exception for me, because they want me to share my story and experiences in Sanjay Colony. As soon as I let local people know that they will be featured on my blog, I get asked if they will become famous. As I pose on the street, a man immediately passes by and poses next to me, laughing. It is touching and warm.
Do you also want to go on a Sanjay Colony slum tour in New Delhi? You can book a tour here.
Our first stop during the slum tour in Sanjay Colony is at the clothing recycling street. Here are several small businesses, each responsible for large piles of used clothing. The items are delivered by large trucks, sorted by color, size and style and then sold on for further processing. Margin around 30 rupees, less than 50 cents. But for the people here this is a lot. Some people I speak to have been doing this work for 10 and sometimes 30 years. Most of them didn’t go to school and are happy with the work they have. Someone else says that it is of course not the best work but it is better than nothing.
We continue our way through the residential area, to get an impression of the daily life. There are countless streets and alleys, which are bustling with people, sounds, colors and smells. I hear music and notice that a child with big eyes is dragging his mother to some candy that is sold. I also get to know the neighborhood parrot and a beautifully dressed woman. I take a picture with a boy with a Hulk t-shirt and a girl in a Frozen shirt. We walk past the house of the doctor but he is abroad, and only his wife is there. People speak poor English so most of the contact is via guide Saggy.
Our next stop is Reality Gives, Reality Tours’ sister NGO in Delhi. I meet the volunteers who explain what this NGO does to support the local community. They teach English, computer classes and skills for life. The project started in Mumbai, where the hit movie Slumdog Millionaire was filmed, and became a huge success when the locals started supporting Reality Gives in every way. Every day, 60 to 70 students visit the NGO, and on some days this number goes up to 100. One volunteer says that students are very enthusiastic about learning English, because they know how important it is for traveling and job interviews.
Do you also want to go on a Sanjay Colony slum tour in New Delhi? You can book a tour here.
My tour ends with a view of Sanjay Colony in Delhi. We enter a house and climb a winding staircase. Saggy takes me to a roof, from where I have a view of the maze of streets and alleys of Sanjay Colony. On the roofs, laundry and TV antennas can be seen. From up there, I can’t get the impressions of today out of my head. I am so happy I was able to experience these hours in Sanjay Colony and observe daily life up close.
During a slum tour in New Delhi, you will not only learn about living and working in Sanjay Colony in India but you will also experience how it’s not so different from other places. By getting in touch with the locals, you will be amazed by the positivity of the people in this community, despite the sometimes challenging living conditions. Do you also want to visit a slum in New Delhi? You can book a tour here.
Opinions on slum tours in India are divided. Personally, I think it is an unforgettable experience but you have to do it in a sustainable way. There are many tour operators that offer these types of tours in Delhi and Mumbai, but not everyone organizes them responsibly, with respect for the local population. You want to go with a tour operator and guide who has an ethical and sustainable way of working and supports the local community as much as possible. Here are some tips to keep in mind when booking a tour and getting the most out of your visit.
First of all, make sure you do some research beforehand. These are some questions you will want to have answered before you go on a slum tour in New Delhi India.
If most of the answers on the above are yes and positive, go for it and have an amazing time. You can book a sustainable tour here.
Yes, a tour through a slum in India is a safe experiece. Make sure you follow the guidelines of the organization and guide at all times. Be respectful to the local population and take into account local traditions and customs. Don’t forget that you are a guest. Never enter a slum alone and always go with the right people.
These are some tips and recommendations for items to bring on your Sanjay Coloy slum tour.
Reality Tours is a social enterprise that uses a profit-sharing model to fund sister-NGO Reality Gives. Eighty per cent of post-tax profits go directly to Reality Gives, which runs high-quality education programs. The NGO’s goal is to benefit from tourism as a force for local development and to enable travelers to learn from different cultures and ways of living. Many of Reality Tours’ team members and tour guides started as students with Reality Gives. If you want to do a Sanjay Colony Delhi slum tour, make sure you book with Reality Tours. Reality Tours also offers slum tours in Dharavi in Mumbai. Both are a perfect half day tour and a great experience, where you support the local community as much as you can.
New Delhi is the fascinating capital of India, a buzzing city where you are going to be overwhelmed and impressed by everything that is happening around you. There are no greater contrasts than here. In the old city you will marvel at the remains of the Mogul era and small hectic streets with honking tuktuks, monkeys and cows on the road. In New Delhi, you’ll find sprawling parks, modern shoppings and hip rooftops. You can truly spend days enjoying yourself in New Delhi, go sightseeing, eating delicious food and most importantly, taking in a whole new world. Curious? Check out my travel guide with tips for exploring New Delhi in India.
New Delhi offers numerous accommodations in various price ranges. But you actually don’t want to save money on a hotel here. You can enter a world of luxury for little money. And believe me, that is quite comfortable in a busy and chaotic city such as New Delhi. Check out The Oberoi, The Leela Palace and The Lodi. I myself stayed in The Oberoi, with luxurious rooms, a fantastic service, a nice swimming pool and lovely roof terrace.
Looking for more hotels in Delhi? This is an overview.
A visit to New Delhi can be overwhelming, especially when you just arrive. A good way to get used to India is to explore Chandni Chowk and some of New Delhi’s major attractions with a local guide. Find your tours here.
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