Bihar

Unhappy face

Raw Sewage entering Ganges (Photo: JLewis)

Soo.. What is it like in Bihar? Incredible poverty. The worst I have seen on this entire trip. People here live literally in their sewage and waste, on the ground and in the air. I can only imagine the massive health problems. I myself cannot stop coughing now because of the constant dust, smoke and exhaust I have had to breath in. In this region I cannot count how many people I have seen going to the bathroom right on the side of the road, either onto the road or into the water canals next to the road.

The layers of trash are everywhere. This has been the case throughout Asia where I have travelled, but it is more intense here. Everyone here has been dealt the most unlucky hand I can imagine. The most downtrodden homeless person in the US is 100 times better off and will likely live longer with less health problems than the people of this region, who actually have a home to live in. It is incredibly unfair…and unjust.

I have always had little tolerance for whining by people like myself who have it so good in the US. I have a feeling after this trip…my tolerance level will have decreased significantly further. It is all luck of the draw where you are born. This is one of the shortest straws for certain.

Happy face

Blue doors in Bihar (Photo: JLewis)

While the issues of poverty are definitely apparent here, there is also a lot of charm and hope. The buildings in each little town in this region are painted with many colors of blues and greens. One of the things that I noted was that every door is different and interesting to look at. Some are metal, some are wood…but all are different shapes and different designs. So every house, no matter how run down, or whatever the size, has an interesting and inviting door. In fact, most were interesting enough to entice me to want to photograph them. 

Kids prepare for cricket game (Photo: JLewis)

Like everywhere else I have been, people still go on with life in normal fashion, enjoying the free time they have. I have seen evening games of cricket, children playing with puppies, families cooking and enjoying meals together. Friends hanging out and enjoying conversation.

There have also been significant efforts by local people here to make a difference for the people and the environment. I will talk more about these later, but I can say at least now that the human spirit to fight for something better definitely exists here, even with all the hardship surrounding them.