Which religion and caste do you belong to?
Hindu, Khati.
Are you married? Do you have any kids?
I’m married. I don’t have kids.
And for how long have you been living in Delhi?
It must be around 10 years now.
And why did you come to Delhi?
I came here to work.
Before you came to Delhi, did you have any friends or family living here already?
Yes, my brother.
And what work do you do?
[Deliver] gas cylinders.
And since how many years have you been doing this?
Five years.
And is the money you get from this work enough for you?
No. It’s not enough. But we manage to feed ourselves and get by with it somehow.
And do you manage to send any money back home to your family in Shahjahanpur?
No. I managed to just send 4000 rupees last time for the whole year.
Had you ever done this kind of work before?
No, never done it before.
And what did you do before you took up this job?
I’d fix taps for bore wells.
Could you tell me something about your work? How does the gas delivery work? Where do you get them from? Where do you deliver them?
I deliver them to the customers. I bring the cylinders from the Timarpur warehouse in Majnu ka Tilla. I work for ------- Company. I go to [the customers’] houses and deliver the cylinders with receipts.
While working, what thoughts come to your mind? What do you think about?
I keep thinking of getting a better job so I can start earning better, eating better. I think about it but it doesn’t happen. What should I do?
What would be an interesting job that you’d like to take up?
Anything is good. If I find a better job, I’ll take that up. Regardless, I’m earning enough to feed myself.
How do you like life in Delhi?
It’s okay. But not that great, either. I’m away from my home and family. But I don’t have any choice, you know.
If you ever get a chance to go back to your village, Shahjahanpur, would you like to go?
Yes, I could go. No big deal. If I find a decent job there, I’d definitely go and live there.
And why do you think so many people come to Delhi from all over India? Why do they come here?
They come here to work hard and make a living for themselves.