What is your caste and religion?
I am Hindu, Yadav.
Are you married?
Yes.
Do you have children?
Only one, a daughter.
How long have you been living here in Delhi?
I have been living here for the last 5 years.
With whom do you live here?
I live with my uncle.
So, why did you come to Delhi?
There is poverty in my area. That is why I came here, to earn some money.
How much did you earn there?
What earning? There I used to get hardly 200 rupees at a labor job.
Do you get it here?
Yes, I do get it here.
So, when you came to Delhi, were there some friends or family members here?
Yes, my uncle was here. Seeing my condition, my uncle called me here, saying that here you will earn some money. You will save some money also.
What kind of work do you do?
I work as construction laborer.
What do you do as construction laborer?
I pick up parcels. I deliver parcels from shops to shops.
Do you ever go to see your family?
Yes, I do go to meet them. I stay here 6-7 months and then I go back.
The money you earn here, is it sufficient or not?
No, it is not sufficient. I have borrowed money and it has got to be repaid.
Why did you borrow money?
For the marriage of my sister and for the treatment of my parents I borrowed money.
What is the problem your parents are suffering from?
They are suffering from a sickness called paralysis. They have become ill with paralysis. I borrowed money for their treatment.
What did you do before coming to Delhi?
I was doing nothing before coming to Delhi, except farming for someone else. We’d give half the grain to them and keep half for ourselves. The expenses were fully on us.
On a contract basis?
Yes.
What do the members of your family do, the same work?
No, nothing. I am the eldest one in my family.
And how many brothers and sisters are you?
There are four brothers and three sisters. I am the eldest.
What do your brothers and sisters do?
My siblings are all so young. They take care of the family and do farming. They live with my parents.
When you work here, what all thoughts come to your mind?
What else? Except that I might pay back my debts and continue to progress. The money that I have borrowed has to be paid backed first. I borrowed 50 to 60 thousand, which has become more than 1 lakh now.
What would you like to do in life?
See, in our life, wherever you see the possibility for earning money, you work and your brain runs for that only. Your brain works accordingly. If you do not have money, your brain will also stop working.
If you ever got some money and were able to pay back your debts, what would you like to do?
I would do some business, like some business in wheat, rice. Grains can also be produced. We can weigh that and stock that for a better price.
What do you think of life in Delhi?
What do I think of life in Delhi? It is just passing time here, just being able to make money for bread and butter. Just passing time. I am just dreaming of having a better life right now.
Would you like to go back home?
If I ever got a chance to go, definitely. Yes, my heart says to go back. If I could get a better source of earnings there, why would I be willing to live here in Delhi? Living in Delhi is essential for me. I have a lot of debt but do not have enough money to repay. I am living in Delhi in order to pay back the debt.