Shaloo is the hired help in my house. Background: Originally from Bihar¹, she came to Delhi as a little girl after both her parents died within a span of two months. She doesn't know her age at the time, and uses her hand, palm parallel to the ground at around 4-feet to indicate relative age. How did they [the parents] both die, I asked, envisioning a flood or epidemic. They were both sick from black magic was the serious answer. Of the now orphan children, only two were married: elder brother and sister. The parents left behind extremely meager resources, and the eldest son kicked out the younger ones. Shaloo was then brought by her brother in law to Delhi, and put to work in a "kothi" (rich person's home, large and usually stand-alone) as household help. This was some 20 years back. In some years, she got married, had three kids: Vikas (13 years); Kavita (11 years) and Suraj (9 years).
India Shining? Meet Shaloo
India Shining? Meet Shaloo
India Shining? Meet Shaloo
Shaloo is the hired help in my house. Background: Originally from Bihar¹, she came to Delhi as a little girl after both her parents died within a span of two months. She doesn't know her age at the time, and uses her hand, palm parallel to the ground at around 4-feet to indicate relative age. How did they [the parents] both die, I asked, envisioning a flood or epidemic. They were both sick from black magic was the serious answer. Of the now orphan children, only two were married: elder brother and sister. The parents left behind extremely meager resources, and the eldest son kicked out the younger ones. Shaloo was then brought by her brother in law to Delhi, and put to work in a "kothi" (rich person's home, large and usually stand-alone) as household help. This was some 20 years back. In some years, she got married, had three kids: Vikas (13 years); Kavita (11 years) and Suraj (9 years).