India's river divers risk health in search for hidden treasures, Asia News
The 67-year-old is one of hundreds of gotakhors, or divers, who go to the river to hunt for coins, trinkets, discarded bottles and shards of metal and wood that can be sold in Delhi's booming scrap market.
"I earn approximately 5,000 Indian rupees (S$74.75) in a month from this," said Gupta, who spends his days working as a toilet cleaner near the shack where he lives. He saves the extra income for his two grandchildren, hoping to split it between them when they grow up.
Hindus consider rivers as holy and pilgrims toss offerings including coins, coconuts and flowers into the water for the "river goddess" who sustains lives by giving water for drinking and irrigation.
They regard the Yamuna River, which originates in the Himalayas, as one of the most sacred in India, cremating the dead on its banks and throwing their most precious possessions, including jewellery, into the waters along with their loved ones' ashes.
Gupta and his fellow divers swim beneath the polluted waters, often risking their health in their search for riches.
He is at the river in the morning and evening seven days a week, and goes to his regular work during the day — a routine that he has followed for 35 years.
Arvind Kumar, 29, has been working on the river full time for nearly 12 years.
"There is no fixed income from this kind of work," said Kumar, who earns up to 600 Indian rupees per day on average, below the government's minimum daily wage of 710 Indian rupees for an unskilled worker.
Mostly, the divers collect coins, bottles and plastics.
Occasionally they might discover some slivers of gold. More rarely, gold rings and necklaces.
Sometimes, they also find bodies, and then the police might call on them to help retrieve them. If they see people carried away by the currents, they might try to rescue them.
This makes the divers "happier than the person rescued," Gupta said.
A devout Hindu, Gupta said he was not afraid of the river because he had the protection of "Mata Rani", the Hindu mother goddess.
"So why be scared?" he asked. "If she wants, I will die, if she wants me to live, she'll save me."
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Based on a Study in Social Psychology and Personality Science, children learn that race is a category, even when parents try to teach them not to recognise race. It's important not to have just one conversation, but a series of conversations; and start sooner than later, tailoring your message so that it's age- and child-appropriate. If they happen to ask you about something related to the topic, help them explore their curiosity and respond in a matter-of-fact, non-judgmental way. A child in Singapore once pointed at my husband and said, with wide eyes, 'Look at his skin, he's black!' Her parents quickly shushed her and apologised to him. My husband (who is used to these types of interactions by now), calmly said, 'No need to apologise to me, educate your child.' At which point they turned to their child and chastised her, taking out their embarrassment and shame on the poor child. 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To say that you don't see colour means that you are turning a blind eye to the bias, racism, and prejudices that people of colour experience as a result of the colour of their skin. Here is an article on why it's not such a good idea to ignore the conversation. Even six-month-old babies notice differences like skin colour and hair, and Professor Kang Lee at the University of Toronto's research revealed that they already show signs of racial bias. Just try not to perpetuate negative stereotypes or repeat any derogatory terms that they might not have heard yet. The best place to begin is to talk about the people who are already in the child's life who have different skin colour, culture or religion. If they don't know anyone who is different from them then it's time (for you and them) to make new friends! Appeal to the child's sense of fairness and justice (according to the University of Queensland, children as young as 7 are able to grasp the concept). 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And racism is not just about people being mean to each other, back then in the US, black people like Rosa were segregated from white people and could not do a lot of things that white people could. That's why she did what she did. What do you think about that?' Finally, it is ok to make mistakes. As with everything, it takes practice. The main thing is you tried your best and that although it's difficult, this is important. Disclaimer: This is my perspective as the mother of a mixed-race child and the wife of a black man. My aim is to raise awareness and not replace or represent the voices of others that are just as valid but may be under-represented. If I have caused any offence, I apologise and invite you to help me learn and do better. Imelda Bonnett is an Australian of Indonesian Chinese heritage, who made the move to Singapore with her husband and young daughter. She is also a career banker, a certified bodyART™ fitness instructor, and one of the admins of Respectful/Mindful Parenting Singapore Facebook Group. Her other passions include meditation, travelling, singing and clumsily dancing in Zumba classes. Thank you so much, Joline and Imelda, for sharing your time and personal experience. Follow Chapter Zero Singapore for more resources on respectful and mindful parenting, and talking to kids about race and racism!
