Meet Brij. He is the oldest of the kids here. When he was 7 years old his parents took him to Emmanuel (another children’s home in the area) because his parents were very poor and could not afford to feed him. Soon after both his parents died. His olders sisters are sex workers and would not take care of him. During his time at Emmanuel Brij developed a strong relationship with Victor (who was a staff member there) and when Victor and Simini started the Asha House Brij went with them. As the oldest boy in the Asha House he takes his responsibility seriously. He looks after everyone there specially for the boys.
As part of his responsibilities, every morning Brij makes the rice for the kids’ breakfast. Then once a week on Sunday he makes the full meal for lunch. I spent some time with Brij documenting the process and saw how much care and effort he puts into making this dish for his 31 siblings.
The dish is called ‘Vegetable Pulav’. He starts by cutting all sorts of vegetables into a pot. Potatoes, eggplant, onions, tomatoes, and a few other indian vegetables he could not seem to find a translation for.
Once the vegetable cutting and prepping is done, he fills up a bucket of white rice and washes it. Rice is pretty much a staple with the food here (as in every meal staple).
Once the rice is washed and vegetables ready he takes a few minutes to get the fire going. The cost of wood to keep a fire going is expensive so an alternative is to use cow patties mixed with fired up grass which is purchased at a much cheaper price than wood and keeps the fire going.
Brij receives some help from Simini as someone needs to be stirring while he fills the pot with the vegetables.
Once the vegetables are in he adds water, rice and LOTS of spices. After 45 minutes the rice is mixed well with the vegetables and spices and is ready! The meal from beginning to end takes about 2 hours.
Brij gets help from Emmanuel in carrying the pot to the kids lunch room.
Prayers of thanksgiving for the meal that has been provided for them.
Brij serves the food to each of his siblings starting with the younger kids first. The portions are huge by western standards but just right by Indian standards. It is typical for people to eat their food with the right hand. I have been impressed as the kids eat every bit of food on their plate without complaint.
Brij serves himself last and the pot is basically empty by then. They all eat together round table style on the floor. After the meal every kid takes his dish and cup and washes it before a few of them clean up the lunch room and on to play time they go!
Andres,
This is amazing. I love your wedding photography, but it’s these trips that you document through your photography that simply awestruck me.
It really drives home how much we take things for granted here in the West.
Thank you for telling their story.
Warm Regards,
Tara Finch
Thanks for this story about Brij. I was on the first team to India from AIM that was at Emmanuel (8 years ago) and I have a bunch of pictures of Brij from then. He was so little then compared to now! I’ve always wondered where all the kids ended up and I knew Brij was with Victor… incredible to see pictures though! Thanks! P.S. Can you tell Kim Amy Howard says hi?
Tara, thanks for the encouraging words. Very true about taking things for granted back West. I always come home refreshed and appreciating so much of what we have in the US.
Amy- Kim remembers you and says hi! We love Brij and he’s quite the young man there!