If you have crossed the Churchgate Tanishq jewelry store on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday between 7:30 and 9 in the evening, chances are that you have seen some of us sitting on newspapers with street children from surrounding areas; drawing, teaching or telling stories. I had seen these classes in progress long before I became associated with Hamara Footpath. When I finally met Shubhangi through some common friends, I decided to give the classes a try. In my first session, I drew the solar system for a little boy called Ajay who lives on the footpath with his mother and baby sister near Churchgate. I started coming more and more often, as much as my other commitments would allow me to. I took pictures. More than anything else, what has drawn me to Hamara Footpath is the genuine love that these children show for those who have given them a little time and space from their own lives. One day, outside cross maidan, when we were walking past a group of children who attended the classes, one of them tapped me on the arm, pointed at Shubhangi and said “Yeh hamaari didi hai,” (trans. ‘this is OUR didi’), with an endearing sense of pride and propriety uncommon in a city like Mumbai. I decided that day that I would involve myself further.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Evening Classes Vasant Nath graduated in Social and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge. He is a filmmaker and currently works as an assistant to director Bharatbala. Click on the photos below to enlarge