Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Christine Kaaloa
The heroic feats of Chandni Chowk laborers
Delhi, India.
Dilapidated havelis, winding souk-like streets congested with workers, rickshaws and merchant shops which sell anything imaginable from saris to electrical appliances– Chandi Chowk is the bustling heart of a 16th century Delhi.
What is Chandni Chowk?
Table of Contents: The Human Plows of Chandni Chowk (PHOTOS)
Chandni Chowk is one of the oldest and busiest markets of Delhi. It is referred to as Old Delhi.
It survives and thrives on legacy work and practices of 100 year old merchant shops and Chandni Chowk laborers, whom I call, The Human Plows.
Heroic feats of the invisible Chandni Chowk laborers
The most invisible heroes of the chowk are its male laborers. The men range anywhere from young boys to seniors. These are its laborers which transport mountainous cargo through the narrow winding streets of the electrically crowded chowk. They are the chowk’s busiest worker bees, making sure the cargo goes from its unloading area to its merchant shops. Weaving and dodging through crowds and rickshaws, they take their delivery to its destination.
Chandni Chowk Laborers
The amount of goods they transport are impressive or jaw-dropping. The physical frames of these laborers even moreso, as many are just bone and muscle. A population of these laborers look like tiny grandpas with muscles.
Some men hoist the cargo on shoulders, others strap and balance mountainous goods, while men either, bicycle pedal or wheel cargo on oxen carts . These laborers can do a day’s work for as little as $5 a day .
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