Priya and me

Nisha

Meet Nisha and Priya

Every ghat has it’s flower sellers and most of them are all under age 15. These kids sell readymade flower and candle cups that float on the water to pilgrims both in the morning and evening which is the time for prayers and offering. They are the children of the boatmen who take pilgrims and tourist out in the river sightseeing and you guessed it to set their flower/ candle offerings in the river. Over my sty here I have hated with the kids and gotten to know the kids in Assi ghat especially Nisha and Priya, who speak perfect English and are so bold in thery manner it is obvious that they have been around tourist for years and extracted many a rupee for flowers. Priya, who is 10, actually says she like to do “her flower business” and thinks of school as something that she is forced to do on the side. She is a smart lass with tons of street smarts and is not scared to put the older boys and men in their place. One tough cookie but she can turn on a smile and yi would think butter would not melt in her mouth. She has a lot of smarts but as Basker say “ she is going wrong way, wasting (her) mind on small business.” The girl needs some direction but with parents who are not educated and do not thing beyond the next meal it is so sad that the potential of kids like Priya  is wasted.

Nisha is maybe 12 or 13 and like Priya she is very street smart, pushy and cute as a button when she wants to be. She has been selling flowers  for  “oh.. long time sell.” She also does henna painting on hands and painted a flower on me for 20 rupees Over priced for sure  but I am a sucker. I try to talk with the girls about school  and what they want to do with their lives  but they say “ no idea”  with there eyes scan the ghat for the next customer and when an unsuspecting tourist appears  they are off. I guess the moral of the tale is get them while there young and they will learn whatever you teach them.