In this archive story we are meeting An old man in Sarnath in Varanasi, India.
Read the background story of this archive photo by the photographer.
Raising the living standards of India's poor has been high on the agenda for governments since Independence. However, India presently has one of the world's highest concentrations of poverty, with an estimated 350 million and growing, Indians living below the poverty line. In this photograph an Indian man is portrayed in Sarnath, India.
Raising the living standards of India's poor has been high on the agenda for governments since Independence. However, India presently has one of the world's highest concentrations of poverty, with an estimated 350 million and growing, Indians living below the poverty line. In this photograph an Indian man is portrayed in Sarnath, India.
Kristian Bertel, Photographer By Kristian Bertel, Photographer
– Updated on March 1, 2024

Sarnath beggar portraiture

Poverty accounts for India's ever-growing number of beggars, mainly in the larger cities. For foreign visitors this is often the most confronting aspect of traveling in the subcontinent. Whether you give something is a matter of personal choice, though your money can often be put to better long-term use if given to a reputable charity.




Where is Sarnath?

Sarnath is a city located 13 kilometers north-east of Varanasi near the Ganges and the Gomati rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the 'Dharma' and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna.


Many elderly beggars in India
India is home to a large population of beggars and unfortunately, many of them are elderly. These elderly beggars have been reduced to a life of poverty and hardship, struggling to survive in the face of a society that fails to recognize their needs and the plight of elderly beggars in India is a stark reminder of the country's abject poverty. Many of these elderly people are living without basic amenities – no food, shelter or access to healthcare – and are forced to beg on the streets for whatever meager sustenance they can find. They often suffer from physical and mental health problems due to lack of adequate nutrition and hygiene and are vulnerable to exploitation by passers-by.

Initiatives have been taken
Elderly beggars in India are often ignored by the authorities and are denied access to essential services. They have no access to pensions or other forms of social security, making it even more difficult for them to make ends meet. Moreover, many of them are often subjected to mistreatment and abuse by the general public. The Government of India has taken initiatives to help the elderly beggars in the country, such as providing them with free food and shelter. However, these initiatives are not enough to address the underlying causes of poverty and homelessness among the elderly.

A stark reminder of the country's abject poverty and inequality
It is also essential to create awareness among the general public about the plight of elderly beggars in India and encourage them to contribute towards helping them. People can do their bit by donating money, food or clothing to the elderly or even providing them with basic medical care. The situation of elderly beggars in India is a stark reminder of the country's abject poverty and inequality. It is important to ensure that the elderly have access to basic amenities and rights and that they are not subjected to mistreatment and exploitation. Only then can we hope for a brighter future for India's elderly beggars.

When traveling, you will without a doubt come across people asking for money. After all, poor people everywhere will reason that anyone who can afford to travel by definition has money to spare. Even a budget traveler may be much richer than most local people in some places. Many people who beg are doing so out of desperation. For others, however, begging is their chosen profession and they may make good money at it by local standards. In certain countries or in certain cities, beggars will have their schtick which they have honed over the years or through adult training for the children and will have key choke points marked out for themselves where they can make good money.




"Even a truly desperate person does not always have the skills or the taste for violence necessary to compete in the begging marketplace that surround the tourist hot-spots in these countries and begging out in the bush is a waste of time. Also note that often, these beggars may be part of a large begging syndicate and that many of these syndicates deliberately injure and disfigure those working for them, including many young children, as having obvious deformities is more effective at soliciting pity. With merely some few rupees in my hand I may have given this wrinkled man in Sarnath his daily meal money. Slightly he appreciated my thoughtful gesture and what I had of small money in my pockets"




Beggars are the visible evidence of poverty
India is doing well and yet beggars are still part of the cityscape many places in India. These people are the visible evidence of poverty in the society and the reactions range from pity to rejection, so how do you handle them. The photographer has a few suggestions every traveler in India could ask themselves for instance how we feel when we see a person begging, who kneels. With pity or is it more of a queasy feeling and do we donate something or do we move on quickly? Beggars make it very clear to us that poverty is also part of our social history in India. Sometimes the beggar crouches quietly in the city center, sometimes the beggar walks begging through the compartments of the railways.

How we handle begging people is a great argument so one can ask if donations in kind are much better than money and if we buy the begging person a coffee and a bread roll without being asked, it may be the 10th coffee and actually people do not like anything at all and then the donation does not help much.

The photographer's tip is just ask what the beggar needs for instance socks, razor or new shoes. In addition to a willingness to donate, a conversation also signals humanity. Those who find it difficult to simply donate money on the street can also support clubs or initiatives. These people crouching on the floor there show us quite impressively that social decline and bitter Poverty are very possible in India. Many stories testify to how quickly a descent from society can take place. Nobody is born homeless. Usually there are several strokes of fate that come together. Sometimes a moment is enough to set a whole chain reaction in motion for instance job loss, over-indebtedness, separation, eviction suits, domestic violence in childhood and adolescence.

One can also ask if the need of the people are real or just played. The following applies to every begging person and nobody lives on the street for no reason the photographer can understand them or not and there are always reasons why people beg or live on the street. Also, nobody begs voluntarily and the life of a beggar is not easy. Many are sick and are abused by passers-by and even with multiple jobs, there are now workers who live below the poverty line. Low wages or part-time traps are just two reasons why you can be poor despite having a job. The destructive thing about such prejudices is that they create their own kind of reality and they form the basis for a mood that blames the unemployed for his unemployment. This fades the awareness of political responsibility for controlling the structural framework and that Awareness of the solidarity-based responsibility for people who are affected by unemployment.




"Sarnath is an ancient city located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The city is known for its Buddhist heritage and is one of the 4 major Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India. It is believed to be the place where Gautama Buddha first preached his teachings, making it a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists around the world"




Ancient ruins and monuments in Sarnath
Sarnath is home to a number of ancient ruins and monuments that are associated with the life of Gautama Buddha. One of the most famous sites is the Dhamekh Stupa, which is believed to be the place where Buddha preached his first sermon. Other important monuments include the Ashoka Pillar, which was erected by Emperor Ashoka and the Chaukhandi Stupa, which marks the spot where Buddha met his first 5 disciples and the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, which houses a replica of the Buddha's original enlightenment site.

The city of Sarnath is home to a number of important ancient Buddhist monasteries, such as the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, the Dharmarajika Stupa and the Anandabodhi Vihara. These monasteries have been important religious sites for centuries and are still visited by pilgrims from all over the world.

Apart from the ancient sites, Sarnath also has a number of modern attractions. The Archaeological Museum of Sarnath is a must-visit for history buffs, while the Deer Park of Sarnath houses a large population of spotted deer. The city also offers a range of shopping and dining options, as well as a vibrant nightlife. All in all, Sarnath is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists and a great place to explore India's ancient history. Whether you are looking for a spiritual journey or a fun-filled holiday, Sarnath is sure to offer something for everyone.


Singhpur, a village approximately 1 kilometer away from the site, was the birthplace of Shreyansanath, the 11th Tirthankara of Jainism and a temple dedicated to him, is an important pilgrimage site.




See this video about Sarnath made by Desi Traveling.




"- It is a difficult, yet deeply rewarding experience being a photographer in India. While it may be an emotional rollercoaster, it is an experience that photographers will never forget and it is a reminder of the importance of their work. The experience of taking poverty photos in India can be an emotionally overwhelming one for any photographer. While capturing powerful images of suffering can help to bring much needed relief and attention to an issue, it can also bring with it a deep sadness from witnessing so much misery and hardship. For those with a passion for telling stories through photos, witnessing the hardships of living in poverty in India can be both inspiring and sobering. With the majority of India's population living in poverty, photographers are presented with the opportunity to show a part of life that may not be seen in other parts of the world", the Photographer says.

Read also:  Blind people of India




Read also:  Blind people of India

More archive stories

India is a land full of stories. On every street, on every corner and in the many places in India, life is rushing by you as a photographer with millions of stories to be told. In the archive story above, you hopefully had a readable insight in the story that was behind the photo of a begging man in Sarnath. On this website of Kristian Bertel | Photography you can find numerous travel pictures from the photographer. Stories and moments that tell the travel stories of how the photographer captured the specific scene that you see in the picture. The photographer's images have a story behind them, images that all are taken from around India throughout his photo journeys. The archive stories delve into Kristian's personal archive to reveal never-before-seen, including portraits and landscapes beautifully produced snapshots from various travel assignments. The archive is so-far organized into photo stories, this one included, each brought to life by narrative text and full-color photos. Together, these fascinating stories tell a story about the life in India. India, the motherland to many people around the world, a land of unforgetable travel moments. The archive takes viewers on a spectacular visual journey through some of the most stunning photographs to be found in the photographer's archive collection. The photographer culled the images to reflect the many variations on the universal theme of beauty and everyday life in India. By adding these back stories the photographer's work might immensely enhanced the understanding of the photographs.

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