Moradabad

Muslim Man with Baby

We were on the train again, headed to Moradabad, a small city in Northern India.  Kevin had connections with the Rotary Club from his last visit to India.  And one of Rotary’s big projects was the Polio Campaign.  His contacts had asked us to film a day of polio vaccinations, and Moradabad was a polio hotspot.  Although our attempts to get in contact with the doctor leading the program had failed in the last day or two, we were assuming that we would be able to find and film the event.

Boy Whistling

It seemed curious to me that almost everything we had filmed in India so far had involved children in one way or another.  I was starting to wonder, could this be the answer I’d been waiting for?  Had India, the mother, asked us to speak for her children?

Girl and Baby in Moradabad

It seemed to me a whole lot of factors were potentially contributing to the rise of disease. If a child could not even think to learn in school because of poor nutrition, how could the body be expected to defend itself against an illness?  Add to that the constant emotional stress of being in survival mode.  Poop was everywhere here in India and there was no water purification.

Girls Wanting Their Pictures Taken

Moradabad Kids

Boys Wearing Masks Designed to Appeal to the Children

But as Kevin humbly noted, the level of community organizing and cooperation involved in the day was incredible.  Even tollbooth collectors let us in free for the event.

I respected the caring I saw in everyone as they eagerly planned the day, and I loved seeing all the children.

Moradabad Girl

Boys Want Their Pictures Taken, Too

Moradabad boys by Muslim Mosque

Children Hanging on School Bars

Afterwords, to celebrate, we went to downtown Moradabad, known around the world for its brass work.  Everywhere to be seen there were statues of gods in brass, vases large and small with elaborate and beautifully detailed artwork engraved in the side.

Kevin asked the man, “Can you ship these?  Ship these to America for us?”

“Yes sir, no problem sir.”

They never did arrive.  But we have a nice picture of the vases we bought:

Moradabad’s Famous Brass Vases

Cow Dung Patties

Mustard Seed Fields

Man and Horse in Town