Geeta's Day

Geeta's day begins as most children's do. But when she sets off to school, passing the "kamar" at the forge, the "mali" weaving garlands of flowers to offer to the temple gods, her world begins to beat to the distinctive rhythm of Indian village life.



This book is part of the series A Child's Day, photographic information books concentrating on the daily lives and experiences of children in countries around the world, published in association with Oxfam.

Author's note

India is a country of villages, Some people are born, grow up and die in their village without ever moving to another place.

The village is one great family. Everyone knows everyone else. Children roam freely and use the whole village as their playground. Some children are so spoiled by their grandparents and other children that they spend very little time with their own mothers. In the village, older people are never called by their first names: They are known as "brother", "sister", "uncle" or "aunt".

The village I have chosen to photograph is in the state of Orissa, in eastern India. But the events of Geeta's Day could be happening in almost any plains village in India.