Name: Banagayya

Age: 72 years

Profession: Beggar, Hyderabad

Connection with Kelly:

Kelly met him at the street lights in Hyderabad at the KBR park on her birthday

“Everybody nowadays lives his own live and pursues his own dreams”

My dreams:

Since 10 years I’m a beggar at the street lights in Hyderabad at the KBR Park. Before I was a farmer but I lost everything.
I have 2 sons and 2 daughters who still live in the village where I come from.

I live here with my wife on the streets. My wife is too old to beg, she cannot move her body very well anymore. She stays in the neighborhood of the temple where we also sleep. We also have a water tap there so that I can wash myself and my clothes. What I earn, we share. On an average day I earn 200 rupees (3€). I always beg at the traffic lights in the streets. During the day I change traffic lights. People in the cars, on scooters give me money. A Saturday is the best day to beg, close to the temple. A lot of people bring then a temple visit and do a donation. Then I can get between 3 to 400 Rupees (4 to 5€).

Nobody is looking for us, our children took everything from us. Everybody nowadays lives his own life and pursues his own dreams. My father was also a farmer. I took care of him in his old days. Now people have different lives, generations are changing.


I have no dreams. My life is over. I will beg till the end of my days. If I would not be here anymore my wife would go back by train to our village to our sons.

What makes me happy:

If I have some food every day and some money, then I can sleep and I’m happy. Until now I was never ill. Sometimes I have a cough and some joint pain and pain in my legs but I can still go out for begging. 
I go sometimes to pray in the temple. That makes me also happy.

Kelly’s experience:

Kelly was impressed by how happy he was after she listened to his story. She thought that he felt like a model when she did his photoshoot. For her birthday she gave him some rupees.
That was the nicest present she could get, seeing his happiness. He was a shiny man with enough money for the following weeks. He walked straight again next to his stick.

Your experience?

What is your feeling after reading this story?

Please share it with us and leave a comment below.

dreams-from-india-header

Pin It on Pinterest