You may not believe me, but my father, is a polistik [politician]. People come to him whenever they need something done. Many politicians approach him when they want their banners put on the highways.

Our chawl [tenement] was destroyed because a flyover was to be built. Now my whole family spends the day below that flyover.

I sell these flags every year. Normally I earn Rs 200 to Rs 300 a day. 15th August is a very profitable day for me. Yes, I know it is the day we got Independence.

On other days I sell everything -- newspapers, roses -- even limbu [lemon], mirchi [chillies] to superstitious carwallahs. I start at around 9 am and work till 4 pm.

The only sad thing is that I come from a village where we are called Pardhis. We have a very bad reputation of being thieves. Whenever the police finds this out they tend to harass us. I know there are some Pardhis who are thieves but that does not apply to us.

I make my money the honest way and I have never thought of begging.