The Unseen Faces of Our Streets
A Freewheeling Conversation with Ms. Harini Nagarajan, II BA English, MCC
The ‘Safe Hands’ Initiative
In our faced-paced, everyday lives, it’s quite natural for any of us to quickly walk past the unseen and unheard thousands of hapless people in our society - the destitute, the abandoned, and the voiceless faces who are there on our streets without stay or support! The most we usually do, on such occasions, is to subtly offer a fleeting moment of sympathy before we continue to move on with our work!
Indeed, it takes a rare kind of courage and true nobility to pause, to listen, and to document the heartbreaking realities that such hapless residents of the streets face every passing day of their lives.
This is exactly what twenty-year-old Harini Nagarajan, the brain behind the noble initiative Safe Hands, has chosen to do. Armed with just a smartphone, her paltry monthly pocket money, and filled with a genuine and profound sense of empathy, Harini spends her weekends documenting the lives of those whom society has largely forgotten, on her vibrant Instagram page titled, ‘Safe Hands’.
Be it an elderly toy-seller left to starve by the very sons he sacrificed to educate, or physically challenged individuals struggling for basic medical care, Harini’s interventions transcend mere documentation. She seeks to restore their dignity, build a network of dedicated volunteers, and hold onto the hope of somehow rehabilitating them or reuniting them with their families.
In this candid, freewheeling conversation, that I had with Ms. Harini Nagarajan, today, we explore the spark and the drive behind her endeavour, and how these poignant interactions have shifted her perspective on the concept of ‘privilege’ in society, and her inspiring vision for the future.
And Ms. Harini was five minutes ahead of time for the interview session today.
Here goes snippets from the interview –
Very good afternoon Harini. We are so happy to see the noble work that you’re doing in the service of the needy, the destitute and the hapless people in society. Before you started out on this initiative of documenting the lives of such people, there must have been a moment of inspiration that made you take up this noble task. When exactly was the moment you got that spark?
Ms. Harini: Well, sir, for some people, there might have been a specific incident or event in their lives that provides them the spark, but for me, it is just in my nature. Ever since my childhood, I’ve been empathetic and I’ve always wanted to help people, sir. There was no single incident; I just do it out of genuine interest.
I constantly imagine myself in their situation and ask, “What if I were in their place and nobody was there to help me?”
There are thousands who sympathise with the helpless, but they usually just express pity and walk away. You had the courage to stop, pause, interact, and powerfully document their struggles. How did you find this courage?
Ms. Harini: To be honest, I receive a lot of negative comments. Even within my own circle, some friends claimed I was doing this just for publicity and views. I tell them that I only document these episodes with explicit permission. I make it clear to the people I document, that I am not just sympathising; I genuinely believe that posting these videos highlighting their plight, would sure encourage others to step forward and help them.
Moreover, I also hold onto a small hope that these videos will reach their families, and perhaps one day, they will reach out to reunite with them. I am focussed on transforming their lives through this documentation, not just gain views, sir.
That is a wonderful perspective. By now, you must have had numerous conversations with the neglected and the unheard people in society. Could you tell me one single conversation that touched or struck you the most?
Ms. Harini: Just two days ago, I met an elderly man, around 60 or 62, near the A2B restaurant in Tambaram. He was selling small toys. When I approached him to record snippets of his life, he gladly agreed, saying I was like a daughter to him, which made me very happy.
But the moment I asked his name, he broke down in tears. It was an incredibly emotional moment. Even as he cried, a crowd of auto drivers and workers gathered around us. He then slowly opened up and shared with me that he had educated all his sons with his hard-earned money, but now that they are married and working, they have abandoned him. He had been sitting there from 7:00 AM, and when we spoke at 7:00 PM, he had sold only one toy, earning a profit of just 50 rupees for the entire day.
His only thought was that he would have to go hungry again. When I gave him some money, he said, "நீங்க வந்து எனக்கு சாமி மாதிரி தெரியறீங்க!" (You look like a god to me), because he had thought he would be starving that night. Hearing those words made me cry too, and the auto drivers around us stepped in to comfort and motivate both of us.
How have these conversations shifted your perspective on the concept of privilege in our society?
Initially my mom was quite sceptical about helping people who are begging on the streets because she holds the common notion that some might be feigning poverty even while they are doing well otherwise. My dad is the exact opposite; he has this tendency to help everyone.
Very often I used to wonder if my mom was right. However, quite soon, when I started speaking directly with these people, I began to truly understand their struggles. I firmly believe that if we have something to spare, we must give it to the needy. I receive about 700 to 800 rupees a month as pocket money, and I spend it entirely on these destitute, voiceless, and abandoned individuals.
How do you find the time for this, Harini? When exactly do you do this documentation?
I mostly shoot the videos during the weekends. Right now, I am the only person running Safe Hands. I visit the locations, record the videos, edit them, and post them all by myself, sir. For the filming part, I reach out to friends, and if anyone is free, I request them to accompany me.
They say your tone creates the perfect empathetic mood for the viewer. Are there reliable friends who have the time and motivation to help you consistently?
Well, to be honest, not many are there, sir. That’s because they have their own priorities and commitments. In situations where I can’t find help, I feel quite helpless and usually have to postpone the shoot to another day.
What ultimate impact do you wish to make in society through your channel?
My aim and aspiration is that, these videos should reach a wide audience and build a strong connection among people. To achieve this, I want to build a network of volunteers who genuinely want to help. My greatest wish is to successfully reunite at least one family through this initiative.
Have you received any impactful, memorable messages or DMs in response to your work?
Yes, sir. There are lots of messages. Particularly, I would like to highlight on a girl from the Dept of Statistics, MCC, whom I don’t even know, who texted me expressing her strong interest in joining and helping me out. Many people also repost the videos and send supportive messages encouraging my work, sir.
Currently, Safe Hands is only on Instagram. Are you hoping to expand to YouTube later?
I definitely need to start, but it is a bit challenging to manage multiple platforms at once right now. I hope people use my current page as an inspiration to start helping others without hesitation.
Having met a wide cross-section of underprivileged individuals, who do you think are the worst affected and deserve the most empathy?
Ms. Harini: Honestly, all of them, sir. Every single person has a heartbreaking story. Two weeks ago, I met a physically challenged elderly man who had met with an accident and he didn’t even have the money to travel to a hospital. I gave him 100 rupees for an auto. Then there are those who have been abandoned by their own children and left on the roadside. My heart goes out to all of them.
Do these abandoned parents express resentment towards the children who abandoned them?
Yes, sir. Indeed they feel a deep sense of sorrow. They often tell me, “I sacrificed so much to educate them, but they have abandoned me.” To me, hearing such words is so disturbing and disappointing, sir. And because I am young, many of them feel as though their own children have returned in my form to help them.
Finally, what is your message to the people reading this interview?
Right now, my focus is on building a strong volunteer network and professionalising this initiative. Beyond reuniting families, I want to help place the elderly in good care homes. Since I am only 20, it is tough to establish contacts with NGOs and old age homes on my own. I would deeply appreciate assistance and guidance in this area.
What specific aspect of our society needs to change to eradicate this helplessness?
I personally feel that, instead of merely sympathising with them, we must take concrete, actionable steps to help them in whatever way we can. More importantly, we need to focus on rehabilitation - providing them with basic jobs to sustain a decent livelihood. On a fundamental level, we must teach our children never to abandon their parents in their old age.
Our best wishes to you in this noble endeavour, Harini. Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me.
Well, Harini’s journey with Safe Hands is indeed a great inspiration for all of us.
Her initiative trueproves the fact that, empathy is not merely about feeling sympathy; it is about showing up and being there for the needy and the hapless people out there on the streets, when they need us the most!
In a world that so easily looks the other way, her quiet dedication and resolve challenges us to pause and truly see the invisible struggles of the helpless and the hapless people on our own streets.
Indeed, it takes only a moment to ask a name, share a meal, or offer a listening ear, yet these small acts of dignity can mean the world to someone who has been entirely forgotten by society.
In the words of the American essayist, professor, philosopher, and poet – The Sage of Concord – Ralph Waldo Emerson,
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well!
PS: You may want to check out Ms. Harini's Instagram Page HERE.
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