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The different shades of childhood

December 17, 2014 17:02 IST

Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com captures the different faces of childhood at a Mumbai fair.

Children can find joy in the simplest of things.

This was evident in the 10-day long fair, held in honour of the Sufi saint Makhdoom Ali Mahimi, at Mahim in north central Mumbai against the awe-inspiring backdrop of the city's famed Sea Link.

We saw children with their parents, their faces beaming as they took in the treats on offer.

And we saw the other side -- child labourers selling trinkets to earn a buck, oblivious of the joyrides around them.

Glimpses:

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

As the sky turns golden and the sun sinks into the Arabian Sea, the mela comes alive.

 The fair in Mumbai in full fare

These little ones wait for the ride to start. The older boy looks excited; the younger child is not sure what to expect!

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

Oblivious of the crowd around him, this young seller of ear-rings focuses on arranging his wares.

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

Yaaay! Trampolines are FUN!

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

This lad is keeping an eye on the money he has earned.

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

What can be better than a joyride on papa's shoulders?

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

No, he's not blowing bubbles for fun. His job is to sell as many of the little bottles of soapy liquid as possible.

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

With a striped woolly hat, and his grandmother's arms holding him securely, this little one is all set for the mela.

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

At an age when he should be enjoying the carefree joys of childhood, he is busy earning a living selling tickets for a ride on the Ferris wheel.

The fair in Mumbai in full fare

Now what can we say about this one? Just smile along.

Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com