This story begins in a small town called Canowindra, a charming small town located in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. Located approximately 320 kilometers west of Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales. It is part of the Cabonne Shire, a local government area, and is known for its rural setting.

The town has a rich history, and its name is of Aboriginal origin, possibly meaning "a home" or "camping place." Canowindra has historical buildings and a streetscape that reflects its heritage. The town is known for its well-preserved 19th-century architecture, including historic buildings such as the Royal Hotel, the Canowindra Hotel, and the Trading Post. St Edward's Catholic Church, built in 1886, is another notable heritage structure.

The houses in the town have roofs clamped with red bricks and slanted to fend off the occasional monsoon rains. Housing a population of only 10,000, the town has a close-knit community where most would know on first name basis. There was a corner café, a pizzeria, a central park and a community space hosting various kind of sports activities, enough to keep the town buzzing, busy and benevolent.

In April every year the town bustles with foreign tourists and renowned balloon flight operators as it hosts the annual Canowindra International Balloon Challenge. This event attracts hot air balloon enthusiasts from around the world. The sight of colorful balloons floating over the town and its picturesque surroundings is a major highlight. I have fond memories of seeing rainbow-colored balloons in the air, awestruck by the serenity and variety of the view, but also fascinated by the science behind these balloons.  I’d get up early during the festival days, pack my two tuna sandwiches from my mother and go to the park to look for balloons with much amazement and awe.

My favourite part of the annual challenge was the Cabonne Community Balloon Glow. In which, about 15-20 hot air balloons will inflate just after sunset and then light up like giant 20-metre-high lightbulbs and then synchronize their lights to a mix of the best music over the last 20 years.  A spectacle not to be missed.

My best friend at the time named Cuddle, my teddy bear, was a constant spectator with me for each year’s balloon challenge. Cuddle came into my life from as long as I can remember given to me by my late grandparents. Since then, I have brought him everywhere from trips to the neighborhood festival even to overseas and the one I distinctly remember, the longest journey ever to the Santa Claus Village Lapland in Finland.

It was a long 2-day journey from Canowindra to Lapland. We first drove in our old Hyundai Tuscan SUV for about 3.5hrs to Sydney to catch an overnight flight to Helsinki via Singapore. My dad had planned to stay overnight in Singapore at one of his friends’ places and do a little tour of the lion town.

Singapore was lit up brightly with Christmas lights with crowds everywhere – an unseen sight in our small town. Orchard Road, a must-visit lifestyle destination in the country was transformed into a festive wonderland boasting of bright lights, enchanting decorations, endless music, and holiday cheer galore. There was also a reality projection on the wall of the Hilton Hotel and Christmas tunes played in the background. We took the red bus tour the next morning, awed by the architectural marvels of the Marina Bay Sands, enjoying rides at the Sentosa island including the thrill of the cable car and watching polar bears in the Singapore Zoo despite the island’s tropical climate. People thronged to watch the bear ‘Lele’ – the country’s first giant panda cub as was soon to be separated from mother Jia Jia to be transferred to China as part of some diplomatic love making between the countries.

Next day we boarded the SQ flight to Helsinki. I was fully prepared for the long 26-hr journey having downloaded 3 movies from my dad’s Netflix account and bought 5 packets of cup noodles– my favourite dish from Singapore. I took the window seat, put on my headphones on and stretched my legs to prepare for the journey. We reached Helsinki at 5 AM and I was deep into my sleep. My parents woke me up and we checked into the hotel. We had 2 days to kill in the city before boarding the Artic train to the Lapland. 

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is a vibrant city with a mix of modern and historic attractions. The town boasts a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Suomenlinna is an 18th-century sea fortress located on an archipelago. A perfect place to explore historic walls, museums, and enjoy scenic views of the surrounding sea. We also visited the Cathedral, located at the Senate Square and is known for its neoclassical architecture. And finally in the evening we went to the Market Square, located on the waterfront, a bustling market for find fresh produce, local crafts, traditional Finnish foods, and a place to get taste of local atmosphere.

I kept cuddle on the side of my pillow. Suddenly, I felt Cuddle had come alive– the moonlight reflecting glintingly from its forehead, eyes sparkling, and felt his eyes were blinking. I felt like the Cuddle was on the cusp of exhibiting a range of emotions, including joy, sadness, excitement, and curiosity adding an emotional depth and a human-like dimension to its character. I could feel the excitement and sensation in my senses in what lies ahead.

One day while on a stroll in the market with Cuddle in my arms, I felt a sudden sensation on my right arm. I thought it was a spider and I cried loduly, but only to find that it was a look-alike of Cuddle. Exactly same hair, skin color, eyes, and ears. Although I had read in one of the wimpy kid diaries that every human has upto seven look alike in the world on planet Earth, but I didn’t imagine that would be the case with bears.

I picked up the other bear and while I was staring at it, I saw a girl rushing towards me. I figured out it was her bear, so I extended my arms to pass her willingly. She thanked me amicably. She told me her name was Angie and her bear was ‘Puddle’ which brought a broad smile to our faces, and we decided to share an ice-cream. I noticed a badge saying “Eradicate Poverty” on Puddle’s neck and asked her to tell me more about it.

With much enthusiasm, she said that Puddle is on a mission to eradicate poverty. I asked her what is poverty? Angie said in lot of places around the world people, small or big, living without access to basic needs like sanitation or nutrients. ‘Huh, that sounds strange? In our town that’s not possible’. ‘My father buys me chocolate every Friday and Sunday is my Pizza Day’. Angie smiled and said let me explain to you in a practical way, she grabbed my hand and pushed the badge on the Puddle’s body. Suddenly, there was darkness in front of my eyes and I felt suffocated. I wanted to scream but I couldn’t – I had lost my voice and I fainted eventually.

When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t believe. I was in the middle of the city bustling with people with sounds of horn piercing through my ears. I started coughing and was felt out of desperation I cried. Suddenly Angie came up to me and said, “Welcome to Mumbai”. “What is the kayos all about?”, I asked. She said that I have been time transported to this place so that I can understand what poverty means. I told her, I have no interest whatsoever in furthering our conversation and wanted to go back to my parents, but she assured me that I’ll be totally safe, and it will be all over in the next 20 mins. Not sure why, but I agreed especially as in my mind my parents had told me that they will be back in 30 mins from an uncle’s shop.

Angie said look around what you see? I could see a building which looks like a shopping mall with several adverts of things to buy like food, clothes, diamonds etc. Angie asked, “what you see on the other side”. On the other side, there were several restaurants serving authentic Mumbai food like Vada pav, pav bhaji etc. I didn’t know but suddenly all these food items which I never heard in my life and what they meant, came to my mind like I was very much part of this ecosystem having grown up here. 

Angie asked me to hold her hand and we walked to a traffic signal. On the signal I saw large number of vehicles clobbered pressing horns in desperation to move. And then I saw two women holding infants on their arms and taking rounds from one vehicle to the other. I asked who they were, as it was quite unsafe to be taking an infant, let along an adult, in the middle of the road where vehicles were waiting to fire up as soon the signal turns green.

Additionally, she looked depressed, engaging in begging, or struggling to make ends meet, can reflect the harsh realities of urban poverty in India. Mumbai, despite being the financial capital of the country, is also home to stark socio-economic inequalities. We left the sight quickly and went to a nearby café but the sight could not leave my heart and Angie could see I was perplexed with many unanswered questions in my head.

Angie then sat down and explained to me what the possible outcome of the scene could be and what it can tell us about poverty:

1. Economic Disparities in Urban Areas

• Mumbai has some of the richest individuals in the country living alongside some of the poorest in sprawling slums or on the streets.
• The image of a woman at a signal may reflect the inability of economic growth to reach all sections of society, leaving vulnerable groups behind.

2. Gendered Dimensions of Poverty

• Women often face greater challenges in escaping poverty due to gender inequality, lack of access to education, and fewer economic opportunities.
• Single mothers, widows, or abandoned women may find themselves particularly vulnerable to poverty and homelessness.

3. Rural-Urban Migration

• Many individuals migrate to Mumbai from rural areas in search of a better life but end up in informal or low-paying jobs, unable to afford housing or basic amenities.
• Women, in particular, may accompany their families but struggle to find stable employment, leaving them reliant on precarious means of survival like begging.

4. Lack of Social Security

• Limited access to social security schemes or insufficient implementation of welfare programs leaves many urban poor without a safety net.
• Women often lack documentation, education, or awareness of government schemes designed to assist them.

5. Cultural and Social Stigmas

• Women in poverty are often more visible at signals or public spaces because they may find it harder to secure employment in patriarchal settings. In many cases, they may be forced to take up begging to sustain themselves or their families.

6. Children and Intergenerational Poverty

• If the woman has children with her, it highlights the cycle of poverty that is hard to break without adequate access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities.

7. Lack of Affordable Housing

• The high cost of housing in Mumbai often leaves the poor homeless or living in slums with substandard conditions.

The descriptive nature of Angie’s tone was irritating but highly appreciated as I could understand various dimensions of a situation.

But the obvious question is how we fix it to which see said Scenes like this underscore the need for:

• Better social safety nets for women and marginalized groups.
• Access to education and employment for the urban poor.
• Affordable housing and healthcare facilities.
• Awareness programs to reduce stigmatization and exploitation.

Such images serve as stark reminders of the structural challenges that perpetuate poverty, particularly in urban areas like Mumbai.