10 Places You Don’t Want To Live

10 Places You Don’t Want To Live

The world is a giant jigsaw puzzle, spotted with both exquisitely beautiful and potentially dangerous places. While you may dream of spending a lifetime in some of the true paradises-on-earth, you should be equally wary of stepping up in some real hell spots for your own safety. But not everyone is fortunate enough to get a cozy and safe home and there are places on earth where people are actually living on the edge of peril.
Here are top 10 such nightmarish places on earth where you would never want to live:

Dharavi in Mumbai, India

The slums of Mumbai

Roughly half the residents of Bombay live in crowded slums such as these.

Photo from bwillen

Sprawling over 175 hectares between Mahim and Sion, Dharavi has emerged as the largest slum of Asia inhabiting a population exceeding 600,000. Dharavi has its rival in Orangi Town in Karachi, Pakistan that has a notorious filth and expanse. Dharavi presents a brighter picture as a cheap pocket in the midst of expensive Mumbai where you could stay for as low as 4 US dollars rent per month.

Dharavi, the most biggest slum of the world / Photo from sandrinecohen22

Dharavi is an abode for various small-scale industries like pottery, embroidered garments, leather and plastic goods. Unbelievably the total net income of the residents of Dharavi amounts to almost 650 million US dollars. But Dharavi is no paradise - its inadequate water supply and toilet facilities get worse during the monsoon floods and the unhygienic environment of Dharavi poses serious threats to public health issues.

Rocinha - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / Photo from Leonardo Martins

Photo from razorbern

The largest favela (basically meaning shanty town) in Rio De Janeiro. / Photo from -bos[s]-’Situated between the São Conrado and Gávea districts of Rio de Janeiro, Rocinha meaning small ranch in Portuguese is the largest slum or “favela” in South America. Posed on a hillside within one kilometer of the beach, Rocinha originated as a shanty to transform quickly into a modern slum neighborhood. You will find it better off than many shanties because of its brick buildings, sanitation, plumbing and other urban facilities.

Favela, Rio de Janeiro / Photo from dreamindly

What makes Rocinha a potentially dangerous place to live is the prevalence of a violent drug trade. This leads to endless tussles and encounters between the drug peddlers and the police, giving rise to a dangerous ambiance. The population of 100,000 has a poor economic state and high mortality rates. What is more, Rocinha being built on steep mountain slope is susceptible to landslides, rock falls and floods.

Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya

1,000,000 residents live on a mountain of Garbage. / Photo from Chicago Wedding Photographer, Wes Craft

Kibera, meaning ‘forest’ in Nubian is the home for a million people, which earned notoriety for being the biggest slum in the whole of Africa. Most of the population here are tenants with no rights living in mud-walled shacks owned by landlords who have vacated Kibera. Most of the population is African Muslims, who huddle up eight per shack, often sleeping on the floors.

Photo from alongtheway

Just 20% of Kibera has electricity and no regular supply of clean water. The dam water that people use is the root to cholera and typhoid, aggravated by poor sewage condition. There is widespread menace of AIDS and the total absence of government medical facilities. What worsens the general livelihood of Kibera is the availability of a cheap alcoholic drink called ‘Changaa’.
Faced with rampant unemployment, most of the slum-dwellers resort to Changaa early in life and grow into criminals, drunkards and rapists. The problem is aggravated by the availability of cheap drugs and tendencies of glue sniffing. The result is the rising rate of unwanted pregnancy among girls of all ages who invariably turn to abortion. Some charities and churches are working towards the betterment of the condition.

Linfen, China

Pollution / Photo from sheilaz413

Located right at the center of Shanxi Province of China’s coal region, Linfen is one of the most polluted cities in the world. The air is thick with dust and smoke to a degree that hampers visibility. The three million people who live in Linfen take regular doses of arsenic rich water, further polluted with fossil fuels and poisonous gases through the air they breathe. You can actually catch a lasting stink when you step in Linfen with overflowing sewage everywhere.

Young coal worker in Linfen (Shanxi, China) / Photo from andi808

The river flowing by Linfen has its water thickened with oil. No wonder! The inhabitants using this water have high occurrences of cancer. When you look at the trees around the Linfen factories, they present a sad withered picture. It is the last place on earth that you would think of sending someone, even your worst enemy.

Kabwe, Zambia

Photograph by Blacksmith Institute / Photo from nationalgeographic.com

The lead and cadmium accumulations in this former British colony have skyrocketed since their discovery in 1902 when Zambia was valued for a rich lead mine. Although the mines have closed and no smelters are operational now, Kabwe residents have faced the threat of lead poisoning through decades. Blood tests in the children have revealed lead concentrations exceeding 5-10 times the normal limit that could turn fatal any day. Only recently, the World Bank has allotted funds for tackling the problem.

Photo from livescience.com

Chernobyl, Ukraine

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant / Photo from Ken and Nyetta

adiated Apartment Building / Photo from Stuck in Customs

Talking of life-threatening pollution and poisoning, nothing could beat the nuclear reactor accident record set by Chernobyl that has left about 5.5 million people facing the threat of thyroid cancer. The fallout that occurred in April 26, 1986 has led to the leakage of nuclear radiation 100 times more pronounced in volume and effect than that of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions. It is a horror that thousands of Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian children living close to the damaged plant still cannot escape the radiation impact.

This used to be the public gym, back in 1986. / Photo from philippe simpson

Dzerzhinsk, Russia

Dzerzhinsk / Photo from Oleg aka Xraboy

Situated beside the Oka River in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast of Russia, Dzerzhinsk is named after the Russian leader Feliks Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky. Right From its inception, Dzerzhinsk has remained a chemical industry hub and has been producing chemical weapons for Russia. It has been labeled one of the worst polluted cities of the world with a staggering death rate.

Skyline of Dzerzhinsk / Photo from Spendruleziya

In Dzerzhinsk, the average life of men is just 42 years and women 47 years. Environmentalists attribute such high mortality rate to the ceaseless production of organic chemicals like toxic dioxins, hydrogen cyanide, lead and sulfur mustard. The phenol and dioxin contents in the Dzerzhinsk waters surpasses the normal limit by seventeen million times.

Cubatão - São Paulo, Brazil

Cubatão / Photo from Alceu Bap

The city of Cubatão extending over 142 square kilometers is more appropriately known as the ‘Valley of Death’ for its precarious living conditions. It has a high air pollution level that has led to the destruction of forests over the surrounding hills and birth of children with congenital organ defects.

sticker mundo / Photo from caio antunes

The life threatening pollution took a new dimension in 1984 when an event of oil spill burnt down the town, killing almost 200 people. Only recently extensive steps worth $1.2 billion are being taken to improve the damages caused by organic pollutants. Despite such measures, it is quite impossible to clean the soil and underground water from the spreading tentacles of pollution thus making Cubatão unfit for staying.

Bassac Apartments, Cambodia

One of the architectural jewels of Cambodia, the innovative apartment complex designed in the early 1960s by Lu Ban Hap / Photo from Rich Garella

Photo from jinja_cambodia

The 300-metre-long Basaac Apartments were built due to the town planning director Lu Ban Hap’s initiative to put up a low-cost social housing project in the 1960s. However, this government-financed housing project has been the home to 2,500 refugees since 1979, when its legal tenants vacated the property because of the onset of decay. The structure made of concrete and brick has now given way to dangerous gaps in between the reinforced concrete walls marked by the ingrowths of parasitic plants. The building can collapse any time burying alive its 2500 residents.

Mogadishu, Somalia

A rusty and bullet-ridden Coca Cola sign gives a telling welcome for visitors to the volatile city of Mogadishu. / Photo from khairi_us

Pictures from an armed convoy trip in Mogadishu / Photo from ctsnow

Mogadishu, an advanced former port has been witnessing the 17-year tussle between rival military camps since the fall of the government in 1991. It turned into the most chaotic and anarchic city of the world, marked by civil unrest and insurgencies. Such disturbances caused its original inhabitants to flee, leaving Mogadishu to be controlled by military factions. Only recently, a new federal government has taken up the reins of control and is trying to re-establish law and order.

Photo from Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone

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The Art of Giving

*The Art of Giving

**

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"Rivers do not drink their own water, nor do tree eat their own fruit, nor
do rain clouds eat the grains reared by them.
The wealth of the noble is used solely for the benefit of others? *

*Even after accepting that giving is good and that one must learn to give,
several questions need to be answered.

The first question is 'when should one give*?*'

Yudhisthir asks a beggar seeking alms to come the next day.
On this, Bhim rejoices, that Yudhisthir his brother, has conquered death!
For he is sure that he will be around tomorrow to give. Yudhisthir gets the
message.
One does not know really whether one will be there tomorrow to give!
The time to give therefore is NOW.
**
The next question is 'how much to give?'

One recalls the famous incident from history.
Rana Pratap was reeling after defeat from the Moghals. He had lost his
army , he had lost his wealth , and most important he had lost hope, his
will to fight.
**At that time in his darkest hour , his erstwhile minister Bhamasha came
seeking him and placed his entire fortune
at the disposal of Rana Pratap. With this, Rana Pratap raised an army and
lived to fight another day.
The answer to this question how much to give is " Give as much as you can!

The next question is 'what to give?'

It is not only money that can be given. It could be a flower or even a
smile. It is not how much one gives but how one gives that really matters.
**When you give a smile to a stranger that may be the only good thing
received by him in days and weeks!
"You can give anything but you must give with your heart !

One also needs answer to this question 'whom to give?'
Many times we avoid giving by finding fault with the person who is seeking.
However, being judgmental and rejecting
a person on the presumption that he may not be the most deserving is not
justified.
"Give without being judgmental!"

*Next we have to answer *'How to give*?

*Coming to the manner of giving, one has to ensure **that the receiver does
not feel humiliated, nor the giver feels proud by giving.
**'Let not your left hand know what your right hand gives? **
Charity without publicity and fanfare, is the highest form of charity.* *
'Give quietly !*

*While giving let not the recipient feel small or humiliated. **
After all what we give never really belonged to us.
We come to this world with nothing and will go with nothing.
The thing gifted was only with us for a temporary period.
Why then take pride in giving away something which really did not belong to
us?
*
*Give with grace and with a feeling of gratitude.

What should one feel after giving ?

We all know the story of Eklavya. When Dronacharya asked him for his right
thumb as "Guru = Dakshina".
He unhesitatingly cut off the thumb and gave it to Dronacharya.
There is a little known sequel to this story.. Eklavya was asked whether he
ever regretted the act of giving away his thumb when he was dying.
His reply was "Yes ! I regretted this only once in my life. It was when
Pandavas were coming in to kill Dronacharya
who was broken hearted on the false news of death of his son Ashwathama and
had stopped fighting.
It was then that I regretted the loss of my thumb.
**If the thumb was there, no one could have dared hurt my Guru?
The message to us is clear.
Give and never regret giving !
*
*And the last question is* *' How much should we provide for our heirs ? *

*Ask yourself , 'Are we taking away from them the **"gift of work? - a
source of happiness!' *

*The answer is given by Warren Buffett: "Leave your kids enough to do
anything, but not enough to do nothing!"

I would conclude by saying: let us learn the Art of Giving, and quoting
Sant Kabir:
"When the wealth in the house increases ,
When water fills a boat ,
Throw them out with both hands !

This is the wise thing to do!
*

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ONE BEDROOM FLAT - Written by an Indian Software Engineer ,nice one

ONE BEDROOM FLAT - Written by an Indian Software Engineer

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As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software Engineer and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and opportunity. When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had come true.

Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I would be staying in this country for about Five years in which time I would have earned enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.

I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling homesick and lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.

Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10 days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If I miss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week going through all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.

In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3 days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, it was time to return to USA, after giving some money to my parents and telling the neighbors to look after them, we returned to USA.

My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a week sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. After two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.

Every year I decide to go to India. But part work part monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant dream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to India. The next message I got was my parents had passed away and as there was no one to do the last rights. The society members had done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed away without seeing their grand children.

After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike and my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to the USA.

My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in India. My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife that I would be back for good after two years.

Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my son was happy living in USA. I decided that had enough and wound-up every thing and returned to India. I had just enough money to buy a decent 02 bedroom flat in a well-developed locality.

Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy abode.

Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after staying in India, had a house to his name and I too have the same nothing more.

I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.

Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my children asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will be performing my last rights, God Bless them. But the question still remains 'Was all this worth it?'

I am still searching for an answer...... ......... .!!!!

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Boys look to your fingers

Boys look to your fingers









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