Srinagar, the summer capital of the Union territory Jammu and Kashmir is located between the shores of Lake Dal and the Jhelam River. We visit the old part of the town, with its houses built from wood and brick, often still housing the workshops of the craftsmen or the bakeries. After a relatively quiet night, we leave the paradise of the Mughal emperors, also to avoid being the target of religious fanatics, and take the bus to Baltal and on to Kargil...

The last pass is the Rotangla, which is already enveloped by the monsoon clouds, and after another two hours I reach Manali. Year after year, the army of professional beggars increases, always looking for a niche to survive. And me? Why am I here? Perhaps to film a few scenes that describe this world so foreign to us, and perhaps to shake up some of our staunch views.