I don’t have an exact
recollection of the weather that night.
I think it was warm and sultry.
May be accompanied by a light drizzle? I am not too sure.
My father and I were on our way
back home after visiting some relatives. He was driving and I was in the
passenger seat in front.
After cruising his way through
the hustle and bustle of Eldam’s Road in Chennai, he brought the car to a halt
behind a long queue of Hondas and Fords and Hyundais waiting for the signal to
turn red.
We were indulged in a serious
discussion. Again my memory fails me with respect to the topic. Most likely it
should have been the traffic conditions, probably the most discussed topic in
all the junctions of the city.
Hearing a loud rap on the window
I turned. The sight that met my eye has remained indelibly etched in my memory
for many years until now. It was a beggar woman, her appearance quintessential;
Shabby, dishevelled and clothed in an eclectic mix of rags. She must have been in her twenties.
She held something close to the
glass of the window. When I realized what it was, my heart skipped a beat.
An infant; definitely less than
four or five days old!
The foetal fatigue had not worn
out completely and her eyes were still closed. They had not begun to take in
the horrifying truths of her world.
For now, her only requirement was
milk which the mother seemed to be providing. Totally oblivious to the squalor
into which she had born, she was sleeping like any other baby. Peacefully.
The signal turned green and we
had to move on.
That weekend I went to the Marina
beach with my cousins.
Chennai’s beaches are very unique.
You get to see a lot of children. Some rolling on the sand throwing huge
tantrums; they want their fathers buy the pink-colored sugar candy or the cone
of ice-cream. Some holding their parents hands tightly and screaming
delightfully as the waves rushed in to kiss their tender feet. Some laughing loudly
in mirth as the carousel moved fast, round and round. Some trying to smile
despite their fear they felt, as the horses galloped along the shore, carrying
them on their backs.
Some earning their bread; or their
family’s!
Children selling sundal (a snack made out of boiled
chickpeas or groundnuts) or assisting their parents in the chat stalls by
acting as waiters are a common sight.
Of late, a newer breed has
developed. Those selling cotton buds – the ones used to clean ears. Cotton
wrapped around two ends of colorful plastic sticks are neatly placed into
zip-lock covers and sold. They sometimes also have safety pin bunches or
hairpins.
As my cousins and I sat on the
sand chitchatting one group of kids came towards us, each of them holding a
plastic tray full of such zip-lock covers.
To the “public” at the beach,
these kids are just another menace disturbing their peace while they are trying
to have a good family time.
One after the other they kept
coming to us asking us to buy the buds. They would thrust the trays in front of our
faces and keep uttering “Its only three for five rupees Akka(sister)”
Among the children, most of the ten or eleven years of age, was a tiny child who left me flabbergasted
and frustrated. She should not have been more than three. With her small
stature she was carrying her green plastic tray with some difficulty. Her
walking had not steadied yet. She was still transitioning from baby steps to
proper walking.
I don’t even know if she had any
idea of the concept of money or of buying and selling. She was probably just
imitating the act of her older brothers and sisters. Her eyes screamed of pristine
innocence.
It was an extremely heart wrenching
sight.
What I have quoted here are just
two examples.
Every few steps we take would
give us many such glimpses into the harsh cruelties and sinister realities of
our world. Each one of them would have an untold story to share, the details of
which I dare not pursue.
Scenes that can leave us
sleepless for nights and hence we tend to avoid; or push to some corner in the
mind where it would remain buried under other personal priorities leaving no
space for them to surface and prick at our hearts.
One important change required in
society is the development of some empathy towards such unfortunate children. Society should STOP looking at them as something undesirable existing in the surroundings
analogous to pollution and noise.
Every child born on earth
deserves good food, nutrition and education. There are many organizations working towards it. As citizens of the country, it’s everyone’s
responsibility to join hands and assist in providing these children with better
lives.
HELP! Whenever you can, however
you can! It could be money, it could be volunteering, it could be clothes,
books anything!
And whenever possible give them
something that would cost you nothing. A little warmth and a big smile!
It was warm!
Very very warm;
After nine long months in my cocoon,
I was suddenly pushed out into the cold;
Cruel Wicked Cold!
My hands, my legs, and my face – Are still tiny;
Laughter, Play and Glee!
I need these too.
For I too,
Have only one childhood!