Next day they went to the NGO. All dispersed and Archie walked towards Deepti’s room but she wasn’t there. Banu was still sleeping. Archie got a bit panicked. She went and asked the caretaker. She told Archie that she had seen Deepti going towards the garden. Archie went to the garden asking for directions from a guard. She walked slowly and looked around but she couldn’t find anyone. Her eyes were searching for the same figure and her gaze became fixed at one point.
“Ah! There she is,” Archie muttered to herself with a sigh of relief.
Deepti sat there in one corner, on a bench.
Archie went softly and sat beside her. Deepti was looking at the flowers and when she realized that someone was there she distracted herself from eyeing nature’s beauty. She turned towards Archie and said, “Oh! Aap….” Saying this she smiled.
That was Archie’s biggest achievement.
AN: How are you Deepti?
D: I am fine.
AN: What had happened to you yesterday?
D: I got reminded of the past. I couldn’t face it again.
AN: Oh! Okay. Are you in a mood to talk today?
D: Yes. I am feeling better. How come you all are here in this place? Where are you from?
Archie told her in short about their internship. She could understand a bit so she nodded her head and there was a positive attitude in her.
D: I used to work in the quarters with my mother. On Sunday’s I would let her rest and work the whole day. There was a house in which only 2 people lived; a mother and her son. He used to work in a company so only aunty was at home.
AN: Okay.
D: That’s the reason why my mother used to send me to their house to work. Aunty was very nice. My mother was also happy and on Sunday’s when bhaiyya was there I used to be extra cautious. I always had a feeling that he stared at me when I was not noticing. I felt very uncomfortable. On Sunday’s I could never work properly. Aunty used to get surprised at my carelessness and I kept getting a good dose every Sunday.
AN: Didn’t you tell your mother?
D: No. I didn’t want to tell her. We got lot of love from aunty and our monthly income was enhanced because of her. She paid us 600 rupees for the extra work we did apart from the monthly payment. I didn’t want to be a burden on my mother.
AN: Did you face this always?
D: Most of the time. One fine Sunday I went to their house. Bhaiyya opened the door. I went to the kitchen straight and searched where aunty could be.
I called out, “Aunty… aunty…..”
There was no reply.
Bhaiyya said, “Aunty nahi hai.” He laughed and it seemed scary to me.
My heart pounded. I wanted to run back home but I kept quiet and was praying within. I had washed the utensils and almost swept the room. Bhaiyya was there in his room and he went out after sometime. I felt relieved. I didn’t swab the floor properly. I just finished washing the clothes and was about to put them for drying when bhaiyya came home with one of his friends.
AN: Oh!
D: I didn’t bother. I went to the balcony and hung the clothes. I finished my work and went to the room to tell bhaiyya that I was leaving. As I turned to leave, strong hands ushered me into the room and next moment… I lay one the floor.
Deepti stopped……………. She began after a pause.
D: Bhaiyya and his friend were laughing seeing my petrified face. I was raped. I didn’t know what to do after that. I felt weak before 2 strong men. I couldn’t fight. My clothes were torn. I couldn’t move. I felt…..pain. I didn’t know what to do. At that moment I lost interest in everything. It seemed that the world had collapsed for me.
AN: Those rascals… Then did you go home?
D: Yes. I did. My kurti was torn. I put the dupatta around and ran. I forgot my slippers. I ran home barefoot in the hot weather. My legs were aching and my foot burnt. I felt I would faint any moment but I ran. I fell down somewhere near my house. I don’t know who brought me home. I remember that I was in a dispensary and I could see my mother sitting beside me and crying. I could only hear her wails. She had bent her head. I thought the doctors would have told her.
Deepti stood up and went towards a tree. Archie went behind her slowly.
D: I couldn’t speak. I woke up and started crying. My mother pushed me away and asked me about the whole incident. She told me to be quiet and not utter a word about the whole incident to anyone. I wasn’t able to bear that. I had my mom as the only hope and when she herself told me to be quiet, that day things changed for me. I didn’t feel like believing anyone. I felt that why was I ever born in such a family. I felt weak and I closed my eyes. The anger and frustration was still inside like a poison. I was discharged the next day. Everyone in my ‘basti’ spoke ill of me. The news had spread that I was raped but no body knew who it was.
AN: You should have complained to aunty. She would have helped you.
D: I didn’t have the courage anymore to go that side. I stayed at home in one corner. One week passed. Reports came and they showed that I was not pregnant but… I was no more a virgin. My mother cursed me everyday and because of me she couldn’t work in many houses. She suffered a lot because of me. I couldn’t bear the atrocities of my father. He was always drunk and least bothered about his children. I had a younger brother who was only 5 years old.
One day, I found a chance and I ran from home. I could read and write and I had saved some money so I could travel. I took a local train and I came to Bangalore station. I tried to find some work. I started working for an aunty in an idly shop. She paid me less but it was enough for me. I slept in the waiting hall. 15 to 20 days passed like this but life had to go on and this was not the end. I couldn’t stay in the station forever.
Archie could feel a lingering pain in her throat. She couldn’t speak and she kept looking at Deepti.
D: The aunty in the shop sent me to this NGO. She supplies idly and dosa for breakfast to the staff members.
These people took good care of me. I want to work and study more. I am still not able to forget all that has happened.
Deepti looked at Archie and asked, “In this modern age also is it a curse to be born as a girl?”
Showing posts with label deepti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deepti. Show all posts
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
The Internship - Part 3
Deepti didn’t move but she was awake. Archie gave a gentle tap on her shoulder. She called her again, “Deepti! Main tumhari dost jaisi hoon. Meri baat suno. (I am like your friend. Listen to me.)”
She didn’t respond. Archie didn’t want to give it a third try. Her limit was only twice. Sunil used to always fight with her for this. Archie turned her back to leave, when a feeble voice stopped her, “Aap kaun hain? (Who are you?)”
Archie turned around to see Deepti. The light was enough for her face to be clearly seen. Only her pink lips shone brightly and her black eyes that were glistening because of tears drops in them. Her features were neatly cut. Archie went towards her and bent a little. Deepti moved back a bit with Archie’s sudden reaction.
“Daro mat. Main yahaan tumhari dost ban ke aayi hoon. Mujhpe bharosa rakho (Don’t get scared. I have come to be your friend. Trust me),” saying this Archie made a place for herself beside Deepti and sat there.
Banu looked at this whole situation quizzically. She had seen Deepti respond so quickly for the first time.
Archie put her hands on Deepti’s palms just to give a friendly gesture. Deepti moved her hands away. Her face was all the more clear then. She was dark complexioned but her features made her look all the more beautiful. In fact, she was even more beautiful than Pri. Pri was known to be the ‘Aishwarya Rai’ of their college.
After a pause, Deepti broke in suddenly saying, “Bharosa!!!(Trust!!!). Kispe karun? ( Whom should I trust?)”.
Archie had never handled such a situation with anyone except her friends so she said, “Achcha, kisi pe mat karo.”(Okay, don’t trust anyone).
“I am here to just listen to all and solve problems. If you wish to you can tell.”
Deepti gave her a look as if she were to say,” Oh! Go away. Who are you to solve my problems?”
Archie was about to say more when Banu interrupted saying, “Didi achchi hain. Baat kar lo na.”(She is good. Try talking to her).
The whole room was quiet. Archie was looking at Deepti with anxious eyes. After a long pause, Deepti spoke and that too so openly.
She continued in Hindi but could also speak English.
Here D refers to Deepti.
D: I came here a month back.
AN: What problem did you have? You seem to look perfect.
D: Nothing. I was forced to come here.
AN: By whom?
D: Circumstances.
AN: What?
D: Haan. (Yes.) I used to study in a nearby literacy school.
AN: Do you have parents?
D: Yes. I have.
AN: Where are they? I mean why…………….?? (Archie was about to say,why the hell have you come here? but she stopped.)
D: Everything got spoilt. I was in the 8th standard.
AN: How old are you? (One cannot guess their age by the class in which they are studying.)
D: I am 15 years old.
AN: Oh! Okay. Continue………… what happened?
D: My dad works as a rickshaw puller and mom as a servant in the nearby quarters. I am basically from Karnataka . I assist her after my school.
AN: Okay. Then what?
D: This continued for years and then……….
She stopped abruptly and burst out crying.
Archie was taken aback by the sudden reaction. She put her arms around Deepti’s shoulder and told her, “It’s okay. We can talk later. Take care. See you tomorrow.”
Archie sat there for a second but Deepti still continued to cry. She bade good bye to a chirpy Banu and left the room.
Archie met Sunil and Sherin. They were talking about something. Archie was still thinking about Deepti and was confused by her sudden reaction. She wanted to know what could have happened.
Sunil and Sherin together asked, “How was it?”
AN: Just fine.
Sunil: You don’t seem to look fine though.
AN: Nah!! I’ll be fine. (Archie didn’t know how to tell them).
They met the other 3.
Ashu, Namu and Pri were quite happy and they started talking about their experience.
Ashu: It feels great to meet them. They are such lovely people.
Namu: They seriously need love and care.
Pri: Yes. A bit of love also works here. Look at us. Even if someone gives us love we don’t seem to care. We always want more.
Sherin: You are right dear.
(Saying this, Sherin looked at Archie.)
Ashu: What Archie? You are quiet. How come?
Namu: Yes. How come?
Namu never had an intellect of her own. She blabbered what the others said but she was a real good friend. A bit dumb but very pure at heart.
Sunil & Sherin: Yes. We also asked her the same thing but she says she is fine.
Pri: Look at her. Does she look like the same Archie?
Sunil: Leave her. (With a fed up look on his face).She won’t tell. It’s her mood.
On the way back all 4 were talking something or the other. Ashu was walking beside Archie.
Ashu, for the first time was nice to Archie. He said, “What has happened Archie? You can at least tell us, right?”
Archie felt that a miracle had happened. Ashu was the one who was like the ‘don’t care’ types and always full of fun. He was asking with so much of concern, so Archie had to blurt out. That time Archie felt that boys ‘do care’ but they don’t show it always like girls do. They express less.
AN: I met a girl called Deepti .
Then she continued with the whole story.
Archie’s voice was so loud that the other 4 could also hear everything while she was teling Ashu.
“Yes. She pointed out that girl to me yesterday,” Sherin nodded in agreement.
Archie continued and by the time her narration got over they had reached their room. Ashu was listening quietly. In fact, all did. Even Namu didn’t speak.
Ashu broke the silence and said, “So, you are worried thinking what could have happened to her?”
AN: Yes.
Ashu: Don’t worry. We are going tomorrow. You can talk to her.
Sunil: Yes Archie. Ashu is right. Don’t think over it again. Let’s have dinner and sleep. I am very tired.
Pri: Dinner is so bad here.
Namu: Oh God!
Sherin: It’s a matter of one month gals. It’s almost a week now. We’ve three more to go.
AN: I am not able to realize how fast the days are passing.
After dinner they went to their rooms and dosed off. Archie couldn’t sleep. She was eagerly waiting for the next day.
Sunil messaged her: Take care dear.
Sleep well. Don’t think much.
I know you’ll be thinking about her now.
Archie smiled, set the alarm and closed her eyes.
She didn’t respond. Archie didn’t want to give it a third try. Her limit was only twice. Sunil used to always fight with her for this. Archie turned her back to leave, when a feeble voice stopped her, “Aap kaun hain? (Who are you?)”
Archie turned around to see Deepti. The light was enough for her face to be clearly seen. Only her pink lips shone brightly and her black eyes that were glistening because of tears drops in them. Her features were neatly cut. Archie went towards her and bent a little. Deepti moved back a bit with Archie’s sudden reaction.
“Daro mat. Main yahaan tumhari dost ban ke aayi hoon. Mujhpe bharosa rakho (Don’t get scared. I have come to be your friend. Trust me),” saying this Archie made a place for herself beside Deepti and sat there.
Banu looked at this whole situation quizzically. She had seen Deepti respond so quickly for the first time.
Archie put her hands on Deepti’s palms just to give a friendly gesture. Deepti moved her hands away. Her face was all the more clear then. She was dark complexioned but her features made her look all the more beautiful. In fact, she was even more beautiful than Pri. Pri was known to be the ‘Aishwarya Rai’ of their college.
After a pause, Deepti broke in suddenly saying, “Bharosa!!!(Trust!!!). Kispe karun? ( Whom should I trust?)”.
Archie had never handled such a situation with anyone except her friends so she said, “Achcha, kisi pe mat karo.”(Okay, don’t trust anyone).
“I am here to just listen to all and solve problems. If you wish to you can tell.”
Deepti gave her a look as if she were to say,” Oh! Go away. Who are you to solve my problems?”
Archie was about to say more when Banu interrupted saying, “Didi achchi hain. Baat kar lo na.”(She is good. Try talking to her).
The whole room was quiet. Archie was looking at Deepti with anxious eyes. After a long pause, Deepti spoke and that too so openly.
She continued in Hindi but could also speak English.
Here D refers to Deepti.
D: I came here a month back.
AN: What problem did you have? You seem to look perfect.
D: Nothing. I was forced to come here.
AN: By whom?
D: Circumstances.
AN: What?
D: Haan. (Yes.) I used to study in a nearby literacy school.
AN: Do you have parents?
D: Yes. I have.
AN: Where are they? I mean why…………….?? (Archie was about to say,why the hell have you come here? but she stopped.)
D: Everything got spoilt. I was in the 8th standard.
AN: How old are you? (One cannot guess their age by the class in which they are studying.)
D: I am 15 years old.
AN: Oh! Okay. Continue………… what happened?
D: My dad works as a rickshaw puller and mom as a servant in the nearby quarters. I am basically from Karnataka . I assist her after my school.
AN: Okay. Then what?
D: This continued for years and then……….
She stopped abruptly and burst out crying.
Archie was taken aback by the sudden reaction. She put her arms around Deepti’s shoulder and told her, “It’s okay. We can talk later. Take care. See you tomorrow.”
Archie sat there for a second but Deepti still continued to cry. She bade good bye to a chirpy Banu and left the room.
Archie met Sunil and Sherin. They were talking about something. Archie was still thinking about Deepti and was confused by her sudden reaction. She wanted to know what could have happened.
Sunil and Sherin together asked, “How was it?”
AN: Just fine.
Sunil: You don’t seem to look fine though.
AN: Nah!! I’ll be fine. (Archie didn’t know how to tell them).
They met the other 3.
Ashu, Namu and Pri were quite happy and they started talking about their experience.
Ashu: It feels great to meet them. They are such lovely people.
Namu: They seriously need love and care.
Pri: Yes. A bit of love also works here. Look at us. Even if someone gives us love we don’t seem to care. We always want more.
Sherin: You are right dear.
(Saying this, Sherin looked at Archie.)
Ashu: What Archie? You are quiet. How come?
Namu: Yes. How come?
Namu never had an intellect of her own. She blabbered what the others said but she was a real good friend. A bit dumb but very pure at heart.
Sunil & Sherin: Yes. We also asked her the same thing but she says she is fine.
Pri: Look at her. Does she look like the same Archie?
Sunil: Leave her. (With a fed up look on his face).She won’t tell. It’s her mood.
On the way back all 4 were talking something or the other. Ashu was walking beside Archie.
Ashu, for the first time was nice to Archie. He said, “What has happened Archie? You can at least tell us, right?”
Archie felt that a miracle had happened. Ashu was the one who was like the ‘don’t care’ types and always full of fun. He was asking with so much of concern, so Archie had to blurt out. That time Archie felt that boys ‘do care’ but they don’t show it always like girls do. They express less.
AN: I met a girl called Deepti .
Then she continued with the whole story.
Archie’s voice was so loud that the other 4 could also hear everything while she was teling Ashu.
“Yes. She pointed out that girl to me yesterday,” Sherin nodded in agreement.
Archie continued and by the time her narration got over they had reached their room. Ashu was listening quietly. In fact, all did. Even Namu didn’t speak.
Ashu broke the silence and said, “So, you are worried thinking what could have happened to her?”
AN: Yes.
Ashu: Don’t worry. We are going tomorrow. You can talk to her.
Sunil: Yes Archie. Ashu is right. Don’t think over it again. Let’s have dinner and sleep. I am very tired.
Pri: Dinner is so bad here.
Namu: Oh God!
Sherin: It’s a matter of one month gals. It’s almost a week now. We’ve three more to go.
AN: I am not able to realize how fast the days are passing.
After dinner they went to their rooms and dosed off. Archie couldn’t sleep. She was eagerly waiting for the next day.
Sunil messaged her: Take care dear.
Sleep well. Don’t think much.
I know you’ll be thinking about her now.
Archie smiled, set the alarm and closed her eyes.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Internship- Part 2
Six of them, reached Agilent Technology. They were greeted well by the employees there. The Central Team Head, Dr. S. Kamalkar gave them a briefing of the things to be done in this one month of their internship.
“The internship is divided in two sessions. The first half is for 10 days in the NGO and the second half is in our lab, Sri Raghavendra Biotechnologies. The first 10 days are all yours. You can try living another part of life. The rest is dependent upon your hard work. We are always there to help you out. This is a learning stage. Don’t miss out on anything,” Professor said in a very experienced tone.
All 6, listened carefully and nodded their heads in agreement as obedient students.
“All the best!” saying this Professor left the room.
ps..ps..ps..ps..ps.. the murmur went on. They started discussing among themselves.
“ No use talking about it now. We’ve to be active and work,” Sunil said breaking the disturbance that was there just a minute back.
A staff entered the room and said, “ It’s lunch time. You all can go and have lunch in our canteen. We’ve given food coupons. It’s with the instruction manual.”
All were silent during lunch. It was good. It was much better than their hostel food.
They walked back to the pg house. The weather was good in Bangalore so the walk didn’t affect them at this hour of the day.
AN: I am already feeling so professional. Aren’t you all too?
Pri: You are right Archie.
Sherin: We’ll get to learn a lot. It’ll help in future.
Ashu: That’s the reason why we gave the interview and were craving for the internship.
They reached the room and relaxed. Dinner was as bad as breakfast but they didn’t bother about the taste as far as it was palatable.
The next day they reached the NGO. It wasn’t that far. They took a bus and went to the center. It was built in a place where there was not much of air and noise pollution. It was divided in to different sections. One seemed to be for the boys and the other was for girls. As per the statistics, there were only 15 in this center. It had been inaugurated just 2 months back and it was getting popular slowly.
They went to the Chief’s room.
“Welcome. It is really a great thing to see the youngsters of today, to have taken up this responsibility,” the chief said with a warm smile.
“Please sit down.”
AN: It’ll be our pleasure ma’am. What do we have to do Ms……?
[She started looking for the name plate.]
“Ms Reena,”the chief added putting the name plate on the desk properly. It was turned towards the other side.
“You’ve to divide yourself into two groups. We’ve two sections. You decide among yourselves who’ll go for which section; try talking to them, befriending them and asking their problems. They might be happy to share their feelings with youngsters like you. They are taught to read and write and we’re slowly employing different people who can help them in the development of the skills they are good at. They need care and above all love,” Ms Reena continued.
She was young and dynamic. By looking at her one can judge that she could be somewhere between 30 and 35 in age.
“They’ve been deprived of all that we are privileged to have. Our constant effort is to make them feel that they are no less than the others.”
She paused for a while and looked at all the six faces. Their faces looked as if somebody had placed a burden on them. They all had the same question in mind: Will we be able to do this?
“Don’t worry. We’re here to help you out,” Ms Reena added.
The comforting words helped them.
“ So, are you all ready for it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” all 6 spoke at the same time and they left the room.
Their voice had a confidence now.
After discussing a bit they all dispersed. Ashu, Namu and Pri were in one group. They took the boys section. Sherin, Archie and Sunil formed the other group. Both the sections had been partitioned just that the rooms could be separate. Otherwise, everything was common for them; the playground, classroom, art room and the dining hall.
They walked across both the corridors just to have an idea. As they passed by, some kids peered from them rooms and were looking quizzically at the new visitors.
A boy who came out to drink water asked Namu, “Aap kaun hain?”
Namu said, “Dost!” and put her hand on his head.
They went and spoke to the respective caretakers and got an idea about those staying there. They were really affected after hearing the stories which the caretaker told. No body spoke much during lunch.
After lunch was the games session. Everyone was involved here. They were playing ‘Dog- n- The Bone.’
They couldn’t do much today as they needed to give time to the people there. It was a day when they had to observe.
Some were very small, 8 to 9 years of age and some were from 13 to 15 years of age.
Archie pulled Sherin’s sleeve and asked her to look at one girl. She was a tall and looked the eldest among all 15. She was wearing a green salwar kameez. Her hair was oiled and neatly pleated. She was dark and her nose ring was shining when rays of the setting sun were falling on them. She didn’t seem very enthusiastic and was very quite during the whole game. She didn’t clap her hands when her team won and neither did she feel sad when they lost. There was remorse in her face and it showed some kind of hatred towards life. She seemed to have attained puberty that is why there was some kind of a maturity in her face.
Archie could observe people very well and she always had an art to attract everyone whom she spoke to. She was a social butterfly and she always considered Sunil and Sherin to be the most sensible ones in their group. They were very comfortable with each other as they had the habit of working together in the lab, back in college.
After the games session was over, the teacher called them and introduced all 6 personally to the children. The kids seemed very excited. Archie kept looking at that girl from the corner of her eye. She didn’t want her to be conscious.
Archie wanted to go to that girl and personally talk to her so she sent Sunil and Sherin to take care of the others in their section.
Archie entered the room, it was not lit up properly. As she opened the door, the girl was lying in bed just in front of her with her back facing Archie. There was another girl in the room. Archie thought of talking to her first.
Archie asked her, “Tumhara naam kya hai?”( What's your name?)
“ Banu,”the girl said spontaneously.
“Aapka naam kya hai?”she asked immediately.(What's your name?)
“ Archie Er..er… Archana,” Archie said.
She started feeling a bit comfortable.
“ Kab se ho tum yahaan?”( Since when have you been here?)
“ Do mahine hue.”( It has been two months since I came. )
“ Kyun aayi?( Why did you come here?)
“ Main ghar chhod aayi. Maa ko dama ki beemaari thi, ve to mar gayin. Baap piyakkad hai aur wo mujhe bahut peetta tha. Isliye main ek din ghar se bhag aayi. Raaste mein ek madam ji ne dekha aur yahaan ye aayin.”
( I left home. My mother was suffering from asthma and she died. My dad is a drunkard and he beats me often. So, I ran from home one day. a lady from this center saw me and brought me here.)
“ Achcha….. tum yahaan khush ho?”( Are you happy here?)
Archie raised her voice a bit so that the other girl could feel her presence.
“ Haan. Achcha lagta hai.”( Yes. I like staying here.)
“ Ye kaun hai?”( Who’s this girl?)
“ Iska naam Deepti hai. Ye yahaan ek mahine pehle aayi.”( Her name is Deepti. She came here a month back.)
“ Ye bahut zyada bolti nahi. Roti rehti hai.”(She doesn’t speak much. She’s seen crying always.)
“ Kya hua ise?”(What happened to her?)
Archie stood up and went close to Deepti’s bed and called softly, “ Deepti……”
Does Deepti respond to Archie? Is Archie able to find out Deepti’s problem?
For answers to these questions check out the forthcoming post.
“The internship is divided in two sessions. The first half is for 10 days in the NGO and the second half is in our lab, Sri Raghavendra Biotechnologies. The first 10 days are all yours. You can try living another part of life. The rest is dependent upon your hard work. We are always there to help you out. This is a learning stage. Don’t miss out on anything,” Professor said in a very experienced tone.
All 6, listened carefully and nodded their heads in agreement as obedient students.
“All the best!” saying this Professor left the room.
ps..ps..ps..ps..ps.. the murmur went on. They started discussing among themselves.
“ No use talking about it now. We’ve to be active and work,” Sunil said breaking the disturbance that was there just a minute back.
A staff entered the room and said, “ It’s lunch time. You all can go and have lunch in our canteen. We’ve given food coupons. It’s with the instruction manual.”
All were silent during lunch. It was good. It was much better than their hostel food.
They walked back to the pg house. The weather was good in Bangalore so the walk didn’t affect them at this hour of the day.
AN: I am already feeling so professional. Aren’t you all too?
Pri: You are right Archie.
Sherin: We’ll get to learn a lot. It’ll help in future.
Ashu: That’s the reason why we gave the interview and were craving for the internship.
They reached the room and relaxed. Dinner was as bad as breakfast but they didn’t bother about the taste as far as it was palatable.
The next day they reached the NGO. It wasn’t that far. They took a bus and went to the center. It was built in a place where there was not much of air and noise pollution. It was divided in to different sections. One seemed to be for the boys and the other was for girls. As per the statistics, there were only 15 in this center. It had been inaugurated just 2 months back and it was getting popular slowly.
They went to the Chief’s room.
“Welcome. It is really a great thing to see the youngsters of today, to have taken up this responsibility,” the chief said with a warm smile.
“Please sit down.”
AN: It’ll be our pleasure ma’am. What do we have to do Ms……?
[She started looking for the name plate.]
“Ms Reena,”the chief added putting the name plate on the desk properly. It was turned towards the other side.
“You’ve to divide yourself into two groups. We’ve two sections. You decide among yourselves who’ll go for which section; try talking to them, befriending them and asking their problems. They might be happy to share their feelings with youngsters like you. They are taught to read and write and we’re slowly employing different people who can help them in the development of the skills they are good at. They need care and above all love,” Ms Reena continued.
She was young and dynamic. By looking at her one can judge that she could be somewhere between 30 and 35 in age.
“They’ve been deprived of all that we are privileged to have. Our constant effort is to make them feel that they are no less than the others.”
She paused for a while and looked at all the six faces. Their faces looked as if somebody had placed a burden on them. They all had the same question in mind: Will we be able to do this?
“Don’t worry. We’re here to help you out,” Ms Reena added.
The comforting words helped them.
“ So, are you all ready for it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” all 6 spoke at the same time and they left the room.
Their voice had a confidence now.
After discussing a bit they all dispersed. Ashu, Namu and Pri were in one group. They took the boys section. Sherin, Archie and Sunil formed the other group. Both the sections had been partitioned just that the rooms could be separate. Otherwise, everything was common for them; the playground, classroom, art room and the dining hall.
They walked across both the corridors just to have an idea. As they passed by, some kids peered from them rooms and were looking quizzically at the new visitors.
A boy who came out to drink water asked Namu, “Aap kaun hain?”
Namu said, “Dost!” and put her hand on his head.
They went and spoke to the respective caretakers and got an idea about those staying there. They were really affected after hearing the stories which the caretaker told. No body spoke much during lunch.
After lunch was the games session. Everyone was involved here. They were playing ‘Dog- n- The Bone.’
They couldn’t do much today as they needed to give time to the people there. It was a day when they had to observe.
Some were very small, 8 to 9 years of age and some were from 13 to 15 years of age.
Archie pulled Sherin’s sleeve and asked her to look at one girl. She was a tall and looked the eldest among all 15. She was wearing a green salwar kameez. Her hair was oiled and neatly pleated. She was dark and her nose ring was shining when rays of the setting sun were falling on them. She didn’t seem very enthusiastic and was very quite during the whole game. She didn’t clap her hands when her team won and neither did she feel sad when they lost. There was remorse in her face and it showed some kind of hatred towards life. She seemed to have attained puberty that is why there was some kind of a maturity in her face.
Archie could observe people very well and she always had an art to attract everyone whom she spoke to. She was a social butterfly and she always considered Sunil and Sherin to be the most sensible ones in their group. They were very comfortable with each other as they had the habit of working together in the lab, back in college.
After the games session was over, the teacher called them and introduced all 6 personally to the children. The kids seemed very excited. Archie kept looking at that girl from the corner of her eye. She didn’t want her to be conscious.
Archie wanted to go to that girl and personally talk to her so she sent Sunil and Sherin to take care of the others in their section.
Archie entered the room, it was not lit up properly. As she opened the door, the girl was lying in bed just in front of her with her back facing Archie. There was another girl in the room. Archie thought of talking to her first.
Archie asked her, “Tumhara naam kya hai?”( What's your name?)
“ Banu,”the girl said spontaneously.
“Aapka naam kya hai?”she asked immediately.(What's your name?)
“ Archie Er..er… Archana,” Archie said.
She started feeling a bit comfortable.
“ Kab se ho tum yahaan?”( Since when have you been here?)
“ Do mahine hue.”( It has been two months since I came. )
“ Kyun aayi?( Why did you come here?)
“ Main ghar chhod aayi. Maa ko dama ki beemaari thi, ve to mar gayin. Baap piyakkad hai aur wo mujhe bahut peetta tha. Isliye main ek din ghar se bhag aayi. Raaste mein ek madam ji ne dekha aur yahaan ye aayin.”
( I left home. My mother was suffering from asthma and she died. My dad is a drunkard and he beats me often. So, I ran from home one day. a lady from this center saw me and brought me here.)
“ Achcha….. tum yahaan khush ho?”( Are you happy here?)
Archie raised her voice a bit so that the other girl could feel her presence.
“ Haan. Achcha lagta hai.”( Yes. I like staying here.)
“ Ye kaun hai?”( Who’s this girl?)
“ Iska naam Deepti hai. Ye yahaan ek mahine pehle aayi.”( Her name is Deepti. She came here a month back.)
“ Ye bahut zyada bolti nahi. Roti rehti hai.”(She doesn’t speak much. She’s seen crying always.)
“ Kya hua ise?”(What happened to her?)
Archie stood up and went close to Deepti’s bed and called softly, “ Deepti……”
Does Deepti respond to Archie? Is Archie able to find out Deepti’s problem?
For answers to these questions check out the forthcoming post.
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