A Child Rescue
It was about six months ago when I got a call from Jayadeva Hospital, Bangalore's blood bank that they are in need of O +ve blood urgently. I had already donated blood there once or twice before, so they knew my number. I had heard from someone that O +ve blood group isn't that rare and the reson behind them saying it as urgent is that they want to keep blood group inventory up always. So I was a bit reluctant to start from home. I had kharabath in Adigas hotel, Jayanagar 8th block, near Prabha eye care hospital. Believe me tiffin items there are too good, though the quality and taste has reduced compared to how it used to. But still I love to have my tiffin there.
It was raining then. I reached Jayadeva hospital at around 11:00 am. That was where I found a kid approaching me. He was then crying. One can distinguish between fake cry and a real one. His was real. He asked for food.
He should have been studying 1st standard had he gone to school.
He said something in Hindi, holding his stomach. I was able to understand. Few things in the world doesn't require any language. First in the list is food. Hunger knows no language. 'PASI PATTHUM SEIYYUM'. It will turn anyone wild.
I was (still am) poor at Hindi. I just knew few words in Hindi. But I had then grown to an extent that I knew few words in Kannada. I was able to demand and get some of my basic needs. For instance,
in hotel, I would ask - 'ootaa idhiyaa?', 'ondhu plate dosa kodi' and few more,
in bus stop, waiting for the bus to Banashankari, I would just ask the conductor 'Banashankari hogathha?'.
I asked the boy 'ninne maney elli idhey?'. He seemed to be knowing Kannada.
He replied back crying 'Delhi alli idhey?'.
I didn't know how to ask 'Why did you come here?'. I asked 'Kyon illi vandah?'.
That was the stage when I had started confusing Kannada and Hindi.
He seemed to have understood my question and replied something, most of which I don't remember but at last understood the phrase - 'rail mae'.
So he has come by train from Delhi.
Having found that he knows Kannada, I asked 'ninne hesaraenu?'. He blinked..
I asked him 'Kannada gotthaa?'. as if I knew it very well. He didn't reply. Think he didn't understand. His signs confirmed that he didn't understand.
Then I asked the only sentence that I knew in Hindi - 'Thumara naam kya hai?'. He replied, 'Anil Kumar'. Hearing his reply I felt proud of my Hindi :).
He was so small that I thought I shouldn't starve him. I took him to Krishna Upahar. It is on the way from Jayadeva hospital to Shoppers stop in Bannerghatta road. I got idli. He had one idli and he couldn't eat the other. He said he was done ('saakku'). One idli is not enough for the any boy of his age. I thought of feeding him. But many people were staring at me in the hotel. I was in flying machine jeans and adidas tea shirt and he was in shabby dresses, torn and buttonless, which clearly showed that there was no relation between him and me. So I hesitated to feed him. [Thought it would be too much]
We both went to Jayadeva hospital. He was waiting in the corridor till I was done with my blood donation. The family of the girl whom I (so - called) rescued, surrounded me and compelled me to have lunch or atleast juice. They were from poor uneducated Tamil family. they had come here as labourers for the Bangalore metro construction. The girl was diagnosed with hole in heart. They firmly believed that i was her survivor. The girl's father was compelling me to have atleast a juice. I accepted finally just to avoid the embarrassment by the crowd of the girl's relatives and people from the nearby wards.
I asked the little boy if he wanted to have juice. He had had only one idli which I thought was not sufficient. But he refused to have. I had decided to handover this kid in Don Bosco which I have seen in Bangalore City railway station. I was afraid, if they would interrogate me. Police cases could make my life miserable.
I thought of getting expert advice from one of my distant cousins who used to be involved in social service before her marriage. She gave me the child helpline number 1098.
I dialed the number and the lady who attended the call gave two options:
1) To hand over the boy in the nearest police station
2) To hand over the boy in Boys' home, near Kidwai hospital, opposite to Nimhans hospital, Hosur road.
The second option seemed a better one, because that didn't involve a police. I shouldn't get caught by police in a place where I struggling with its local language.
I went there. The Secretary (Mr. Rajendra Prasath) interrogated me in a decent way than I expected. He asked me how I got this address?. I answered all his questions.
I had to write a letter for admitting him. According to the letter I have to be present at any time, if any further information is required regarding the boy.
I was a proud person when I came out..
- I saved a boy who lost his way
- Saved him from begging and provided way for his food and shelter
- Protected him anti-social elements who indulge the child they get in begging, child labour, and may more.
Mr. Rajendra Prasath assured that it was the safest place for children and encouraged me to continue this good deed without any fear.
'THANK YOU LORD FOR THE MOMENT OF COURAGE THAT YOU GAVE ME'.
I will now continue. I have no fear. Not only because God will save if one's intention is good, but also I have learnt much more Kannada ;) .
'ANBAR PANI SEYYA ENNAI AALAAKKI VITTUVITTAL,
INBA NILAI THAANAE VANDHEIDHUM PARAABARAMAE', sounds MS Subalakshmi amma's voice impacting my heart deeply.
If this trivial deed can make one feel this much happy, satisfied and proud, why shouldn't the one overcome all the challenges to help children who come needy on our way.
I will try understanding the 'Juvenile Justice act' and give a gist of the act in future to the same post.
It was raining then. I reached Jayadeva hospital at around 11:00 am. That was where I found a kid approaching me. He was then crying. One can distinguish between fake cry and a real one. His was real. He asked for food.
He should have been studying 1st standard had he gone to school.
He said something in Hindi, holding his stomach. I was able to understand. Few things in the world doesn't require any language. First in the list is food. Hunger knows no language. 'PASI PATTHUM SEIYYUM'. It will turn anyone wild.
I was (still am) poor at Hindi. I just knew few words in Hindi. But I had then grown to an extent that I knew few words in Kannada. I was able to demand and get some of my basic needs. For instance,
in hotel, I would ask - 'ootaa idhiyaa?', 'ondhu plate dosa kodi' and few more,
in bus stop, waiting for the bus to Banashankari, I would just ask the conductor 'Banashankari hogathha?'.
I asked the boy 'ninne maney elli idhey?'. He seemed to be knowing Kannada.
He replied back crying 'Delhi alli idhey?'.
I didn't know how to ask 'Why did you come here?'. I asked 'Kyon illi vandah?'.
That was the stage when I had started confusing Kannada and Hindi.
He seemed to have understood my question and replied something, most of which I don't remember but at last understood the phrase - 'rail mae'.
So he has come by train from Delhi.
Having found that he knows Kannada, I asked 'ninne hesaraenu?'. He blinked..
I asked him 'Kannada gotthaa?'. as if I knew it very well. He didn't reply. Think he didn't understand. His signs confirmed that he didn't understand.
Then I asked the only sentence that I knew in Hindi - 'Thumara naam kya hai?'. He replied, 'Anil Kumar'. Hearing his reply I felt proud of my Hindi :).
He was so small that I thought I shouldn't starve him. I took him to Krishna Upahar. It is on the way from Jayadeva hospital to Shoppers stop in Bannerghatta road. I got idli. He had one idli and he couldn't eat the other. He said he was done ('saakku'). One idli is not enough for the any boy of his age. I thought of feeding him. But many people were staring at me in the hotel. I was in flying machine jeans and adidas tea shirt and he was in shabby dresses, torn and buttonless, which clearly showed that there was no relation between him and me. So I hesitated to feed him. [Thought it would be too much]
We both went to Jayadeva hospital. He was waiting in the corridor till I was done with my blood donation. The family of the girl whom I (so - called) rescued, surrounded me and compelled me to have lunch or atleast juice. They were from poor uneducated Tamil family. they had come here as labourers for the Bangalore metro construction. The girl was diagnosed with hole in heart. They firmly believed that i was her survivor. The girl's father was compelling me to have atleast a juice. I accepted finally just to avoid the embarrassment by the crowd of the girl's relatives and people from the nearby wards.
I asked the little boy if he wanted to have juice. He had had only one idli which I thought was not sufficient. But he refused to have. I had decided to handover this kid in Don Bosco which I have seen in Bangalore City railway station. I was afraid, if they would interrogate me. Police cases could make my life miserable.
I thought of getting expert advice from one of my distant cousins who used to be involved in social service before her marriage. She gave me the child helpline number 1098.
I dialed the number and the lady who attended the call gave two options:
1) To hand over the boy in the nearest police station
2) To hand over the boy in Boys' home, near Kidwai hospital, opposite to Nimhans hospital, Hosur road.
The second option seemed a better one, because that didn't involve a police. I shouldn't get caught by police in a place where I struggling with its local language.
I went there. The Secretary (Mr. Rajendra Prasath) interrogated me in a decent way than I expected. He asked me how I got this address?. I answered all his questions.
I had to write a letter for admitting him. According to the letter I have to be present at any time, if any further information is required regarding the boy.
I was a proud person when I came out..
- I saved a boy who lost his way
- Saved him from begging and provided way for his food and shelter
- Protected him anti-social elements who indulge the child they get in begging, child labour, and may more.
Mr. Rajendra Prasath assured that it was the safest place for children and encouraged me to continue this good deed without any fear.
'THANK YOU LORD FOR THE MOMENT OF COURAGE THAT YOU GAVE ME'.
I will now continue. I have no fear. Not only because God will save if one's intention is good, but also I have learnt much more Kannada ;) .
'ANBAR PANI SEYYA ENNAI AALAAKKI VITTUVITTAL,
INBA NILAI THAANAE VANDHEIDHUM PARAABARAMAE', sounds MS Subalakshmi amma's voice impacting my heart deeply.
If this trivial deed can make one feel this much happy, satisfied and proud, why shouldn't the one overcome all the challenges to help children who come needy on our way.
I will try understanding the 'Juvenile Justice act' and give a gist of the act in future to the same post.
Comments
Post a Comment