Unclaimed Kaleidoscope…

I tried to commemorate the happenings upside down to the best of my memory.

In a slight confusion, either to curse the design of the omnipresent omnipotent looking at the miniature kids who were left with His love alone or to praise Him to be present in few lovely humanitarians to save this minuscule angels from all the readymade traps available in the society, I stood alone, after everybody left Bethel home, waiting for Jaishree to finish her class and drop me in bus stop contemplating everything that has happened since the idea of getting new dresses for kids had its inception.  Few kids came running to me as if they know me for years and dragged me to join their game.

We formed two teams and I loved when all the little ones wanted to be in my team.  Somehow I managed to form two teams and searched for one among them that at least reached to my waist in height to nominate her as captain.  And my captain explained me the game, I nodded in agreement even though I understood the game my least.  The game started.

My captain walked to team mates, one by one sitting, clutched their hair pulled their head down to her side and said something in their ears.  In my urge to know what she is whispering in their ears, I waited impatiently and my turn came. I thought she would not clutch my hair since I am the elder most and tallest among them, meanwhile I am thinking, a hand held my hair tight, pulled and whispered “Mango” in my ear.  Oh God! I know this game, I understood the game.  Each team as to select an entity say fruits, flowers etc., and every team mate will be named correspondingly, that is why she whispered “Mango” in my ear, and the captain will reach the other team, choose one of them and close their eyes to call out a name, say a fruit name, so that her team mate who holds that name will go reach them and pinch the nose of the opponent and will go back to their place (My captain strictly said not to pinch but only touch for those miniatures will cry when pinched, even slightly).  The game goes on this way as the person has to find who has touched their nose from the opponent team.

When my turn came I reached out my opponent and pinched her nose very slightly and returned to my place.  Immediately after my captain took her hands from my opponent’s eyes, without even thinking for a second, she pointed her finger at me.  When asked how she identified that it is me, she said ‘you pinched my nose and nobody else here will do that” and laughed.  ‘Brilliant little ones’ I thought.

I have played this game very long back when I was a miniature and those kids brought it to my memory as if my brain had had prenatal memory.

We played yet another game before this; the catcher will catch as many as she can and arrest them inside a circle and the others has to come touch them to release them from the circle.  Oh, I ran as fast as possible, thought the catcher could not catch me, I could not withstand before their stamina and enthusiasm and was caught finally, but I loved it when the other little honey bunches tried very, very hard to escape me out of the circle.  At the end of the game everybody surrounded me to give me a hug.  O! Lovely feel it was.

            And this little angel, Radha, I knew not the reason but she felt very comfortable with me and hugged me whenever I went near her.  She was sad and literally cried when I bid her goodbye.

Somebody told me; to love or care any girl you need to look at her with the eyes of her father, and I felt euphoric when she hugged me and hanged out on me.  May be, it could be intense between a father and daughter.

Mixed with love and blessings of all those who contributed, we presented them the dresses. The happiness that we saw in their faces is like as if their parents turned to them and presented them the dresses.  Their smiles gave meaning to the call ‘Adopt a child for a day’; we did justice for the kindness of all those who responded for the call.

Within minutes a few little honey bunch went inside and came back colorfully in their new dress.  The first comment I heard from someone standing behind me is ‘perfect size’ (credit goes to Nisha, Revathi and kutty Revathi).  Eyes those missed that colors on those kids, which they presented with a blend of smile and joy, have missed the joy of looking into the most wonderful kaleidoscope of the world.  God could have been little more concerned about those wonders to make them stay with their families instead of making them an unclaimed kaleidoscope. 

Before we presented the dresses and sweets they sang songs for us from bible and it is marvelous to experience such coordination.

I felt Siragugal has become more like a family and the visits we do are like family gathering where we cherish the togetherness.  I felt happy to see Venkat and Raja with their family being along with them feels like meeting close relatives after a long time ( since we met in Gnanadarshan home for visually challenged girls last month)

Aha! And there came the ladies, Nisha, Revathi and kutty Revathi (who reached the home before time), they were the three who took care really to pick up right dresses in right size for those little angels.  During the selection I and Sriraman (the originator of the idea of new dresses for kids) could not convince them with any choices of us (most of the time we were wrong in size) and with the time (no matter how late they sustained searching for right size).   Kutty Revathi has to reach home early but it was 10.30pm when we finished our purchase and to my wonder she didn’t show a slight change in her face and Nisha, she said that it’s her wedding anniversary while returning from our purchase at 11.00pm.  ‘Theresa of Cashedge’ Sriraman mentioned sometimes back in one of the Siragugal’s meeting about Nisha that moment flashed in my mind when she said that. And Revathi; I could not measure her enthusiasm, even late at night, in picking up the colorful Salwars. Without them, I know, this could have been a toughest job to be accomplished. 

            When I entered Bethel home I saw Mohanraj and his fiancée interacting with those kids.  I was on cloud nine when they recognized me and said ‘Hi’.  The minutes went more interestingly when they performed individually as we were waiting for others to join us.

I could commemorate what have happened on that day but could not really contemplate any of those kinds of homes being present under the sun for they have people who stay look like macro piece of diamonds left out during a cut, though precious sadly they are thrown away.  I have suffered from home sickness when I stayed far away from my family and literally cursed God when I ran out of money but here I saw kids praying for the life (as an orphan!) He gave, for the food they get and for the love they miss.

Typical design! Though, makes me believe God exist (in the form of love).

And again a very special thanks to the contributors who responded magically super fast when asked to “adopt a child for a day”.

Eye-witness

…a memorable weekend; lot of happenings, lot of people to meet, lot of chit chats, lot of experience, and an incredible dream of a young chap something which amazed me.  Saturday, when I started my weekend, preparing for my bloggers meet I have got a call for an urgent requirement of blood and to enquire with my friends.  Immediately two things came to my mind: one; somebody remembers me when there is an urgency felt really blessed and happy to gain such a status which Siragugal gave me.  Second: We talked about an idea from Mohanraju to collect all the blood group of Siragugal members and maintain a record which we failed to do.  I called up, messaged all that I know and to give me shock I got a reply from, my more-than-a-Sis, Silambarasi ‘Urgent call me immediately’ before I dialed her number she called me to say ‘I am of that group let’s go’ Oh! I am proud to be your brother dear.  Anyways it was a requirement for an operation on Monday to I called back the one who called me to say we have a back up.

Immediately (my vice-captain) Prithvi called me to remind me that we are supposed to go to Bethel Home for girl children to collect the dress sizes so that we could get them suitable new dress before Diwali.  I called Jaishri (a volunteer of a great NGO Bhumi) to check the right time to reach Bethel home in fact I kept calling her and messaging her whenever I remember that I have to go to Bethel home, thanks for her patience.

 Saturday; the day started with few amazing responses and shocking replies and ended in meeting lot of complete strangers in a bloggers meet where I turned few complete strangers to complete close friends. And one last time (for the day) I disturbed Jaishri o know the timing; she said she would redirect me to Divya (another volunteer of Bhumi) and I ended the call without getting Divya’s number.

Sunday; as usual I started it lazily but as and when the hours passed I fastened myself to prepare for the pre-visit of Siragugal’s visit because this time this is going to be big and something different and I started feeling the heat it created.

Story behind: We in Siragugal were planning a visit to Bethel Home for Girl Children (where we funded and installed water purifier as part of Siragugal’s activity) for quite a long time.  When Diwali was ahead we planned to make those kids in Bethel Home to celebrate Diwali with us rather we celebrate Diwali with them (if your question is ‘what is the difference’ please wait).  Sriraman (an active volunteer of Siragugal) called me and said that he read somewhere, in an article where a girl in an orphanage says people celebrate their birthdays with us and we do not have anybody to celebrate ours. Uff! That is something which gave me Goosebumps. So instead we collect and give old clothes let us give them new clothes and make them celebrate the Diwali.

So let us make some difference.

When I was half the way to Bethel home, I have to take two trains and when I was waiting in the second station for the second train a guy met with accident and entire crowd joined together to talk about what had happened and the next moment as and when the next train horned everybody moved away on their way but then I could see everybody staying away, unusually, from the approaching train on the platform as a result of fear. 

Prithvi (My Vice Captain and young chap of Siragugal) and Revathi (a singer, who stays near to Bethel home and a active member of Siragugal) was already on time and waiting for me in the destination station (St. Thomas Mount) from where we have to travel along to Bethel. 

Meanwhile I messaged Jaishri o get contact number of Divya and before even I ask, Jaishri alled up Divya and informed we are coming and message her number to me.  We hired an auto and I started my touchier session on auto driver.  When we are very near to the Bethel home, the autowala didn’t seem to know the correct place but still we made him to roam around though he was murmuring something on the money we promised to pay.  And finally we reached Bethel Home (and on the way I learnt we are suppose to pronounce it as Beth-el and not as Be-thel)

Divya welcomed with charming smile, because we stayed away looking at a dog at the entrance.  We saw a small group of children about 25 and 5 charming volunteers of Bhumi. We started interacting with them while Revathi was busy collecting the data of dress.  We met an old mother who takes care of the entire home of 25 children.   

‘Only till twelfth standard we keep them here and after that I try to put them in the college to the max near to their home town. Four of them were studying nursing’ she said with a proud in her voice

‘Every kid here as a story, a book to write’ she continued ‘did you see those two kids they are twins and were eye witness of a murder case’ she continued

I was wondering what she was talking about, meanwhile we got our coffee (in fact boost) to drink.  I slowly sipped it and listened to her.  In between Revathi has finished her job with the children and came to the old mother to ask her age as part of data collection. 

‘… their father who is in jail requested a pastor who visits jail for prayers to take care of his children and then thru that pastor those twin kids were taken over by Bethel home.  Recently their father came out in Berol to see them and said that he is handing over his life to us to take care’ she said

Ok! But what is that eye-witness! I wondered.

‘That guy chopped his wife’s head when she was feeding her children, by then they were just two and now they were the eye-witness’ she stopped for a second.

Oh! For a second those eye-witnesses gave eye wetness in me!

Many more stories to learn but I don’t think I can bear that much heavy feelings in a day so I turned to children to interact with them and had photo session.  Gave chocolates that my vice captain bought after we reached that strange place.  After some times the old mother thought something and said remove my name and add our driver's name Emmanuel; oh! you see that is why she was able to run such a mission.
We bid good bye finally, Divya and her friend helped us to reach bus stop.

When I and Prithvi were in travel back home, he said ‘Captain, do you know my ambition; I want to build an orphanage on my own.  If fact I already had built one in dream; it is square in shape and in the middle a big tree, first ground floor entirely for aged people and the first floor is for children and you know lot more things I dreamt’ he said running out of words.  I was awestruck on listening to such an ambition for the first time in my life and that too from a young chap.  I pray his dream should come true one day. 

And I messaged Jaishri o thank her and end of the day many learning, many smiles, many chweet friends in Bethel and a good friend; Divya, and special friend; Jaishri, thanks for bearing me. 


Here is the pics : Bethel Home Photos
Here we are in Facebook : Siragugal
Bhumi : Bhumi

Comments and suggestion towards the blog, post and Siragugal are invited :)