18 November, 2006

Towards a bright future

I have been regularly watching this programme “Achamillai Achamillai” in Jaya TV. The meaning of the title is “Fearless Fearless”. This line reminds me of the great poet Subramani Bharathiar. Mrs Lakshmi, Film actress hosts this program very well. She involves herself so deeply with the participants and questions them with great love and passion. She could put herself in the participant’s shoes, and delivers the message very clearly. I am sure that this program should be reaching the mass in the South India, since this covers success stories, struggles and the real situations of many families and people.

I was very moved by one of the recent program. The highlight was that today’s parents are giving their best to give good education to their children, for their good future irrespective of their present income.

Mr X is a pavement dweller. He has not studied school after 5th standard. He has been working from then and he must be in his 40’s now. He loved a girl and married her in his late 20’s. She was not educated too because of poverty. Mr X works as a security in a private firm, and Mrs X is a rag picker. That is how they earn their livelihood. They do not have a house to live and they dwell in the streets with their two little children. Their daughter is studying 7th standard in Church Park School, Tamil Medium, and son in 4th standard. Mr X explained that his aim is to give good education to his children, since he could not study well. Their daughter was also interviewed and she said that her aim was to become a policewoman. When questioned why so, she said that she wanted to punish those who are bad in the society. Their son said that he wanted to become a doctor. Mrs Lakshmi asked whether it is not difficult to live in the streets with school going children. Mr X replied that the children start studying after 8.00p.m, in the night since the traffic calms down, and the noise lessens. He said that his daughter wakes up around 11.00p.m in the night and does homework and studies until midnight. He came to know this through few auto rickshaw drivers who are in the nearby auto rickshaw stand, since the parents used to be half asleep after their day’s hard work.

The children were looking cheerful and confident. Suddenly there were tears in the girl’s eyes and Mrs Lakshmi too was almost in tears. Probably the girl who is growing up realised the difficulties with which they are growing up. During rainy days, they run towards the nearby bridge for shelter. This really brought me tears. The daughter also teaches her mother to read and write in the evenings. Mrs X said proudly about this. I am sure that these parents will definitely succeed in bringing up their children.

It made me to feel guilty about the way we live. Those children are studying in Street lights. There are hundreds of families living like this in metropolitan cities in India. There are one sector of people who are running their Air conditioners with nobody inside the rooms.

We have been proudly boasting about so many schemes to eradicate poverty. What are our so called Munnetra kazhagams doing? Are they only worrying about their power and wealth? Is there no scheme to help those who are in real need? I honestly feel that they should cut down expenses on all pomp and show and concentrate on those people who do not even have their basic facilities rather than boasting about their Government’s achievements.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aha...thottuteenga ponga!!!

Very sensible post & sensitive too...
If every human spare a minute to watch t people around while we wait for a bus or the signal to clear or in the train- if we look around..there are lots we could learn & about how lucky we are!!

A very otuching post-- laxmi is doing better in this than in t "IDHU kadhai alla nijam"..:)

Anonymous said...

Extremely moving, Balaji...

Kavi said...

Profound. I guess i'll watch the program too.

Our society has many problems, one of them is poverty. But i have always found that wherever, the human spirit is not poor, any form of poverty is 'overcomable'.

In more ways than one, all of us are fortunate. To be born free, live free and used to so many material comforts of the world.

While in the street next lane, people struggle for bare necessities but continue to plough on.

We must salute them. These are people who will make a difference.

About the 'munnetra kazhagams', well they have forgotten the word 'Munnetra' and are focussed on Kazhagams of all kinds. Lets forget them and focus on the people who make the real difference

Anonymous said...

Balaji,
A very touching post. I always feel i'm gifted in life and when seeing or hearing such events, it re-ensures my thoughts.

Raji said...

Couldnt agree with you more on govt's role.
very well written

Balaji S Rajan said...

Marutham - Glad to know that you were moved by the post. As you have said if we look around...we could learn a lot and appreciate our life. Yes Lakshmi is really doing very well in this program.

Chandrika - Thanks for your comments.

Kavi - This is a program which people like you should watch. I agree that any form of poverty is 'overcomable' as long as the human spirits is not poor.

Kittu - Thanks. I appreciate your thoughts.

Raji - Thanks. Welcome back. I could not understand your comment
"Couldnt agree with you more on govt's role."

Barani said...

Very Well written !! India incorporated Vs India Impoverished :)

Whats the point in being the 4th largest economy when we have more than 30% of people living in abject poverty.

It hurts!!

Barani

Anonymous said...

A very good post, govenment and corporates should implement labour laws so that half of India does not remain poor.

Jeevan said...

Hope these childrens future will be brighter! and they struggled so, sure they will bring a big change in the society.

Balaji S Rajan said...

barani - Thanks. Yes it does hurt.

Cyber- Thanks. Governments should do something more to eliminate poverty.

Jeevan- Let us hope so.