A Step into Reality...

A Step into Reality.



I am a student of Lalit Kala Kendra, gurukul, University of Pune. And as usual I was waiting at the university signal to go towards my department. When about 5 to 6 small girls and boys, ages between 5 to 7 came running towards us. Some started wiping my bike, some were selling some stuff they had and some were just begging for money. Just then these small children saw a foreigner walking by us. As the opposite side signal was green with a heck of traffic passing by that foreigner couldn’t cross the road. So she waited by the divider under the over bridge of the University signal. Suddenly all these children rushed towards her and started troubling her. They pulled her hair, snatched her bag, and removed her hair bow. She tried to make them go away but they troubled her more as she scolded them. She at last tried to walk away from signal. But all these kids followed her everywhere. Some girls standing besides her also couldn’t help her as these kids wont listen at all. Some kids were actually touching my feet as they begged for money. I really felt pity for that girl. I tried helping her but I myself was getting away from these kids. What a relief it must have been for her as I watched her cross the road hurriedly as soon as she got a chance to cross the busy road.
As I turned back to look where the kids went, I saw them with an elder man and women supposed to be their mom and dad. The lady just sat besides him and the man was smoking. The sight left be ablaze. And now for the last 15 days, I have been watching them every day under the bridge some times taking a bath under a small tap under the bridge, washing some utensils, clothes, etc. I feel that place is just like a home to them. And now I am truly convinced why Slumdog Millioner was so much praised to show the reality in Mumbai and India. I just hope this reality changes.

Tejdipty.