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INDIA BEATS
Space for compassion
V.N. JAYAKRISHNAN UNNI
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Basheer believes it is his destiny to care for the orphans and the poor of Malappuram.
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Basheer is the driving force behind the unpublicised service organisation called “Love and Serve”.
Help where it is needed: Khadeeja’s house in Malappuram and (below) Basheer.
“You have to see the poverty here to believe it”, says Basheer, who covers the thorny hills and slippery vales of Malappuram district in Kerala searching for deserving students who are unable to pursue studies due to the absence of a regular income in their household. “Poverty? Here?,” I wonder as there are innumerable households here with at least one member in West Asia. “Wealth is only a veneer. There should be compassion in one’s mind to share each other’s sorrows”, chips in Ali, Basheer’s Man Friday in his endeavours to sensitise the local people to situation confronting the less fortunate lot. Ali, in spite of being physically handicapped, does not accept any special favour. He is cosy in his auto rickshaw, driving up the hills of Pandalloor, where one of the favourites of Basheer, Ashraff, is living. Ashraff, a regular working in the sand quarry, broke his spine at the age of 19, while diving into the river to search for sand underneath. “I heard a mild crack in my neck”, smiles Ashraff nonchalantly but I wince realising that Ashraff, now 24 years old, will be living out his best years of life like this.
Driving force
Basheer is the driving force behind the unpublicised service organisation called “Love and Serve”. He stays in Vattaloor with his parents, wife and three children but devotes his entire time for serving the poor, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. He laughs heartily while narrating the monikers he has attracted as people think that he is a well-off man who has gone crazy. Basheer accepts monetary help from innumerable people, both known and unknown. He receives every day at least a dozen letters seeking his help but he ensures that he visits every individual who has sought his help. He specialises in helping poor students who cannot afford to buy note books, uniforms, pen, geometry box etc. He acknowledges the guidance of his guru, the late Hamsa Thayyil, who had opened the window on social service for him to see. “I believe in only two classes (Male and Female) and in four groups (A, B, AB and O)”, chuckles Basheer and I know by now that I can believe this man.
Presently, the care and love extended by “Love and Serve” has reached nearly 400 students in and around Malappuram, Kozhikode and Palakkad districts in Kerala. Somehow, he is able to manage the finances for meeting the expenses which run to at least Rs.350 per student. “An unknown hand from above helps me in my endeavours”, sighs Basheer.
We are in Karuvarakkundu and his “children” as he fondly calls the beneficiaries, surround him in a chorus .The love and affection these children display tug at your heart. He points out the concrete shed at a distance which didn’t even have a door till recently. The owner is sick with viral fever and is sleeping on a mat as there is no furniture in the house. Basheer remembers the day when he visited that shed to sponsor Anoop. An emotional Basheer says he can never forget the way in which the family tried to thank him in their own humble way though they were poor.
Hope thrives
We are inside the hut owned by Kadeeja, a bright, chirpy woman who is 29 years old. A five-foot brick wall topped by a leaking roof is her kingdom which does not even have a door. A strong wind can sweep the roof off but she remains lambent. Having borne five children already from a marriage that lasted 14 years, it is amazing to note that she has enough reserves of grit and tenacity. When she says, “Please give me a second-hand sewing machine and I can weave my own world with it,” Basheer, who is already lost in thought, nods in silence.
The shadows by now have lengthened and Basheer knows it is time to wind up for the day.
“This guy, Basheer, is quite well off but does not know where his estates begin and where they end”, beams Ali, perched on his driver’s seat, while pointing out the acres and acres of fertile land with lush growth of coconuts, bananas and other cash crops. Meanwhile, Ali slips in the news that Basheer was shown in TV channels in Kerala and in Andhra Pradesh. Basheer shrugs his shoulders and mutters, “I am not interested in publicity. Who will look after these orphans and poor students if I start bothering about my estates? This is the destiny God has ordained for me.” Yes, and I am sure the suffering Anoops, Ashraffs, Kadeejas, Sajeethas and Divyas of Eranadu will be more than thankful for that.
India Beats features stories of the unusual, the exotic and the extraordinary.
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