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Bringing light into their lives
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The joy of playing with fireworks on the Deepavali day made them forget their trauma at least for a while
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Their faces suddenly lit up as the volunteers of Childline took out flowerpots, crackers and other fireworks to celebrate Deepavali on Saturday. The very thought of `playing with fire' seemed to make them forget their sorrow at least for a while. They were once the neglected and uncared for street children, who had made the platforms at the Railway Station their home.
A close look at their faces would be enough to understand the sense of hurt in their eyes and the fact that they had undergone a troubled childhood. They shouted in chorus: "We enjoy celebrating Deepavali here rather than at our own homes." This statement was enough to fathom the trauma, which they all should have experienced at their homes.
Their clothes were in tatters and none of them wore footwear. They clapped in glee as the flowerpots sprouted. One of the boys danced in gay abandon as the `bhu chakram' revolved on the floor, mindless of the fact that the sparks could burn his feet.
Thirteen-year-old Sheik Baji of Kharagpur in West Bengal had run away from home as his stepmother was ill-treating him. His father, a petty businessman, had married another woman after the death of the first wife.
"During Deepavali, the local shopkeepers (in Kharagpur) used to give me a lot of fireworks and crackers. I played with them at home. I ran away from home unable to bear the torture of my stepmother. Though the fireworks are fewer here, I enjoy playing with my friends," he said.
Anil Kumar, 13, of Vijayawada, was thrown out of his home for stealing Rs.100. He was literally on the streets for the past three years. He had lost his father in a lorry accident and subsequently his mother had died. He and his sister were living with their grandmother, when he was shown the door for `stealing'. "Back home I used to light small bombs, it is much better to play with friends here," said Anil.
For D.V. Prasad of Bhimavaram, celebrating Deepavali at home or at the shelter home, seemed to make no difference. He had run away from home two months ago as his parents, who deal in fireworks, had thrashed him up for his pranks. Prasad, who had studied up Std. VI, said he loved flowerpots.
Durga Prasad of Kakinada had fled his home two years ago as his mother accused him of stealing Rs.2,000 from their kirana shop and his father was heating the `tavva' with the intention of burning his hands with it.
"I was here (Childline) during the last Deepavali also. They gave me lots of fireworks to play," he recalled with glee.
Childline, which is an outreach service for children who need care and protection such as street children, neglected children and mentally ill kids, has been celebrating Deepavali with the neglected kids for the past three years.
At a meeting held on the occasion, the director of the nodal organisation, B. Vijayalakshmi, said in her report that Childline had received 63,487 calls on its toll free no. 1098, since its inception in 2001. It had so far provided shelter to 397 children, restored 213 children to their parents and arranged sponsorship for 65 children with organisations such as SOS, Prema Samajam and YMCA.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, C. Narasimha Raju, participated as chief guest.
An Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work, B. Devi Prasad, spoke on child rights.
B. MADHU GOPAL
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