dispenser of India's destiny - jaya ho

I ride to work everyday; I like the pleasant ride where I can zip off every other bikes, cars, buses and park right next to the Reserve Bank of India. I then talk to the guards of RBI for two minutes, inquire whether they had breakfast, what did they have or about their kids, family anything and everything. One day we started talking about bikes, the guard used to ride a 70s bullet was fascinated at my thunderbird (naturally!). The conversation went so long I got to work an hour and half late. Anyway, the better part of my day comes usually when I have my breakfast at this small hotel right next to where I work. Nope, it aint the food, though the food is good. It’s these two kids 8 and 5. Elder brother carrying the sister asked for money on the first day, I said ill buy them breakfast instead pay them money. The sister agreed so I got them breakfast, 2 idlies, some rice and milk. I am known for my disregard for the status quo but this routine just stuck to me. The brother sister duo just bring back memories and obviously the brother is the caring one of the two (pun intended).

The routine is been going on since almost a year now, so I have decided to ask them where they study and what their parents do. They disappear as soon as I pose the question, of course with the food – but that’s ok. I catch them two days later at a different intersection, get off my bike and talk to them. I said I don’t care what your parents do, but if you kids are interested I would like to pay for your education. The kids speak Telugu (which is my mother tongue) so I talk to the lil one and ask her if she is interested in studying to which she eagerly responds yes. The brother then takes her away saying he needs sometime.

The next day I have an unexpected visitor – the kids’ mother. She blames me for rotting her children’s heads and I should not speak to them anymore. She mentions how she is a construction worker and gives them 20 rupees a day to buy food and if they are hungry they need to earn more by themselves and the kids chose to beg. After a heated discussion between me and her, my co-workers pull me back sensing it was a lost cause. I still tried to woo the kids with food, chocolates, and notebooks to get them to study. The brother being the elder used to walk away or just grab the stuff and run away, the sister could do nothing other than flash her sad eyes.

Today (18th November 2011) I see the sister begging once more in front of the hotel and a man literally pushes her off. I reprimand the man very seriously (I am 6’0 and heavily built – he wouldn’t dare retaliate) and then talk to the lil girl, tell her had she taken up my offer to study she would be spared of these experiences. The little girl looks at me eagerly for food, but I want my point to be taken and not just because I buy her food. So I said I wont buy her anything when she starts crying. Unable to take it I get her a banana and asked her if she would like to study at a nearby school where I used to volunteer. I mentioned how she can see her brother every one hour and the principal is a sweet woman to which she says, she prefers begging as it is easy and runs away. The brother then walks up to me, stomps on my feet, gives me a cold stare and walks away not losing eye contact.

Bharatha bhaagya vidhathaaa
Jayahe jaya he jaya he


(image courtesy - google, where else)