The sparkle in her eyes, thats what drew me to her the first time i met her; sometime in 2005. She was 8 months old and cuddling in her blanket in the baby basket. Apple of the eye for 35 siblings she had with her, guarded lovingly by Saraswati aunty , she was the 36th entrant into Anatha shishu seva ashram, 4th cross, wilson garden, bangalore.
Being blind did not stop Saraswati aunty in her life's mission of sheltering children abandoned on the road. She gave them a home (not an orphanage) , her love and care. Her husband helps her in this cause; he runs the kitchen and manages the daily chores in the house. Her son helps her in managing the accounts. She raises the kids, sends them to a govt school near by, college, helps them to get jobs and marries them off.
I read about the place in an email posted on the bulletin board at office and decided to spend my sunday there. When i visited the place the first time there was only one very old house in a small plot with two bedrooms (one for boys and the other for the girls). A hall which was used as prayer room, study, play area and dining. The house badly needed renovation since parts of the tiled roof we broken and the rain used to pour in. The dampness and chill filled the rooms.
I should admit my first visit ignited a lot of thought process mostly thanking god for the life he gave me. The realization that what i crib and cry for in life is so silly. Have been visiting the place once in a while through these years and i am glad that today my little Sumitra is a big girl. She goes to a govt school near by. She is one of the rowdies of the house playing pranks on all. The renovation is almost complete but inmates have increased to 50+.
Some kids take time to mingle, but there are times when they come and sit by my side and narrate stories from school and things about each other. It is a wonderful feeling to see the shine in their eyes. They are the same as Sid's - i know now.
Life is a only about loving all...or so i guess. To Sumitra...my love.
Being blind did not stop Saraswati aunty in her life's mission of sheltering children abandoned on the road. She gave them a home (not an orphanage) , her love and care. Her husband helps her in this cause; he runs the kitchen and manages the daily chores in the house. Her son helps her in managing the accounts. She raises the kids, sends them to a govt school near by, college, helps them to get jobs and marries them off.
I read about the place in an email posted on the bulletin board at office and decided to spend my sunday there. When i visited the place the first time there was only one very old house in a small plot with two bedrooms (one for boys and the other for the girls). A hall which was used as prayer room, study, play area and dining. The house badly needed renovation since parts of the tiled roof we broken and the rain used to pour in. The dampness and chill filled the rooms.
I should admit my first visit ignited a lot of thought process mostly thanking god for the life he gave me. The realization that what i crib and cry for in life is so silly. Have been visiting the place once in a while through these years and i am glad that today my little Sumitra is a big girl. She goes to a govt school near by. She is one of the rowdies of the house playing pranks on all. The renovation is almost complete but inmates have increased to 50+.
Some kids take time to mingle, but there are times when they come and sit by my side and narrate stories from school and things about each other. It is a wonderful feeling to see the shine in their eyes. They are the same as Sid's - i know now.
Life is a only about loving all...or so i guess. To Sumitra...my love.
