It was one of the most boring trains one could be in on a sunday afternoon....
I watched out of the window for a long time.After a while when i got used to seeing the paddy fields and the dark green shrubs that was all way through the journey, i got back to doing the most common time pass in trains. Indulge in a not so intersting conversation with my sister where there was more of listening and less of speaking to do [:P]
We were in the midst of a time pass discussion about what is the most important thing they look for when you go for a UK visa interview..(yawn..) and there was this dark figure who crawled into our bay. He would be somewhere around 10 to 12 yrs. He was topless and his brown skin tanned due to the heat was exposing his ribs. He was wearing a rugged denim which protected his limbs as he crawled through the dirty rail compartments. With the dirty cloth in his hands brushed the dirt in the passage. He got into the bay and collected the spilt food particles and black remainants of god knos what with his bare hands while removing the footware and luggage lying there.
I was shocked at the plight of a 10 year old. I looked at my sister and we had the same thoughts running. I picked up a 5 rupee coin from my bag and gave it to him, while the others in the compartment continued to function oblivious of a soul who just picked up their footwear and cleaned their bay. The boy tried his luck by calling people, touching them and begging with his hands out. No one gave him a second look.
Half an hour later, an old haggered looking man walked in. This was something really unusual. He came in to the bay and and had his shirt unbuttoned. He had a huge scary looking organ hanging out of stomach. It was the dirtiest and scariest thing one could ever have. The moment i saw this man, my immediate reaction was to just close my eyes and just wanted him to get away from the place. The first thing in my mind was not pity, it was to just get rid of the dirty feeling and seeing something extremely disturbing.And my companions continued to be in their own worlds. In fact, nothing could make a difference there.
Sometime later, i thought about my attitude change towards these two underprivilidged human being i came across. Why was it that i wanted to help the boy and not the old man? May be because i thought i had to help the boy, he was trying to earn money by working. But why not a dirty suffering old man? I dont know.
In my entire journey i met a couple of more people in similar situations to whom i did not know how to react. I was confused about the attitude i had to show towards them. I really cant go around helping all the ten people i see everyday. But i also cant close my eyes to a 10 year old who picked up my footwear to clean it.
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Hi Priya,
you may not be knowing me..but I read your article..its impressive..but I just wanted to scrap a comment on it..
What do YOU think is begging?
And
What is begging Now-a-days???
Research by sociologists will reveal that begging is a source of income for many. Beggars are found at public places, such as railway stations, bus stands and thoroughfares. Beggary has turned into a lucrative business for some.
We often see children, disfigured and mutilated, the aged and the physically challenged, including those without vision being subjected to begging. Beggars exploit the sympathy of people towards children and the disabled.
Do you know???
They are forced to beg by the mafia; it is now an organized activity. Beggars are reportedly `dropped off' at different locations and collected at the end of the day. The mafia collects the daily earnings. Beggars are forced to stay in poor conditions, deprived of food and medical care. Most of the children are abducted and sent to different locations to prevent the police from tracing them. Women and men keep a close watch on the children and prevent them from escaping. Beggars earn more than casual laborers do. They are also absorbed into organized robbery and other anti-social activities. Law and order problems, unhygienic conditions are some of the problems caused by beggars. In metro cities, beggars man strategic spots. They are reported to be engaging in begging with the connivance of certain police officials.
People think that giving alms is a noble act. But they do not realize that they are encouraging inhuman and cruel acts towards children by the mafia. Often, beggars deform children and force them to beg. Beggars have been arrested in cases of recent thefts and burglaries.
The alms given to them do not make their lives any better because their earnings are taken away by the mafia. Children are kidnapped and their hands or legs amputated before sending them to beg. It is even alleged that mafia and petty criminals run a network of beggars in many towns and cities. Instead of discouraging beggars, people give them money.
You know..??
Currently Begging is one of the serious problems faced by the Nation.
We, being future of nation should react on the evils of encouraging beggary.
WE should prevent the residents of our colonies from giving alms to beggars.
We should rescue such people, especially children. Those rescued should be trained in some crafts to help them earn a livelihood.
People should not encourage beggars in public places by giving money
We should inform/bring it to notice to the railway police at railway stations and Depot manager at bus stops; locate the beggars and hand them over to rehabilitation centers.
Now, what is that beggars deserve a long term care or your 5 rupee??? !!!!!!!!!
_U_
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