A Thoughtful Revelation

“Perception of disability lies in the mind” A P J Kalam

He was fair, short, emaciated, wearing slackly appropriate clothes and had black glasses on his eyes for protection. You are right in your presumption; he had undergone a cataract operation. He was standing out side the office chatting amicably to others. I understood that he was the caretaker. We entered the office of Nachiketa Bal Gram, a home for the destitute children after crossing the narrow road on the Gurudwara lane at Akurdi in Pune.There were a few more elderly men who were chatting in the open yard of the orphanage. The place was large, well kept and spotless. The building was tinted yellow with blue doors and windows which were in good form. The office was a tiny space with a table and three chairs with space just adequate for these. We went in to take our seats. My friend has adopted the dependability of two children at Nachiketa. The intention of our visit was that my friend wanted to arrange a workshop by an eminent group for these kids and her sister wanted to teach Indian Classical Music for the concerned children. My friend introduced me to the caretaker who had a smiling countenance.  This radiance must have been a reflection of the meaningful life he led. Just opposite to the office was a kitchen which was orderly and hygienic. Dishes and glasses had been stacked neatly. There were a few ladies who were busy cooking the afternoon meal.  The caretaker told my friend that she needed to seek permission from the higher authorities for the workshop and the Music classes. He handed her a card with the telephone numbers of the concerned authorities. Later we enquired about the kids. He said that the preparations for getting back to the school after vacations were going on. While departing my friend said that behind the cheerful countenance of the caretaker was a heart-rending story. The caretaker had lost his wife and was living with his married sons.  A few years later both the sons refused to shoulder his responsibility. He was left at an old age home where he felt worthless and dejected. His uselessness taught him to transform his life into a significant one for the desolate. He told my friend that he found great solace in  being a part and parcel of Nachiketa and would never return back home. He would work at the orphanage till the end of his life.  He said that he had also instructed the authorities to deny his funeral rites to his children after his bereavement. He never let his children know about his whereabouts. My admiration for the caretaker augmented because he had resorted to spread joy in the lives of the orphans though he had been forsaken by his own children.  Here was a striking person known for his deeds through his necessity of having his own family. Tough times test the worst instincts in people and a very few are able to conduct themselves with respect and control their lives specifically when there is a terrible blow given by a dear one. Shaping our lives in such adversities by paving paths to public service is the most honourable way of displaying belief in oneself. He had focussed his energies to overcome the flaws in life.