Monday, March 29, 2010

क्या भूलूँ क्या याद करू

Today is a sad day. Just realised that the last famine under the British was in 1943-44. Also realised that 60 years after independence, we have people dying of starvation. Yes, no food. As simple as that.
(Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times)
When you start your day with the image of an obviously etiolated grandmother feeding an infant black tea, because she has nothing else to offer, you want to run out of that office, home, whatever, and help. But dont know how to help. dont know who is working there, other than HT. I dont know what to do.
That one image will haunt for a long long time.. and in some strange way, feel like i have failed that child... like all of us have failed these children..
...

11 comments:

BK Chowla, said...

I hope after seeing this picture, those who sing the development song realise that development does not mean few flyovers, few shopping malls.Development is people, their pains and their happiness.

Roshni said...

oh man...=/

WritingsForLife said...

sigh. Sadly it is the same everywhere. Things like these keep me up at night sometimes.

Mai said...

This sort of thing also happens in the USA. Usually, but not always, the victims are members of some racial minority. Every time we go grocery shopping, we buy some extra to give the veterans of the US military who stand by the side of the street with their crudely-lettered cardboard signs: US war veteran, please help. God bless you. (I don't give cash, as I don't want to finance their cigarettes, booze and drugs. )

There are also women with their babies who live on the streets with nowhere to go. There are charity soup kitchens, and, more than once I have directed such a mother to the nearest gurudwara for langar. Some there don't appreciate me for that, but that's their problem.

If each of us who has enough would reach out to those who have so little every day, the hunger problem would be solved. That won't happen, though, because we regard the homeless and poor underclass as invisible. I remember a veteran one day bursting into tears when I said to him, "Good morning. How are you?" simply because someone had acknowledged his existence.

And, yes, to those who think the streets are paved in gold here, this is in Seattle, USA. Getting upset and depressed about these things helps no one. Instead, we need to remain in chardi kala and get out there and solve the problem.

CYNOSURE said...

very nice post to bring up some truth which many people were trying to hide behind the banner of development(all bull shit)......

Varun said...

vass peyi darjiyan
kappad kainchi laa
kissi na kitti hai hai
kissi na kitti si

How do we know said...

Chowla sir: Yes.. that was the problem with Naidu in Andhra too. He forgot the cotton farmers in Warangal, and they forgot him. But what the Congress is doing makes me yearn to get Naidu back. At least he was a strict administrator.

Hi Roshni: :-)

Hi Raaji: they do? So me not the only one? How have you been?

Mai ji: Your comment had me shaking head in wonder and crying at the same time..really? no one has the time to ask "How r u?" and they have to beg? Its just....

Hi Cynosure: Hats off to HT boss.. i just reproduced their picture here.

Hi Varun: :-) ki bolaan?

Mai said...

Yes to all of it. Most have varying degrees of PTSD and are unable to work, even when work is available. The whole situation is sad and scandalous. These, too, are victims of America's foreign adventures - and they are many.

I have proposed a solution that doesn't involve the government. Is anybody hearing?

Onkar said...

Very touching. Everyone must spare some time and effort to bring meaning to the lives like these.

Violet said...

This is so sad. And it is sadder to see our children waste food and spill milk so often.

Neha said...

The problem is we just dont know how to reach out to them...many of us so want to, just dont know how!