I have no name!!!!

Even after 62 years of independence, we see people who are not free. They are still in conditions and mind set as 62 years before. For them there is no change, no freedom, not because they are oppressed but they can't find opportunities.

I am here reflecting about those kids who work as domestic help, in shops, in canteens, dhabas and other kind of public places. Most of these kids are boys of the age range of 10-16. The age of my youngest brother. It really hurts me to see this around me. At one side is my brother who gets the attention of whole family and his every demand being fulfilled and on other sides are these kids who have come from far of places UP,Bihar, Nepal, Jharkhand etc far away from there homes. At this tender age when they should learn and play and prosperous they are cooking for us, picking and washing our used utensils. They belong to such poor families that for living they have to come to our places for survival.

There are reports that many of these boys take crime as their mean of earning later and or some very early in their lives. Because that is what they get from the society and that is what they give the society back. If they don't get they will snatch. When sometimes I see in their eyes I feel that some are happy and have reconciled in these conditions but still there are few who are wondering why life is playing on them. I see in their eyes the unhappiness that kills my soul.

Some months back, a boy from no where came in our canteen to work. As he was serving my order I asked him what his name is. At first he stared into my eyes in a disbelief and then said, "I have no name". It made me laugh but I could sense his unhappiness. So I asked him from where he has come to work here, again the same response. I laughed and said him that from today I will call him benaam, I thought he would smile but he didn't.

And this is not only with boys but with girls to. Due to poverty girls are being sent to work as domestic help. In a case in my family circle their is a case that a girl from a poor family came to work for house hold. Some get good house where they can get opportunity to study too but in major cases that is what a lip service to their parents in realty they are for house work only. And eyes of these girls are no different from that boy they tell the same story.

But when I interacted with such kids I found that they don't see education as a mean to rescue them. Many of them are school dropouts. Some want to study but can't. This is a small incidence that is still fresh in my mind.

My father had a outstation job, so my mother and we lived with my grandparents, but in summer vacations we used to go to our father's place. I remember it was one such vacations we were at his place. It was afternoon and my father had not returned from work. My mother was busy with my brother in his homework. I was done with it as I was so quick in whatever my mom says. So I was free. I came out of house and jumped across the wall and went to school ground in front of our house. I was eleven at that time a girl almost about my age was sitting their beside the wall playing with mud. I was tempted and joined her. We started talking and then she said that she wants to study like me but her father says girls don't study. I said her I am girl and I am studying too. She said nothing and after a while I went back. I told my mom about that girl. My mom, the beautiful soul I have ever touched told me to bring that girl to home tomorrow afternoon.

Next day I went little earlier before my lunch and brought that girl home. My mom fed us and then brought books for us to study. While I and my brother were doing our holiday homework my mom was patiently teaching that girl to write alphabets. From then she came every afternoon to our home for almost a month while we were their. And then one morning we came back, I got busy in school again and forgot about my friend. Next vacations we went there but she was not there. And now so many years after these kids remind me of her.

When I was kid I wondered why god can't make all equal and as I grew I realized that infact there is no god it is the man that has created such things. And as I mature more I realize that man says I belong to society but infact this society is divided into so many societies and then further more smaller societies and then family and within it the smallest unit the individual himself/herself.

Man for society or society for man? Which first? And as I watched people around me I realized, the more weak you are society matters more as it becomes heavy on you, and more stronger and powerful you become , you become heavy on society and your rules rule. So I alter the above statement like this, Poor man for society and Society for rich man.

And in such type of societies, the uneven societies these kids become what they see. No opportunities but dark and gloom thoughts. Right to education, right to equality is only on our lengthiest and well documented constitution but in spirit it is missing like the forefathers of the constitution. This is .......

May all rest in peace!!!!