If life had a rewind button - Madhurima Niyogi

There were 66 of them, all faces equally lit up with excitement and expectation. They know it’s one of the days when they need to wear their best dresses and give the best performance. All faces smiling with the anticipation of what’s new in store for them. But our eyes were searching for the youngest one we met the last time – SHANKAR. He was the most fragile and vulnerable one, his father killed his mother and fled away. Someone went to call him, and there he came running, barefooted and we were spellbound, he now goes to play school and have grown up quite a bit. He doesn’t seem so vulnerable now, we were happy to see how life has accommodated him or him the life.

Then there was Mahesh, Srikant, Himal, Prashanth , Ravi and many of them who entertained us with songs, dance, rhymes and with all their inquisitiveness. We arranged a sit and draw competition where everyone including few of our group members participated. We were overwhelmed to see the pictures and the colors which flowed on the white papers, it was a riot of colors and a scene to sit and relish. It’s an irony that though each one of them love to play with colors they are bound to live a monochrome life.

As every good things come to an end so also the day has to. We handed them over their requirement which consist of – Dresses and inner wear (as per age specification), school bags, Pressure Cooker, Dosa pan, copies, colors, pencil box set, cake and frooti and few other things of their day to day life.

We left the place with a heavy heart and with the promise to return soon and with the hope that may their life turn as colorful as the pictures they have drawn.