It’s funny how things happen at particular times. I’ve been relentlessly tracing my thoughts in different trajectories for quite sometime. They were mostly personal. And then I visited Sphoorti at Hyderabad this January
Life came to a stand-still.
All the kids welcomed me, shouting “Uncle” with smiling faces. I don’t remember this feeling ever. It is incredible. They don’t want anything from you. I was trying to remember when I saw a smile so freely and genuinely heartfelt, the last time. In fact, I don’t remember. It felt like my entire life only had a false smile forcing itself like a dagger down my throat. The freedom of this place is so beautiful, I think the good only gets better. I sat with them, spoke to them to see what they were studying. Some danced well, some were good housekeepers, some had a painting hobby and some just sat there doing their homework all evening. It didn’t occur to me that I was visiting some sort of Govt school with endangered species or neglected children. This place was filled with love, lots of it.
Sphoorti is a grass roots level organization in Hyderabad, aimed to raise very poor children who are either orphans or their parents cannot afford education. It’s not really an orphanage. It’s not a shelter for food. It’s not a place funded by a white-collar corporate-ngo-ceo with nationalized-advertisement. Its a small place where children live, eat, play and goto school. I first heard of the guy behind this — Srivyal, his background was something like an educated young guy who worked in the US and came back to fulfill his dream, to contribute to society in his humble means. When a friend asked me to contribute, I was a little skeptical, like you. Who is this guy? Where will my money go? Is it really helping the society? Will it really light the bulb?
I checked the premises, it was a 6 room house, almost horizontal in structure with a large center-court, where they play, eat study in the evening. I looked at one of the rooms and I learnt that eight kids sleep in that space. I choked. Eight kids? I had a bedroom in Boston which was double the size and had a king size bed for myself, all with plush, two layer mattresses. They slept on the ground with blankets and pillows.
After a long thought, I decided, * everything. I’ll contribute either way, I haven’t done much anyway. The fact that a weekend party can fund a child’s education, complete for one year, made me feel embarrassed and ashamed. A weekend party? One year’s education? The American Dollar never looked so powerful. But it’s true. A year’s education costs 3000 rupees — a mere 75$. Still, we want to blame the Government and bitch about the inadequacies but honestly we haven’t done much to patch up our neighborhood. There probably are thousands of organizations around the world which probably are doing wonderful things, but why would you care when you don’t have physical contact or transparency.
With Sphoorti, it’s a different story. It’s small, 45 children (in just 18 months) but growing and very ambitious. It’s in my neighborhood. I’ve seen the kids. We are planning expansion of land and facilities in the next one year and I’m glad that I’m going to be a part of this. I’ve seen Srivyal and his people working so hard relentlessly and so selflessly to make this a better and a bigger place. And at the end of the day, when I see their sweat and our little green bills convert into something so meaningful in life, honestly I think, life is not impossible.
If you cannot do it or if you do not have time to do it, forgive yourself. At least trust one person who does it for you. When you forgive, you love. When you love, God’s light shines on you. Now, I don’t know much about God. But I do know that sometimes, life is like a blind dead stone. You’re nothing but a head, facing with hands stretched apart. And when you extend it in the right direction, even the slightest of gesture is so painfully beautiful, that it’s worth respecting life, for a moment.
Watch, an inspired video from Taare Zameen Par, for Sphoorti
