Sneha Kiran

A WALK DOWN THE HOLIDAY LANE…

I believed that I was “emotionally inert”, and quite frankly, I was proud of it. Not caring about anyone, not worried about hurting people, not having to think before speaking and so on. But now, looking at the past me, it feels absolutely ridiculous!

Anyway, my holidays kicked off in June. We had just finished the laborious Semester End Examination and those of us who weren’t the least bit interested in indulging ourselves with academic trivialities, yet again, chalked out plans and schemes to while away the two and odd months. We often hung out, went to movies, watched TV shows, read novels and involved ourselves in various activities that helped us achieve solace and really feel the true essence of the word “holiday”. And accordingly, everything was as per the plan. Life was good. Confined. Constrained. Mechanized.

But then, one normal Monday morning, a friend of mine, whom I cannot thank with mere usage of words, texted me and expressed the ingenuity of Sneha Kiran. I patiently read the lengthy text and just replied, mechanically, assuring her that I would visit the place one day. But then, it wasn’t anything more than the usual clichés. Take care, have a pleasant evening, I’ll pray for you, all the best…

But with the elapse of each day, the length of her texts grew. I was told about the kids, their traits and the wonderment of the place. But again, I am, well, I was “emotionally inert”.

A couple of days later, my granddad was at a hospital for a surgery. We had him admitted two days before the surgery and I was at the hospital, by his side, killing each labored second. So, again, I am told about Sneha Kiran. Now, I begin to weigh the situation. Whiling away at the hospital or taking a ride and causally visiting Sneha Kiran. Well, you do the math…

I picked the better of the two options, called another friend of mine, and asked him to go with me to Sneha Kiran. After a bit of persuasion, he consented and so, we went in search of the place. I assured my granddad that I’d be back in an hour, had my dad take my place and I went out, to take a ride, and then, casually visit Sneha Kiran.

Almost a half hour after I left the hospital, we finally arrived at our destination. We entered inside, parked our vehicles and walked through the door, the door which now makes me feel more welcome than at home.

Once inside, we met our friend, filled out the application and waited for the Director. So, again, I was back to my act of killing time, only this time, I had company. The Director arrived sooner than we expected. He summoned us into his chamber and briefed us about Sneha Kiran. ‘The kids here aren’t disabled…they are specially-abled. Cerebral Palsy isn’t a disease, but a condition. The kids here are self-resilient and capable of leading a happy life. All they need is a helping hand. We want you to be their friends and do nothing but help them be happy. Make them learn to lead a happy life…’

While I was waiting for a speech, at the end of which I’d say, ‘I’ll think about it and get back to you,’ I was greeted with measured but meaningful words. I stumped myself and said, ‘I’d like to start working right away…’

The Director welcomed us with open arms and then had us meet with the principal. We started speaking and we got into the details as to how they interacted with the children and how they turned studies into something fun and worthwhile. As we reached the fag end of the conversation, I actually began working. Working on a play for the kids, working a system to raise funds, working on how my friend and I would pool in our vehicles…

While I was skeptical about spending one day, I planned events for a month! But then, I wasn’t out the shell yet. I was still “emotionally inert”. I just happed to do it on impulse. It was just in the moment. But I wasn’t really all that dedicated yet. So we signed up for just half a day and then, we went back the way we came.

The next day, as obligated, I went to Sneha Kiran almost quarter of an hour past the scheduled time, thinking whether it was a good thing to give up my holidays and work? Wasn’t I violating the very meaning of “holidays”?

Reluctantly, I entered, signed and went to the concerned classes. I was assigned to teach math and so, I was left with a child to teach. A highly smart child actually. I taught her fractions that day, slow and steady, and before I knew, the time was up! It was like someone out there was kidding me. Thirty minutes passed by without my knowledge. While I was sitting on the day before, weighing each laborious second and literally killing time, that fine day, I found myself unaccounted for eighteen hundred seconds!

In wonderment and a weird sense of satisfaction, I entered the next class, with much lesser reluctance. The children happily welcomed me, they wished me in unison and they were all delighted by my presence. They kind of made me feel important. Happy. I held their hands and made them write the alphabets. Nine of the ten lines I made them write and let them to write the last line on their own, but under my supervision. And the thing that I felt after they wrote the tenth line cannot really be explained textually. It was something that made me immensely proud of myself. A sense of content. I was elated by the fact that I, an ignorant being, actually made another person learn one alphabet after merely 15 minutes of training. ‘Great job! Very good girl…good girl,’ I said and saw the kid clap merrily. And again, involuntarily, I found myself smiling with joy.

The next hour, I took the lead and introduced myself to the kids next door, and again, time bemused me.

My first day came to an end and I rushed back to the hospital. My granddad was operated that afternoon and thankfully, everything went just as planned. The operation was a success and my granddad came out of the OT, laughing and waving at us. That night, I stayed at the hospital and the next day, I was far too happy to be with granddad. So, I skipped going to Sneha Kiran. Then again, the merriment continued for yet another day and I was too lazy to ride all the way to Sneha Kiran.

But the day after that, I went, again, feeling obligated. Once there, I was asked to go and volunteer for a physiotherapy session. Stretching and screaming went hand in glove for about an hour, at the end of which I felt weirdly happy. Children were crying all around and I was happy! Well, I was happy because I made a child walk. I was happy because I made a child climb. I was happy because I made a crying child laugh! I spent another splendid and revered hour at the Therapy Room and again, I went back to the hospital.

I sat there and ruminated over the events of the day, recollecting the names, the traits and the faces of all the wonderful children. Slowly, I began explaining all about it to my family and then to my friends and, the very next day I had another friend join the organization.

The usual routine continued for two more days, after which my granddad was discharged and I “bunked” two more days. After that, almost a week after I joined, I found myself again in the Therapy Room. But then, this day was different. It was the day my “emotionally inert” shell broke. This was day I was metamorphosed. Upon instructions from the organization’s physiotherapist, I gave the therapy to a six year old. Stretching and screaming continued yet again, and, again, I was happy at the end of the hour. Since I had missed out on the past couple of days, I decided to stay there for the afternoon session.

So, accordingly, I went to the Therapy Room that afternoon and a few minutes hence, the six year old entered with his caretaker, who is his favorite person. It was the games hour and so, she undid his gaters and had him sit on one side of the bedded floor.

Now, while he was sitting, I was standing a few feet away, talking to a friend. Eventually, the six-year-old visually impaired kid, heard my voice and he started crying. I just walked towards him casually and carried him and he immediately stopped crying.

Curious, I placed him back on the floor and he cried again. I lifted him up, yet again, and walked him around the room. And as I did, he laughed, many a times, and that, quite frankly, moved me. It was a singular moment that changed everything. I held him on my lap and saw him go to sleep.

I then spoke to his caretaker and learnt everything about him. But again, at Sneha Kiran, time is a weird entity. The final bell chimed and the children were on their way out. I reluctantly handed over the six-year-old and returned home, yearning for the next dawn. And since that day I’ve been yearning for yet another dawn. Once I started liking the place, I made more friends. Learnt that nothing but concern could make these kids achieve wonders!

No matter what you do, nothing can be more relieving than being truly loved. And that is the exact thing you can earn at Sneha Kiran. The kids will love you for who you are. They will make you feel happy, feel special and feel the worthiness of your life. They will be exceedingly happy to be with you, as you will be with them. A bonding that is based on nothing but true fondness for each other will be born and it would remain unblemished for the times to come.

I definitely think that everyone who comes to this place wouldn’t go back home without being content, happy and satisfied with the true essence of life. I knew that I would spend the rest of my holidays at Sneha Kiran. Because holidays are all about relief and nothing can be more relieving than being at Sneha Kiran.

And so, I humbly urge every one of those people who believe that these kids need a warm helping hand, a devoted mentor and a priced friend, and, who also believe that they can grow up to lead a normal life filled with merriment, to take only a few minutes out of their routine lives and help these kids find a new outlook at life and its spirit. A few mere minutes of yours means a lifetime of happiness to the kids. Be happy by making others happy.

– Adarsh Ramesh