A bowl of hope
This is Anjali.
I met her on my last visit to Delhi.
Photograph Copyright : Cuckoo
I was to catch evening flight to Mumbai. Noon time, scorching sun over my head, I was in a hurry to make most of the time left. My hands were full with shopping bags and even though I wanted to buy the whole market, I was wondering how to carry it with me.
And then suddenly a tiny hand shook me from behind, pulled my dress and I heard a voice. “Didi, ye le lo na. Sirf 50 rupaye. Bohni kara do”. (Sister, please buy this. Only Rs 50/-. Make the first sale).
I looked back. There she was, all of 9 years, seeking my attention with the saddest eyes in this world, holding a tray with a fragile glass bowl and some other things on it. She wasn’t smiling when I saw her first.
Whatttt ??? Of all the things, a breakable glass bowl ? NO, never. My spontaneous reaction was a firm ‘NO’. I did not have time, nor did I have any space in my luggage and most importantly, who the hell was interested in buying that stupid glass bowl !!
She kept following me with her constant pleads. Tensed, scared and yet hopeful. ‘Didi’ was occasionally replaced by ‘madam’ and with every request the price had slowly gone down to Rs 20/-.
20 ? What’s the actual cost then ? Why isn’t she leaving me ? Do I look so kind hearted or have I shown any sign of interest in the buy ? Do these children know their targets ? By now I was visibly irritated. On a distance I could see many more children of her age targeting their prospective buyers with similar things.
I went inside a lane where some artifacts were being sold (patch work, mirror work and wooden sculptures etc)
I took out my camera to click some shots. (Oh yeah, I am nuts that way).
(I liked the reflection of a tree there)
Suddenly there was chaos. The roadside vendors started running helter-skelter with their belongings. I knew the municipality people had come to drive them away. Anjali had also run away somewhere.
Good.
I was relieved.
Slowly I started walking towards the main road to my car.
And then out of the blue she appeared again with a strange expression on her face.
“Didi, dekho main bhaag ke wapis aayi aapke liye”. (Look sister, I came back running for you.)
“Arre, tum kahan gayab ho gayi thi? ” (Where were you vanished?) I was surprised at myself talking to her with concern.
“wo municipality wale aaye the, wo mera sab kuchh tod dete hain dande se, fir papa gussa kerte hain”. (Those municipal people came, they break my things with a stick and then my dad gets angry at me). Her eyes were full of tears now.
At that moment, I thought I’d buy one bowl in any case.
For initial price of Rs 50/-.
She smiled and ran to nearby vendor, requested him for a polythene bag.
And then she saw my camera. 
“Aap mera photo khinchoge?” (Will you click a picture of mine?)
An innocent hope was asking me.
I gave in.
No more was I in a hurry. No more was the heat bothering me.
And then from nowhere I had seven models to pose for me !! Happy, giggling, directing one another for good pose, grabbing my camera to see themselves on screen and so on.
In return, on my request, they opted to have chaat and answered my queries. Here are some of the answers.
They all go to school, either morning or evening. For some, the money earned goes to their gullak (piggy bank) which is used to pay their school fees and suchlike.
Anjali wants to become a doctor and her elder sister ‘Katrina Kaif’.
They’ve been guided by elders to go down on rates till Rs 20/- per bowl.
By experience now they know how to hide & protect themselves & their goods from the Municipality.
They have made many roadside friends and know how to enjoy life with them.
I don’t know if I’ll see Anjali again, if I’ll ever know about her but I am dead sure I’ll remember her eyes.
No, their eyes.
There was a twinkling shine, a zeal, a wish, a smile, a future in their eyes.
And each one of them had a bowl.
A bowl of hope.
P.S.- Oh yeah, I brought the bowl wrapping it well in my clothes and now it adorns a small corner in my house.
Current Song:- Dhan Te Nan - Kaminey
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naween said,
July 30, 2009 @ 9:30 pm
amazing!!!
Padmanabhan said,
July 30, 2009 @ 10:04 pm
Expressions in their face - priceless!
Sharad said,
July 30, 2009 @ 10:27 pm
Apt title…
Finally persistence paid off… Anjali not only got 50/- but also some chaat and a picture posted on your blog.
Reminded me of similar incident. I was at CST, clciking pics from the opp. road when 10s of children gathered and asked if I can click a pic of them as well.. I obliged…. they went mad looking themselves in my digicam… the joy on their face was worth it.
Dhan te nan……
Kanagu said,
July 30, 2009 @ 10:54 pm
Its really touching Cuckoo… good that you have chatted with them and took some photos of them… they will remember it for days
all they need is a little concern more than anything in this world
Mayank said,
July 31, 2009 @ 12:34 am
Cuckoo,
Loved this touching article. Once again you wrote your heart’s content.
and I must say your heart is as beautiful as those kids.
I remember your post on a beggar whom you met on a station.
Apt title with brilliant photos of their expressions. and i saw that reflection of tree.
you are a good photographer too.
well done!
Screenage Scribbler said,
July 31, 2009 @ 12:53 am
I go through such events every now and then on Mumbai streets. I have also seen those pair of eyes and noticed what’s holds in them. You have put the thoughts so well and have taken a step ahead to talk these eye holders.
Good One
Nandan Jha said,
July 31, 2009 @ 9:19 am
Dhan teran… terany rannran
I read most of your stuff in my e-mail but since i dont’t get pics in the RSS thing, I came here looking for Anjali. I am very happpy , first to see that these guys are actually going to school and 2nd that from their looks they seem more like doing a evening-shift/morning-shift/some-shift kinda folks than the ones who are trapped in begging mafia. Your post and most importantly pics makes me more positive about the things around
This looks like Delhi, what place is this, KB ?
Nandan Jha said,
July 31, 2009 @ 9:19 am
Sorry, i just read again that its indeed Delhi. where in Delhi ?
sumit said,
July 31, 2009 @ 9:49 am
speechless now!!
perhaps like many other people, I too would have shrugged them off n been on my way. have I ever helped someone?? no clue!! i never remember such things, except for once when i parted with a pack of pure magic biscuits (I still love them) at 6 in the morning. still remember that!! the chap was of my age, i suppose (12/13), in torn n tattered clothes and had asked me for something to eat. never saw him again!
Cuckoo said,
July 31, 2009 @ 4:20 pm
Naween,
Padmanabhan,
Yes indeed.
Sharad,
These smaller things mean a lot to them. I hope they remember and try to get inspiration to become like us.
Chaat? They all had a discussion on whether they should have something or not. Some were reluctant and some were ready. They coaxed others and finally it was decided by them that they would like to have chaat since some of them had not tasted it in their life !
Cuckoo said,
July 31, 2009 @ 10:07 pm
Kanagu,
The smaller things we do for them mean a lot. I could see sparks in their eyes. I sincerely hope they remain like this and become good human beings.
Mayank,
Yes, that boy was full of self-respect. And I applaud these kids as well. They were not begging at least.
Photographer and me ? Now, that was a joke.
Cuckoo said,
July 31, 2009 @ 10:31 pm
Screenage Scribber,
Welcome aboard.
Thank you. We see these events almost daily and most of the times take them for granted.
BTW, I have been trying to comment on your blog. Have you noticed there is some problem in posting it?
Sharad said,
July 31, 2009 @ 10:33 pm
I must say they would be delighted after eating Chaat, I was really shocked, and every now and then, life keeps giving me shocks (shock laga laga shock laga..)…..”chaat since some of them had not tasted it in their life !” what to say….and here I am… cribbing about my night shifts…
Cuckoo said,
July 31, 2009 @ 10:34 pm
Nandan,
Dhan teran….
Aajkal sabke zuban par yahi gaana hai.
I don’t understand why you are not getting pictures if you have subscribed thru mail ? I asked another person who has also subscribed thru mail, he can see them. And none of my subscribers has ever said so.
I think pictures are visible in any type of feed unless the owner fiddles with them.
Yes, Yeh Dilli hai meri jaan…..
Any Delhite can recognize it, right?
But how ? Kindly enlighten me.
No, it’s not KB. Next guess please.
I promise uske baad I’ll tell you.
Cuckoo said,
July 31, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
Sharad,
Oye, aapne beech mein kahan se comment maar diya?
Yes, yes you are talking abt your latest post. Center shock laga? Oh tabhi aapke baal itne bikhre hue hain.
Well, that’s called reality.
Cuckoo said,
July 31, 2009 @ 10:44 pm
Sumit,
Yeah, I had also almost shrugged her off.
See, just one deed and you still remember that. Doesn’t it gives a strange kind of satisfaction ?
thyme said,
July 31, 2009 @ 11:20 pm
I recently saw the movie “slumdog millionnaire”, it made a big impression on me.
Life for those children is not easy at all!
thyme said,
July 31, 2009 @ 11:26 pm
PS.. these pictures were taken with the Panasonic Lumix? Nice!
It is funny that we both evolved through the same series of camera’s !!
Sharad said,
August 1, 2009 @ 12:14 am
ahhh generally mein beech mein kuch nahi karta
:P yeh to apne aap ho gaya…and aapne??? lol makes me feel 50….
and I was talking abt shock I had watching Love Aaj Kal…
:P and bikhre huye baal kuch purane hai… need to update the pic..
Cuckoo said,
August 1, 2009 @ 9:49 am
Thyme,
Life of any such kid irrespective of his/her country is not easy.
Yes, these pictures are taken with Panasonic Lumix.
Cuckoo said,
August 1, 2009 @ 9:52 am
Sharad,
‘Aap’ - Maine zara tehzeeb se baat kee hai.
Now, it’s going slightly off-track keeping in mind the post. So I am stopping here.
Alpine path said,
August 2, 2009 @ 2:31 am
Just Lovely!
Nandan Jha said,
August 2, 2009 @ 7:17 pm
Looks like, it could be as simple as telling my gmail to show pics (always) for posts from cosmos.
The floor in the pic where there are these 3 beautiful ladies makes it looks like like Janpath… but curtain roads and all that .
hmmmm….. Lajpat Nagar ? It could be SN as well. Batao
I know you know the joke about Pink P. What do Pink P do when he sees a dead ant.
dead ant dead ant dead ant deaddeadant dead ant…..
Cuckoo said,
August 2, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
Alpine,
Happy to see you here after long. I thought you’ve stopped reading me.
Nandan,
Looks like, it could be as simple as telling my gmail to show pics (always) for posts from cosmos…. Now, what do I say ?
No, it’s not Janpath. SN.
But Janpath, KB, SN or Lajpat……… Delhi has it’s own karishma. Can you believe I still do my major shopping in Delhi ?
Pink P ? Ha ha ha……
What to say ? I am still in the same mood as I was yesterday.
vishvesh said,
August 5, 2009 @ 7:51 am
very touching! Thx for sharing..reminds me of ‘ghar se masjid hai bahut door, chalo yun kar lein….’
rocksea said,
August 10, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
oh.. it is so heartwarming to spend time with them and then share with us.
Cuckoo said,
August 13, 2009 @ 1:50 am
Vishvesh,
Rocksea,
Yes indeed it is.