It was dark and cold December night. It
might be the night when everyone else was welcoming the new year. But this
little girl had a problem.
CURRENT SITUATION
In the daytime a beautiful girl, named
Rani, had come to her small village. Rani's father was of this village but then
he got a job in some big city. She stayed with them in a house in the city and she
had come to visit her ancestral home with lots and lots of sweets.
Babli opened her tiny little eyes and
smiled as she remembered that beautiful Rani and her smile. Rani must be her
age. But she was fare. She was wearing very beautiful dress and had the world
best smile.
It was dark, but there was some moon
light. Babli got up slowly and tried to look into a small mirror kept on the
trunk in a corner. She smiled. For herself. Her smile faded away. She held her
tummy and sat there.
PROBLEM
Babli had a bit too much sweets and she
wanted to go to the bathroom.
Solution is quiet easy, isn't it? Go
ahead, switch on the bathroom light and close the door and get done with your
problem, go back to sleep.
It is not so for Babli. She tries to
wake up her mother taking care that her father doesn't hear. She is ashamed
that she needs to go to the bathroom at this hour. I wonder if it is a matter
to be ashamed of? How many of us think twice before using the bathroom for n+1
number of times in day and night.
Anyways, here we are with Babli. So,
she tries to tell her mother softly, "Maaa, Maaa, I want to go to the
bathroom!"
Her mother opens her sleepy eyes,
trying to understand what her daughter is trying to say in her hush-hush voice,
she replies, "But you just went when we were going to sleep. Is it very
urgent?"
Babli has tears in her eyes. She feels
sorry that she had to wake up her mother. She knows how much hard work her
mother has to do and waking her up at this hour is not fair. Her mother pats her
and says, "It's okay! You go. But come back fast. Be careful. I am
waiting!"
Babli smiles. Her mother can't
accompany her cause of her kid sister and brother sleeping in the house. Plus, Babli
doesn't has to go far. Her bathroom is just a mile away.
Babli opens the door as softly as she
could. She shuts the door behind her. The air is colder than she expected. She
could hardly breathe properly. She was shivering and trying to go to her
bathroom in the moonlight. She passes her friend's house. The entire village
seems to be sleeping. She was fast but careful not to make any noise. She think
of Rani again and smiles. She thinks where Rani would have to go if she wanted
to use a bathroom.
She reaches her destination. The
pungent and intolerable smell is the key feature of this place. Open starry
view above. Bushes as the wall. She tries to get a clean place to defecate. The
sound of water flowing near-by, the cold breeze and thought of Rani, Babli didn't
seem to be in any hurry.
When almost she was through, she heard footsteps.
Someone was calling for her. Oh, it was her dad. She came running on the main
road and almost collided with her father. Her father yelled at her, "Do
you even know how cold it is and what time it is? You couldn't find a better
way to trouble us in the night? Couldn't you wait till morning. Fool. Now hurry
home. Silly girl!"
Babli just looked down. Tears rolling
down her cheeks. Humiliated. Embarrassed. Just making a small promise to
herself, "From tomorrow, just a sip water and half roti!"
This blog is a part of Indiblogger activity in association with Domex.
P.S.: Have been waiting for the SOLUTION, well I hope, we club with Domex and sooner before later, we have one. Your contribution to the solution::
You can bring about the change in the lives of millions of kids, thereby showing your support for the Domex Initiative. All you need to do is “click” on the “Contribute Tab” on www.domex.in and Domex will contribute Rs.5 on your behalf to eradicate open defecation, thereby helping kids like Babli live a dignified life.
Hope we do get the solution to Babli's and other kids' huge problem. Hope they all eat as much roti and drinks as much water, as much they wants to.
You can bring about the change in the lives of millions of kids, thereby showing your support for the Domex Initiative. All you need to do is “click” on the “Contribute Tab” on www.domex.in and Domex will contribute Rs.5 on your behalf to eradicate open defecation, thereby helping kids like Babli live a dignified life.
Hope we do get the solution to Babli's and other kids' huge problem. Hope they all eat as much roti and drinks as much water, as much they wants to.
Very pathetic. This poor girl has no bathrooms at her home. This is a major problem now a days. It should be changed.
ReplyDeleteTrue Anusia....DomexIndia is contributing in its own way and we must also try to educate our houseworkers to build one at their houses. For the sake of hygiene, for the sake of safety.
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