Saath Rupiya

“Right to Education” becoming one of the fundamental rights in India is great achievement for Indian democracy. Free and compulsory education for children between age of 6-14. Great!!! The idea sounds too good to be practical. Of course there would be contradictory views on the topic, since it could be debated that none of the framers of our Indian Constitution were uneducated, rather they were all well qualified, but then why didn’t they give education its due place and respect at that time itself.

Now let me narrate a brief incident, rather another story for all those who love to hear stories .Train travelling teaches you lot. You meet different people with different attitude; obviously they all have different stories to narrate. It all started this way. I remember it was Naigoan Station. As usual I was busy reading newspaper. Suddenly I heard a jingle. Must say it was an unusual one.

“Saath rupee mein imported novels. Saath mein Sudha be aayegi, white tiger aayega, twilight aayega, abama bi aayega, koi bhi lelo saath rupey.” The idea of getting a copy of book, that too which are expensive just to buy for one time reading, here we were getting for sixty. Oh, it might be the pirated ones, I thought. For the first time when I heard this I found it very amusing. I was searching for the person who was selling this great works by good writer at rupee sixty.

To my wonderment I could see the heap of book, but was not able to spot the person selling it. Then I discovered two small hands holding it from below. There is no wonder why I couldn’t spot who was selling it. The boy must be 2.5 feet in height and he was carrying 3 feet in height of books. I called him near, just to strike a conversation. His flashy tiny white teeth and a welcoming smile attracted me. Madam saath rupiya, sirf saath rupiya mein imported novels, koi bhi lo, sirf saath rupiya.

I asked him to pull out a book, and pretended as if I was leafing through the pages of it. But actually I was observing him from the corner of my eyes, the living small wonder standing before me. He was busy canvassing other Madams, and everybody was looking at him with an eyes filled with kindness. He was quiet excited about his work. I returned the book and helped him in arranging it over the top of the bundle of the books that he was carrying. As soon as the train reached the next station he was very enthusiastic to get in to another compartment of the train, where again he started his “dhanda” as he called it. It was his boney time.

Must be when I was of his age, the mounting concern of my parents were loads of books in our bags that we carried on our shoulders as coolies. Their hearts were too weak to see their children carrying their bags. So we were accompanied with a bai who used to carry our bags. Our parents did all to provide us with the comforts. I remember me having ice creams daily on my way back from school to home.

Now look at the parallel, these boys in the era of compulsory education, with “RIGHT TO EDUCATION” been given so much of importance is doing what? Are their human rights not violated, or is it the case that these all tiny kids are not humans. I am confused rather concerned. They carry books but not to study. They carry novels but will they ever in their live be able to enjoy the literature? The names they cry aloud every day, what good does it makes for them. They may earn rupees sixty each day and may be double of it through out their life per day.

Democracy as usual would grow slow to its letter and spirit. But what I feel is we as responsible citizen of India we could help in better implementation of it. “Now how could we contribute to it, after all we are not responsible for what they are?” would be the rising question. Yes, of course it is not mandatory for any one to contribute. If we want to avoid doing certain things we can find thousand ways to shun it. But before passing the judgment, my request rather my appeal would be to just look in deep with in you.

Sponsoring a child’s education, how much will it cost per month? Hardly three movie tickets charge. Imagine the good that one would be doing by it. Awakening a child to the world of freedom and liberty; isn’t this a wonderful idea. If you want your name to be published some where for all the good that you do, then sorry, these kind of activities is not for those people, who pretends to be kind but who charges for their kindness.

I know there would be alternate view points on this issue. It doesn’t matter to me what people think over this issue neither do I want to influence their decisions. If any one comes forward voluntarily just to support, to sponsor even if a single child’s education, then I will think that I have delivered my bit.

Do think over it!!!