Kya Itna Bura, Meri Maa

I met this girl on a hot summer day. I had been watching her for the past few minutes. What was she doing? I saw two more around her. One must had been her mom and the other one! She must be her sister, two or three years older than the first girl. Her posture was bad. It looked like that she had been practising some stuff. Her hair looked weird and it was messy. I stood and went towards her with a notion of starting a conversation with her.


Me: What are you doing child?


Girl: I am practising, anna!
("Anna!" It touched my heart deeply!)


Me: Can you explain?


Girl: In fact I have been practicing hard for the past few days. And today is going to be my first stage performance. I am not exactly excited. Till today it was only the other girl who has been performing. From now on I must also have to do it. It is going to be a duo performance. I am all ready except for this skillful move. I have to climb over her shoulders and bend myself over her back to touch her feet and then she will jump. I fell down twice trying that move hurting my lower jaw. Check the wound!


(It was a bad bruise! She continued pointing at the other girl.)


She tells me that it will be difficult to perform the moves in motion. So, I must practice hard. Thanks for listening anna.


Me: Wait, Who is the lady? Your mother?


Girl: She? Oh no! I don't know who she is. All I remember is I was alone wandering the city and ran into this group one day. They told me that this would help me. She tortures me. If I refuse to perform, she won't give me the day's food. Do you know something? Now-a-days I eat twice a day. Its a great and a wonderful thing. So I will continue this.


Me: Hmmm...


Girl: That girl has been performing for several days. I will collect (she thinks!) beg for money from people. But I don't know why people don't give us money after the performance in train. They could go to big concerts and shows paying in thousands but not ready to spare us a coin! Do I have any big income and beg? This will only help me feed myself. She (the lady) told me that if I earned more than ten rupees in a compartment, she might give me one more idly this night!


(I cried! She continued.)


Girl: Anna! The train is coming! I have to start! Can you tell me an "All the best"? 


Me: Eh.. All the best ma! All the best!


I boarded the train. I put on my headphones. I was choosing a song. She and her companions also boarded the same compartment. She started her performance. I prayed God that she should not fall down doing that move. I was praying hardly! She did that in a superb way. A train of thoughts followed. By then, she came near me asking for money. 


I am advised by people that I should not encourage those people who are begging. They tell that they must go to work. They tell they are frauds and must be handed over to the police. I don't know about all of them. But I know that this girl is getting an idly extra if she gets 10+ in a compartment. I know. I opened my purse and took a 10 rupee note and gave it to her. She grinned. She finished her job (!) and came near the door to get down. I patted her back telling that you will be saved one day! She didn't seem to understand.


There are people in this world who are confused to choose one from a list of desserts after their supper. There are people in this world who just neglect the food thinking that that might reduce their body fat. There are people in this world who think that their life standard is not so well thinking about the people above their standards. Remember friends, there are people in this world who don't even get a meal per day! 


I don't know if I encouraged her by giving money. I don't care about the people who tell that these are frauds. But I am contended by the smile on her face. I am so happy by the way she looked me when I handed her a ten rupee note. I am satisfied that she might get an idly extra today!


Kya itna bura, Meri maa!