Few weeks back I found myself furiously reading the exploits of William Bentick and this week I was narrating the good deeds of Prospero from Tempest. At the end of every session, I felt as though I had just completed writing an examination on these and i had to pinch myself to see whether it is true! It was true that I was reading these but not for my own exam, but for the exam of the one who was sitting in front of me. I had the additional responsibility of reading out a chapter, understand the main points and spell out the gist for the guy sitting in front of me to note down. I was always worried that I should not miss to absorb any point as the young boy sitting in front of me had no means of verifying the same. Though he was all ears to me , I was his eye and whatever i said he furiously noted them in Braille - yes he was a blind student. The place was a spacious school in Adyar, which was playing host to a group of volunteers willing to spare sometime for blind students. The volunteers in different age groups were all very serious and understood their responsibility.
Though they are robbed of their vision, their grasp is exemplary and I was astonished to hear them sum up after a single reading by me ! They are all eager to caste away their shortcoming and trek many miles by bus and on foot to various such centers to catch up with their unseen future. One student studying final year English Literature said he would like to do his Post Graduate in English and have a Go at IAS exams. Another wanted to become a teacher but finding that the competition is hotting up has revised to deviate to a Call Centre job. I found that his usage of English and pronunciation were very good.
For most of the students , their problems were congenital. But, they had consulted top doctors at hospitals like Sankara Nethralaya, Agarwal and Vasan and some were confident that they will be getting their vision. One student was wearing a glass and while I resisted my query about its need , he explained that one of the Doctors examined his vision and had told him that currently there are some experiments under way in U.S and if they turn successful, it will come to India soon. When that happens there is every possibility of operating his eye but he needs to protect his eyes from the dust and sunlight and hence the glasses !
They explained that they had to change many buses to reach such destinations and every day, they go to different locations to hear their lessons out. He went on to narrate as to how at times they had to face the indifference of some bus conductors who either speed past their bus stops or drop them at a stop earlier. These were described with a smile on their face and i believe they know not what ire is !! On completion of the session he said it will take another an hour or so to reach his home and I started the car wondering what is that he has done or not done to deserve this. I was reminded of that sticker below the table glass in my first office which read " I complained because I had no shoes until I saw one with no feet". Be thankful to Him for all the mercies!!
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