Creative beggar

It is always embarrassing for me when the beggar knock on my car window at the signal especially when I am with my friend who is a foreigner. Some of the beggars harass my friends too much when they see their color (too white/too black)

There are many a times when I make up stories (fooling myself more than fooling others) that India is not as poor like it seems and that begging is just another profession which is a bit easier than the rest and that many people would rather beg then seek a proper employment. I always explain to them that beggars have very innovative ideas and sometimes quite hilarious too.

Like the incident that happened today.

No, we were not travelling by car today; I decided to take Lorenzo by auto, since she was highly amused by a three-wheeler that required no seat belts. Haha!

Lorenzo (my friend from Spain) and I were travelling in an auto when our auto-rickshaw stopped at red signal. A young guy with a red cap approached our auto with bunch of flowers in his hand. He removed one flower from the bunch and gave it to Lorenzo saying ‘Good morning, have a nice day”

Highly amused that this guy on the street spoke English, she removed Rs20 and gave to him.

The guy smiled and gave back Rs20 back to her saying that he was no beggar but was giving flowers to people just out of good will.

Lorenzo insisted that he take Rs20 and that it was not as a charity but that she wanted to give him.

The guy smiled and said that if she really wanted to help then she could give him money to buy milk powder for his child.

“Well then, buy milk powder for your child with this Rs20” said Lorenzo pushing the money back into his palm.

“Sorry ma’am.” he said handing Rs20 back to her, “But I cannot get milk powder for Rs20, I need Rs100 to buy the milk powder for my baby.”

Hahahaahaa!!

Talk about begging, this one is a royal beggar! He won’t accept Rs20 because he wants Rs100!!

I was thinking how many people had he fooled this way.

The signal changed to green

“Why don’t you ask you wife to breast feed your child instead” said Lorenzo angrily and snatched the money from his hand as I suppressed my grin.

The games has just begun

Yes, it is true, twenty days ago I wanted to disown Delhi.

I was disgusted with the 'don't care' paan stains screaming on the walls, the leaky roofs of 'chalta hai' attitudes, the filthy smell of corrupted money seeping into its gutters, the blame game, the exposure of truth..

I was embarrassed with the amount of money spend on CWG while we have beggars peeping through our car glass windows at every signal, children running barefoot on the streets behind the vehicles with flowers in their hand hoping that the person will change his mind and stop his car to buy flowers from him. There are not enough schools and hospitals, the city is forever under repairs and the people waste too much time stuck in a traffic jam.

What a shame!!!

The $80 toilet-paper rolls, the $61 soap dispensers, $125 first aid kits, the 30 crores worth of earthen pots, the 9 lacs for rented treadmill? All this in a country where people live on $2 a day? those who built the games? Ace photographer SAMAR JODHA captures the silent testimonials of the workers who have seen the most inhuman face of the CWG  and it is too painful to watch those pictures.

The whole world saw the altheletes' village photos and was disgusted. Dog paws on the mattresses, the filthy bathrooms, water logged venues, danger of mosquito infested marshy areas, the snakes….. how much more ugly can the situation get?

And ohhH! That collapsed bridge!

But still, we forgot all our anger on the day of opening ceremony.

We relished the show on National TV, (that bored us to tears with long interruption of lengthy ads.) We enjoyed and cheered on twitter and on Facebook, congratulating each other and puffing our chest with pride..

Loved that sand painting of Gandhiji’s dandi march, the dancers and the folk heritage

CWG opening ceremony proved that India stands united in art and culture.

Didn’t know there was so much money under the carpet that they could buy that gas balloon!!.  If only there was no corruption and greed, we could be bathing in prosperity. 

The question is 'how will we recover that 70 crores,"???? Will the life of those workers who built that village improve? Will our country be clean ever?

My material comfort lies in vasooli of that money...:)

I am at the receiving end ~ Part 8

My Pillars of strength- My Family and Friends

I am truly blessed


With a family and friends like mine who wouldn’t be?

My family is scattered all over the world but staying in Mumbai has its advantages, I get to meet everybody whenever they travel to India, and the best part is that they are all interested in my activities, proud of my decision to live on my own and are willing to accompany me to the school to meet the Special children for whom I care.

During this Joy of Giving Week I wish to thank my family who has given their financial and the moral support to the Special school on regular basis and have sponsored children for education, transport and other activities, and for the nutrition program.

During this Joy of Giving week I wish to thank –
Gitoo Shafizada, Asgar Shafizada, Neha Shafizada(Lagos), Suresh Moorjani, Meenu Moorjani(Tenerife), Kanchu Shadadpuri, Anil Shadadpuri(Las Palmas)Vinod Mirpuri, JaiKumar Mirpuri, Varsha Mirpuri, Nihalchand Mirpuri, Bindhiya Tekwani(Bangkok), Chandru Mirpuri, Hema Mirpuri, Meenu Sabnani, Dina Sabnani, Kenny Mirpuri, Asha Mirpuri, Roshelle Lachmandas, Dolly Mirpuri, Romesh Mirpuri (HongKong), Rinku Chugani, Aarti Sitaldas, Ram Sitaldas, Karina Sitaldas(Manila), Suresh Shivdasani(Texas), Sunil Mirpuri, Karishma Mirpuri (NewYork), Gina Balani(Curacoa), Kishore Daswani(Rome), Sonu Vaswani(Baroda), Devika Mirpuri, Moti Mirpuri, Kamlu Mansinghani, Suresh Mansinghani, (Poona) Rhea Motwani, Devka Mansukhni, Ram Mansukhani, Rachna Moorjani(Mumbai)

Also my sincere thanks to Mr Niresh Daryanani who has always been my guide and has helped me connect to other families in Tenerife: My sincere thanks to Bharti Bhavnani, Ashok Daryanani, Sr.Domingo, Arthur Kevin, Margaret Linklater, Sr. Franco, Hispano GB, Bhavna and Prakash Vaswani, Pinky and Hanisha, Sajni Daswani and Shenaz, Toni Khemlani and IBYS

Thank you all for your kind support.

My sincere thanks to all my friends who visited my blog during this week and actually read all the parts 1-8 patiently.

Thank you so much.

I am at the receiving end ~ 7

Kitty Parties with a heart

While all of India were twindling their thumbs, waiting for Ayodhya verdict, children at Swami Brahmanand were enjoying a delicious lunch of rice, dhal, vegetable, pickle, curd and Jalebi on30th September 2010. It was the special day, one of those days of  'Joy of Giving Week', and their lunch was sponsored by Lachu Daswani, a member of IWCA (Indian Women’s charity Association of Madrid)

IWCA members regularly sponsors meals for the children on certain memorable days, interacting with me on my BlackBerry or on email, we discuss the menu and the expenses while organizing the lunch. On regular days too, the under nourished children are grouped under nutrition program, where by they are given the portion of milk, biscuit and fruit everyday.

I.W.C.A. is a non-profit organization with over 160 members, borne from the need to help those less fortunate than them. While most of the rich women spend their time in kitty parties, in idle chat or in cards playing groups, the members of IWCA add a newer perspective to their parties.

During my last visit to Madrid, I had met this vibrant group and learnt about the various activities that these ladies perform regularly during their spare time with their mission to reach out to people in need, regardless of their caste and creed. They help by providing for education, basic amenities (food, water, and shelter), medical necessities and operate mainly in Spain and India.

Seven of the members are the sponsors of seven children at school providing school fees, uniform, transport, and other activities, by making a difference into the under-priviledged children's lives..

During this ‘Joy of Giving ' week, I take this opportunity to thank the members of IWCA: Minoo Hathiramani,Anmol Sukhwani Neetu Chugani, Haseen Mahthani, Kamlu Daswani, Ramesh Shamdasani, and members of IWCA, who help bring a smile to the children’s faces by catering to their nutritional and their educational needs

Thank you so much.

I am at the receiving end ~ Part 6

Help just arrives silently on tiptoes

Most of my friends, who know about my activities with Special children, express their desire to help, (almost everybody whom I have met have shown me that spark) but I am always at loss of words when they ask me how they can help, I truly don't know what to say and the first thing that comes to my mind is funding for the activities and giving monetary help to that school.

Money is the basic requirement for any project to keep afloat

But over the years I have realized that monetary help is not the only way that one can help , there are many more ways to show their support, which can done voluntarily or just by spreading awareness. Knowledge can be shared in many ways and there are many people out there who are not even aware that mentally challenged children can be trained and can contribute to the society if properly channelized.

It is just the matter of connecting the children through the right source, by creating opportunities for them so that they too can contribute in their small way and fit into the groove.

Word of mouth is the powerful medium of link

At this moment I would like to mention three of my FB friends who are doing just that.

Swagat Sen, who is documentary filmmaker and media fanatic, I know him from Ryze days when we used to share art and paintings on one art-forum. When he is not working, he spends lot of time reading, sharing links and spreading social messages on FB. I am so grateful to Swagat, for regularly spreading awareness about my school to his friends circle in biosphere.

Raamesh Gowri Raghavan, is a FB friend from Mumbai writers’ group. While most of the people spend their holidays, relaxing or enjoying with their family and friends, Raamesh donates his Saturday mornings voluntarily helping in the administrative work at school. He has become the integral part of the school and the teachers and students at school look forward to his regular weekly visits.

Pallavi Subramanium, a housewife from London and a very dear friend is the new entrant to my family of well wishers. She is the sponsor of one student and pays fees for the education, travelling and extra-curriculum activities of one child, making it possible for the child to avail of the facilities needed for training and education under an experienced teacher.

During this ‘Joy of Giving’ week, I take this opportunity to thank my friends Swagat, Raamesh and Pallavi for reaching out to special children and making a difference into their life.

Thank you so much!!