by Anuradha Bakshi | Dec 6, 2006 | Uncategorized
You may wonder why this silly pictures of plastic bags. Actually they are not just plastic bags. They are bags full of hope.
As I write this post they sit patiently under my ironing table, in the very corridor where one little bundle of joy ran blissfully pretending to be Krish just a few weeks away, charging themselves with the good energies that surround them.
In them is what is needed to begin a new life on a winter day: warm bedding, toiletries etc. In a short time they will bundled into a car and taken across the city to fetch their owner, the brave mother of a spirited child. For the past 8 months that woman has waged a lonely battle against the bottle and today she comes out of the rehab centre a little frightened but determined to begin a new life.
The bags will then travel to another part of the city and even cross a border to land in a happy place where hope abounds. waiting for her there is Durga born of a loveless union , who finally found a safe place. Mother and daughter will be reunited and will rediscover each other and make up for lost time.
In a few days a little man will join his two ladies and finally the little family will be reunited. he never gave up on them, even when all else did
As I watch these bags sitting patiently under the ungainly table, I wonder what would have happened if I had not held on to hope.
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by Anuradha Bakshi | Dec 5, 2006 | Uncategorized
Nanhe has lost his smile, pain was too big an adversary. It is heart rendering to see him moan in pain. He is not eating and can barely sit up. He barley connects as he is on heavy medication. His body is swelling because of his tired and stone ridden kidneys.
His mother is running from pillar to post but the doctors keep on postponing the date for his surgery. We try and do our best but somehow it seems that his spirit is giving up the battle.
One does not have to be a medico to see that his body is wearing down and that his multiple ailments are getting the better of him. But how can one tell a mother that. Even a tired, poor, single mom does wants her child to live, even if he is broken one. She wants to do everything possible to save his life.
The doctors on the other hand see this little angel has a gone case, not worth fighting for. And the game continues: the mother relentlessly makes the now almost daily trip to the hospital carrying her hurting child , and the doctors prescribe a few palliatives, write a few test and send them away.
I have been watching this for some time not quite knowing how to break the circle. On the one hand all those who love him and I am one of those, want him to live as long a possible. On the other hand one can also understand the doctors of the government hospitals.. and above all one’s heart cannot but go out to a mother who cannot give up..
A little life is at stake, but whose life is it anyway
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by Anuradha Bakshi | Dec 3, 2006 | Uncategorized
When we first heard of the ghaziabad ashram, it was at a gathering where the ashram was presented as a humanitarian project needing help. two visits were made by us on the pretext of cleaning, but in the hope of getting some of the girls to vindicate what I intuitively felt when I saw some pictures being projected on a bare wall at the aforesaid meet.
I knew that something was terribly wrong but also realised that we were faced by a sinister enemy. That is when we decided to seek the help of the media.
The rest is public knowledge now but I was still disturbed by the let us call it ‘foreign’ connection. As I set out to browse the net for some added information I came upon this page. At best it is a source of foreign funds for the baba and thus makes us wonder whether he has the required clearances, and at worst it is something more alarming as browsing the site is rather disquieting and makes us wonder if there is another side to the story. Look at the titles of their meets and you come upon themes like sexual magic, and journeys to the core of sensuality!
As I said this is the worst case scenario, maybe the trust lies somewhere in between. However what is important is that the unholy holy man is not set free and that we get at the bottom of the story. recent reports show that the man has garnered support and even threatening calls are being made to those who have offered to help the girls.
As many have said, there must be more such instances. We need to act in keep the pressure on. The man and his acolytes have to be booked.
To those of you who still have doubts, the ashram was worst than a concentration camp. The children lived in pure hell. If you still have doubts look at this picture:
this young mentally challenged girl was caught on camera on three different days weeks apart! She just sat in one place, amidst filth, as if time did not exist, locked in frozen immobility, maybe her way of protecting herself!
What we need to understand is that these are vulnerable and wounded kids whose testimony may still change because of fright and fear. Our role is to ensure that this do not happen!
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by Anuradha Bakshi | Dec 2, 2006 | Uncategorized
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the world
Had I written this post yesterday, it would have been filled with anger, dejection and ire. It would have turned out to be a litany of vociferation against everyone and everything and would have missed the miracle that unfolded before our eyes. The rants and raves against a system we actually are responsible for creating, would have obliterated the real story.
Yesterday 45 little girls finally had god answer their desperate prayers. Just take a moment to imagine what a child feels when its body and should is violated, when those one trusts become monsters. Think about the long days and longer nights spent in filth, cold and hunger. Envision looking at a sky that seems unreachable and try to conjure the words sent in prayer to a god that seems as remote as that piece of sky.
And think about the night that comes after the illusion of freedom as you pack your tiny belongings, in some case just a tiny handkerchief and realise that once again freedom has eluded you.
Then when all hopes seems lost forever, when the terror of what will befall you when all the people have gone and you are left to face your tormentor, a lady arrives and tells you that all is well and it is time to leave the hell hole.
That is the miracle that needs to be celebrated, a miracle that has no place for recriminations and blame, a miracle made possible by the will an indomitable spirit of a young reporter named Anchal.
here are a few images of the house of horrors. they were sneaked out during the two initial visits made by pwhy!
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by Anuradha Bakshi | Dec 1, 2006 | Uncategorized
Night was the title that Elie Wiesel chose for his account of the horrors of a concentration camp. No adjectives, no nuances, nothing, just one word night to qualify the horrors.
The little children of swami ashram spent one such night, if not worse, as there was not the night of incarceration but the one that should have spelt freedom. As I watched the pictures of these little girls clutching their tiny belongings, hope and fear written of their faces, not comprehending why in spite of the men in uniform, the kind lady, their reporter Didi of 10 days, and many others they were still there.. and as time went by they realised the unbelievable: they had to spend one more night with their tormentor.
The cold night inched away as bureaucrats of all hues raise even more absurd issues. The elusive DM was found and stated that he would act after getting the results of an enquiry commission that would start the next morn! never mind if the NCW had already decreed that the girls needed to be saved. The tormentor – a swami – sat in his office with a smug expression calling his contacts. It was the begining of a sordid game. The victims one again victimised.
When I had first heard of this ashram I knew the adversary was formidable, but I could not have imagined in my worst nightmare that the girls would not be rescued. The worst case scenario for me was that the swami would go free.
But even now the girls are in their hell hole. The story is on national TV. Viewers normally do come forward and I hope they will once again. Children need to be protected and need sensitive laws to handle them. The kids did not do anything that would warrant the abuse they have suffered.
I knew this was a to be a long battle… I will just end this with a quote by Elie Wiesel: “…to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all...”
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by Anuradha Bakshi | Nov 30, 2006 | Uncategorized
Some of you may remember my post about the little house of horrors, and the plight of orphan girls locked up in pure hell. I had ended the post with the words: we need to act.
Some of you may have wondered why the ensuing silence and even thought that we had forgotten about the little girls. No way. From the time we knew about their plight we sprung into action. But we knew we had a formidable and dangerous adversary and we also knew about the state of things in our land. After much thought I asked a dear friend for help. She is with NDTV and I knew that only the media could help.
Young Anchal went undercover and brought back a chilling story but we had all decided that this would be aired only after the safety of the girls was assured. It is a sad reality that the Minister in question did not act or help, even after seeing the footage. Finally the NCW intervened and a raid was organised today as the story went on air.
You would all think that once the raid was done with the proper permissions the girls would finally be out of that hell hole, but as I write these words they are still there huddled in a corner while the state and central police fight it out, and the DM has gone missing. NDTV reporters are there, and NGOs workers are there but some administrative hassles and battles continue. The network has asked for public blankets and food as they envisage a long night..
I am outraged as I cannot understand why the girls cannot be taken out and brought to safety. The story has gone on air, the little voices shared their horrific experiences in barely audible and pathetic words. The lawyer interviewed cited a litany of sections of the law that the owner of the place has infringed, and yet the little victims are still in that netherworld. What is wrong with us, with our administration, with our politicians.. with each one of us
It will wil be a long night….
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