“Tumhe kya karna padega? (What will you have to do?)” Prachi asked the thirty odd boys who were sitting quietly, in rapt attention to what their Didi was asking. This was a googly; the boys assembled at Bandra East Community Center’s main hall hadn’t expected to be put through any mental workout before the festivities began. The children scratched their heads but, for a while, no answers came out. Mey to rakhi bandkey chali jaungi, responsibility to tumpe hogi!... (After tying you Rakhis I’ll leave, you will have to shoulder the responsibility after that!) 

>> the scene a little while ago Just a few minutes ago, there was a very different scene at BECC. The smaller kids tumbled over one another, the bigger ones chatted amongst themselves, and yet another group waited near the main gate of BECC, searching the main road frantically for any signs of their dear Didi. Each child in this group wanted to be the first one to spot Didi. Ashish Bhaiyya had told them that Didi was expected anytime then. There had been a power failure and the darkness seemed to make the wait even longer.    

   “Kabhi ayegi Didi?” (When will Didi  come?) was mumbled many times and every two minutes there was a “Didi ayee” (Didi has come) cry, followed by a thudding sound as the kids inside the house ran out to receive her, only to be found that they had been deceived.    

   For the children at the boys-only shelter home that BECC was, a visit from a young person from the fairer sex was not an everyday happening. It was rarer still for them to meet a lady who would shower them with affection. Prachi Didi,  they knew well – she had been there earlier, asking each of them what was happening and giving the little ones a hug. There were always three or four kids close to her, sporting big smiles and following her everywhere as she took the rounds of BECC. 

>> The tough questions begin... Now each one looked at his neighbour to figure out the answer to the question that Didi had tossed them. “Humey raksha karni hogi,” (we will have to offer protection) one of the boys finally gushed out.

  “Aur raksha kaisey karogey?” (And how will you protect) Prachi asked, prodding the boys by pointing to her head. “Dimag chalake!” (by using our mind) many screamed. “Body banakar!” (by building strength through physical training) another answered. Soon the boys were flexing their arm muscles and the focus on the rakhsa (protection) part seemed to dilute...

  “Sirf body banoge, bus usse kam hoga?” (Just by becoming physically strong is it going to be enough?) Didi asked. After a volley of all-sorts-of-answers, and Didi shaking her head to each one, Sanjeeth (one of the studious inmates) raised his hand, and replied slowly and clearly, as if from deep thought, “Nahi Didi, takat aur himmat banakar aur dimag chalakar..en sub ka istamal karkey raksha karni padegi.” (No, Didi, by physical strength and courage, and by using our mind…we will have to protect by doing all of this together)   

  Yeh hui na baat!! (now, that reply was very appropriate)

   With that satisfactory answer, Didi set forth to tie each of them a rakhi, which she would do after putting a tikka on the forehead and showering rice over the head. 

   The children waited anxiously for their turn to come...to get that Mangal Pandey-style tikka and the colourful rakhi. For the tiny tots, there was a special peck on their forehead from their Didi. “Tumko bhi raksha karni padegi” (you will also have to protect) Didi said softly to the first bhai who came forward – a toddler who had only recently learnt to walk.

   There was also the question to which they would be coming prepared, marching boldly and head upright as if making for the battlefield. “Tum bade bankey kya banoge?” (What will you do when you grow up?) Didi would ask each one of them. To this, the bigger boys had smart answers. Replies of police and fauji (mey s-h-o-l-d-e-r banunga! – I will become a soldier) were in abundance, but there was also an occasional medical-aspirant as well as the adventurous one desirous of pursuing a pilot’s profession and the one who’s taste for tinkering with machines evoked a collective response of “yeh to engineer banega” (this one will become an engineer).

  “Mey to goli chalaunga..” (I will fire a shot from the gun..) one of the bigger boys said in a gruff voice. Prachi gave a startled expression. “…Uspe joh tume tang karey,” (on that person who dares to harass you) he said in between peels of laughter.

   Timid guys, smart guys, extra-smart guys.. all came in their turn to have their forearm decked with a rakhi and carry the bundle of responsibility that their Didi entrusted them with.

   I am sure the responsibility is a heavy one, but the kids won’t show that and their smiling, care-free faces now glow more than ever.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:-))

Note: Prachi, Ashish and Aditya team up at BECC to help the kids with their lessons. To know more about volunteering opportunities at BECC, get in touch with Father Cyril D’Souza, Director, BECC (022 2657 1548). Meet active team members on the “BECC Bright” group on facebook.