During the last five years, I happend to visit Bangalore several times., mostly as a transit point while going to Kerala, some part of Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Oneday, I was on my short stay at Ganesh hotel, Sheshadripuram. While standing at the balcony of hotel, I heard sounds of an altercation between an old lady and some others. I went closer, I saw two boys working in the near by restaurant, chasing an old lady, seemingly in her eighties.I went down. I found that she was trying to pick some old rusted tumblers from dustbin of the restaurant. During the altercation she had fallen down and started crying. She was sayinf some thing in Kannada. Her hapeless eyes were full of tears.
Everything from her sack, nothing but the waste gathered from here and there were thrown out. She was desperately trying to collect everything back and go. I stood there as she walked past from the scene. She was struggling to walk and even stand. I feared that she may collapse at any second.
Her cry, hapeless glance at me and tears are still haunting me. Because I was just a spectator of the tragedy of that old women. I could give a hand in gathering her little assets back to the sack, I could give her little money to get her food at least for a day, I could even contact some freinds working in a destitute home and explore some help for her.
But after a while I did go out in search of her, as I was totally restless after she left. I asked myself, what forces the 80 plus year old women to become a rag picker? Whether she is having family, children or realtives?
After the incident, when ever goes to Bangalore, I find some time to search for her. But of no effect till the date. So, I carry her pain with me. I could have been little more humane with her, by offering atleast some food or money. I don't know whether it would have been enough to make her happy? But I didn't do that.
But god god has so far been gracious! I was given several opportunities during later occassions to help those who are really in need. I am thankful to the almighty that I am able to earn which eanable me to do such small things as per my wish.
But the tears of that hapeless, old lady, may I call her mother, pains me, I request her to forgive me.
