A Memoir of a Day at Arya 

8th Oct. 2013
Unlike the usual days, I didn't feel that much drowsy when I woke up to my alarm of 5.45am. May be it was the excitement flowing  gushingly in my veins, it was my first ever fieldwork after all. All ready now, I was off to metro at 7am. Reached Chawri Bazar by 7.30 & I knew that day, the early morning 20 mins. walk towards Daryaganj was going to be one of the most tranquil ones. Those fresh but rugged faces, some of them sipping tea sitting outside the shuttered shops, some of them deeply engrossed into their hindi newspapers & many others still enjoying their sleeps on their rickshaws. Observing such peaceful street, it's really hard to believe that after few hours or so, it would be but a realm of chaos. A little further & the glimpse of the beautiful minarets of Jama Masjid shining in the diffused light of the dawn soothed the eyes. A few more minutes & I was there, Arya Orphanage, my Universe of study for the whole day. The guard at the gate was a bit surprised to see a MAD volunteer turning so early in the morning. I proceeded with an observant's eye with numerous thoughts running inside my head about all the things that I needed to cover for my project I had chosen- 'Day to day life of Kids at Arya'. It was like any other day at Arya, with few small kids playing in the court in the middle, few of the older kids peeking outside from the courtyard of their dormitories at 1st & 2nd floor. Watching me roaming, few kids shouted from a distance, wishing me 'good morning sir',to which I reciprocated with a smile every time. There's certainly something inside their wishes, which hints an innocent genuineness & the way they call me 'sir',I could very well sense the responsibility of being a teacher to them, an older friend they can trust upon. It's these small moments which reminds me to why joining MAD had really been a life-changing decision.

After roaming around for a while, I headed towards the dormitory at 2nd floor for it is there, the kids I teach reside. Surprised & smiling faces all around caught my glimpse, with everyone enquiring if they had a class with MAD at that day. After greeting all the kids including my students, as they gathered around me, I tried explaining the purpose of of my visit. Although I am not sure if they really did understand about my anthropological project or not, but there was an unusual excitement I could see in their eyes when I told them that I was going to stay at Arya till evening. Somewhere they knew that today, someone new is there to talk to, someone new to spend some time with, someone out of their mundane day to day schedule.

It was a holiday at school & all kids were on their own, playing, sleeping, studying whatever they wished to do. Although, the kids from class 9th & above had a task to be fulfilled in the mornings for almost entire holidays, to clear up a ground at the back side of Arya to transform it into a playground. After few initial enquiries, about 9.30 am, I joined the group & we headed towards that ground to be cleared & it sure seemed to be a huge task, with all that clutter that had piled up there. Me & one of my students stood at a distance, with whom I continued with my enquiries about their schedule, meanwhile in front of us, the kids involved in clearing up task were a treat to see, as they were having quite fun with all the jokes they were cracking among themselves at the same time being true to the task at hand. There came a moment in between when few of them,a bit tired now, decided to take a break & started chatting with me. They curiously asked about how is the college life & I told them how cool it is. Seizing that opportunity, I questioned, how many of them wished to go to college after their school ? There was a moment of silence, they were smiling, but there was certain strangeness in their eyes, a question may be, which they wished to ask me back. Breaking the ice finally, one of them spoke 'sir mai toh correspondence se karunga, paise ka bhi dekhna hota hai na,college mei bhot paisa lagta hai', hearing that, some kind of guilt grappled me inside & for a while I wasn't able to confront them, I asked them a question which I didn't give much thought to, why didn't I realize that they belonged to underpriviledged families & many of them orphans. College was just a dream for them, a life which they are always curious to hear about from someone, but have minimal prospects to really live it unike other fortunate one's. Thanks to that one kid who drew everybody's attention towards the antics of few monkeys playing behind us, which gave me some time to recollect myself & think about something else to talk about.

After 2 hrs. of tedious cleaning task, the tired kids now headed back towards their dormitory, but not before receiving their morning treat, that is usually a packet of parle-G or some fruit. I heartily accepted & ate few of the biscuits they lovingly offered. Back at the dormitory again, my students introduced other kids present there with all the funny titles they had given to each other, one of them named 'Sachin' is a singer & without even a bit of hesitation he sang a song beautifully when insisted. When asked from where did he learn to sing so well, the answer was quite clear, it was self taught, he had a gift & I promised to inform him about any kind of singing competition if I get to know. It's always heartening to see how despite certain adversaries, humans have this ability to develop gifted skills of their own. After such a mesmerising listen, we opted for a match of Ludo, which I had forgotten quite a long time ago but won anyways thanks to the other kids who lent their help joyfully.

It was lunch time now, all ready with their plates heading downstairs to get their meal. I was hungry of course, but I was feeling quite awkward to how should I approach the warden & ask his permission to take some food just like that, the food that was actually meant for kids there. All my apprehensions washed away in a whiff when I saw one of the kids at a distance bringing a large plate of the meal, he came to me & smilingly offered the plate saying 'ye lo sir, aapke liye laya mai'. I was taken aback to see this sheer act of kindness, who was I to them that day, but almost a stranger & at every step, they simply continued to prove me wrong as for them I was a family now, like their elder brother may be. I was out of any words, so simply offered a heartfelt smiling gratitude for his kind act. I had a hearty meal along with them, also accompanied with few chuckles when they complained me that I was eating so hesitantly (so I was), they said 'eat as much as u wish sir, sharmao mat, apna hi ghar samjho'. The food tasted most delicious that day, not because of the ingredients but because of the immense love of all those kids that continued mixing inside it & I guess I over-ate, as I didn't wish to waste anything that was on my plate.

In the afternoon, usually at home as I grab my siesta hour, which was making me feel a bit tired & kids easily pointed that out & within no time did they set the bed-sheet of what they called as the most comfortable bedding present in the room & insisted me to grab a nap, after initial hesitation, I finally gave in to there persistent insistence & comfortably laid down & I guess even if for 20 mins. or so, I did fall asleep. Waking up at 5pm, I enquired about the timings of the evening 'havan'. Although as the rain lashed, the chance of 'havan' taking place that day was pretty low. So, we simply talked our hearts out, with everybody telling what they wished to become in future. If somebody wanted to do course in CA after school, then somebody wished to become a teacher, there was also a singer among us & not to forget that one creative artist, who wished to become an animator in future. Small eyes watching big dreams & deep in my heart I silently prayed,that may all of them come true.

It was getting dark now, I decided to finally leave, I had gathered enough information. Although, from inside I could feel that connection I inadvertently had established with those wonderful young ones, who were incessantly insisting me to stay for a bit longer, but I guess we are all slaves of time, I needed to go as I was required at home. Bidding adieu was the toughest thing to do to all those faces to whom my presence managed to bring a different kind of smile that day. A simple 'thank you' didn't seem enough to the amount of love I received, so with a promise to come again someday & stay their for the whole day, I bid my final goodbye, although not before a photo clicked with them to cherish that day & moreover to cherish those faces.

The picture of all of them waving goodbye to me smilingly, still embedded freshly in my memory. I left the entrance gate of Arya with some kind of utopian feeling, a soul touched by innocence & a heart filled to the brim with lots of love. Today was the day when a role-reversal took place, today they were the one who taught me how to love unconditionally, how to dream big despite of  adversaries, how to find joy even in the smallest of things in life, they somewhere made me meet 'myself' & prompted my own childhood.

I was only physically returning back to home, while my thoughts continued wandering in that dormitory of Arya, in those moments I shared with those kids, I felt I lived a life in just one day.