Aakashaparavakal
(Aakasha meaning ‘sky’ and Paravakal meaning ‘birds’) is a shelter for
the destitute operated by a Christian missionary I had an opportunity to visit
last week. Over three hundred young and old men and women are given shelter in
this well maintained institution located in the backyards of Malabar in Kerala,
perceivably uninfluenced by politicians and driven by the 'nameless' philanthropists from
across the social segments.
In operation since fifteen years, this institution is
remarkably well maintained across the facilities – be that the areas exposed to
the outsiders or those that are exclusively in use by the inmates! As we
entered the courtyard, we saw Sr. Kaanthi with the young girls playing and the
younger ones watching them play – all of them having their own stories to tell,
each of them would shatter our conscience for the kind of life we are leading
and that we see as lead around us!
Over three hundred inmates! Sick, tired, psychic, hopeless, aimless,
singing, crying, silent, loud!! They are provided with shelter, food and
clothing. Much more than all that, they are given the care and love that they
are so deprived of – either by the cruel twist of fate, or the more brutal
design of fate by the most powerful in their lives!
Stories of life I heard from Sister Kaanthi who took us on a
tour of the facilities was not only heartbreaking but perhaps would serve as a
timely supplement to help many reevaluate their interests in life and realign
their directions! Perhaps that’s the reason why many like me are visiting this
place as an interlude to their busy lives! Among the stories were that of
children who were discarded as less valuable than a tissue-paper who then grew
in the hands of these nuns and were given life-skills to stand up on their own!
We saw in the eyes of the old the pain of torture they felt in the hands of
their beloved sons and daughters! The mothers looked at us in vague expectation
of seeing someone whom they’ve been waiting for. The children – for them, that
they were abandoned was a blessing, for, they are now in the hands of a caring
few.
Sometimes we find solace in the misery of people living
around us, and people who visit them return home with a silent prayer thanking
providence for what they have in life. “We don’t want clothes”, said Sister
Kaanthi, “we get them from many people who visit us. If you feel like helping,
give us some bed-sheets, beans and grams, sugar, tea-powder… these are the
things that will help us a lot in the daily operation of this institution.” The challenges they face in dealing with the emotions of these inmates are innumerable, and the only power that they have to endure these challenges are the power of prayers, and the reward is in seeing them have a life, or the least, in improving the quality of their lives, at the dead end!
In reflection, I live in a country whose elected president
spent millions of dollars on overseas trips with her beloved family members – a
rubber stamp position that was meant to guide the governance but looted it in
its own manner, and the cost of flowers and garlands used for one independence
day would be sufficient to feed hundreds of thousands of destitute as this!
Abu Sali took us there. It had a reason why a random conversation
lead to this topic and to this institution; it had a reason why at this point
in time we visited this place – Shabib, Rasha and I with Abu Sali - after so many years of its inception and never once coming to our attention ever before. The scenic drive to this place arouse
nostalgic memories of our school days – in our childhood, we travelled this way
every day seeing with an un-definable pride the men in uniform marching in the ground
of Malabar Special Police, its well groomed lawns and painted pavements!
As we returned, we were silent, each of us digesting the
sounds of narratives we heard at ‘Aakashaparavakal', the sounds of sky birds...
Shahir
May 04, 2012
