Chintan grew up to be an able Engineer, graduating from one of the premier IITs. However, he declined the offer of an MNC, with a mind to a Start-Up of his own. In fact, he had sown in the thought ever since he went to study at the Kota Tutorials. He had a convincing CGPA to his credit. A well-built personality, Chintan Reddy, came from a family where independent thinking had been harvested in abundance. His mom served at the State Education Board under the canopy of a first-class gazetted rank. And, so were his pops. A retired IRS. He had a mind to implement AI to the daily chores of living. But, fortune had much more different for him.
Ever since his childhood days, he was a great fan of Medha Patkar. In fact, he even dedicated himself to her doctrines, during his stay outstation. He wanted to be a true Indian, in the true sense of the term. Initially, his family stood by him, however, things began to take different shapes when his parents were convinced that Chintan was having on his own. It was a few days after when in Kolkata, Chintan chanced to visit the blemished areas of Kolkata in connection with his freelancing research work. It was at this juncture, that something different clicked on at him. He had witnessed the filthiest, yet the finest that very night.
Chintan's thought proceedings began to take sharp curves when he went through the review of "Anora" by Sean Baker, which cascaded at the Cannes Festival. His story wasn't altogether a similar one, however, it bore streaks of some same.
Chintan was now determined. He would give a damn to any other thing on this earth. He quit his job at the COCO COLA, to chase his dreams. He was in his early 30s then. 7 years had been gruesome though, still, it had curbed in him, a firmness. "May be that's the good of MNCs," he thought to himself and chuckled.
Anandi had truly proved herself an ideal partner to Chintan. Chintan's dreams had started flapping its wings in the sky of dreams. The issue of material costs was also solved to a major extent. Kuttie and 5 others, kindled the ray of hope in the Reddys', who ushered in a new World of the Clean from and with the Garbage.
Of the 6, Kuttie proved herself to be an exceptionally brilliant child. The 5 years of marriage did not bear any fruit for the Reddys', and they were least worried over that. Kuttie, and all 5, Vimal, Jamal, Jija, Sumi and Priya were all doing too well at the Reddys'. In fact, the Reddys were then the talk of the town. Chintan and his better half were the sole owners of the NGO, and their chief activities were to locate many such Kutties, Vimals, Jamals, Jijas, Sumis and Priyas from the darkened area of the society, into the sun. It wasn't a bed of roses job to them. Locals resisted. Politics meddled and hampered with the good work. Still, the couples did not cross their fingers. Chintan and Anandi had literally fought all possible and probable odds. Today the duo run a 30-bed dormitory at the DREAMS, having given opportunities to many fresh grads with jobs. The couples are getting funded from nooks and corners of the country along with philanthropic institutions such as the Ramakrishna Missions. They are now permanently localised at Kalyan.
Kuttie, a malnourished teenager of 13 had been a victim of forced physical assault at the slums where she resided with her neighbours. For the past five years, she withstood the inexplicable torture of Mum. There had not ever been a protest, either from the said locality or from the administration. She was a garbage picker who dwelled close to the garbage vats. Local sources show very little interest in such blemished, filthy lives!....an educationist commented. When Chintan learnt of this, he fell into pain. Somehow he had to rescue the teenager from the clutches of the feeders.
In those days Chintan’s job was with the Eastern Regions. He knew very little of the City of Joy, which came to him as an irony. Finding no other way, he thought of taking assistance from the local P.S.to lodge a G.D. for the teenager. The O.C. of the Bojapukur locality was readily disregarded. "I do understand yours is a noble mission. Personally, I'll be there for your assistance, if needed. But Sir, we can't take a G.D." The Reddy couples who had seen a ray of hope a few minutes back before the incident, were hallucinated amidst the black smoke, that engulfed little Ally. Of the 6, Kuttie proved herself to be an exceptionally brilliant child. The 5 years of marriage did not bear any fruit for the Reddys', and they were least worried over that. Kuttie, and all 5, Vimal, Jamal, Jija, Sumi and Priya were all doing too well at the Reddys'. In fact, the Reddys were then the talk of the town. Chinton and his better half were the sole owners of the NGO, and their chief activities were to locate many such Kutties, Vimals, Jamals, Jijas, Sumis and Priyas from the darkened area of the society to the sunlit areas. It wasn't a bed of roses job to them. Locals resisted. Politics meddled and hampered with the good work. Still, the couples did not cross their fingers.
In those days he had taken over to Kolkata. He knew very little of the City of Joy, which later on came to him as an irony. Finding no other way, he thought of taking assistance from the local P.S.to lodge a G.D.The O.C. of the Bojapukur locality was readily disregarded. "I do understand Sir that, yours is a noble mission. "I'll be there for your assistance anytime, if so needed. But sorry Sir, we cannot take a G.D." The Reddy couple who had seen a ray of hope was hallucinated, amidst the black smoke, that engulfed little Ally. They moved hither, and thither.
Kuttie had been orphaned at the tender age of 5 when her parents, both menial labourers at a local construction site, were tried at the local Police Station. Severe mental and physical torture on the part of the authorities led to their death. The administration, however, was mum.
Kuttie had been a traumatised child. Particularly, with women. Anandi was trying hard to convince her that she was trying to be her mother's substitute, and, Chintan, was her father. The task demanded extreme patience and Anandi did not give up yet. In the meanwhile, they had started a section of their present DREAMS, with the 6, very close to a convent near Laudon Street, in Kolkata. The Missionaries of Charity approached to take over their responsibilities, but Chintan, crossed his fingers this time, too. He was a challenging man. Kuttie, in particular, had developed a trauma syndrome. She would sometimes lock herself in a room or hide herself from the vicinity of easy locators. Psychologists were consulted. Their common diagnosis was, "Mr. Reddy, it"ll take time". The Reddys’ yet did not lose patience.
In the meanwhile, Chintan had built up a tag with an NGO, in Maharashtra. He was just planning on his next when a strange thing took place. Anandi considered that as a blessing of ৺Sidhdhi Vinayak. For the past 5 years, she was struggling to get her ancestral property to find a clean chit and had it to her waiting. At Kalyan, she was then the owner of a villa on a 5-acre land amidst Nature, left to her by her widower, issue-less paternal uncle. Destiny had its blessings on the Reddys and 'Jagmohan Villa' soon found its way to its new destination. DREAMS came up. At present it houses 30 such Kutties, Vimals, Jamals, Jijas, Sumis and Priyas, aged from 1 to 19 years. Plans are on the go to make it colossal as to board the double within a couple of years. Kuttie, the garbage, the most ill-destined of the lot, had found a stable home, alongside a stable parenting. The ND Govt. also came up with assistance under the P.M. Yojana. The Reddys had also been able to associate themselves with several foreign philanthropic organisations too, to help procure their DREAMS in a larger sphere. Kuttie, now is a primary learner at the DREAMS EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY, run and managed by Ms Anandi Reddy, Mr. Reddy has entire control over the rehab, for the couples dislike to call it an orphanage. A team of 25, apart from the initiators (they even dislike to name them as owners) work day in, day out, to chase their dreams par excellence. Now the Reddys are not 2. They are a family of 2+25+30, a bond of 57. Vimal, Jamal, Jija, Sumi and Priya are also primaries, a bit ahead of Kuttie. Very soon, Jija will find her new home in Scotland, getting adopted by a Scottish couple who have lost their only child in carcinoma. However, this part of the episode at the DREAMS is not a mercenary issue. Kuttie is slowly recovering from her syndrome and the doctors attending to her are positive. Days are not far when *Kuttie will venture into an Anandi or a Chintan in the long run.
The Stephanian and the IITian who could ever have made a far better desired world, chose to be one of a kind which every one of us needs to applaud. Yes, of course, Mr. & Ms Reddys are definitely not the first of their kind, still they are undoubtedly inspirations enough to their brethren. They were traumatised, physically, mentally, socially and morally, abused for 5 years. Kuttie will be now celebrating her 16th B'day on this 31st (as the Reddys count it from the day of their spotting her from nearby Galiff Street in North Kolkata). Vimal, Jamal, Jija, Sumi and Priyas also have their new B'days at the DREAMS, with their parents, the Reddys.
Let us all pray to the Almighty to stand in support of the 57-member family and bless them for their future. Society creates garbage, for no one is born such. Let not Fair be foul, foul fair any longer.