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The heartwarming story of Karma Z
Part 2
By
Prakash Subbarao
The day for Karma to leave for Kalimpong had
come. Though it was a momentous journey, the little boy felt numb at
heart. He sorely missed his mother. “If she were alive, I wouldn’t have to
go away” he reasoned. There was nothing to hold him back now in Sikkim.
Nothing except his sweet sister. Whom he loved dearly. “I will come back
for her later, when I am settled” he promised himself.
On the appointed day of his departure his father was nowhere to be seen.
“Probably lying drunk in some ditch” the little boy thought to himself,
contemptuously. His thoughts turned to his sister. “How will she manage?”
he asked himself repeatedly.
Fifteen minutes before the departure of his bus, his sister started
weeping copiously. “Karma, don’t go! Don’t leave me alone! Karma! I am
frightened” his sister screamed repeatedly. The little boy hugged her and
wept. “I will come back for you” he told her, stroking her hair, kissing
her cheek. “Till then, don’t talk to father. Just do as you are told and
he won’t hit you. I will come back for you as soon as I can and will take
you away”. Soon it was time to leave. Karma bent and touched his teacher’s
feet reverentially. “Bless me, Sir” he requested his teacher. “And please
take care of my sister”. “Don’t worry, Karma. I will meet her everyday and
she can come and have dinner at our house. I have spoken to my wife
regarding this and it has been agreed. So go in peace, my son!”
The bus horn hooted several times, indicating that the time to leave had
come. Karma’s eyes were filled with tears. Blindly he turned and waved his
sister, his teacher and the few other townsfolk who had come to see him
off.
Karma was travelling alone. This was a direct bus to Kalimpong and the
school authorities would receive him at the other end. He had with him a
small bag with only a very few of his personal possessions. He would get
his uniform and anything else that he needed at the school.
Dr Graham's Homes in Kalimpong, West Bengal, are situated in the Himalayan
foothills of north-east India. They were founded by The Rev John Anderson
Graham, a Church of Scotland Missionary, on 24th September 1900 out of
compassion and concern for the often neglected Anglo-Indian children of
the Tea Gardens in the Darjeeling District. They were first known as the
St Andrew’s Colonial Homes but after his death renamed Dr Graham’s Homes.
In a rented cottage in Kalimpong six children were taken into care, and
were looked after by a British housemother and a teacher. Dr Graham aimed
to give each child health, education, training and self-respect based on
the Christian principle of love and security.
In the years that followed, the Homes dominated his life and that of his
wife, Katherine.
The children of the Tea Gardens were augmented by children of mixed
parentage of the Army, Railways, Civil Service and Industry. The first
Cottages were built on a barren hillside about a mile from Kalimpong and
as the numbers of children increased so too did the cottages. All the
cottages were donated by benefactors, as one was declared open;
foundations of the next were laid.
Dr Graham's Homes has long since been established as a haven for thousands
of children most in need and has remained true to its heritage to provide
the highest standards of education within a context of established
pastoral care, in preparation for the challenges of adult life. Committees
in Calcutta, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and, most
recently, Japan, endeavour to give financial aid to support the Homes to
enable Dr Graham's vision to continue into the next millennium. It is a
tribute to the work of Dr Graham that the Homes today remain an
educational pillar of strength in the Kalimpong district and beyond,
bearing a name honoured still in our generation and hopefully in
generations to come.
However, the little was aware of none of this as he stared unseeing and
unmindful of the spectacular scenery unfolding in front of him. Although
the awe-inspiring beauty of the Himalayan peaks lay in front of him, in
his mind’s eye he saw his mother sitting at their old house, in front of a
fire, darning his clothes; he saw her walking to the kitchen and he felt
her mussing his hair. Suddenly he saw his mother extremely clearly. She
was standing right in front of him. Her eyes were very soft, very gentle.
She cupped his face with her palms and said to him “Karma, listen! I had
to go away but I am now back and will live in your heart. I will take care
of you all your life. Don’t worry. Whenever you are sad I will come and
comfort you. Be brave, my little son!”
The little boy nodded, grateful for her presence. He suddenly felt at
peace with himself. It was then that the excitement of going to a lovely
school in a strange land hit him. His heart started thudding and he just
couldn’t wait to be in Kalimpong.
He dozed fitfully that night. The next day, as day broke, they reached
Kalimpong.
Though it was very early, and the sun was just rising, low on the horizon,
several teachers stood at the bus stand with a placard reading:
DR. GRAHAM’S HOMES
Karma’s heart started thumping wildly. He instinctively knew that a new
chapter in his life had begun.
He walked up to the nearest teacher and said solemnly to her “Ma’am, my
name is Karma Z. I have admission to your school”.
The teacher looked down at the little boy, standing all alone, defenceless.
He looked strangely vulnerable. Impulsively she bent down and hugged him
tight to her. “Welcome to Kalimpong, Karma” she said.
The warmth of her hug pleased Karma. He felt happy. He was soon at the
school. He hadn’t realised it but he was ravenously hungry. On a large
table in the dining hall he saw piles of food. He had never seen so much
food in his life! Running to the table he soon heaped his plate high with
eggs and toast and bacon and ate the first satisfying meal in years.
…………………To be continued
Prakash’s note:
1. Sikkim, in those days, was a different country, having refused to
accede to India after Independence.
2. Karma Z really exists in this world.
To be continued
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