'Samir'-The Story of Hope

My visit to Dalla Homestay this time from 22-24 September, 2012 brought different scenarios and emotions thereafter. One of the very illustrative is my meeting with SAMIR !

Samir, I met him quite accidentally on that day. It was indeed a general walk through the Khata corridor and some general observations of the area. 

He was sitting beside the fire when I met him in the foggy morning. As any other day I would have talked to any kid, I started my talk with him asking doesn't he have school ?

'It's holiday today,' he said genuinely.

'Where do you study?' I continued.

'There's a blind school in Babai, I study there,' was his prompt reply.

I got confused with his statement; did I hear the right word? The word 'blind' kept on striking me for a while, because he was like anyone else in the group of kids around sitting/ smiling/ talking. Then why did I hear him wrong, I was left aback wondering for a while. The situation was tougher as I could not repeat the question or react in any other way.

I observed him carefully and felt that he indeed had coined the right word for his disability. 

I asked him,'What is your name?'

'Samir,' he smiled-the genuine and innocent smile on his face.

I was mesmerized to see him. I guess I have seen very few people right before my eyes who with all the troubles and disabilities also seem so very contended / satisfied, yet so majestic. As talks went on further, someone in the group told that he plays 'Madal' (traditional Nepali folk musical instrument) very well. So I encouraged him to play it.

He smiled for a while and then stood up from the fire place and started walking smilingly, towards the neighborhood house. So very balanced steps he kept around his known locality, I was awestricken to see.

For a while I was spellbound and after sometime realized to take few pictures. He was coming with the balanced steps around the 50 m periphery of the house nearby. [Unlucky me, my camera was running out of battery however I got hold on some pics].

Samir bringing the 'Madal' from his home nearby

He came back with his Madal and sat on the straw-weeded bed in front of me. I was captivated seeing this boy. Dumb-stroken I was looking at him. He started playing the Madal, 'dhin-dhina dhin- dhin dhina dhin dhin-dhina dhin dhin taak'.

'Samir'- the Ray of hope

He played few round of Madal and stopped. There was a wide- prideful smile swinging on his face and  everyone was applauding for him.

After the music round finished, I continued my talk with him and general questions followed as which game he liked.

'Football and Cricket but I like Cricket more,' he chuckled.

'Do you like batting or balling,' I furthered my question.

'Batting,' was his prompt smiley response.

'And who is your favorite teacher?' my endless questions were being bombarded at him.

'Prerna Miss is very nice. She teaches us English, social, science and maths,' he said.

Literally I didn't want the talks to end. But as every beginning has an ending, our talk had to end and we had to join the orientation program of which we were a part at Dalla, Bardiya.

I really had not met such a person with all such problems who was yet filled with so much of hopes and smiles. While he himself was surrounded by the dark world, he was disseminating the light of hopes, delight-full smiles and much more.

Though I left him back there but he's around somewhere, with his blissfull smile, charismatic talks and the Story of Hope- SAMIR…!!

Metta !!

Photo: ©Kanchan