This is the time for me to write
about some very special experiences I was given during my
time in Kolkata. Kolkata definitely is a very special place
on this earth. Mostly there are a lot of prejudices about
this, indeed, giant city. But as huge as it is, as huge
are the feelings and emotions one goes through. And this
is very special as we live in circumstances that make us
forget about our feelings. But our feelings and dreams are
our identity. Our true self!
My feelings were intensified
to a mind-blowing degree. And this was to the last, the
‘work’ of one person I had the opportunity to get to know
with my own heart. The person I’m talking about is Korak
Day, as you would have recognized easily by finding this
website. Maybe I want to write something to help you to
understand what is actually happening here.
When I was in Kolkata this time,
I was living at his place, therefore being involved in his
everyday life, which gave me a great insight ‘into’ this
man’s mind and soul. He is a very simple man, though very
well educated and very, very well experienced.
The thing that makes him so special
is that he has a dream (or feeling) that he will be striving
for, whatever happens. It is very simple, But maybe in this
simplicity is the strength.
So his goal is to make the whole
world one large family of togetherness. This quest many,
many people share, although maybe not with such high expectations. There are so many nice people in this world.
Imagine all of them sharing the same spirit of togetherness.
This spirit can grow and grow, because the laws of friendship
and love are and always will be the same just about anywhere.
This feeling could (or should?) spread like an avalanche.
This maybe is the rough idea, which has had such a deep
impact on Korak’s mind. It is not difficult to understand.
Korak did not invent it, he just named it 'Aamar Nijer -My
Own'. Korak works for this with such amazing commitment.
So I lived at his place, and
we were having a family life. I had nothing to worry
about. We three had a great time of togetherness. When
I say we three, I allude to Korak’s family member, who
permanently lives at his place. His name is Nitai. He
is a man Korak met as a patient in Mother Teresa’s Dying
Destitute Hospital in which Korak used to work for so
many years. Nitai came there as a patient and recovered.
He returned there again and recovered again. He would
have been sent out in the streets of Kolkata again,
where he would have been crushed and abandoned once
more by society, as he had no place to go to. He is
a mentally disabled person, but who would abandon a
family member? So Korak took him to his place. At the
beginning it must have been quite difficult to ‘educate’
Nitai to be confident and able to face his new surroundings.
But I tell you one thing: Nitai just perfectly fits
into everything. He cleans the house, waits patiently
for every family member to come home. Like a little
boy or whatever, I don’t know how to specify. Maybe
you know Defoe’s 'Robinson Crusoe' - Nitai is like Friday!
So then Korak went to the worst
area Kolkata has to offer in order to pursue his quest
of realizing 'Aamar Nijer'. I don’t want to describe
this area further, as it is very difficult to understand
the structure of Kolkata’s society. I myself after
having been here could only develop a rough idea.
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Nitai celebrating
his first ever birthday party.
© Aamar Nijer
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Korak says that the worst area in Kolkata is like any area
around us in our routine modern day world. But the thing is that Korak went
there with such a faith in his idea that he could get a foothold in a place where NOBODY
would have given him any chance to succeed. And Korak started
working with the children; and through the children his
investment of commitment, patience, love, endurance. (I
mean this man has given up everything for himself) starts
spreading slowly, slowly all over this shantytown! And this
only after two months’ work! And it will spread and one
day for sure, all over the world. I have a 100% faith in
that, because I have felt it. I was there and could witness
the magic that is taking place there. You cannot imagine
what potential is there to be found. And completely unspoiled
by any materialism - INNOCENCE-
So his strong urge is NOT to
found another charity organization which depends on donations,
but be a kind of trigger for these people to make them realize
that they can help themselves, by themself.
They only need to work hand in hand. Of course you
need someone who has the know-how and the ability to bridge
this immeasurable gap between so called first and third
worlds. I know one person that dedicated his life to it.
"What works out in this
shantytown, very likely should work out in our society,
too - and in the whole world. ("We have just one world,
but we live in different ones....", maybe you know
the Dire Straits song 'Brothers in Arms'?)
His rewards are the many smiling
faces and twinkling eyes that he creates. But do you know
that he is so helpless like a little child, when will some
body start taking care of him? When these children arranged
a little party for him, he was so shy he could not deal
with this situation.
WE ARE A FAMILY! And this is not difficult to understand.
And how many people are out there who could never feel the
love and shelter of a real family?
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