Aura[L] - A success note
It was the first quarter of the 2010 fiscal.. And with CAT still a good 7 months away I decided I should go to T.Nagar for scribing.. Scribing means reading or writing for people.. I have been going there ever since I joined my job.. I would say it would be a good relief to help people, with tangible problems, other than watching the black dell monitors at office..
On sundays, at 1000 hrs the PSBB school in T.Nagar will jell with people.. People who dont have the power of vision come from as far as dindivanam and avadi.. The reason - To study.. How will they study if they cant see? That's where we, the scribes, come in..
The sunday started like any other.. and went on like any other.. add the endless sweat, the hot tea which comes at around 1130hrs, the resilience of the people who learn from you battling countless odds etc.. Their determination to get a job even at 40 yrs will make you surrender in front of them.. U cant help but feel for them.. and sometime later its turns as anger towards the colleges.. All portions which normal science grads study come for them. with no difference at all.. We, with all parts functioning, would ask for internet, AC, phone, leave etc to study.. But all they have is an outdated recorder or an old edition of India Today to take notes..
So then.. all were going the same way except tat it was the first time for me to dictate a lesson so that the guy opposite to me can take braille notes, Live.. For the past one year i had only explained english lessons.. but this was first to dictate notes.. That was the first time I was seeing a person taking braille notes.. They take a bunch of papers, pin it, turn the pages over and write in reverse like in arabic.. After a page is over, they remove the pin and those bunch of papers become a page for them.. he reverses the pages again and uses his fingers to feel them and read it to me.. A very industrious task.. Very much.. I wont take maximum 5min to write a page.. But here its 30min.. I already started twisting and turning.. Barely 3 pages had passed when the stipulated 2 hrs gets over.. I started wondering if this time would have been useful for him.. That was when i was taken aback..
the guy opposite to me said "Sorry sir... நீங்க கரெக்ட் ஸ்பீட்ல தான் போனீங்க.. இன்னிக்கு என்னமோ தெரியல நான் ரொம்ப ஸ்லோவா எழுதினேன்".. never had i been so out of words.. Took a moment to make talk and responded.. It was just like filling an empty auditorium before a guest arrives.. No use..
That was when i felt i should be doing more.. I, as a single person, cannot do anything.. But as a team, a difference can be made.. Where to go for a team? There come my batch mates..
I was not anticipating results or rather how my classmates & friends would treat that.. Not that they wont contribute for something noble.. Its bcos my friends have better opinion about me and my college days.. That's ok.. Nothing wrong in trying..
Everything starts with a name isnt it?.. Something like Operation flood, Operation Vijay, Yellow revolution etc.. They keep names for storms n tornadoes.. I felt it wont be wrong if i christen one for my fund raiser.. Thought will get an identity for it.. And then came AURA[L].. Aura for light and Aural for hearing.. Felt I cant get a better name to sell my proposition..
I sent a mail to all of them.. Quite a long one though.. When it comes to writing, i dont show restraint.. May be it could have been shorter.. But still, I sent that.. Then went for a mock test and checked my inbox.. Was glad to see a couple of mails.. So then the mission started..
The process of coordinating, transferring funds, checking for dollar rates, using paypal or western union or what not?? That was when i wished all my friends were in some posh locales overseas.. Even if they give $10 it is `500 here.. I wished that all exchange rates would soar like ever before.. But the Manmohan Singh govt did well to restrict dollar rates to `45.. My insane dreams had a roof..
Now then 5 months had got over and I was able to collect `56186 overall.. Should say its a sizeable amount.. 2 people can read peacefully for a year.. It was worth the wait.. Just thought for a moment.. If i had been the only one, I could have given maximum `3000.. But now its 18 times or 1700% more.. How can i not hide the glee from my face???
I have always wanted to live by the motto 'Live for the moments which you cant put into words'.. This moment was certainly one!! Thanks to all my people!! You were awesome!!
On a lighter note.. This charity run was one of my long time wishes as I had explained in this post of mine.. It has come true in 20 months.. That's a quick time i would say!!
Waiting patiently to do bigger, better works with bigger responsibilities..
When the world just moves on at its own speed.. All you need to do is take an initiative.. Rest will follow.. Then what are friends for??
On sundays, at 1000 hrs the PSBB school in T.Nagar will jell with people.. People who dont have the power of vision come from as far as dindivanam and avadi.. The reason - To study.. How will they study if they cant see? That's where we, the scribes, come in..
The sunday started like any other.. and went on like any other.. add the endless sweat, the hot tea which comes at around 1130hrs, the resilience of the people who learn from you battling countless odds etc.. Their determination to get a job even at 40 yrs will make you surrender in front of them.. U cant help but feel for them.. and sometime later its turns as anger towards the colleges.. All portions which normal science grads study come for them. with no difference at all.. We, with all parts functioning, would ask for internet, AC, phone, leave etc to study.. But all they have is an outdated recorder or an old edition of India Today to take notes..
So then.. all were going the same way except tat it was the first time for me to dictate a lesson so that the guy opposite to me can take braille notes, Live.. For the past one year i had only explained english lessons.. but this was first to dictate notes.. That was the first time I was seeing a person taking braille notes.. They take a bunch of papers, pin it, turn the pages over and write in reverse like in arabic.. After a page is over, they remove the pin and those bunch of papers become a page for them.. he reverses the pages again and uses his fingers to feel them and read it to me.. A very industrious task.. Very much.. I wont take maximum 5min to write a page.. But here its 30min.. I already started twisting and turning.. Barely 3 pages had passed when the stipulated 2 hrs gets over.. I started wondering if this time would have been useful for him.. That was when i was taken aback..
the guy opposite to me said "Sorry sir... நீங்க கரெக்ட் ஸ்பீட்ல தான் போனீங்க.. இன்னிக்கு என்னமோ தெரியல நான் ரொம்ப ஸ்லோவா எழுதினேன்".. never had i been so out of words.. Took a moment to make talk and responded.. It was just like filling an empty auditorium before a guest arrives.. No use..
That was when i felt i should be doing more.. I, as a single person, cannot do anything.. But as a team, a difference can be made.. Where to go for a team? There come my batch mates..
I was not anticipating results or rather how my classmates & friends would treat that.. Not that they wont contribute for something noble.. Its bcos my friends have better opinion about me and my college days.. That's ok.. Nothing wrong in trying..
Everything starts with a name isnt it?.. Something like Operation flood, Operation Vijay, Yellow revolution etc.. They keep names for storms n tornadoes.. I felt it wont be wrong if i christen one for my fund raiser.. Thought will get an identity for it.. And then came AURA[L].. Aura for light and Aural for hearing.. Felt I cant get a better name to sell my proposition..
I sent a mail to all of them.. Quite a long one though.. When it comes to writing, i dont show restraint.. May be it could have been shorter.. But still, I sent that.. Then went for a mock test and checked my inbox.. Was glad to see a couple of mails.. So then the mission started..
The process of coordinating, transferring funds, checking for dollar rates, using paypal or western union or what not?? That was when i wished all my friends were in some posh locales overseas.. Even if they give $10 it is `500 here.. I wished that all exchange rates would soar like ever before.. But the Manmohan Singh govt did well to restrict dollar rates to `45.. My insane dreams had a roof..
Now then 5 months had got over and I was able to collect `56186 overall.. Should say its a sizeable amount.. 2 people can read peacefully for a year.. It was worth the wait.. Just thought for a moment.. If i had been the only one, I could have given maximum `3000.. But now its 18 times or 1700% more.. How can i not hide the glee from my face???
I have always wanted to live by the motto 'Live for the moments which you cant put into words'.. This moment was certainly one!! Thanks to all my people!! You were awesome!!
On a lighter note.. This charity run was one of my long time wishes as I had explained in this post of mine.. It has come true in 20 months.. That's a quick time i would say!!
Waiting patiently to do bigger, better works with bigger responsibilities..
When the world just moves on at its own speed.. All you need to do is take an initiative.. Rest will follow.. Then what are friends for??
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