IS POVERTY --- A DISEASE ?

Poverty is neither a 'Swine Flu' nor an 'HIV' was my opinion before i came across something which shook me from within and made me write this truth into a blog.

It was a bright Saturday morning and i was getting ready as i had to leave for bhagalpur to appear for an exam subsequently on a Sunday.

I was still an student in my teens and my 'MAA' gave me ₹ 600 including the fair and everything. While coming back i took the best mode of transport 'Train' but unfortunately The train was overcrowded and there was hardly any seat available or I should say there was hardly any space available, i just stood besides the gate and was giving way to the people passing by every five minutes.

I saw a lady sitting at the gate of the toilet of the compartment with her three kids and couple of rolled package of 'SARIS'. Her kids  were hungry and were asking for something to eat, she kept on telling them to wait till they would reach patna as if the next station is patna. 

I took the packet of biscuits out of my bag and offered them, they looked at her mother for a nod and the moment she shook her head they thought of gelling up with kids. The kids started playing with me and started smiling the moment I offered the biscuits and soon I offered another packet. They broke in joy.

I asked the lady if she was going to Patna, she nodded in agreement. What do you do - i asked, i work - she said. How do you manage to feed your kids - i asked.

Somehow I manage everything - she said. After a moment she said poverty is a disease , sir and few fortunate n brave ones are destined to get over it. Most of us learn to live with it. That is what came out of her heart when i probed her about her livelihood. I wrote heart instead of mouth because what ever she said it came directly from her heart and made me think twice before i could probe further. 

What's your name ? - I asked.

Sita - she said.

And your kids - I asked.

Lav, kush and Gita - she said. All of them looked malnourished. 

I thought for a moment if she is the Sita of 'Ramayan' but my mind was quick to remind me, No, she has Gita too.What's their age ? - i asked.

Lav, Kush and Gita are 5,7,10 respectively- she said.

I probed further as i was curious to know how she had managed to look after her kids.

Where is your husband- I asked.

'kishori' his name if kishori - she said.

He left us when my last kid was 7 years old. He said, he is going to 'Rajdhani' to earn money but ever since he left, our life has become worse and vulnerable. It's been 3 years and i have no information about him - She said.

Then, how did you manage to look after your kids - I asked. She kept quite for a while and then i saw tears rolling down her cheeks. I realised that i have touched the unsung string of her life. 

I sold myself to feed my children, Everybody wanted some flesh out of me - she said and broke in to tears.

I felt very sorry for her and did not have the courage to ask anything else. I took the money out of my pocket and counted, i had ₹350 left, I offered her ₹300 as i had to commute back to my home too.

She was still in dilemma, she took the money very hesitantly as if i too wanted flesh out of her. You are like my own Sister, this is a gift for you from your brother, keep this money - i said, then she accepted the money and blessed me for my prosperous future. Meanwhile the train stopped on a station, people started pushing each other in order to de-board the train. I asked someone to check which station was that. It was Rajender Nagar, unfortunately it was the same station i had to de-board too.

I shook hands with Lav, Kush and Gita, gave remaining packets of biscuits and said bye to them while the train started to crawl. I de-boarded the train, they kept watching me till i became invisible and vice-versa.

I thought over it again if poverty really is a disease as she said it is, the answer is yes but it is just a viral fever which can be cured or stopped easily if done with the zeal to cure it. But that was my observation, i still leave it on you readers to decide if it really is a disease. Put yourself in a same situation and then think and answer. GOOD LUCK :):):)