AASRA - Because They Need Us

ଭାସିଆସେ ଯେବେ ଇସ୍ପାତ କାରଖାନୁଁ କଳମାନଙ୍କ କର୍କ୍କଶ ସ୍ବର ହସିଉଠେ ସେବେ ଏହି ଅଗଣାରେ କୁନି କୁନି ପିଲାଙ୍କର ହସର ଜୁଆର ଚିରାଚରିତ ଏକ ବନ୍ଧା ଜୀବନରୁ ଯେବେ ଆମେ ଯାଉ ଦୁରେ ଦେଖାଯାଏ ଏକ ନୁଆ ପରିବାର NIT ଠୁ କିଛି ଦୁରେ ||୧ ତରାଚାନ୍ଦ ଭାଇଙ୍କ ପଦ ଅନୁସରଣେ ଚାଲେ ଏହି ପରିବାର ଛୋଟଠୁ ବଡ ସଭିଙ୍କ ଆଖିରେ ନୁଆ ସ୍ବପ୍ନର ଆସର ଅରବିନ୍ଦର ହସ ସେ ଯେ ଆନନ୍ଦ ଉଲ୍ଲାସପୂର୍ଣ ଭରିଦିଏ ଆମ ସଭିଙ୍କ ମନେ ହସ ଖୁସିର ଫଗୁଣ ||୨ କାନ୍ହୁଭାଇଙ୍କ ମାଟିଶିଳ୍ପ ଅଟେ ପ୍ରଗତିର ଚାରଣ କାଚରେ ଅଂକିତ କଳାକୃତି ସୌନ୍ଦର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିନପାରଇ ବଖାଣ ମୀନାର ଗୁମସୁମ୍ ମୁଖେ ଚାହୁଁ ଆମେ ଦେଖି ଖୁସିର ନିଶାଣ ବିପରୀତ ପୁଣି ଦେବକୀ ଓ ସାମନ୍ତ, ନଥାଏ ଯେଉଁଠି ଦୁଃଖର କାରଣ ||୩ ପିଙ୍କି , ଆରତୀ , ଦ୍ରୁପଦୀ , କଳ୍ପନାଙ୍କ ନିପୁଣ ପୁଣି ନୃତ୍ୟରେ ସତ୍ୟଭାମା ଆଉ ଅନୁପମା ନିଶା ସେ ଯେ ସଂଗୀତରେ ବିନୋଦିନୀ , କୁମୋଦିନୀ ଓ କାମିନୀ ଯାମିନୀ ଭଗିନୀ ସେ ଯେ ସ୍ନେହର ସୁମିତ୍ରା ପୁଷ୍ପାଙ୍କ ମନତଳେ ପୁଣି ବୁଣାବୁଣି ଆଉ ଚିତ୍ର ଅଂକନରେ ||୪ ନୃତ୍ୟ,ସଂଗୀତ,ଚିତ୍ର ଆଦିରେ ତୁଳନା ନାହିଁ ତୁମମାନଙ୍କର ଛୋଟ ସେହି ମନେ ଫୁଟି ଉଠେ ଫୁଲ ନୁଆ ନୁଆ କଳ୍ପନାର କିଶୋର, ବବି, ମକରଧ୍ବଜ ପଶିଛନ୍ତି ଯେ କ୍ରିକେଟର ଶରଣ ଖେଳି ଅରକ୍ଷିତ, ବିଜୟ ସଂଗେ...

THE WORLD IS SO BIG, STILL MANY PEOPLE CRY FOR SHELTER BUT THEY CANT SHOUT, ONLY MURMER AND UTTER. DO THEY GET A MEAL IN A DAY, WE ARE UNKNOWN THEY HAVE TO WELCOME A FRUSTRATED LIFE WHEN THE DAY DAWN TEARS DROPPING FROM THEIR EYES, SMILE IN THEIR DREAMS, IN FRONT THE FOGGY FUTURE LIES, DROWNING IN SORROW, TO CROSS THE OCEAN OF LIFE, FOR A HELPING HAND THE HEART CRIES. WE ALL, CHILDREN OF THE MOTHER EARTH, STILL SO MUCH DISCRIMINATION OUR LIFE WRAPPED WITH GOLDEN SHEET, WITH THEM NO INTERACTION. COME OUT OF THE DARK, LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE, DONT LET IT DRIFT AWAY, THERE IS MUCH THAT MUST BE DONE EACH MINUTE OF EACH DAY. WHY HAVE EYES THAT DO NOT SEE, EARS THAT DO NOT HEAR, A HAND THAT CAN NOT HELP OR A HEART THAT CAN NOT CHEER? ALL THEY NEED YOU, YOUR LOVING HEART THAT CAN INTENSELY FEEL, THERE IS NOTHING SO TERRIBLE ON THIS EARTH THAT LOVE CAN NOT HEAL. LIFE IS A GIFT, IT HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER SEE, WHAT YOU HAVE GOT, A FULL SPAN YET JUST HALF A COFFER! ...

ये सच है ; बच्चे होते है मन के सच्चे . पर कभी हम भी तो थे बच्चे . कहा गई हमारी वो मासूमियत ? जो कभी हमें भगवान का रूप बनाती थी . ऐसा क्या हो जाता है ? जो छिन जाती है बच्चो की सच्चाई . क्या कभी किसी ने सोचा है ? कुछ तो ऐसा होता है . पर वो है क्या चीज़ ? कभी किसी ने नहीं सोचा है . अरे , कोई सोचे भी तो कैसे ? जब सबका यही कहना है ; की " दिल तो अभी बच्चा है ". अगर दिल बड़ो का भी बच्चा है ; तो खुद को नहीं तो उन बच्चो को तो बख्शो ; जिनका दिल वाकई में बच्चा है . मत छीनो उनका बचपन ; बस ये ही तो उनका अपना है . कर लेने दो उन्हें भी मजा ; आखिर एक दिन उन्हें भी तो होना है बड़ा . चन्दन श्रीवास्तव, B.Tech. (2nd Year)

Basanti Colony was all perked up last Monday , the 25th of October , to celebrate birthdays of Jigyansha and Jyostna . It being a change from the rhythm of routine life , seemed to charge one and all , with vigour and enthusiasm. By the time we reached there, the decorations and preparations for the birthday party were almost done with. The place was beautifully decked up and all the children were agog with excitement, eager, or rather it would be more proper to say , were impatient for the celebrations to begin. Finally their wait was over and the party celebrations took off with cutting of cake by the two little angels. And after that followed a grand dinner n lots of others party food . Needless to say , any occasion at Basanti , is a special one.

Ideas, people say can come from anywhere. Then how can kids be deprived of it? Interactive workshop on case studies on “Real Time Hydrological Modelling for Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin” was organised in our institute from 23rd to 25th September, 2010. Chhend, one of the workplace of AASRA made an active participation in this event. A four member team of Biswa, Durga, Suman and Kumar guided by Amlan and Prabartika of AASRA displayed a working model on Rainwater Harvesting. They were applauded and appreciated for their hard work and dedication. They were given a token of appreciation from the Chief Guest itself and were asked to carry on their work and come up with more new ideas. It was a new experience for the kids as they displayed their ideas for the first time in front of a bench of experienced members.

This year Aasra celebrated the Ganesh Puja festival at all its workplaces on 11th September 2010.There was a grand celebration at Sec-21 Leprosy Colony. The idol of Lord Ganesh had been prepared by a boy from OSAP leprosy colony, Kanhu. The Aasrites reached the Colony at 9am in the morning. Then we spent much time with the kids there, playing games. The Puja started at 11am..The atmosphere was very pious and devotional. The priest recited hymns. The organisation and conduct of the puja was a grand success. The puja was followed with the partake of 'prasad' by all. It was really a delightful experience worshiping Lord Ganesh in the company of the kids at Sec-21 Leprosy Colony.

On the day of Raksha Bandhan, the Aasraites went to their allotted workplaces to celebrate the auspicious occasion, with the motive of distributing sweets and smiles. Arriving there, greeted by excited faces and plates decorated with Rakhi, the beautiful band signifying the bond between a brother and a sister; diyas, and sweets. Settling down a bit, the Raksha Bandhan ceremony started. The girls there tied rakhis to the boys of Aasra and the Aasra girls tied Rakhis to the boys there. The boys there were so eager and happy at the prospect of having sisters, every time one of the members went to tie a Rakhi almost all the hands reached out. This was followed by music and dance, as goes the custom of every happy celebration. There was lots of fun with the kids. The celebration then turned into a mini Christmas as all the kids had their demands of various presents heard. Pens and chocolates were also distributed. In short, the evening was alight with happiness.

"Let the wick of our work burn, from the smallest candle to the brightest torch, And with it let it burn, all miseries that did not belong, And at the end, let only the light remain. The light which is bright & full of love, warmth and tender touch.... streaming within & around us always, making the world a bright place to live in." Riding in the rollercoaster of my life, I had never thought other than myself. Though my heart cried for the unpriviledged sections but my response to it was almost nil. After the completion of my schooling, I joined NITRKL for my Engineering degree. I found accomodation in the hostel inside the campus. For the first time in my life I had to stay way away from my home. I was very much missing my parents and other family members.Though physically residing in the hostel, my restless mind was ever in search of a shelter where I can get peace. I realised peace only can prevail in the area where mind and soul are full of noble thoughts and phy...

There were those sad beautiful eyes, The tilted heads with pink cheeks, The batting lashes with a tear drop, And a smile with a curve in the corner.... The hands outreaching to be held, The ears eager to hear words of love, Those legs longing to stand tall and strong, There were those sad empty eyes.... The curtain falls, their faces lit up, Eyes closed, they dream of flying away, The smile spreads across, it is so fragile, In the whirl of the wind, they live their lives.... The bubble bursts, the curtains rise, They open eyes to find their wings torn, The cry deep in their heart ever so blue, The fear whispering, “never dream again"..... They look up, look into the heaven, Overcast, the turmoil never seems to cease, Winter so heavy upon their souls, The lamp of joy flickering so wild.... Pair of hands covers it, it burns unbroken, It glows stronger, the clouds drift apart, The sun shines on them, shining ever so bright, ...

The tender buds in the untended garden, instead of blossoming, wither to the weeds in the eyes of the society. But we in Aasra, care for these buds and help them blossom beautifully. In the eyes of God, everyone is equal, so why in the society do we see division and disparity?? With the hope of removing this differentiation between fellow souls, I joined Aasra. Since then I have been going to sector 21, every Saturday evening, I and three of my friends cycle down to meet the kids there. There I teach children in the seventh and eighth standard. Teaching them is great fun ,and their interest is very encouraging .Not only Saturdays, but we also celebrate festivals with them. Be it celebrating Independence Day, distributing sweets on Ganesh Puja or preparing the Rangoli on Diwali, time spent at sector 21, with the sweet smiling faces of kids, is the best time spent, away from home. This helps to work more, help more. If you want to bring a change, you have to be ...