I still remember the first day when some of my friends and I entered Nachiket Bal Gram. We went into the kids prayer room where we saw nine keen faces with eighteen keen eyes all staring at us and then at once all of them started greeting us, “Namaste Didi” (Hello sister). All the kids were so excited when we went inside that they told us to sit with them for their prayers. These tiny tots started reciting lots of songs and nursery rhymes that we were amazed to see the eagerness in their eyes!
What is so special about these children? Well everyone in his/her life wishes to belong to a home, a family where you have your very own room, your very own bed, table, books,etc… and most important of all your very own people like your mother, father brother, sister and friends. This place is your little world and your heaven. But have you ever wondered, what if you never had these things? You never had a home? Your own room or your own people? What if you were an orphan? Have you ever wondered what an orphan’s life would be like? These are some kids who don’t have a home who live on streets, in railway stations and bus stations. They earn their daily bread by begging for alms, falling into evil and criminal practices, or even falling prey to child labour. In the world there are about 25 crores of child Labourers and in India alone there are about 10 crores.
But somewhere in this world there are very noble people who care about these children and one such place is the “Nachiket Bal Gram” (Bal – Children, Gram – Village). Situated in Pune, India, this small little organisation is a home to destitute children. Dr. Bhagchandra Bramecha and his wife Mrs. Vijaya Bramecha have started this organisation in their home by converting their Garage into an orphanage.
When I asked them what provoked them to start this organisation they told me that on the 25th of October, 1999 their young son of just 25 years died suddenly. They could not bear the death of their son and so they decided to start an orphanage as a reminiscence of their son. They started a trust fund in the name of their son and under this trust fund they decided to start this orphanage.
To expand their idea into reality they started looking at different organizations that were also giving shelter to impoverished children. They got in touch with SOS – Soul of Soul – Children’s village and many other organizations and told them that they would like to give a home to 10 healthy children. So on June 2, 2001 “Nachiket Bal Gram” was born.
I heard about this Bal Gram a month ago and was really keen to know more about it and work with these children. So I started going everyday with some of my friends to play with these kids. These kids are in the age group of three to ten years old. They are very sweet children. Like all normal children these children also love to play, love to learn new things and like to paint and draw. I sometimes go to the orphanage and take their art classes. Once I took some watercolours and told the children "Come just be free, set your imagination wild and draw anything you like, but you only have to use your hand and fingers -no brushes." At first all of them where wondering if I had gone mad. How in the wide world did Didi (sister) tell us to draw with our finger? Then I started first and broke the ice. Looking at me Akshay a four year old enthusiastically dipped his finger in the red paint and started drawing. In no time all of them started panting and we were having a gala time. We created “modern art" which really did not make any sense to any of us, but the most important thing was all of us enjoyed it.
In this orphanage they have tried their best to keep the brother’s and sisters together so that none of the children feel lonely. This is one of the uniqueness of the orphanage. Most of these children have parents, but their parents cannot look after them.
Their day starts with Yoga, which is taught by Dr. Bramecha himself. This ensures the physical development of the child. The children then go to a conventional school which is very close to where they stay. Most of these children are finding it very difficult to cope with their respective grades as they have not been given basic education before they come to Nachiket. So besides going to school, these children go for some extra lessons in the afternoon where their teacher is making their foundation firm. Other than studies, these kids go to a value education class everyday in the evening where they are taught “Shlokas” (verses) from the Gita and various other Sanskrit books. A child should have an over all development. With this in mind these valuable educational classes teach a lot of facts about life like humbleness, love, care and goodwill through the different Shlokas, hoping that when the children grow older they will use this knowledge in their life. Besides this, they are learning various songs and poems in Hindi, Marathi and English languages. They also play different games and have a lot of fun in their arts and craft sessions in the afternoon with us. On weekends sometimes these children go out for picnics and outings.
I have learnt a lot from these children. A child’s mind is the most innocent thing in the word which is filled with a lot of amazing and sometimes most amusing things. Everyday I discover something new in them.
The other day when I asked all of them what they wanted to become when they will grew up, I got a range of answers from all of them saying, doctor, police, painter, judge and an engineer. But when I asked them why they want to do what they want to do, well… they are not yet sure. But hey they are very small and have a long way to go yet…
Nachiket Bal Gram’s main aim is to make these children, independent, self-sufficient and one who can stand on their feet when they grow up.
I fully support this effort undertaken by Dr. Bramecha for these children who are dying for love from someone whom they can call their own and the volunteers who are sharing their life with them. These words below rightly describe what Nachiket Bal Gram is doing:
“A place called home
I can almost see
With a red front door
And a roaring fire…
It’s a place called home
Full of love and Family”
[Writer’s note: Above are some of the lines which I have taken from an English Film- name of the film unknown]
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