Silhouettes of poverty haunts the city streets……..

They say it’s the advent of the 21st century,the era of development,prosperity and propensity. But in this part of the world(read India) the portrait is painted in rather conflicting hues. Skyscrapers dot the skyline in the metros and poverty thrives in the shady nooks of the same cities.But why this sudden overwhelm of social concern,maybe a sheer reflection of a rather disturbing sight of young children tapping the windows of the car,when you are coming back after a sumptuous weekend brunch. These malnourished kids with faces weathered by the basking sun and withering colds .…those starved face gape through the closed windows.This scene is sure to dawn pity in the hearts of us mortals. You pull down the window offer a couple of coins and zoom off as the light goes green,but what stays behind is a thought that daunts you when in a pensive mood…’did I pay the beggar because I actually cared,or was it was an unconscious selfish act to pacify my own conscience and save myself from the agony of witnessing any more of that disturbing scene’. Barely does this thought deem ,that the frames from Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” floats into vision….wherein child beggars are connected( or rather are themselves the biggest victims) of organized crime rackets. India, a nation where beggars are seen more than honesty….every place from the steps of temples to the exits of valet parking are thronged by them.Over the past few years growing social awareness,rise of NGOs and a public pressure on local governing authorities has marginalized the proportions to quite an extend.What requires of ‘us’ now is not merely giving alms to the destitute but going a step ahead and joining arms with the NGOs,opening rehabilitation and vocational training centers and keeping an eye to contain rackets(read Beggar Mafias) if any….India has taken giant leaps over the past decades,its on us the regular citizens of the nation to contain social evils because its WE who make this society…Mere complaining of poverty and dirty drags across the cities is a futile exercise,this I know for sure but what exactly to do am still confused….hadn’t it been for those starved faces at the signal I don’t think I would be blogging about this issue.Maybe that is who we are….mere runners in the race of life(or rather name,fame,wealth) and consciously oblivious to less fortunate…