"Kanishka"........

Sunday, May 20...

Runcy came from Pune. We met after 4 years and we had a nice time together. We enjoyed watching "Spiderman 3" and had a long chat about the happenings in life. After bidding goodbye to Runcy by 4.30, I left from Andheri. I got a train from Andheri to Dadar, then another train from Dadar to Kurla.

I boarded a train from Kurla to Mankhurd. I was on a call when someone pulled my shirt, I turned around and saw a little cute girl. She is about 5 to 6 years old, in a pink colored skirt. She was still clinging on to my shirt. Slowly I pulled my shirt out of her little hands and asked her "What u want"? She didnt say a word, calmly stared at my eyes. I took a 2 rupee coin and dropped in her hand and continued my call. She pulled my shirt again. This time I felt a bit nagged and stared at her angrily. Holding her breath she opened her mouth and said "Bhayya I am lost".

I was totally moved by her trembling voice. She whispered again "Bhayya I am lost".
For a moment I didnt know what to do and say. I waited for a while, put my call on hold and kneeled down to have a good look at her. I asked wht happened dear?What's your name?How come you are here?where do you live? where are you going? She was totally puzzled. Ya I will also be puzzled if someone ask me this number of questions in an instant. I paused and asked her again, what's ur name kid?
She murmured "Kanishka".
What happened Dear?
"Bhayya I am lost".
I cant believe, Usually kids got lost in buziest crowds, but not today as it is sunday today and there is no rush in trains. How come her parents can loose her ?
Did you come with someone?
She was silent.
Where is your home?
Near railway station.
Oh no there are more than 100 stations in mumbai. Which one she is talking about? Anyway her station will be on the harbour side only coz central n western stations are too far for a kid like her and someone might have noticed her if she crossed the foot over bridge.
Which station I asked?
She was mum.
I asked her again, Baba kaun sa station?
Patha nahin(Dont know).
Accha station ke pass kahan pe hai?(Where is your home near station?)
Station ke paas hi hai. Wahan lal lal busen bahut aati hai,aur wahan pe bahut saari auto bhi hain" (Itz somewhat near station, lot of red buses comes there and therre are lot of auto rickshaws ).
Oh my god!!! this could be anywhere. Ther's lot of stations with BEST bus stand nearby them.
But as per her way of description I guessed it would be Kurla.
I asked a fellow passenger " Have you seen this kid before?".
He replied "I saw her after Kurla only".
So it's Kurla station, about which she is telling.

The train already reached Chembur. What shud I do?
Shall I go back to Kurla or hand her over to police at Chembur itself.
I decided to alight @ chembur. Coz in both case I have to alight here only.
I asked her,
" Kaunse school mein padathi ho"?(In which school do you study).
She said"Ghar ke paas hai".
Fuzzy answers I thought.
She knows where she belong but couldnt tell where exactly is the place, similar to a person who can very well see the destination but dunno how to reach there.
I couldnt make up my mind to hand her over to police......
So what to do?
Shall I go there and search with her, her own house.
I took her along with me over the foot over bridge to the other side to catch the next train bound to CST.
She was so afraid and I too dunno how to convince her coz I too wasnt sure about the things that will happen next.Whether we get to her home or I will have to hand her over to police @ Kurla.

Next train to CST was @ 5.28. I waited for the train to come. I was still clueless shud I board this train or not. Anyway I will go to Kurla n will decide what to do.

She clinged on my hand all the way to Kurla.
We reached kurla in 10 minutes.
I went to the foot over bridge to the East side of Kurla station, coz there was the BEST bus station. We reached there and I prayed inside myself that this should be it, before asking her anything.
Before I could ask her anything she yelled "yehi hai, yehi hai, wahi auto sabhie wohi hai".
Oh god I was relieved, coz we were at the right place.
Then I asked her "Where do you live"?
"Near to the school".
Which School?
Behind this bus stand.
Which side?
"Come I will show you".
She grasped my hand tightly and took me along,there was a delight in her eyes.
I felt calm and thanked god.
She pulled me through the narrow path along the auto rickshaw stand. After around 5-10 minutes of walking she said my home is in the next gali" we took a right turn and went along the crowded street with small hutments on both sides of the street. "Ther's my home"...she pointed to second last hut. She was all in smiles n giggles. Atlast we made it, no she made it...
We were now in the front of the hut, but it was locked from the front.
I asked her is ther's nobody here? where are your parents , brothers or sisters?
She said baba went to sell khulfi's, mama will be at some home, she is maid and I dont know where my brother is.. I have seen him in the afternoon.
I was wondered by her way of reply, she is the same kid who was afraid to speak up, and see now she is all with words..
I asked how come she got into the train. She told she with her frnds went to station to play and when she entered the train , it started moving.
I asked what abt your frnds?
"I dont know. Shall I go and find out".
I said please dont. Sit here till your parents come otherwise I will tell them you went in a train to chembur.
Shall I?
She said "plz bhayya nahin bathaana nahin tho baba bahut maarenge...".
Her cute little smile fade away.
I said ok I will not tell, but promise me you will not move from here till your parents come, saying that I bought her a Munch from the nearby shop and handed it to her.
I was so relieved after this whole episode, at last I was able to take her to her home... I am happy.....
On my way back I thought Where are those playgrounds? If there were any playground nearby then she might not have went all the way to station. Daily many people die on the tracks.But she lived. I thanked God for that.
I went to station and caught the next train to Mankhurd.
By 8.00 pm I was @ home, I am happy n delighted today.
Kanishka was my sole reason for happiness today....