On Track

The next day was stormy. Chakrabarty reached the near-empty station in the morning with much difficulty where she ran into one beggar girl she had seen the day before. “She asked me,‘Ki holo? Porale na?’ (what happened? Won’t you teach us?). I had completely forgotten about my casual query the day before but the belief of the drenched girl shook me. I couldn’t sleep that night and the next day I discussed my intention with my husband and mother-in-law,who had been a great support,” she said.

“From May,2007,I started teaching these girls from 8 to 10 in the morning and 6 to 8 in the evening — on platform number 1 of Dum Dum railway station.”

Chakrabarty,who started with five girls and has now 20 girls under her wings, not only teaches them but also sees to it that they wash themselves,are fed and are groomed as well.

Her initiative had raised many eyebrows initially but her perseverance paid off. Slowly,people started offering a helping hand to her. “GRP,RPF and Sinthi PS officials come to me at least once a day and ask if everything was okay and if I needed any help. Commuters,too,contribute with exercise books,pens,pencils and other stationery. On Fridays,these girls are given art classes now.”

Chakrabarty’s efforts have won her several accolades and prizes,including Nari Nakshatrar Khoje Sanman recently,but it is the inner satisfaction that keeps her going. “The realisation that these slum girls are away from begging,addiction and several other unwanted activities and that I have been doing my bit to bring them into mainstream living,is more satisfying than anything,” she said.