Half Empty, Half Full Or Full To The Brim

The troupe of 11 children is traveling to New York, Florida, Houston, Seattle and Toronto, showcasing performances of Ramayana on Wheels and Krishna the Blue God, as well as martial arts.  There’s Saurav Pathak, who has no arms. He was electrocuted at the age of three. Now 20, he’s cheerful and lively, and works on the computer with his toes. He could not be fitted with prosthetics, and has learnt to fend for himself. He works at a travel agency in ticketing and is also learning advanced computer science.

There’s 8-year-old Kajal, who lost her leg in an accident four years ago. She uses bilateral crutches and can walk as fast as any child. She is an agile Golden Deer in Ramayana and the child Krishna in Krishna – all on crutches. The demon Mahisura is menacing, spinning magnificently in his wheelchair, and Durga the Goddess who kills him is hearing and speech impaired.
 
Amar Jyoti, an India-based NGO, works for people with disabilities with a holistic approach, an inclusive education and vocational training, as well as sports and cultural activities. Dr. Uma Tuli founded this organization 25 years ago when she was just 19 and her 21-year-old brother lost a leg in an accident. He was able to go abroad for rehabilitation, but she thought of all the thousands of disabled Indians who could not. The organization, which she started with her lecturer’s salary, has become one of the more influential organizations for the disabled in India and was instrumental in getting the Disabilities Act passed.
 
The children, most of them from low-income families, had never been in a train before, leave alone a plane! They’ve performed at the House of Commons in London and in several U.S, locations. The kindness of strangers has been compelling and Tuli says Disney World, hotels and restaurants have all opened up their doors to the children and Indians have brought everything from home-cooked breakfast to donations for the organization. “It’s beautiful how people are sensitized and have been moved to tender, loving care and are happy to do it,” she says.