Kids' day out..

What does one day of no work and just fun mean to you?

To me, it's a routine since that's how I spend most of my time these days, what with no classes and a laptop.

To some, it's a break from the monotony of their work.

But for the 170 kids who had come for Lakshmi Bal Mahotsav, it was a never-felt-before experience!

Lakshmi Bal Mahotsav, a tribute to Lakshmi, is an annual event conducted by Samarthan Club of IFMR in her memory. Orphan and slum kids chosen from some NGOs are brought to IFMR and lot of games are conducted. In simple words, it's a Kids' carnival. This year's event conducted on 29th November is the second one and children from 4 NGOs-Nesakaram, Sarvodaya, Sevalaya and Exnora-participated in it.

I'm not sure what kind of activities these children indulge in normally. It's surprising to see that they are so talented. There was a drawing competition and the drawings that they came up with were simply mind-blowing. I'm sure this is the first time some of them have met children from other NGOs and they were delighted to meet their peer group. They sang, they danced,they teased, they went on the merry-go-round, they threw darts and like any congregation of kids, they fought. Bottom line is they had loads and loads of fun.

Can a simple balloon bursting competition be received with the enthusiasm of a trip to Disney Land? Some of you might say 'after all they are kids. They enjoy everything.' I seriously don't have an answer to that. All I can say is that the difference is most of the kids don't have their parents. Some don't have a proper house to live in. And almost all of them live with a fraction of what we have. Those things we consider are necessary like cellphones, laptops, iPods, cinema in a multiplex, a good meal in a good hotel, etc. are luxury to them. A simple crayon set which is dispensable to us is a prized possession for some of them.

They are not just kids. These are THE kids. The millions in India and elsewhere who dont have their parents, a proper shelter, good diet and most important of all, love of any form who constitute a huge clan. And you can make their day with a smile. Or a small chocolate. Or better yet a day with them. In my experience with kids so far I have noticed that just our presence and little bit of attention and care and love can work wonders. You'll be their hero or heroine. You'll be their role model. A 12-year-old girl asked me how I got the courage to take the mic in front of so many people (I compered parts of the event). I said when she is 24 and is looking at a bunch of 6 to 12-year-old kids, she'll have the courage to do a lot more. Hope I gave her the right answer.

To come back to the original topic, these kids in Lakshmi Bal Mahotsav had a lot to cheer about. And they brought out the child in the hardened executives-to-be. The volunteers comprised of MBA students and researchers gave their best from organizing the events on time and without a glitch to running behind the kids to prevent chaos (in this they failed miserably). At the end of the day, we parted with a heavy heart. One of the kids said,'I have never in my life had fun like this. This day will be unforgettable to me'. Another one said,'Akka (sister),you should never forget us' and 'You should come visit us atleast once'. But Durga's was the most profound statement. She didn't say a word, but she had tears in her eyes...

And those tears spoke volumes.