The modern urban pathology of despair rarely finds solace in constructive behaviour, as is evident with so many juvenile monsters that have been in the news. But Das, who polishes shoes for a living, has made it his life's mission to minimise the jarring realities that confront runaway homeless children, a space he knows well.
Das believes in paying it forward.
He has become the unwitting outreach consultant for Childline, a 24-hour nationwide helpline for children in distress. Childline became his family many years ago when he landed alone, bereft and bewildered, on a Mumbai railway platform. Today, the government-funded tele-helpline (1098) operates out of 70 cities as a child protection service, saving thousands of children from slipping into pointless violence and crime. And yet, the task is daunting; there has been been a 143% rise
in juveniles committing rape in the last year.
Ingrid Srinath, executive director of Childline says, "In the work we do, it is really easy to get depressed. The Manohars of the world give you faith. He is like our freelance street superhero. He just wants other children to have access to the things he didn't have. That's his real calling. I think he polishes shoes to support this habit.
Why does he do it? "It is necessary," he says, disarmingly matter of fact. Then, he rattles off his activities of the week. "A child called Prem was injured on his foot, so I got Soframycin," he says, producing a chemist's bill and pointing to words he can scarcely read. Another little boy was hungry, I bought him a rice plate. I make sure the police don't harass these children."
Das is the story of so many runaway street children. He came from Kolkata, leaving a mother— possibly a stepmother—whom he describes as abusive and partial to his younger siblings. "My parents were there, but I always felt like an orphan. I used to beg the neighbours for food. I have never been inside a school," he says.
When he somehow stumbled into Childline and "Jeroo didi" -- (Jeroo Billimoria founded Childline in 1996), he instantly adopted it. Pretty soon, he was showing up every day with news about street children and their needs. Here, the police was being rough, there the helpline was not working. "When I first met him, he was aggressive, not trusting, yet very sweet," says Billimoria, describing that curious combination of bravado and vulnerability that is a signature of the street child. "Soon he became my online Childline monitor, and had put together a band of younger boys to assist him on his mission."
Das' entire life belongings find their place in a large blue plastic bag which he carries with him wherever he goes. Its contents include: a boot polish brush, a set of insoles, two boxes of Royal shoe polish, a cloth sheet, a plastic sheet, and a bunch of fliers with information about Childline. When he sleeps, the bag becomes his pillow. There is also a small battered casette player and a tape of Bhojpuri songs. "These songs remind me of home," he says. "They remind me of my father."
His day begins at 7 am, when he rolls off his bed of no-fixed-address, though he has now made Virar Station home. He occasionally has a bath in the railway shed where trains are hosed down, and then begins his journey- lurching along Bandra or Dadar Terminus in a Charlie Chaplainesque walk, his oversized pants rolled up above his ankles. For five rupees, he adds shine to the walk of others. Some days, he brings a sick child in to the Nair Hospital Childline help desk, often creating a noisy nuisance if no one attends to him right away.
We meet at Bombay Central station, amidst a vast hall of waiting passengers. He finds a customer and settles at his feet, twirling his brush with practiced ease. A pie dog nuzzles up to him. Sometimes, an indifferent customer gives way to a kind soul. "Last week, I met this sahib who asked me my name. He said he would be happy to give a donation to Childline and even gave me his number."
There are two rituals that Das unfailingly follows every day. He stays in touch with Childline, and he goes to a small Hanuman temple outside Dadar Station. "I ask Bajrang Bali to keep my profession going and to look after my brothers and sisters. That is all I need."
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