Not even a few out of lakhs around can tell when exactly their story began. Was it inside a small wooden box piled up one above another or a filthy basement room or on  floor below their mother’s bed?  Can the Messengers of God, the Guards of Temple doors, the protectors of  Home, and owners of court tell us ? Maybe Time will,  One day. What we do up till then?  “WAIT KIJIYE APKO MADAD ZARUR MILEGI” No No believe me you heard it right and i am sure not only this time but hundred mores in this lifetime. 

Raahim sits under the sun peaking through the room window thinking what would be the world like outside? To what places do these birds fly? next she looks at the men down and wonders which one is my father? maybe he is, but no he is too dark or that one but he is too short. again a new thought strikes and she thinks to herself Maybe the one who visits mother every night, maybe the one for whom mother gets dressed every time. what does he look like? like me! and her face lit up with a smile. suddenly she her the door open and the mother came inside and closed the windows in hurry blocking both the rain from pouring inside and Raahim’s hopes from reaching the mighty sky. 

“Maa can i ask you a question?” No Raahim its time for work go hide there behind the curtains and do not come outside till i tell you to”. “But Maa….. No! Raahim go right now if you listen to me, maa will buy you a candy okay go now”. Obeying to her mother, Raahim ran and hid behind the box before the guest arrived. minutes later she heard a few voice from behind but did not look around why? maybe she wasn’t allowed to. But beautiful Raahim with a smile on her face and hope in her heart thinking maybe this is her father who she will meet tonight, goes into the grip of dark night.  Did Raahim ever go outside? Did the birds tell her about the address they’d fly to? Did she meet her father that night?  Nobody knows, Nobody knows where the birds flew to and where did Raahim disapper. But we know even today there are hundreds of Raahim sitting by the sides of window thinking about questions that Raahim use to think about. May we the world meet one Raahim each and help her chase the answers to her questions before she is broken behind the cage.  The questions are her dream, her right.

Thankyou!