Fifteen year old Anu, a domestic help,
Has a pair of incongruous, adult toes.
An orphan, she divides her time with
Her two elder sisters where she slaves
Her guts out to get her nightly shelter.
She walks three miles every morning
To reach the bungalow as the wall,
Ten feet tall and impregnable, compels
Anu and their likes take a long detour.
They say Campus is now a safer place
With only a few gates where security
Keep watch to ward off terrorists and
Neighbourhood village people alike.
It was a special day as the President
Would visit to lay the foundation stone
Of the proposed hi-tech hospital
Dedicated to the service of the nation.
The army choppers hovered overhead
For three days and special task force
Worked overtime to sanitize the campus.
Prior notice advised campus people
To store provision and vegetables.
Shops remained closed; fishwives
And greengrocers being potential
Threat to the life of the first citizen.
It was obvious that little, timid Anu
Stood no chance to gain entry inside.
But the security staff at the gates
Were a considerably considerate lot.
They knew domestic helps were not
Fish or vegetables that could be stored
In a refrigerator but as indispensable
As water supplied to the bungalows
Where ladies would fret no end if
Anu or her friends took a day’s leave.
Mrs. Rays and Mrs. Bhattacharjees
Living in sprawling bungalows,
Complete with servant’s quarters,
Drove down to the gate in their cars
And identified their helps and left.
Anu and others followed them behind.
Prof. Shyamal Chakrabarti
Alumnus of this inst having done his M.Sc. (76) and Ph.D. (88) and presently a Senior Scientific Officer at the Dept of Physics.
