New Leaf

“My biggest reward is the warmth and love these children shower on me. I get touched when some call me ‘Ma’. Now I see my Ayan in their faces.”

----------

After losing son, she lives for orphans and urchins

Sumati Yengkhom | TNN Jan. 20, 2010

Kolkata: An accident snuffed the life out of Rita Ganguly’s 16-year-old son in 2006. But, instead of spending days in grief, Ganguly put her mind and soul into working for the betterment of street urchins and orphans.
Ganguly’s only son Ayan died in an accident on May 19, 2006. Ayan had left his aunt’s house in Baranagar and boarded a bus on route number 3 to his Shyambazar home when he met with the accident. Just two days earlier, Ayan’s ICSE results had been declared. The student of Frank Anthony Public School had scored star marks in many subjects. His aunt had called him over to shower him with gifts for his excellent performance.
Ayan had just reached Bhupen Bose Avenue and was about to alight when he saw an elderly man behind him trying to get off as well. Ayan made way for the old man and had just put a foot down when the bus started moving suddenly. He lost his balance and fell and the rear wheel crushed him to death.
“Though I hate to recall the incident, it keeps haunting me time and again. I wish no other mother goes through such unbearable trauma and pain,” said Ganguly.
Ganguly went into an emotional crisis after her son’s death, but unlike others, she bounced back soon enough. Staying in the same house where she spent 16 years raising Ayan, had become difficult. So, her husband, who works with a private firm, suggested that they relocate to another house in Ishapore. It is here that Ganguly came in touch with Don Bosco Ashalayam (DBA) — an organisation that cares for orphans and street urchins by giving them shelter, food, love and education.
The courage of these children of a lesser god inspired Ganguly to start life anew. In them, she saw a ray of hope and realised that here, she could get a chance to tend to hundreds of Ayans.
With encouragement from Fr George Chempakathinal, director of DBA, Ganguly started her journey with these have-nots — helping them with their lessons, working with them at the workshop during their vocational training, manning Asha Shop — a shop on Free School Street that showcases and sells handicraft and other products by inmates of DBA. She does not charge a single penny for her services.
“My biggest reward is the warmth and love these children shower on me. I get touched when some call me ‘Ma’. Now I see my Ayan in their faces,” said Ganguly.
“She understands us, our ordeal and hardship, though she can be strict at times. But that, I believe, is the quality of every concerned mother,” said Pintu, who stays at Don Bosco Ashalayam.