Meet Kushi - the ever smiling lass of Gorkhapur. She had two siblings.

Tenzing and Moa. Moa being the youngest brother loved and cared so much
for her. Tenzing did adore her but was unhappy about being her
“BODYGUARD” all the time. He hated the idea of missing out the cricket
matches after school as he had to take care of Kushi.
“Why did he have to take care of Kushi?”

Kushi was polio affected and thus confined to the wheelchair! Moa wasn’t
strong enough to help her move around so a sturdy Tenzing had to be at
her beck and call. He never complained but Kushi knew all the while that
she was forcibly being a burden and hampering her brother’s wants.
Kushi’s best friends were the Cybele’s bounty. The happily chirping
magpies drove away her blues, the fragrant orchids swayed and
nodded their heads in agreement whenever she poured her heart out
to them. The only wish Kushi had was to pervade mirth all around
and so she smiled always; come rain or shine.
 Her parents had never been to school and hence illiterate. They were ignorant of
the perils brought by polio so they did not get her vaccinated when she was five years
old … only to repent later.

Now she was well fed, nurtured, cuddled, taken good care of and pampered
amidst the cozy warmth of togetherness in her “home sweet home” but … was there
anything missing? Yes… her heart longed for something else…
… The small school up the hill! Where she wished to
go to like all other children of Gorkhapur. She was very
keen to read, write and learn. All these cravings hidden
deep inside the fourth chamber of her heart she just
hoped against hope that one fine day her dream would
come true!
Bahadur- her father… sold his
sewing machine as he no longer
could run the tailoring shop. That
was the end of his noble
profession! He began pondering
on how to make ends meet.
When carrying her piggy back
once, it struck to him “Why don’t I
sell Kushi’s wheelchair?” She
wouldn’t be needing it to move
inside the house as long as he
could carry her. Then, there were
her two brothers- young,
energetic and growing! They
would help her … wouldn’t they?
Having lost his work, Bahadur
returned to grazing sheep like
he used to during his
childhood. Kushi watched him
through the mirador,
helplessly. Wish there was
something she could do about!
 “Oh! Not her wheelchair… Why don’t you sell the golden baton instead? What joy has
it ever bestowed on us till now?” Kushi’s mother’s plea fell on deaf ears. Bahadur moved
the wheelchair to the barn when Kushi was fast asleep. His heart pounded louder and
louder. He felt guilty of snatching away her only mode of motion within the vicinity. “That
precious child never grumbled. How can I take away her things of little joy?... Should I?
or shouldn’t I…?” Come daybreak and he moved it back to her room.
Moa never wanted to see the smile on Kushi’s
visage fade away. He couldn’t stop his father
from selling her wheelchair but he could try to
divert her heed and keep her cheerful for a
while. He placed her kitten on her lap after
giving it a good brushing and combing! She
gently stroked its velvety coat and it purred
back in gratitude. It kept her entertained! She
broke into a peel of giggles when it began
displaying its crazy antics.
Her mother silently shed tears of joy looking at
the three bonding well and sharing such pure
love.
Kushi watched the donkeys graze. Suddenly
there was a rumbling noise approaching.
“HONK… HONK… HONK” went the garishly
painted van. “Oh! There’s going to be a
shopping fair set up here for a few days” she
thought. Little did she know that these were the
very same people to whom Bahadur intended to
sell off her wheelchair!
On the pretext of choosing her a birthday gift he took her to the sale. Bahadur
had to bring to her notice sooner or later the fact about the wheelchair. He
tried to bribe her with noisy toys in exchange with her wheelchair. He was
trying to amuse her when Tenzing just returned from school. He was more
than happy to finally see her wheelchair being sold soon.
“I don’t want those… baba,
I’d rather have a set of
school uniform, books and a
bag!” she uttered excitedly.
Bahadur was dumbstruck!
“Why would you want to go
to school? What will you do
there?” he asked amazed.
Kushi could no longer hold it. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She blurted out how
she used to stealthily peer into Moa’s books every night after he slept. When he
came to know of her passion and curiosity for numbers he was happy to help. He
taught her how to count, add, subtract… Gradually he also made her perform basic
arithmetic operations and now she could say out loud- multiplication tables up to 20
by-heart!
Hearing this the guilt in Tenzing pricked! He felt ashamed of himself. He took
Bahadur aside and convinced him into not selling the wheelchair away. “… but even
if she had it how can she go to school? There are no stairs either; its not even a
road what you students take to school! How can anyone move her wheelchair up
the hill?” questioned Bahadur.
Tenzing had to act fast. He ran back to school and caught up with Tamang
Sir who was on his way home. He told Tamang Sir- the mathematics
teacher everything about Kushi. Like always Tamang Sir had a solution for
every problem! He told Tenzing to gather as many volunteers as possible,
collect reasonable funds from each and every house of Gorkhapur and get
to work the very next day!
Tenzing got busy hunting volunteers.
Tamang Sir had a trick up his sleeve!
Bahadur set off to the nearby town to specially get Kushi’s golden biscuits baked
for her birthday which was four days from then.
Her mother began collecting selected herbs from the foot of the mountain to cook
on Kushi’s birthday her favourite yak milk cream soup.
Moa began wrapping a small box of crayons in glittering paper just for his Kushi.
The news of Tamang Sir’s idea spread like wild fire throughout Gorkhapur!
Funds were collected in no time.
And the school children too enthusiastically joined Tenzing in his venture.
Meanwhile Kushi forgot all that happened at the fair, smiled away her worries; as
usual and indulged herself in conversation with her friends- the magpies, orchids
and the kitten… totally uninformed of what was happening behind her back!
There turned out to be more number
of volunteers than expected. In fact
almost the whole of Gorkhapur
turned up!
Tamang Sir gave them instructions
on how to execute his plan. All ears,
everybody agreed in unison!
Tamang Sir prayed for the success
of the mission and all set to work
immediately!
The school children of
Gorkhapur were all excited!
It was a “hush-hush” matter.
There was a big pleasant
surprise in store for the gay ,
most adored and ever
smiling lass of Gorkhapur-
“Kushi”.
Bahadur decided not to sell her wheelchair after all!
Up the hill all volunteers enthusiastically began
moving big stones, pieces of rocks and boulders
lying on the way to school.
Here, inside her house was Kushi; unaware of what
was going on outside!
The zeal and zest just kept on building. A road on which the
wheelchair could be easily pushed was under construction!
Within a mere couple of days the road was ready! It was awaiting the
dawn of a fresh new beginning of hope…
“The new day has come!”
Bahadur’s eyes were brimming with tears of gratitude. He was
speechless. Smilingly he placed the plate piled with a heap of
Kushi’s golden biscuits and a flask of her favourite hot soup in
front of her. The school children gathered outside her house. She
invited them in and requested them to help themselves in to some
biscuits. He told her what the people of Gorkhapur were up to.
She was awestruck! She couldn’t believe her ears!
Tenzing was more than
willing to help Kushi
spread her wings now! He
has proved to be a more
matured, responsible,
lovable, caring and worthy
brother …
 ra it K u sh i d re w with the
y po rt
This is the famil . H e r b e a u ti fu l family …
by Moa Gorkhapur!
crayons gifted v o lu n te e rs o f
wonderful
consisting the
 ir t hday? All were
r o n h er b
c o u ld sh e ha ve asked fo
What more
wy - e ye d y e t happy!
de
Kushi’s parents
heaved a deep sigh
of relief.
Their darling could fly
now! She could go to
school like all the
other children!
They seldom had to
deprive Kushi of her
wheelchair…
….. The golden
baton- their family
heirloom had indeed
brought them an
ecstasy which knew
no bounds!
“A happy ending… “
… or say “a happy
beginning”?