Entourage

Meet Rupa Doloi. Yesterday morning at the break of daylight, we headed out to Katamtola village on the outskirts of Calcutta. From the daunting streets of the city, lined with Rickshaw drivers preparing for the morning rush hour, the first aroma of street food seeps into the air, and yet the city remains relatively quiet [for Calcutta standards]. Bablu, my kind car ride companion, a man who patiently waits without complaint of weather or time, in order to take me to my intended destinations, whether the market, Mother House, or for my ridiculous cravings of chocolate and soda pop. Today, Bablu takes me to Katamtola, an unassumingly magical place.

I guess the car ride should have prompted me for what I was to see and learn of India from Katamtolla. The thirty-minute drive was an ever-passing scene of the morning dew rising from a lush green forest of tropical vegetation… simply beautiful. The stench of the fish market introduced us to a wonderland of cauliflower fields and bamboo gardens. Bablu, stops at a marshland, homes lined across this mote of water. A young boy greets us and takes our hand to the village. Approaching, beats of Hindi dance music blare from what seems to be a system of surround sound. It is 7 in the morning and Kadmatolla is Alive!

We are swarmed by children, without question or concern the children seem to have awaited our arrival for playtime. I use my few phrases of Bengali to greet the children, thank them for their hospitality and ask their names. My entourage is loyal throughout the duration of our stay, crowding into small homes, the new school room I am there to see and photograph, and to the small creek where we are to wash our hands after tea and cookies, they stay by my side; my child guardians.

We are greeted by Kali, the mother of this community. She walks the avenues of this village with an aura of compassion, yet undoutable leadership. It is Kali alone that petitioned for a feeding program nearly 25 years ago. Today, Kali maintains the daily distribution of food that is provided by Calcutta Mercy Ministries to the nearly 10,000 residence of this expansive village of West Bengal.

Kali has revolutionized the lives of her neighbors and friends. The health of the Katamtola people has undergone a dramatic improvement since the establishment of the Katamtola feeding line, a program that continues to lessen the financial burden of these families. The trickle effect from simply ensuring one’s nutritional assurance is remarkable. Just as clean water can change the dynamics and sustainability of a community, basic nutrition has proven to do the same. Today, the worries of these people are not for their next meal… that is a certainty, today Kali and her family dream of education, of opportunity.

Rupa will be the first of her family to receive education beyond English. Because of online education, we can ensure that a focus on education becomes the fabric of these communities.

I am better because of Katamtola, I am better because I know Kali, Rupa, Sona, and the countless other children that have greeted me with such kindness, with such joy. I am better because I am no longer a stranger or a guest, but a friend.