A Child of God

I ran into her in Dharamsala, home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile. She was a pilgrim at the festival of Buddha Purnima, which celebrates the Buddha's enlightenment.

I don’t know her story. I regret not speaking to her, or even inquiring about her. I confess I was too dumbstruck, able only to take this photo from across the road, approach her to drop some coins in her bowl, and slip away.

Her teeth and hair suggest she is young. Is she a victim of fire or chemicals (accidental or criminal)? Does she have a family? How does she regard herself? What is a typical day in her life?

Comments

[Shreyasi]

I cringe and ask the same questions everytime I stumble across her picture on my visits to the Buddhapurnima/ Dharamsala site. Don't really know. Very likely it could be the result of some chemicals/ radioactive spillage. Less likely, it could be a congenital disorder. It hurts even to see this picture, let alone confront her. But while growing up in India I have often witnessed a certain compassion and the matter-of-fact acceptance that the general Indian society (especially the 'unenlightened' ones) has towards such 'children of God' which gives them a sense of belonging.