Padma, My Dear Friend

On my usual errands by local train, I take the opportunity to interact with the fellow travellers. This has become the part of me while I was working with some organisations for special people. These interactions have given me chances to meet, philanthropists, business women, lawyers, teachers, students, doing nothing people and some really special talented humans.

I chose a non-peak time to travel towards South Mumbai. The ladies Dabba has few college going girls on one corner muckraking. Passing by few stations, the coach got filled. Crossing by a main station, I noticed facial expression changing on few women face. Soon I heard a male voice asking "May I sit here?” For a moment i startled, seeing a woman in her best of curls, beautifully draped in brown colour saree, and a red bindi adorned her. She sat beside me pulling the handbag against her. The fellow passengers showed their displeasure in various forms. 

My attempt of sketching her

Now that got me a chance to talk to her. Stage by stage I made her comfortable with me to talk what she is. Now you read a SHE in my statement but read male voice somewhere above?! Yes! Padma (the She) is a Transgender. She neither blessed us nor cribbed on her transgender issues. We spoke a lot about train, Mumbai what not. The question answer session ended in about our profession. Padma is a TEACHER in a school for BLIND at the outskirts of Mumbai. I was the happiest person, but somewhere the pain struck me when she stressed on why she chose that category of students.

Padma is a trained Primary school Teacher, but unfortunately, our great institutions did not allow her to join for the worry of kids getting scared. The school currently she is working for accepted her for the reason that the students cannot see. She explained a lot on what is she facing as an educated transgender human in the society. I went short of words, mouth zipped, looked at my ladies opposite to me, looked with all anger and pain of their ignorance to her. 

For a moment, I wished the whole world could go blind to gain equality!