| Angel- Mr. Jo Nambiar, you have been actively | | | | Oscars and the Brazilian Carnival all rolled into one day |
| involved with a major youth festival called the Bala | | | | on the venue. |
| Mela at Bangalore. What purpose does a Bala Mela | | | | Angel – But to what end or purpose? |
| serve? | | | | Nambiar – Take the stage performance for |
| | | | | example. Many have climbed on to a stage before a |
| Nambiar – I want you to be categorical with the | | | | live audience for the first time. Many have held a |
| nomenclature. It is not a youth festival as much as it is | | | | microphone for the first time in their lives. Think of the |
| a children’s carnival. An underprivileged child’s | | | | exposure, the recognition, the praise and the applause |
| carnival to be more specific. As to its purpose, well | | | | they get. For at least one day in the year they can |
| every society endeavors to provide its populace with | | | | forget their pain, their frustrations, their hunger and their |
| the primary requirements of food, clothing and shelter. | | | | problems. That in itself is a reward for us and worth all |
| But look closely at a child’s environment, and you | | | | the effort we make. Prizes and awards are bestowed |
| will realize that a child’s basic need, apart from | | | | on them. Many lives are uplifted by a simple pat on the |
| food, clothing and shelter are also security, love, health | | | | shoulder. The child from the street or slum sees hope. |
| and education. The focus of many NGOs of | | | | They make an effort to perform better. They take |
| Karnataka and for that matter of even the rest of the | | | | pride in their talents and accomplishments. To the Bala |
| country has been to provide substantial support and | | | | Mela they feel a sense of belonging. They see a |
| funds to these six areas, - that is, food and nutrition, | | | | purpose in life. For example, a good singer or a |
| clothing, shelter, love and security, health, and education. | | | | performer suddenly sees a choice he can make - |
| NGOs and many charitable organizations have been | | | | from a life of misery and crime - to another that |
| doing exemplary work for many years in these areas | | | | promises a more fruitful possibility, which he might have |
| whereas successive governments have routinely | | | | never known had it not been for the thundering |
| failed. Many NGOs – in fact over a hundred that we | | | | applause he received at the Bala Mela! I know this is all |
| are directly associated with, have been doing this for | | | | hypothetical. But even if the entire effort caused one |
| the children successfully for many years. The Bala | | | | child to be saved, is it not worth it? |
| Mela committee decided to look a little beyond this. | | | | Angel – But who really is listening to a street or |
| Father Anthony Sebastian, heading an organization | | | | slum child’s problem today except the NGOs and |
| called ECHO asked the following questions some | | | | the media? How is the child’s message going to be |
| years ago :- Has an underprivileged child the means to | | | | heard in the corridors of power and cause enough |
| celebrate his or her birthday once a year? Does a | | | | anguish or pressure to galvanize our government to do |
| child languishing in a slum even know the date when he | | | | something about their plight? |
| or she was born? Does a street child ever get a | | | | Nambiar – I’m sorry I beg to differ as far as |
| chance to frolic and enjoy the regular festivals that the | | | | your views about the media are concerned. On 23rd |
| better placed children of our society enjoy? Be it | | | | November, 2008 at the Bala Mela venue, a |
| Christmas, New Year, Holi, Ugadi. Easter, Pongal, | | | | press-meet was organized so that the children could |
| Deepavali, Id-ul-Fitr or any of the innumerable festivals | | | | interact with the press. We sent out more than twenty |
| that mark the calendar every month of the year? | | | | invitations to leading newspapers and TV channels. |
| Apart from all this, is there a forum where a child from | | | | Only four newspaper reporters even bothered to |
| the street, slum or orphanage can speak out and voice | | | | come to the press-brief the day preceding the event. |
| his or her problems and concerns? Are these children | | | | And on the day of the event, to the disappointment of |
| not our tomorrow’s citizens? If their voices are not | | | | the children, the reporters were more keener on |
| heard today, are we not to blame for allowing | | | | interviewing our chief guests Mr. Shivraj Kumar the |
| frustration, crime and terrorism from taking over our | | | | actor and Mr. Oscar Fernandez the union minister. The |
| society tomorrow? It was from these pertinent and | | | | children had a lot to say but the media was not |
| in-your-face questions that Bala Mela was born in | | | | listening. The only photographs in the newspapers the |
| 2002, and it has been held every year since. It is | | | | following day was of Mr. Shivraj Kumar and Mr. Oscar |
| intended to be a day when underprivileged children | | | | Fernandez. In fact Mr. Rahul Gandhi also intended to |
| would gather in one venue and have the fun, sharing | | | | grace the occasion but couldn’t make it due to |
| the food and the festivities that they miss otherwise in | | | | some engagement. He sent a nice message, however. |
| their lives. It is a platform for them to share their views, | | | | I wonder what the media would bother to report about |
| meet others like them, voice their concerns and | | | | the Bala Mela or the children had Mr. Gandhi also come |
| showcase their talents. It is a place where they enjoy | | | | to the venue. We had over ten thousand children at |
| themselves to their hearts content as much as a place | | | | the Bala Mela, and they had chosen a group of very |
| where their personal horror stories are exchanged. | | | | articulate children to represent them at the press-meet. |
| And why not? The truth is laid bare before all to see | | | | How does one expect the voices of these children to |
| and take notice. The society, the media and the | | | | reach the corridors of power if you do not high-light or |
| government. | | | | report it? The onus lies with the media as well. If a |
| | | | | couple of newspapers and TV channels made |
| Angel – And what has been society’s response | | | | sufficient noise you can enact a new bill in parliament. |
| to all your efforts? Has any difference been made to | | | | That is the clout the media commands. Tell me, how |
| the lives of these underprivileged children by a one day | | | | can we get the media to do their bit for the children? |
| program? | | | | Angel – Mr. Nambiar, we have also heard of your |
| Nambiar - We the organizers, on our part spared no | | | | claim that the Bala Mela has set a world record. How |
| effort to put the amenities together. With over eight | | | | do you substantiate this? |
| hundred volunteers in place, scores of buses transport | | | | Nambiar – We cannot. It is the Guinness Book of |
| the children to the venue early in the morning. A | | | | World Records who have to do this. Our claim is that |
| child’s day at the Bala Mela venue involves a | | | | this is the largest gathering of underprivileged children in |
| nutritious breakfast, a medical check-up, games, lunch, | | | | the world in a single venue. We hope to invite the |
| stage-performances, competitions and a meeting with | | | | Guinness Book judges to the event this year to |
| the press. For these children, it is like the Olympics, the | | | | substantiate this claim. |