Aneesha

​While those who are blind act as if they can see, some who have sight pretend to be blind; I was forced to be a bridge between them. The so-called " helping hands " became unaware of their own standing. ​There is not much to describe, but I want to tell you about an incident in which I was involved. A blind man arrived at my college seeking financial help, and I came across him quite unexpectedly and helped him. Even though he did not receive the full financial support he wanted, what I recall every time is the wetness of my hand while holding his. He was almost my father’s age, blind, and had traveled a long way alone; yet, while the authorities refused to even walk toward him, he trusted me and walked through my college to seek help—he saw through my eyes. ​That is what led me to believe in trust ; even a person who is blind trusted me for help, whereas I find I cannot even trust the people around us. Through this incident, I realized that mercy only holds when the other ...

  ​Regardless of the generation, pedophilia persists as a social norm. It often carries itself as if it has earned the acceptance of society, dismissed as if the incident were merely a mistake or something trivial. ​I have read about the trauma caused by such approaches from men. Most incidents of pedophilia take place under the guise of the "innocent love" of an uncle toward a child, which later evolves into "grooming." I have read the play Thirty Days in September by Mahesh Dattani, which exposes the face of pedophilia across generations. ​In many Indian households, there is often a "creepy uncle." Yet, sometimes parents try to place the blame on their children by pointing to their style of dress. I know this is discussed all over the world, but I would like to say: "Be the change you want to see." ​I still remember a scene I witnessed during a housewarming: a relative was holding her sister a little closer, and I realized that the "creepy...