Manoj Monoblogues

The series continues... (Please excuse me, this might be a bit long but it should be a worthy read and it does mean a lot to me) B for Banyan

There are many things both good and bad that shape us into who we become as thinking adults. I was fortunate indeed that I came in contact with The Banyan at a particularly vulnerable time of my life. Like the Tree from which it gets its name, this is a place which provides the shelter for the needy. This is an organisation which has changed my perspective towards life, love, happiness and actually everything that makes me who I am today. The Banyan is a NGO which takes care of mentally ill, destitute women by taking care of them, rehabilitating them and helping them in all ways to lead a normal and satisfying life. I thought I'd just let you guys into the story about how I got involved in this wonderful organisation to show you how chance encounters can change lives. After my school in when I did not get into any medical college I had decided go into the accounting profession (that's another story). Towards that end, I had started working as an Article Clerk in my dad's friend's Chartered Accountancy Firm. Around 6 months into my work I had come across the name The Banyan and my colleagues were auditing the accounts of this organisation. I was not directly involved but going through them I could understand that they were some kind of NGO, yet did not have any idea about the actual work that was being done. After the first year I had been elevated to the next level and I was handling the accounts of bigger companies and was handling them alone, and got to audit the accounts of The Banyan. Auditors as breed have perpetual doubts and constantly need clarifications and discussions with their Clinets; I confess I am no different. So, to banish away all my doubts, one day Vaishi (Vaishanvi) and Ashok landed up in my office with loads of papers to have the discussion with me. We finished the discussion but I still had no idea about what exactly they do in the organisation. In the evening after the meeting was over Vaishi and Ashok asked me just drop into their place so that I would get a better idea. I went to their place the same evening, and was stunned! To be honest what ever I have seen of NGO's before was expecting a huge campus with lots of space, lots of trees and lots of people. What I saw was completely the opposite. The first place I went was their office which was basically a 2 bedroom house on the ground floor. If I remember I met, Anu, Masylene, Ashok, then Vaishi and Vandana. I was seated at the reception when Anu started explaining me about what they do, how they do. I was skeptical (not sure whether I can use that word) but was not very clear whether I had really understood what they were doing. But then Anu said that I need to see the people who they were helping and it was another house (a house which people would normally think is fit enough only for a family of 3 or 4). When I entered the house I was received by a wide range of emotions on the faces of the inmates, most of them were smiling having seen a new face in their house, some were scared (understandable) and some mixed. I have never before seen so many people under one roof but the most important thing was all of them were happy and satisfied. I got talking to some of them and I could get what they have gone through and with the help of the social workers (my heroes really) I really understood what was happening (I'm man enough to admit that I did let some tears out, but my wife tells me that I'm a cry baby anyway). Once I was out of Adaikalam and back to the office I was introduced to the office staffs who take care of various departments like social work, fund raising, accounts, administration etc. All of them were sitting in the tiny place (to be honest my cubicle now is as big as the room they were operating from). There were computers, printers, papers, cupboards and more things crammed into that cubbyhole than I would have ever imagined possible. Once I was out of the place, I sat on my bike and was thinking for a bit about the everything I had just seen. I remembered some quote that I had read sometime " It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can." (It's Sydney Smith, I just found out now who said this thanks to the miracle of Google). From that day in 1996 I have been associated with this organisation. I started going to The Banyan from the very next day, everyday for almost an year or more. I started off doing odd accounts jobs, data entry jobs but it was fun and I really enjoyed my time. Went for movies almost every other night, and made lots and lots of friends (more than I had ever imagined possible, given my limited social skills at that time) . Every time I went back home from The Banyan, the kind of satisfaction I used to get was unbelievable. The sad fact is that because I now live and work in Bangalore I am not able to spend physical time, but I do try my best to do as and when any need arises. In 2000, I finally got the chance of going for a rehab trip which took to me places where I would never have dreamt of going. It took me to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, the experiences of the same would be shared with you in another blog. By the time I finished the trip I had gone through so many different experiences and emotions that many people would not have had in their entire life. In short it was eye opening, enriching and a completely satisfying trip.

There was a time when I finished my article clerk work and was looking out for a job. Was sitting at home not doing anything and I started going to Banyan everyday to volunteer for them, and they actually wanted to pay me for the same. It was so sweet of them, really :) I may be called a sentimental sap after this, but I’d like to acknowledge a few things that I believe would never have happened if I had not gone there that evening. I met my future wife through one of my now best friend Madan Menon whom I met first time in The Banyan (whoo!! It sounds a lot like it does when two mallus get together and discuss family their family tree). I got my first proper job ( and am still working at the same place even now) because of Mrs. Madhuri Menon, Madan's mom (I call her Aunts), she gave my CV to her friend through whom I got an interview. The two of the most important things in a persons life, a Good Wife and a Satisfying Job, both I have and I know it happened only after I got into contact with The Banyan (may be I would have got the same even if The Banyan was not a part of life, but I would like to believe it otherwise). But more than those two, the most important thing I got out from The Banyan are FRIENDS. I always believe that Friends are the most important people in a person's life. Rabindranath Tagore said "Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance". It would be redundant to say that the Banyan changed my life in many immeasurable ways, big and small (and it would be superfluous indeed for me to ask all of you guys to please visit http://www.thebanyan.org/, and please go through what they really do and please do anything that you can do. Something is always better than nothing. And organisations like this can never have enough help). I’ve changed (for the better I believe) since I met Vandana, Vaishnavi and everyone at The Banyan and in some small way I’d like to believe that I made a difference to the world around me because of my association with them. Jai Hind Go Green