Aug 1: All religions believe in God’s creation of this universe and all the living and non-living things thereon. Genesis, the first book in the Bible, describes the making of the earth and heavens, plants, animals, and to cap it all, He created man and woman. Man (and woman as well!) took over thereafter and created all good and bad in this world.
In India, the Hindu culture divides the life system into four castes ? Brahmins and Kshatriyas, who treat them to be the upper castes and have historically oppressed the Vysyas and Shoodras. The upper castes made good use of their social status to misuse the lower caste men, women and children for their benefit. Some of the things that the lower castes were subjected to, the word inhumane would be an understatement.
We know that, throughout Indian history, many great souls fought against this evil, while the political parties shed crocodile tears, appeasing the scheduled castes and tribes for their vote banks. These petty politics only helped in raising tensions in the country (remember the Mandal-Masjid politics of the early 90’s), but the poor man from the oppressed masses, has stayed where he belonged. Untouchability has remained and the lower castes and tribes continued to be marginalised. What I learnt however, during my personal visit to Spoorthi Dhama that there were communities which did not even belong to the two lower castes! I was told that there was a fifth element in the four-caste Hindu system, that of the Koragas, who were treated worse than animals!
The frontal view of the main building nesting Koraga children ? It has the recognition of the Government (of Karnataka) as this billboard proclaims. But what about the funds required to run it?
In this background stands an institution built on the foundation of self respect and human dignity for the worst-affected Koraga community. It survives, amidst all the struggles and in the middle of continued strife faced by its inspirational social workers from the upper castes. It stands tall in spirit, to inspire confidence for the Koraga children. Many of them are destitute and orphan, and those who are not, are no better, as their parents are unable to earn one meal for themselves. Spoorthi Dhama (Inspirational Home) is in itself an apt description of the silent, yet inspirational, revolution that has taken place in a small village named Kedoor in Kundapur Taluk for the last 15 years.
In talent, I am no less than your talented children, so what if I belong to the oppressed Koraga community? And so what if I cant wear a decent dress? (L); Keshav Koteshwar: A ‘Spoorthi’ (inspiration) for the untouchable Koraga orphans and destitute. He has dedicated his entire life for the upliftment of the oppressed down-castes.(R)
When my eldest co-brother had introduced this institution for a charitable purpose 3 years ago, little had I known what these people were up to. Throughout the last 3 years, I had nurtured a dream of visiting this noble institution.
Recently during our short annual vacation, we wanted to accomplish this dream. We traveled by bus, covering around 100 kms from Mangalore by a Kundapur Express bus and got down at Thekkatte (soon after Kota). A taxi at the bus stop took us inside a partly asphalted road for around 5 kms leading us to this 2.5 acre land donated by a well wisher. It was forenoon of a Saturday, the 100 plus Koraga children had all gone to the nearby Government School. The time will come to meet them later, we were told.
To our amazement, we met Emily Silver, a 22 year old American girl, only daughter of the charitable parents hailing from New York. Emily had come down to India, through a social welfare exchange program with a desire to work with orphaned children and destiny had brought her down to our own sweet district to work at Spoorthi Dhama. I remembered my days, at age 22, busy preparing for my professional exam, striving to build a career! And here was a girl, from the distant and rich new continent, trying to shape the future of the orphaned and oppressed children of my homeland!!! I also remembered all those who left our land to the greener pastures of the west, including, the Americas. I had no words on my tongue to thank this young American for doing the work which was perhaps mine. My family is grateful to the kindness of God who helped us reach here. It was a moment for my children to understand the difficulties of children of our country, perhaps a lesson for their future.
We had no hopes, now we are taught to dream.. Thank you sir for spending a few moments with us?please come again? (See how the Koraga children close-in on Emily.)
We went around the premises, and were not surprised seeing the sad plight of the premises. How would an institution survive if it receives so many brickbats and so less of help despite the numerous promises of the politicians? We could see only the extreme determination of Keshav and his staff in single-handedly bringing up this place. There was a small hut to shelter around 50 Koraga girls and a similar but separate shelter for all the 50 plus boys. And there was an incomplete building block intended to move the girls from their small hut (named ‘Hennu Huligala Beedu’ – ‘Tigresses Home’). A small library building and a kitchen cum cow shed complete the story of the place.
Spoorthi?s efforts are slowly bearing fruit. With a 12 year institution, now the children are slowing climbing the stairs of higher education. One has joined law and eight girls are admitted into college of nursing. Costs are increasing due to this, reveals Keshav, but well wishers are also helping. A few institutions admit some of their children at discounted fees. Keshav feels that 10 year down the line, this institution will be looked after by the kids who grew up here. Keshav revealed that for basic needs, their expense budget is Rs 10 lakhs per annum. I tried a quick math? it worked out to a mere Rs 25 per child per day! For education, food and all other overheads! And even this amount is hard to come by. Imagine the cost of higher education for the deserving children.
How it all started at the first place?
Keshav hails from the Balegara community (bangle sellers) of the Shoodra caste born in Koteshwar of Kundapur Taluk. It was early 80?s when, as a teenager, Keshav (from Koteshwar village in Kundapur) was with his mother, who was helping in the cleaning of a Kalyana Mantap (a place where weddings and other functions take place) and was a witness to Koragas eating the left over food. The young blood boiled, made him to share his grief at this inhuman act with his mother and others around. But they pacified him and said that this has been the tradition, no one has ever been successful in changing this. They also advised him to keep quiet about it.
But this boy had made up his mind. To relieve the Koragas from humiliation. He had his future dedicated for the downtrodden. At an age when we all made important academic and career decisions, Keshav resolved to fight against this evil to the society, to provide courage and inspiration for the oppressed masses to stand against the evil. He realized that the main cause for this evil culture is the lack of education. He shared his grief with 4 other friends and class mates, Ganesh, Karunakar, Nithyanand and most importantly, Pramila Vaz.
(Keshav was to later marry Pramila, a match made in heaven for the welfare of God?s own creations. Unaffected by religious boundaries. Pramila is the daughter of Mr P D Vaz, or Pidvaz, famous for his “Patenathllim Railam” in Raknno. Pramila is a Master in Social Works from Roshni Nilaya, Mangalore).
File photo: Keshav and Pramila at Spoorthi Dhama
The Koraga children at Spoorthi Dhama, whom he has adopted to be his own, call him ‘Pappa’ and ‘Daddy’, and his attachment to the children is such, he would not even attend his family functions but would devote his lifetime for them. The day we visited Spoorthi was the Engagement of Pramila’s brother, but Keshav sent his social worker wife and stayed back to look after his ‘children’.
In the mid eighties, Keshav decided that his 12th standard education was sufficient to take a plunge into relieving the oppressed classes and started his revolution with the help of his four friends. However, they had a mission, but no strategy. And importantly, no funds. They started with nothing at all. That made them to knock on the doors of the villagers for help. The mention of Koragas turned all the doors on them. They managed to gather 10 Koraga children, but struggled to find a place to keep them.
Keshav recollects: When all had shut their doors on them, the former MLA from Kundapur, Winnifred Fernandes, perhaps not bothered to know what they wanted to do, agreed to let them run a school in her premises. ?Winnifred Compound? became the first home for the ?unwanted? children of the Koraga community, spearheaded by Keshav Koteshwar.
TURNING POINT:
All was fine, work had started. Small premises were now available. But what about funds? More Koraga children joined in or were brought in, most of whom were destitutes and orphans. The five-some friends, the Gods and a Goddess for the overlooked folk, strengthened their desires and determination to fight for Koragas till the very end despite all hardships and obstacles.
This took them from home to home, from villages to villages and to cities, begging for alms, to provide a decent shelter, food and basic education to the Koragas. Support was available at some places, but the mention of working for the Koragas turned many away.
But God had his plans ready. A turning point arrived in 1997 when Keshav and Pramila knocked on the doors of a man named Dr Desmond Abreo. But Dr Desmond?s health condition (he was recovering from a heart attack and Keshav recalls that he was the first outsider to meet Dr Abreo after his heart attack) prevented them from any talks that day. Little did they know of the charitable and social background of this great man. A week later, when they met him again, he immediately understood the ?Spoorthi? spirit and mission, and assured all help. Dr Abreo and his wife, Margaret Abreo, both had earlier come out of their respective religious orders to serve mankind and were running a charitable foundation in Mangalore. And Spoorthi provided them a platform to reach that part of the society which was overlooked for ages by rest of the mankind. Dr Abreo promised all necessary help, but told Keshav that he will be involved only for the first 5 years, after which, the institution should run on its own.
Late Dr Desmond Abreao and Ms Margaret Abreao with the Koraga children(File photo)
The next step was to get recognition from the Government. Keshav?s collection of press clippings tells a long story of the kind of strife he faced. When Spoorthi Foundation encountered obstacles from the Government, they hit the streets with ?Bhikshaatane? (begging movement). At one stage, Keshav asked the Government to take over this task itself if it cannot fund the project. The Government officials threatened to arrest the volunteers for begging, and Keshav went public with his statement that he would face prison, if begging for the education of the tribals (a government priority, sadly!) was wrong. Ultimately, government recognition was available, and for this purpose, Spoorthi Rural Development and Agriculture Training Society was set up. The Government recognition also brought several VIPs and ministers to the centre, obviously with an eye on the vote banks, but Keshav reveals his agony at being ditched by almost every one of them. Isn?t it quite obvious that they promise never to deliver?
Spoorthi continued its fight to gather funds for taking care of the increasing number of Koraga children ? for their food, education and basic shelter. Clothing, a basic need for humans, is still not a priority for the kids. Dr Desmond and Margaret became father figures, providing inspiration and confidence to the struggling Spoorthi through financial support whenever required. Two junior Abreo?s, running a publicity company, Origami, in Bangalore, provided help through printing brochures and building a website (). As is the case in any revolution, anything that happened and revolved around Spoorthi made headlines in the newspapers attracting all and the sundry towards it.
Last 7-8 years have been eventful for Spoorthi Dhama, as Keshav described:
- Spoorthi used “Bhikshaatane” ? a movement of begging on the streets for providing education to these orphaned and destitute children. Keshav informed me that, in St Aloysius College, Mangalore, Spoorthi?s efforts were welcomed and fully supported by the priests, lecturers and students, where they collected Rs 57,000 on one single day.
- Almost every day has been a day of trouble from the upper castes ? he says, all around the country, the upper castes think that the governments and political parties are appeasing SCs and STs through job reservations and what not, but Keshav revealed that hardly these plans and schemes reach the needy. As an example, he says, there were, at one time, only 9 Koraga children in 20 schools opened by the Government in the district for the benefit of tribals! Government spends a lot of money on these schemes meant for the tribals, but benefits are grabbed by others.
I can go on describing the kind of battles Keshav has fought to meet his basic objectives. But these pages would not be sufficient to describe them. Neither can I summarize all the determined efforts of Keshav, Pramila and their companions in this article, nor would the readers have the patience and time for it. My humble request to all the kind, charitable and generous readers of this website – please visit this place to get a real experience. The children are waiting, for a helping hand from all of you.
As their brochure says: “It’s a pity at our age, we have to get our priorities right. Most kids have their priorities ? ice creams, dresses, dolls, chocolates etc. We have got OUR priority right ? education. It?s our only ticket to be one among you. We?ll do the ‘studying’, just help us with the living.”
How different is this child from my own? A moment of sheer delight for the visitor with this innocent Koraga child.
Late Dr Desmond Abreo remains a God for all the inmates. Keshav admits that Dr Abreao is the only God he worships.
A partly complete building ? the first floor will host 50 odd Koraga girls who live in a small hut currently. This will need funds to complete.
Boys hostel houses around 50 boys.
There is a dream in them?not of chocolates, not of birthday presents, but of education..to become something in the future. No lack of talents too. (my children are seated behind, near Emily)
A moment of reckoning?a moment of emotions?’yours truly’, my wife, Keshav and Emily Silver get an audience.
If we look a bit ‘lookable’ then its all thanks to our well wishers, ‘Pappa’ Keshav, Emily ‘Akka’ and, Ganpu (a staff belonging to the same community). Can you join in their efforts please?
One part of this old structure is kitchen and the other part is a cow shed?
No dearth of talent here..clothes are still not our priority. Two small boys volunteer to sing a song for the visitors.
He was melodious and no less than the leading singers of filmdom. But?then opportunity is sadly restricted only to a few lucky people in this world.. With determination, we shall overcome our difficulties, one day?
Children line up for a photo shoot ? “Uncle, show me where I am in the photo please”
Home of the tigresses? Well at least that is what they dream to become one day.(L); Determination and confidence are the essence of one’s life and that is what Koraga children learn at Spoorthi Dhama.(R)
We Mangaloreans as a community are known to respond charitably to the needs of the helpless and downtrodden. Can we respond to the 100 plus Koraga children?s dreams of coming up in their life? To be someone, to stand on their feet, to be equals among other human beings?
This is my sincere effort to bring to light a humane effort dedicated to uplift the oppressed and the downtrodden masses and I leave it in the safe hands of our Mangalorean community to come forward and reach out to them. This is indeed a ‘one-of-its-kind project’ run with all sincerity, passion and devotion with a hope that the well wishers will come by, some time.
You can contact Spoorthi Dhama in following ways:
Post: Spoorthi Dhama, Kedur Post,
Kundapur Taluk,
Karnataka,
India ? 576 231
Tel: +91 8254 287192
Email: ;
Website:
Author: Agnel Pereira- Bahrain
