The child with the mountain of courage

A crusher machine is grumbling. A wheel is spinning crushing the stones. A man shoveling and pushing the big  stones into the crushing area like a man feeding the coal into a running steam train engine. Air is dusty all around. It is making the sweaty body more sticky. The conveyor belt is carrying the stone chips and piling it up to be taken by the trucks to construction areas. These stones will be used by the for the developmental work to make roads and railway tracks. It is a place near Raipur Chhattisgarh where these stone mining are happening for the fast developing state. 

There was nothing beautiful about this scenery. Then why this small child is sitting constantly and lost himself with the sound of the grinding machines? He has wear a cap and without afraiding the dust and parching sun above. 

I went near him and asked what is there so beautiful he is looking at?  
My cousin is working there. He replied 
His name was Santosh Kumar Kaushale and lives in the nearby village. 
It is just that his shift is over, he was taking some rest. 

You must be 12-13 years old, why don't you study why you are working here I asked. 
I earn money here from here. 
He earns a mere 2500 rupees and gives 2000 to 2200 rupees at his home to feed a family of three sister and parents. 

I was spellbound by the words of this courage of the dusty child. At my age I am still asking money from my father to fulfill my needs. But this child has the responsibility of his home at the age of 12. 
At time when Chhattisgarh is achieving a 11% growth rate I feel there is miles to go to achieve a real human index growth rate.



Chandan