Most people, especially in our friends and relatives circle, are wary of being written about but one can ill afford to not write about certain people who are now a dwindling tribe and who have shown valour and presence of mind in the face of real danger.
This happened decades ago in a college in Kerala near our home. A mishap in a chemistry lab resulted in a fire. Panic made some jump through windows and others scoot whichever way they could for dear life.
It so happened that there was a girl, who incidentally belonged to local royal family, trapped inside the burning lab. A young student, not giving a second thought to the danger, brought the hapless girl out of the inferno with a minimum of burns to both.
It made colourful newspaper headlines to the effect that a young prince charming had saved a princess from fire, etc. Of course he would have done the same even if it were an ordinary person. That was how youngsters were brought up those days. I remember, be it a mad dog scare or any calamity that affected the village, a bunch of youngsters would take care of it.
As opposed to that, we raise children these days as ‘broiler chicken’, with only size and no brawn. With due apologies to them, it is not their fault; it is the way they are brought up. Not trained to do anything physically, all they can do is watch and wait for some ‘Superman’ to come and save the day.
But real-life supermen are hard to come by these days. It is frightening that the society we live in is least concerned about the safety of women. Human values are no more important. The only values that matter are those printed on bank notes!
The recent bad experience of a young South Indian actress on a train where co-passengers pretended to sleep despite her cries for help showed that if a well-known person had this fate, the state of ordinary girls can be imagined. More rapes would be the outcome unless girls learn to react like the actress did and take control of the situation.
For a start, the girls have to be bold enough to face the offender, most of whom are cowards, which makes their job easier. I feel happy seeing little girls going for karate classes. God knows, it may be the only thing that saves them one day.
Incidentally the young student who saved the princess from fire is a cousin of mine who still has some fire left in him, if the situation demands, and I take it that he wouldn’t mind being written about if it helps inspire others. May his tribe increase.
Elizabeth Koshy
Email: kitty.koshy@gmail.com