Wheel of Life, by Suman Das, Kolkata

Born, raised, and currently residing in Kolkata, West Bengal, Suman is a common man full of dreams.

It seemed as if time stood still– the wheel of life was stagnant. I had heard about migrating birds, I had seen them as well. But I had never heard the term “migrant workers.” Thousands of them travelled innumerable miles, barefoot or with simple shoes. Across the media channels and newspapers, I saw the deaths of helpless and innocent people. I saw too many losing their jobs, unemployed and unable to eat even one meal a day. I saw the financial crunch hit so hard that a father sold his three-month-old daughter for 3,000 rupees. Day after day, I heard the cries of people struggling to survive.

I am also a part of this crowd. Nights have passed with me cornering myself in a dark room in the same manner, looking at the terrace. I have felt neglected and humiliated by the hands of time. I have felt like a person who is unworthy and incapable of work. I have been without work for days, weeks, and months. We had led a normal life, but that little space of normalcy has been snatched away by the pandemic.  

But I have never felt hopeless. The lifestyle of a theater artist is a very mediocre one. Amidst so many things, I clung onto my hope, believing that as long as there is hope, there is life. This life is mine. 

I realized, only if I stay well will I be able to ensure the wellness of my family, friends, and community. 

This thought has kept me going relentlessly. I am teaching people to dream with the help of theater, because hope and dreams penetrate the impossible. 

Like so many others, I have learned the essence of humanity, the difference between being selfish and being selfless. We will stand up against this dark time. At the end of the night, at dawn, the sun will rise again. 

“Streaming light from the dark fountainhead is yours.
Grace ever wakeful amidst all strife and feud is yours.”
–Rabindranath Tagore.

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(This story was prepared for an “Imagine Another World” online storytelling workshop held December 16, 2020.)

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