By: Sr. Ching Madduma, ICM

It is hard to believe that there are 200 million “Untouchables” in the subcontinent of India, people treated as less than human beings. There is also another group even less visible who are often retarded as even worse off-the seriously handicapped and mentally retarded. Sr. Ching has worked to bring these people out of what she calls ‘the valley of shadow.’ Here she brings us up to date on the story of her little friend, Kamal.

Free from Chains
I, Kamal am free! How I wish he could have spoken these words! Nonetheless, I was touched when our little 12 year old boy from the local unit for children with mental retardation came to our convent compound and grinned broadly as he gestured awkwardly to show that his chains of oppression were gone.

Fell from Rickshaw
Kamal is first and above all a person. He happens to be a person who is mentally handicapped. In an earlier story I introduced this rare and beautiful person. I told of his birth into a poor Indian farming family here in Sarnath, North India. Kamal’s problems began with a high fever when he was a small child. His development was further slowed down after a fall from a rickshaw and consequent head injuries.

Chained like a Bear
The local pujari or religious leader considered Kamal possessed and so to his tiny wrists and weak ankles were placed steel bracelets and anklets eventually to be links by chains. And this became part and parcel of his daily life. The chains enabled the family to peg Kamal near the buffaloes when these animals were bedded for the night. Kamal had chains similar to those worn by captive bears and other animals that are paraded on occasions through the streets of this old Buddhist site. The chains enabled people in the area to catch the almost-always naked Kamal and to hold him until his aged grandmother would come and to lead him away.

Little Bruised Limbs
Life changed greatly for me and Kamal when we first met. He was my first student in my education work with the mentally handicapped here in India. Kamal could communicate very well; not by voice but by a winning smile, soft eyes and innocence. From the beginning his message to me was “Set me free, please! Set me free through education to be accepted and not chained or pitied by society! Set me free from these chains which bind much more than just physically!” To set Kamal free has been my challenging and fulfilling work for the past eight years.
I received Kamal into our Special Education Unit so that he might have the same respect and dignity given to the other members of his family. I gave him love and care he needed as a child and he gradually responded with childlike greetings. He began to wear clothes and to be feed like a normal. I gave my best to educate not only Kamal but also his family and the Sarnath community who needed to be taught about the needs and the care of special people like Kamal. In time, I could thank the Lord that the chains of prejudice were removed. Kamal could now walk more freely. He could reach out better and run faster just like any other normal boy.
He would think that life is worth living. However, for a long, long time the steel bands continued to bind him and to bruise and blacken his little limbs thus oppressing the thin, young boy.

The Steel Bands were Gone
Years have passed since then... and today Kamal came to our window. He grunted a greeting loudly. He grinned and waved his small arms over his heads. He kicked his legs high. He was telling us in his own way, “I Kamal am free at last!” The steel bands- his –bands-were-gone! But Kamal is still far off from being liberated in today world. Indeed, he has yet a long way to go. And I his teacher am honored and grateful to be able to walk with him.