Children at Work
Characters :
1. Velu
2. Jaya
Places :
1. Chennai Egmore station
2 . Sri Rajarajeshwari prasanna kalyaan mandapam
3. Slum
Plot - I
Velu, an eleven-year-old boy, entered the Chennai Central Station through Kanyakumari Express. Two days before, he had run away from his home. Because of his father, he used to take his and his sister's earned money to drink alcohol and beat them severely. He couldn't tolerate that, so he left home and caught the Kanyakumari Express train. He didn't know where the train was going. He just wanted to escape from his home. So he got on the train. Throughout his whole journey, he hadn't taken anything to eat except some peanuts and a piece of jaggery. He had no money for taking tickets but luckily the ticket collector didn't enter the unreserved compartment. He was sleeping near the door. Next to him, a group of men was playing cards and shouting a lot. Finally, he reached Chennai Central. He stood on the platform. A porter shouted, " Oy, out of the way". The way he called, Velu jumped aside. He was sitting on the bench with his bundle. He was watching everything, never in his lifetime, he saw such a crowd except one day fair which was happening in his village. It was so strange to him. He didn't know what was his next move. Many people were moving here and there, some of them were sitting near their luggage and others were watching a Tv that was hanging on the roof.
A rough voice called out, "Aiy! What, new to town wh? " Velu looked around but no one was looking at him. Then the same voice, again he could hear, "Here! Aiy! ". Now Velu saw a girl who wore a long banian that came down to her knee. Her hair was so stiff and brownish. He was very surprised to see such a girl who was searching for some dirty cups and putting them into her sack. The girl asked his name and enquired him about the reason why he run away from his house. He was shocked that how the girl knew that. Due to his appearance and his bundle, she easily understood that. But he was not ready to answer her question. She was a stranger so how could he told about his past life. He hadn't taken any proper food, so the hungry was pinching his stomach. The girl understood his feelings and asked him to follow her if he want food. Velu didn't get any idea except he wants to follow her.
Plot -II
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Velu caught up with the girl. She was left out of the station and ready to cross the traffic road. As a village boy, he had never seen such traffic in his life. He saw so many banners but he was not able to read it. Because it was in English. Due to heavy traffic, he saw so many vehicles. Those vehicles emitted so much pollution. While the girl was easily crossing the traffic, he was stunned to see the traffic and stood at the centre of the road. She noticed that and dragged him. Even though it was early morning he cannot bear the heat of the sun. He didn't have slippers to wear, even though he managed to follow her. Then both of them turned onto a wide bridge. Velu peeped over everything. The road joined the city. He could see huge buildings, towers and roads. She pointed out one big building and asked him to stay away from that particular building. Then Velu read out the name written in Tamil as, "Central Jail". He was shocked and asked her the reason. She mentioned not being there. Velu was thinking about the girl who was carrying a sack. He was confused about what was inside her bag. Even though he need food, so he had to follow her. Finally, they reached, Sri Rajarajeshwari Prasanna Kalyaan Mandapam". The name of the Groom: is J. V. Vinayagam and Bride: is Rani. He was happy that they should enter into the mahal. But she walked behind the mahal. There was garbage, there two goats were fighting for one leaf. The girl took a banana and a vada from the garbage and gave it to him. At first, he was hesitant to get that, but due to heavy hungry, he accepted it. But that one banana and vada didn't enough for him. The girl asked Velu if he want more food she asked him to stay there for an hour. After lunch, they would through the food leaf into the garbage. But Velu was not ready to stay there because he didn't know where he was. So he decided to follow her. Now only Velu asked her name. She answered as Jaya. She said that the bag was full so she wanted to take a new bag. So they both were ready to go to Jaya's place.
Plot - III
Velu and Jaya walked along the road for half an hour. Under the bridge the water was dirty. Then Jaya mentioned the area as Triplicane from there they can saw Buckingham Palace. Finally, they reached Jaya's home. It was built with metal sheets, tyres, bricks, wood and plastics. He was strange with that house because, in his village, the houses were made up of mud and palm leaves. She went into the house and dumped her sack outside. Then she took an empty sack. She gave him a sack and a stick into his hand. He did not know what to do with these things. He said he know the only work was on the landowner's farm, weeding and cows out to gaze. She replied that in that city there was no farmer's land. Now she mentioned their job as "rag pickers". He was shocked to hear that. She asked Velu to collect paper, plastic, glass and such things. He was hesitant to touch such things from rubbish bins. She said that it was not a rubbish bin, just they had to collect papers and plastics only. He asked who did collect such rubbish things. She answered Jam Bazaar Jaggu. He was the one, who collected the things from them and sold those things to the factory. Finally, she asked Velu to follow her if he need food. He too only had the option to get food once he got a good job. So now he became a "ragpicker"
