I visit Calcutta every few years – my birthplace. This amazing city, pulsating with life, decaying with death, all in one. The sights and sounds – and smells. The people, the millions - so many in poverty so destitute as to be indescribable, others in comparative wealth, and a small minority with so much wealth as to be also indescribable. The heat as it goes towards summer, the mountains of refuse (the sight of humans, dogs and birds contesting in, searching for – perhaps something to eat, something to sell – who knows. Struggling to live somehow). The Calcutta daily symphony, always present, but varying with the time of day – the sounding of car horns. In other countries the use of car horns is strictly forbidden except for emergency. But since Calcutta lives in an eternal emergency, it is perfectly legitimate.

And now to CAISS – The Calcutta Anglo-Indian Service Society. A small society dedicated to helping Anglo-Indians in need. And there seem to be a great many. Calcutta always had the highest Anglo-Indian population in India, and probably still has. Britain’s withdrawal from India left them in a difficult position. Many left India – many remained. And so many live in great poverty today.

This small society tries to alleviate the suffering in so many ways. I saw John D’Cruze and Jessie Hiramanick distributing rations one Sunday morning. Not just handing out rations but talking, advising, consoling, admonishing – sorting out the sad stories as well as possible. After that, a visit to Tiljala……down winding lanes and climbing over open drains, visiting people living in various stages of poverty. I felt I did not want to pry into their personal lives to add to the complete lack of privacy they live in. But we seemed to be welcome. The social welfare includes a night shelter….The people in Tiljala have a roof, even a leaky one, over their heads. The night shelter takes in those who live, sleep and perhaps die on the streets. Calcutta has always had such people – but many years ago they did not include Anglo-Indians. I sometimes could not grasp what I was seeing. It hurts to see people in such dire destitution – it hurts that little bit more when they are your own people.

I also saw Lynette Deane and Leslie Ryan of the Education Panel at work. Like the welfare panel, they interviewed the children and their parents or grandparents with sympathy. There was a certain amount of firmness as well – there has to be – but one feels the underlying sympathy. There are so many stories to hear – the need for education has to be pounded into some heads. The difficulty of finding schools, and then the difficulty of getting the children into these schools. The usual picture of underprivileged people all over the world – women left alone with children, or grandparents left alone with children. The enormity of the job, being handled quietly and efficiently.

Philomena Eaton presiding over everything. She invited us to her birthday party! Quite hilarious. We enjoyed ourselves in the old-fashioned way. Coral Hines was there and we met up again. Coral, Derrick Hines’ widow. Derrick who gave so much of himself to CAISS. But Coral deserves thanks in her own right. She gave her support wherever it was needed.

I was happy to meet Leslie Pereira again and Renshaw Dennis. Leslie has the task of finding employment. Given the enormous competition, it must be a Herculean task. But it seems jobs are found. Renshaw is the Minister of Finance! A daunting job trying to make the money go round. I think that rounds up my CAISS report. My friend and her daughter were also most impressed with what they saw and heard. They both made donations and Anne’s small gifts for the children and some medicines for the night shelter were received with pleasure.

I would like to thank all of you for giving so much to making this society work – your time (spare time), your hard work, your dedication. Thank you.

Back to Readers Write - May '03