BLIND WALK'15 – A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE

When you see a blind person crossing a road what comes to your mind? Just a pity feeling ? At best you may stop your vehicle, so that the person can cross the road !

Rotary gave me an opportunity to enter into a blind person's mind and get a “glimpse” of daily routine and associated challenges.

Rotary Bangaore North West participated in Rotary supported Blind walk’15 on Sunday 6^th Sept afternoon, in Cubbon park.

At the beginning, all the participants were blind folded with a black ribbon. Then we were lined up in a group of five (Five of North Westers made one such link) touching each other’s shoulder forming a kind of chain. One visually challenged person along with a volunteer was ready to lead us.

The walk started from Cubbon park main entrance at around 4:00 pm and culminated at St Joseph Indian school ground after walking along busy Kasturiba Road and Vittal Malya Road. One kilometer walk took almost an hour and gave an amazing experience!!

When the event was flagged off, walk started with a big jerk. First thing I noticed was loss of sense of direction. Then natural fear in me kicked in. “Which road, what kind of hurdles on the way, if I get delinked from the chain”, etc., etc., etc. Eventhough there were volunteers cautioning us, we were not knowing whom it was addressed to. When I heard a voice, “be careful there is a step (!!!)”, everyone used to be overcautious, searching for the step and bringing the whole walk to a halt. A small pothole, a stone, some dirt, flowing water in the road -- all made different sense for this walk.

Since we had already lost sense of direction, a honk of passing vehicle brought in fear factor and extra caution. We were not aware of which part of the road we were treading in – right, left or at the centre. Unable to distinguish, if the honk was for me or to someone else. Difficult to judge distance of passing vehicles just by sheer sound.

After about 20-30 minutes, sixth sense started kicking in slowly. Some amount of confidence cropped up. On the other hand, visually challenged leader seems to be unperturbed about all these surroundings. He was talking about recently released movies, his favourite actors, etc. etc.

A kilometer walk made us to experience quite a few challenges blind people face in their daily life. Just feeling pity or doing a lip service will not serve. We North Westers took a pledge to donate our eyes. That could be the only way to address this issue. At the end of the evening, the walk turned out to be a true gift to the humanity.

Want to Learn at Any Cost -- Story of mental toughness !!

In ancient India, during Gurukula period, to learn tougher part of Veda/Upanishad,  there used to be, a kind of, entrance test.

Intended student has to clean his head very neatly -- not a single trace of hair. He has to sit in some corner of the class room, so that he is visible to the Rishi. A copper bowl containing burning charcoal to be placed on students shaven head. Student has to sit unmoved till Rishi orders to remove the bowl. If pupil moves and bowl falls or unable to tolerate the heat and pupil himself  removes the bowl,  then he's considered as failed.

To learn  tougher topics, student needs to be mentally tough, with the attitude of ----  "I want to learn at any cost". That attitude being tested in the above test. Student has to believe in Guru -- "Guru takes care that my head is NOT burnt".

If student thinks other way -- "Why should I tolerate this non sense and burn my head. It is not Guru's head that's being heated…", etc., then student is NOT ready to learn at any cost.


Eventhough such tests are NOT done  now, but mental toughness is tested throughout unknowingly.

Teachers even may not beat the kids these days, unlike just a generation back. But the students may be insulted, scolded, orally reprimanded, minor punishment, lower marks in tests, etc.

There are 3 tracks of learners in schools.

1st track: These are born brilliants, who can learn quickly. They need to put little effort in schools to learn basics. They need not work hard, neither they get any punishment generally.

2nd Track: These students have to put effort in learning everything. They  get reprimanded or face punishment now and then. They have to face competition and even face insult at times. All these will be order of the day for them.

3rd track : They initially belong to track 2, but who do not have that mental toughness, hence fall out. They are the ones unable to bear the insult or punishment meted out in school. They start disliking teacher and the subject. They decide to take alternate or easy path for exit. They may end up doing odd jobs  OR may find their talent elsewhere.


Now after certain age, learning becomes steep, as you have to learn lot of things in a short span of time (in colleges/universities). Text book becomes voluminous. Even born brilliant has to put extra effort and at times has to listen from teachers.

Those who are in 1st track initially and are not used to punishment, hardship, extra effort, etc. start struggling. Unable to cope up with the pressure, they  fall out now, becoming ordinary person. But those students who quickly adopt to handwork will go on becoming genius or the leading light of that generation. A rare personality.

Those who are in 2nd track, anyway are used to this kind of situation from day one. Their mental toughness helps them to perform better at this stage as well. They are the ones who shine ultimately.


We see some people around us, whom we consider as successful. Many of them belong to 2nd track. There are many we meet daily -- who are ordinary folks, either 1st track drop outs or 3rd track.


Now you have to decide -- which track you or your kids fall in….