Rajasthan diaries - Part 5

One of the items on our agenda was witnessing the Midday Meal project in the district of Bharatpur. Our hosts advised us to visit nearby primary schools for the purpose. Feeling like health visitors, we marched inside the school premises. After general introduction over cups of tea, we were informed about the success of the scheme. We learnt that many children attended school just for food and got educated in the bargain. The Head Master took us to the store room where the provisions, like, wheat flour, lentils, vegetables, etc were stored.

   We peeped inside the class rooms. Children were seated on matted floor. They had been provided with small desks to put their copies & take down the lessons being taught. Just then, the bell rang & all of them rushed out. There was a hand pump where they all lined up to wash their hands prior to the meal. This was followed by the routine of sitting on durries in two opposing rows. Senior kids did the helping around by laying down plates & spoons. The children were made to recite a thanksgiving to the lord almighty, before the rotis, dal & potatoes were served. Once finished, they again lined up near the hand pump for washing plates & spoons. The utensils were then wiped & stacked by the kitchen staff.

   We had got few toys & sweets to distribute among the kids. As there was still some time for the classes to recommence, we got around mingling with the kids giving away the goodies. I made my way to befriend a child of nearly 7 or 8 years of age sitting alone in a corner. One of the older boys ran up to me & dutifully informed that the child was called Raju. He did not like to be friends with anybody. Other kids began giggling. Some even called Raju a dim wit. Feeling sad, I shifted my attention to the torn old copy in little Raju’s hands. When asked to show what he had been drawing, he coyly handed me over the copy. It turned out to be a beautiful sketch of a hut surrounded by trees with a small well nearby. I was surprised at the child’s ability. Neat lines, proper shading, spatially perfect. I turned over the pages of his copy to find several other pieces of art including sketches of our beloved leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, all life like. Completely bowled over, I tried to get him to talk about himself. Despite my best endeavour, Raju was absolutely unresponsive. He just smiled sweetly & looked away. What could be the reason, I wondered. Selective Mutism? 

Selective mutism is a disorder in which the afflicted (generally children & in some cases adults) who is capable of normal speech is unable to communicate verbally in certain situations or social settings. 

   On enquiry, the class teacher told me that besides drawing skills, he was exceptionally good at numbers. In fact, he was able to help out older kids with maths. He was a self taught child. Then the answer struck me. Raju was an autistic savant, may be?

   Autism is a neurodevelopment genetic disorder in which the person's ability to communicate & interact with others is impaired. It is one among a category of developmental disabilities known as Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD). ASD includes Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Rett’s Syndrome, etc. Its manifestations include, repetitive behaviour, hyper linguism, talking non-stop, inability to socialise with people or groups, complete absence of interest in interacting with others, etc. It is, however, known that the intellectual abilities of the persons suffering from the disorder may vary across the entire IQ spectrum. It is believed that unusually high IQ levels can be revealed, if their inability of communication can somehow be overcome. There is still no consensus in medical science on a unified theory of autism. An assembly of disorders ranging from severe mental retardation to high functioning Asperger’s & “idiot savants”. In fact, the situation is completely reversed in Asperger’s & “idiot savant” where the handicap results from extraordinary cognitive abilities resulting from hyper-plastic micro circuits in the brain. Savant is a French word meaning scholarly, learned, skilled. Individuals suffering from these disorders may be disabled in some cognitive areas, but show enhanced abilities in others.

   The School got over & the kids headed home. One needs to get used to the ruckus, whistling & hooting, the gleeful expressions of homebound school children. Wanting to meet his family, we decided to follow Raju. His home was only a few yards away. It was a small thatched roof hut which was divided into cubicles to accommodate a family of seven. Besides his parents, Raju had 4 siblings. We were met by his mother, Bhuri devi. She was surprised to see her son in the company of unusual visitors. We disclosed the purpose of our visit. Very cordially she offered us sattu ka sharbat. Raju vanished within seconds. It was a distressing tale. Sometime in the last year, Raju met with an accident while saving his kid sister from the wheels of a swerving vehicle. He suffered a head injury in the process. Rushed in time to a Govt. hospital by the locals, his life was saved. Did the parents notice any change in his behaviour after the accident, we wanted to know. The child was hounded by spirits, the simple woman informed us.

   After meeting Raju’s family, it was not difficult conclude that this was a typical case of Acquired Savant Syndrome. An “Accidental” genius. It is said to be linked to Fronto Temporal Dementia(FTD). The child having no previous history of artistic or mathematical abilities, had gained these exceptional skills after the accidental brain injury.

   Moved by the story, we wanted to help. If only to ensure that other kids get sensitised towards Raju’s condition. Once inside the safe confines of our abode, we considered the possibilities. Amidst the discussion, we began talking about movies made on the subject. And then, wham... came the idea. Yes, we could arrange for a video show of "Taare Zamein Par". The movie has a child suffering from dyslexia. A learning disorder marked by inability to read & comprehend words due to brain dysfunction. Though not exactly the case with Raju, but it would enable the kids to draw parallels Perhaps, the situation could improve for Raju who was a butt of jokes in the School.

   Armed with this bright idea, we walked hand in hand to the school the following morning. Initially, the Principal was sceptical. But, we were determined. He gave in after our intense lecture on the theme. It was arranged for the next day after meals. We hunted for a nearby video library in the evening. The video was available, but there was a problem. The School did not have a Television & Video player. Sensing our confusion, the salesman looked askance. He offered to play the video to show its clarity. We wanted a Television & Video set on hire, we chorused. Smiling confidently, he pointed over to a set lying in a corner. Yes, it would serve our purpose. We gave him the address of the school & requested him to make the arrangements on the appointed day.

   The turn out on the special day was more than anticipated. Raju was seated in a corner with his parents & other siblings. The profound effect the movie had, cannot be described in words. Our effort had served its purpose. With tears streaming down her face, Raju’s mother thanked us. She must have realised that no spirits were on to the case of her child.

   I recalled reading in the papers about Specialisterne & Aspritech, software firms based in Denmark & US, which specialise in software testing. The only difference between these & other firms being that their workforce of Software Testers comprises exclusively of autists. Generally considered unsociable, autists find it difficult to find or keep jobs. However, this firm cashes on their traits like intense focus, memory for detail, hyper attention, hyper perception, comfort with repetition, etc. The Principal was quite amazed when I narrated this to him. He added that there was a possibility that a computer would soon be provided to the school. He promised he would put Raju’s special skills to good use. We left the place contended at having done our bit.

....... continued in Rajasthan diaries - Part 6.......
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