Tag: Bablu Lal

shuktara homes for young people with disabilities

Raksha Bandan at shuktara

Posted on August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 by shuktara

Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the bond between brother and sister. Traditionally sisters tie a "rakhi" (thread or ornamental bracelet) around the right wrist of their brothers.

Every year a few women associated with shuktara go to the boys' home and tie rakhis on all of the boys and young men - as you can see they are absolutely delighted to participate in this celebration of the bond between siblings.

According to Wikipedia this "transformed tradition" also happens outside the shuktara homes:

"Among women and men who are not blood relatives, there is also a transformed tradition of voluntary kin relations, achieved through the tying of rakhi amulets, which have cut across caste and class lines, and Hindu and Muslim divisions."

Shuktara holiday in Mandarmani

Posted on June 12, 2018June 10, 2018 by shuktara

Old friends visit shuktara

Posted on January 21, 2018January 21, 2018 by shuktara

In 1999, the very beginning of shuktara, Alison and Bryan stayed in an upstairs flat in the first shuktara home. Their door was almost always open to the first five boys - Anna, Sunil, Shantara, Bapi and Sanjay.

For the next few years they taught computer skills downstairs in David's flat, shared meals with everyone at shuktara, and even went on vacations to Goa and Puri with the boys. While they lived in Kolkata they were frequent visitors to the shuktara homes.

They recently returned to Kolkata for a visit and absolutely loved being back with the young people of shuktara. They took dozens of photos - here are a few of the best.

shuktara home for boys with disabilities - 2017 April - Anna with the teddy bears

Gifts for Bengali New Year

Posted on April 19, 2017April 19, 2017 by shuktara

shuktara home for young people with disabilities - 2017 March - Ratan and Bablu Lal

Emma and Simon at the boys home

Posted on March 30, 2017March 29, 2017 by shuktara

Setting up for Saraswati Puja

Posted on January 31, 2017 by shuktara

shuktara home for young adults with disability - Ashok and Sanjib

Sanjib’s birthday at shuktara

Posted on September 24, 2016September 24, 2016 by shuktara

shuktara home for boys with disabilities - 2015 January - Raju and Sumon on the set of LION

shuktara on the set of Lion film

Posted on August 27, 2016August 28, 2016 by shuktara

Lion is a film that resonates with many at shuktara - it's the story of a boy who gets lost after boarding the wrong train and ends up in Kolkata, far from home. Adopted by a couple from Australia, many years later he goes back to India to search for his family.

When Lion was filmed last year in Kolkata four of the boys from shuktara were called in by the production team to be part of the film.

Here are photos of Raju, Ashok, Sumon and Bablu on the set.

shuktara home for disabled youth - 2016 August - Ramesh, Rajesh, Bablu Lal and Sunil

Accidents happen

Posted on August 5, 2016August 5, 2016 by shuktara

We obviously prefer to give you good news and happy stories but the reality is when you are caring for a large number of young people living together accidents do occasionally happen.

About a week ago Rajesh damaged one of his fingers by slamming it in the kitchen door. He spent the night at hospital where they bandaged his finger.

A few days after his overnight stay he was taken back to the hospital for the dressing to be removed. The medical staff decided to keep him there for a few days so that his finger could be operated on. Clearly his finger needed slightly more attention than we originally thought.

Rajesh came home from hospital August 3rd - still bandaged and he says in a little pain - but home!