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Diva, Dadda and Dr. Ambedkar

It was still five minutes left for the clock to strike twelve in midnight. My four-year-old daughter Diva was playing around.
Me: Diva, do you know tomorrow is Dr. Ambedkar's birthday.
(This was the first time I was talking to her about Babasaheb Ambedkar since she was born.)
Diva: Who is he? Is he your friend?
Me: Hmm .... He was a great man.
Diva: Where is he now? I have never seen him.
(I opened Dr. Ambedkar's images from Google and showed it to her.)
Diva: Wow, he looks so handsome. But Daddy, you have better clothes than him.
Me: No dear, nobody had worn clothes like him. He had a great collection of suits, ties, shoes and books.
(Diva looked at an image where Dr. Ambedkar is writing something. There are books around him.)
Diva: In which school was he?
Me: I don't know. But he studied a lot. He read so many books (I showed her other images of Babasaheb with books in his hands) and became intelligent. One day, he became great.
Diva: Do you like him a lot?
Me: Yes, he helped your daddy in education. Daddy learnt because of him.
(The clock showed 12. We could hear firecrackers' sound. So, we went to the balcony. Diva followed us. )
Diva: Daddy, why are people bursting crackers?
Me: Because it is Dr. Ambedkar's birthday.
Diva: But we only cut cake, invite friends. Who burst crackers? Nobody did the same on my birthday.
(I had the answer but a young mind like Diva wouldn't understand. I tried to avoid answering her query)
Me: Hmm ... it's wrong to burst crackers. We shouldn't do that for anybody's birthday.
Diva: Daddy, can you tell him to bring cake and laddoo tomorrow? It is his birthday, right?
Me: Yes, I will ask.
Diva: He is so nice. I am sure he likes Gods a lot.
(Diva has been told stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata and she likes Ram's character)
Me: Yes, he shares a different rapport with Gods. (I smiled)
Diva: But I like Ram ji (Lord Ram) more.
Me: Doesn't matter. When you will know Dr. Ambedkar, you will like him too. ("Or may be more" I said this in my mind.)
Me: Why do you like Ram ji ?
Diva: Because he is a good person. He talks nicely to everyone.
Me: It is nice that you like nice things in Ram ji, and you too have to be a good person like him.
Diva: I will be. But Dadda,  what will you become when you grow up? Ramji or Ambedkar ?
Me: (I held her in my arms) I will become Diva's Dadda. (She laughed)
(As she will grow, she will realize that her Dadda has always dreamt of becoming like Babasaheb Ambedkar.)
Whoever she chooses as her idol won't be in my hand. The more she will read, the more she will understand society, the more she will become literate in the actual term, I am sure she will make the right choice.








Comments

  1. NilimaApril 14, 2020 at 3:44 AM

    Amazingly beautiful moments it was.... Society needs more dadaa like u.

    ReplyDelete
  2. NilimaApril 14, 2020 at 3:44 AM

    Amazingly beautiful moments it was.... Society needs more dadaa like u.

    ReplyDelete
  3. GarimaApril 14, 2020 at 8:38 AM

    Very interesting communication.
    The way of answering is very beautiful 👌🏼

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownApril 16, 2020 at 8:58 AM

    Children must know Buddha's story, good exposure. Keep it up.

    ReplyDelete

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