The unfortunate story of a blind sister and a brother

Report and Pictures by Prakash Katapadi
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 24 June 2010: This is the story of two siblings, a brother and sister, who had been blind from childhood staying in three cents tenement in Alevooru Padav near Udupi.  These two siblings, Sumati (36) and Sundara (29) are the children of Angara and Jalaja belonging to the Koraga Community.  Angara and Jalaja have been  daily wage earners. Both Sumati and Sundara, though of marriageable age are destined to live a life of misery and an uncertain future as they had been blind since two years of their age. They have been confined to their house as they are unable to move independently. They are unable to do anything by themselves due to this handicap and lack of proper guidance and training. Even their food has to be served to them. 

The poor parents, Angara and Jalaja who were shocked to know that their children, Sumati and later Sundara have lost their sight at the age of two were hoping that their daughter and son  would be able to see took them to Eye Hospital in Manipal. However,  even the expert doctors could not help as the optic nerves of both the children had been damaged beyond any repair. The doctors pointed out to the parents that even surgery would not help their children in regaining their sight. Thus, both Sumati and Sundara have been condemned by nature to suffer blindness throughout their lives. In spite of these difficulties Angara and Jalaja brought up both their children with love and affection.

It was beyond the capacity of Angara and Jalaja to give any kind of education to their blind children. They had to earn their livelihood by doing odd jobs on daily wages with which they could afford only basic food of rice. Besides, they had to look after their two other daughters. The poverty stricken family could not afford to go to the hospital often for the treatment of their blind children. While Sumati and Sundara were six years of age, Angara and Jalaja tried for the last time to get treatment for their children. However, this attempt also ended in a failure and both Sumati and Sundara were destined  to live without sight in dark. Both Angara and Jalaja accepted the fate and were reconciled to the fact that their children would remain blind throughout their lives.

Over and above the scourge of blindness, Sumati has been afflicted with the filaria (aanekaalu) since five to six years. As her right leg is affected by filaria, she finds it extremely difficult to walk.  Without a cure for filaria, Sumati’s troubles have multiplied being the victim of both incurable diseases-blindness and filaria. Their mother, Jalaja has to remain at home to look after her grown up children. They can have food only if Angara can get work on daily wages. Under these circumstances, the parents are worried as to who will take care of their grown up children that too blind and afflicted with filaria once they are no more.