Who am I ?
Sometimes I wonder, ‘Who am I?
A question arises in my mind- ‘From who do I rise?’
Everybody talks about equality, which I had never seen.
I had to hide my identity to live in a community.
Humanity has touched all bedrocks it can
I think I have no identity, no importance.
I am a manual scavenger and of course, nobody cares.
Sometimes I wonder, ‘Why! Why do I not live with people like me?’
Why do I have to stay under cover?
No! But I remember a story of mine-
The work which I started at the age of six, spoiled my life.
That’s the reason, I did not want to live there.
The mistake which I’ve done, should not be repeated again.
The childhood which I spent in the dark,
The storms that I faced, made me hard.
I do not want my children to face the same,
“I want to educate my kids.”- said aloud my real aim.
Now, struggles have become a part of my life
I want to make for them a brighter day as much as I can
It’s a goal which I yearn to achieve,
One that will bring my life back on a stand.
Progress has reached atop,
But humanity has been dripping in deeper drains,
And none of you want to do something for my brothers and me.
I want the equality, that you owe me
My occupation does not determine my standard.
It is your thinking that matters.
-Tanvi Shukla
The Rising Stars 