To Be United

By Aparajita Mukherjee/TNN, "Of Sufi music and candles" - The Times Of India - India
Saturday, December 6, 2008

In the sombre mood that Delhi is in, the city celebrated the World Disability Day with a candlelight vigil at one venue and a one-of-its-kind Sufi performance at another.

The former event was held at India Gate in the memory of those who died in the Mumbai terror attacks and to protest against the government inaction and neglect of those physically-challenged.

It saw over 1,500 disabled people turning up to participate.

Javed Abidi, the convenor of the Disabled Rights Group, said that there is a lot of anger against the government’s apathy for the common man’s condition. “So, I feel good when I see people angry. For, anger is the catalyst that leads to change,” he added.

Speaking about all the disabled people who had gathered from across the country here, he said, “The fact that so many of them understand the gravity of our situation and have come from all parts of India has left me very touched and humbled.”

While it was the vigil on the one hand, on the other, it was a Sufi dance performance, Rumi, performed on wheels, to spread a message of peace and hope for the physically-challenged people. And it isn’t speed-wheels we’re talking about here – choreographed by Syed Sallauddin Pasha, this show was performed by disabled people on wheelchairs.

“We prayed for people who died in the terror attacks. Rumi gives the message of hope and love. Through the performance, we brought together people from different faiths. It is also our message to everyone to be united and not give up hope against whoever wants to tear India apart,” said Pasha.

[Click on the link to "Enable" Disability and the United Nations System: Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=161].