My mother takes me everywhere.

Alright, what is your favorite food?

What do you like to eat?

Do you eat or just stay hungry?

Pure vegetable.

*
My name is Manisha Nag, I am Morpheus’s mother.

And he was diagnosed at the age of quarter to four.

First I wondered about what had happened, then I thought no, we could understand what he couldn’t do but we needed to know what he could do.

Then we started thinking about what he does well.

We gradually found out, by standard 3 we knew, he excelled at arts.

This is something he would be able to do well, independently.

Then we started taking him to an art teacher.

He started learning from the Prancheen Kala Kendra when he was in the fourth standard.

The classes started then with Hriday sir are ongoing till now.

He was Hriday sir’s first student with a disability.

And in these eight or eight and a half years, the bonding they formed helps him learn a lot. It’s good and true.
Is this okay?

Yes, it is but look at the gap here, do you want it to be this big?

Look, do we need it? Do you want that?

No, right?

Since we need to reduce the gap, what can we do about it?

We take the pen, and add small dots to it. Add it, small dots.

My name is Hirdey Kant.

I am an art teacher at Pracheen Kala Kendra.

I have been employed 17 years in Pracheen Kala Kendra now.

A number of students come to be for lessons, and some of them have a disability, but that does not matter to me, as for me, he is my student.

I always…I never think that their disability is an issue or anything else, and one of the oldest of the kids with disabilities learning from me is Morpheus Nag.

He has made this painting, you can see it here.

The minute and deep work he does, not many students can do that.

I feel that making your kids learn, it should not be your choice but it should be your liking.

Who is this?

Dwayne Johnson.

Why have you made this drawing? You like it?

Yes.

Why?

Speak in a sentence.

Why do you like this, tell us in Hindi. Tell us. Is it because he is musular? Then? Acting?

I like it because…I like it…I like it because he is…he he he works hard.

Hmm.

If you give an education because it’s your choice, you won’t be able to do it that well but if it is to your liking, it can be done well.

And while teaching kids with disabilities, it’s not easy to connect with them.

It’s hard but once you make a connection with them, you won’t find a better person on this earth except them.

I’ve been working with kids with disabilities for a long time, and I do face challenges but I believe if your mind is set and you have the attitude that every barrier has a solution, everything can be solved and you can teach the kids in a friendly way quite easily.

What I have gathered so far, as a lot of kids learn from me - I am also connected with Bhavan Vidyalaya, an organization where I have my morning job teaching students art in special cells, and an evening job in Pracheen Kala Kendra - what I am today is because of these kids.

My students have taught me this way of living, that we don’t always need to fret, it’s not that hard to live life happily.