Dhanu

Some people make a long lasting impression in our lives. One such person was "Dhanu".

We were in school back then, maybe 6-7 years old. Disha, my school friend and I were inseparable. I often used to visit Disha's home to play. There we have a kind, caring, and loving companion, her name was Dhanashri shortened as Dhanu. She was a stay at home help and nanny. Dhanu was a few years elder to us and loved spending time with us. She would play with us. She would ensure that we play carefully and do not get hurt. Dhanu felt less like a nanny and more like an elder sister.

Once I asked Disha about Dhanu's backstory. Disha told me that she was the daughter of the man who works as a caretaker at their ancestral home. One summer Disha's family visited their village. Dhanu was at the properly helping her dad. When Disha fell and got injured, Dhanu promptly helped her and calmed her. She sat with Disha till she stopped crying. This simple act of kindness was witnessed by Disha's parents. They were looking for a nanny for Disha and they found Dhanu to be a right fit. At village, Dhanu was not doing much, she was not even enrolled at school. The caretaker was a poor man and taking care of the family was a burden. Disha's parents asked the caretaker if they can take Dhanu to Mumbai to work as a nanny. He willingly agreed. That is how Dhanu came to Mumbai and started living with Disha's family.

Disha's parents always treated Dhanu as if she was their daughter. After bringing her to Mumbai, they enrolled her to a school. They helped her to get educated. They treated her well. When Dhanu passed her 10th examination, they got her admitted into a college.

I had witnessed Dhanu's journey myself. She was smart and kind but she was not interested in studies. She was more interested in taking care of the children. Dhanu somehow passed 12th exam after several attempts. She expressed her desire of becoming a nursery assistant to Disha's mother. She enrolled her in a course which would give Dhanu the opportunity to venture into that field. Dhanu did excel in that course and bagged a job at a daycare facility.

Dhanu was happy with her job. She was still living with Disha's family. One day Dhanu was called back to her village because of her father's demise. When Dhanu returned she told Disha's parents that her mother had fixed her marriage with a man in village. Dhanu was ready to give up her job to marry him. Dhanu soon got married. When it was the time to say goodbye to Disha and her parents, Dhanu cried a lot. She treated them as her real family.

Few years later we learnt that Dhanu had opened her own daycare facility at the village. She was a successful businesswoman. Dhanu kept sharing her photos and videos with Disha keeping her updated.

Dhanu still works in the village. She is still in touch with Disha and her parents. Dhanu also attended Disha's wedding. Dhanu promised that whenever Disha gives birth to a baby she should come to take care of the baby, same way as she cared for Disha.