PUSHING BACK THE HISTORY OF MAN BY ONE MILLION YEARS !!??

Remember Lucy ? The fossils of "Lucy" or "australopithecus afarensis", our earliest known ancestor who walked on foot, were discovered in Ethopia in the African Subcontinent, almost thirty five years ago in 1974 and scientists after much thought, hard work and research concluded that "Lucy" lived on this earth about 3.4 million years ago.

Then in 1992, another international research team headed by paleoanthropologist Tim White, found a singular molar tooth embeded in the ancient sediments in the Afar Triangle, a desert region of Ethopia abundant in fossils. Over the next two years, White and his colleagues found 110 more fragments, including a partial skeleton with skull, hands, feet, limbs and pelvis in a jungle, 125 kms from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethopia. The fossils were then arranged to give shape to 32 human-like forms of varying age groups. The team of forty seven scientists of University of California, Berkeley, started studying the specimens and after a prolonged period of 15 years, during which span of time, the fossils were subjected to innumerable examinations, comparitive studies and rigorous analysis at Ethopia's National Museum, it was concluded, that the species in question "ardipithecus ramidus" or "Ardi" was more than a million years older than "Lucy". So scientists now started believing that the ancestor of man walked on this earth, 4.4 million years ago !!

And how did that ancestor look like ?

Scientists also say that "Ardi", was about four feet or 1.2 meters tall, weighing about 50 kgs, a mosaic species possessing traits of both the human and the chimpanzee and also walked on two feet. The head was small compared to the powerful muscular body, that remained erect. On one hand, the shape of the hands and feet hinted beyond doubt that "Ardi" was accustomed in climbing trees, but again the structures of the pelvis, buttocks and knees showed that he was equally comfortable in walking. Scientists have also assured that Ardi was not the famous "missing link", as that creature was even more prehistoric than "Ardi" and probably inhabited this earth about 6-7 million years ago.

Our forefathers have inhabited this earth for millions of years and though we have continuously transformed ourselves and thereby survived, have we been able to reach a humane destination or are we in the process of becoming a "Lucy", "Ardi" or the "Missing Link", destined to vanish from the face of the earth in due course of time.

WHAT IS THE DIAGNOSIS ?

ALL IS NOT WELL WITH PALA

My name is Pala Mondal. I am about 24 years of age (DOB : 08.08.85), hindu and my mother tongue is Bengali. I have come to NIJOLOY from CHILD CARE HOME.

I used to stay with my parents, an elder brother and my grandfather at a small village in Andhra Pradesh. My mother committed suicide by jumping from a running train in front of my brother and myself. A lady traveling on the same train took charge of us and brought us to Midnapore, where I was appointed in a shop as a child labour. My elder brother also got a job in a hotel in Canning. Thus we were separated from each other at a very tender age.

I worked in that shop for almost ten years and then left that place to go and meet my brother at Canning. My brother got me married to a local boy, but I fled from there on the day after the marriage and boarded a train to come back to Kolkata. On my way back, I met a lady on the same train who having listened to my plight offered me a job in the city. As I was urgently in need of a job and with no place to go to, I gratefully accepted the offer.

The lady took me to the Khidirpore red light area where I was forced to enter the flesh trade. I had no other option but to entertain clients daily. I had to bear this inhuman existence for about a year before I could manage to flee from there too. The police got hold of me on the way and I was sent to the LILUAH HOME (Govt Home), from where I was sent to CHILD CARE HOME. After staying at this home for a considerable amount of time, I was shifted to NIJOLOY on 14.02.06

The mental and physical traumas in my life, starting with my mother’s suicide, working as a child labour, getting into a married relationship at a tender age and finally becoming a part of the flesh trade have all affected my brain and made me very stubborn and foul mouthed. I do occasionally pick up quarrels with other inmates of this home and even the house mothers. I sometimes do understand that I am quite helpless about the prevailing situation and behave without any control over myself. I have undergone several psychiatric and neurological checkups and allied investigations at govt/private institutions after been diagnosed with Bipolar Mood Disorder about five years ago.

I have also undergone several counseling sessions at NIJOLOY. This has helped me to gain partial control over my anger and frustration but I still need medications to tide over the frequent headaches and the manic episodes that punctuate my life. At times I refuse to take the medications and feel that the doctors have not diagnosed my case properly and as such the medicines are not benefiting me in anyway. I feel very sorry about such occasional turn of events and pass through a lot of stress, strain and agitation before relenting to accept the medications as advised. I was also diagnosed with bilateral axillary lipoma in May 2007 and had a left ear tympanoplasty operation in Nov 2007, for which I was hospitalized.

Inspite of all these problems, I try to remain calm and take an active interest in cooking and other cooking related activities.

(Presently Pala has left the home and gone to her brother's place. She has also married.)

RESHMI TELLS HER STORY

I am Reshmi Roy, 17 years old, hindu. I have read upto class III, my mother tongue is telegu and I was sent to NIJOLOY from Sukanya home in March 2006.

My father Sudharanjan was a government bus driver and we lived at Khera, Rudrapur near Bilaspur. My father suddenly resigned his job and took to drinking. My mother, Sabita had no other alternative but to work as a labourer at construction sites. My father whom I miss very much, ultimately left my mother for another woman. My mother who also had a son by a previous marriage asked him to come and stay with the family.

My elder step-brother thus came to stay with us and that decision had a disastrous consequence on me. He used to beat me frequently and was occasionally bold enough to sexually assault me.
I started working as a maid servant at Udham Singh Nagar, Dineshpur, which was just adjacent to Khera. I avoided coming back home, as he had repeatedly raped me on several occasions.

I was in such a mental state that one day I fled from home, took a train from Rudrapur station and reached Delhi after an overnight journey. I knew no one in Delhi. I was repeatedly raped on two separate occasions by unknown people who had struck up acquaintances with me. I was much afraid to ask for help but help soon arrived. I was rescued by the police and sent to a local home called Prayas.

I did not like the home and fled from there with another girl. We took a train to Kolkata, reached the girl’s house. I stayed at my friend’s place for three months (details of this friend is not available).

I was later rescued by the police and sent to Cini Asha. I was then sent to Sukanya Home (Govt Home) where I stayed for two months before being finally sent to NIJOLOY for vocational training and rehabilitation.

I have gone through such multiple traumatic phases in my small life that I am quite astonished that I still want to enjoy life. My counseling sessions in the later part of 2006 helped me to find a new meaning in life. I want to stay at NIJOLOY as I have found my best friend in Naina Biswas at NIJOLOY.

Shall I tell you a secret ? I have met Naina’s brother, who works in Delhi. I like him very much. I am going to marry her brother some day.

Nowadays I am quite calm. My irritation and aggressiveness have lessened to a great extent. I have grown stronger both physically and mentally. I have grown taller and gained five kgs in the last three years. I also have a great appetite. I am also into non formal studies as well as dancing, tailoring and block printing. I hope to do best of both. Though my mother tongue is telegu, I can read and write Bengali very well !