For 27 yrs,man paying tributes to B. R. Ambedkar

The undying faith in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was manifest in the dried-out eyes of visually-challenged Krishnarao Manohare,who keeps coming to pay respects to the statue of Dr Ambedkar year after year on April 14,without fail,for the past 27 years,at the Sarangpur circle in the city.

The undying faith in Dr B. R. Ambedkar was manifest in the dried-out eyes of visually-challenged Krishnarao Manohare,who keeps coming to pay respects to the statue of Dr Ambedkar year after year on April 14,without fail,for the past 27 years,at the Sarangpur circle in the city.

I had lost my vision suddenly in early childhood when I was around four. People keep asking me how do I visualise the image of Dr Ambedkar without having seen him even once, Manohare (59) says. I am able to see the image of Dr Ambedkar with my inner eyes, he says,alighting from the platform near the statue.

Originally from Amravati district in Maharashtra,Krishnarao now lives near Rabari Colony in Odhav area. He had passed SSC and did his certificate course from ITI,but these did not help him to get a job till date. He admitted that the Blind Peoples Association helped him study,but they do not guarantee jobs to anyone.

A whiff of fresh air came when his wife Laxmi came into his life in 1988. It was my conscious decision and I have no regrets that I got married to Krishnarao despite his blindness, she said. Laxmi says there was resistance in the beginning,but looking at my devotion to him,our families relented. I toil for the whole day to raise our daughter,Sweety, by working in three households, she said.

Asked why do they come to Sarangpur with such regularity,she says,We have great faith in Babasaheb who is always on our side. Their daughter is studying in Class III.

Laxmi further says it is tough for them to fulfill their daughters dreams as a major part of their earning,Rs 1,500,goes away as as house rent.

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