BIS # 957 SNEHALAYA STAGES ‘UD CHALLE HUM’

Roger Jones sdb

BARODA, MAY 29, 2008: Bosco Snehalaya crossed a new milestone by staging its first musical on May 25, entitled ‘Ud Challe Hum’. Composed and directed by Brother Charles Anthony with a cast comprising the Snehalaya kids, the musical proved to be a grand success. Over 500 people from across the city were present for the show. The musical is based on the true story of a street boy Raju, who runs away from home because his drunkard father and uncle beat him up everyday. From his village he lands in the city and is over awed by the tall buildings, shopping malls and theaters. As he sits outside the railway station confused by the city, some pimps take hold of him and hand him over to one of their clients. Fortunately he manages to escape from there, but unfortunately he ends up in the company of a group of street ruffians who teach him the ropes of street life. After some time Raju begins to feel frustrated by the type of life he is living. At this moment he meets two other boys who guide him to Snehalaya. At Snehalaya he is happy for a few days, but then goes back to the streets because the pull of the street life is just too strong. But the Snehalaya social workers do not give up. They keep in constant touch with him, bring him back to Snehalaya, help him to settle down and finally reunite him with his mother. Moved by the performance of these young actors, the audience was left misty eyed – more so because they realized that what was being enacted on the stage was what these young children had indeed suffered in their own lives.