Poorna Page #3

---

Careful. Easy. Easy.

Our daughter is totally obedient.

She does exactly as she's told.

A perfect match!

Hello? Namaste, uncle.

Poorna, where are you?

Will you please pass on

the phone to my father?

Here, speak to Poorna.

Poorna, how are you?

Aren't you coming home?

Father, I am learning rock climbing!

What? What rock?

Rock climbing.

It means, climbing mountains.

You went there to study

and they're making you work

by breaking rocks?

Father, this is a part of our studies.

Oh! It's part of your studies!

Come back soon.

Okay.

Thank you, sir.

She is gone with her school.

Climbing rocks is a part of her studies.

All the kids have gone.

Devidas. If she grows too tall,

we won't find a groom.

Next time she comes home on vacation,

don't let her go back.

- Good job.

- Thank you, sir.

Sir, one last song.

Dress change and come back.

Five minutes, sir.

- Okay.

- Come. Come!

Come! Come!

We need a solution.

Children are not coming to school.

And the ones who are, don't stay long.

We have to do something,

that will motivate parents not to

pull their children out of school.

Sir, if they are assured their children

will get government jobs after school.

Yes, sir. Railways, police,

banks, jobs like these.

Steady income, sir. Job security.

Sir, after all

they have to look after their families.

We know all this. No.

We need something.

What is a factor,

that can be a game changer.

Not for now, for years.

- Nasreen.

- Yes, sir.

What's tomorrow's plan?

Sir, for tomorrow you'll be interacting

with rock climbing children in Bhongir

and the day after,

a drama competition in Warangal.

Sir, ready!

Good morning.

Good morning, sir!

Children, today I am going

to tell you a story,

about a woman named Junko Tabei.

Why is Junko Tabei so special?

Because she was very weak from

childhood. Her lungs were weak.

Everybody thought she wouldn't be able

to achieve anything with this disability.

One day she took a small step

by climbing rocks and small hills,

and then never stopped

till she became the first woman

to climb Mount Everest,

that too as a mother of two.

Junko Tabei.

This is the story Mr. Praveen told us.

Our training starts tomorrow.

Write to me, Priya. Yours, Poorna.

Take the rope, turn it 180 degrees

and put it in this gap.

300 feet rock face.

While it's not very dangerous,

it is definitely tough.

All holds will have to be used.

Pinch, pressure, bucket and foothold.

Keep your knees and elbows apart.

The foot hold is more important

than the hand hold.

This is called rappelling.

This is the most popular method

of descending.

- Is that clear?

- Yes, sir!

Nobody comes first or last in climbing.

Everybody wins or no one does.

What's your name?

Poorna. And yours?

Anand.

You climb well.

- Hello, Shekhar.

- Hello, sir!

Thank you for coming.

No, no, it's no problem.

You were sounding so enthusiastic.

Tell me, how are they performing?

Very good, sir. They are tough.

They never give up.

Their bodies are strong and light.

Okay. Who are the best climbers?

Most definitely Poorna, sir.

- Poorna?

- Yes.

And there is another guy, Anand.

Who is he?

That boy standing on the boulder.

Yes.

- Sir, may I ask you something?

- Yes.

What do you have planned

for them after this course?

Plan?

Sir, these children

have a natural rock climbing ability.

- I think they will be good mountaineers.

- Hi, sir!

Really!! Oh hi, hi.

Hello! Hi!

So, how is it going?

Really good, sir!

Yesterday we learnt rappelling

and river crossing!

Before that we climbed

the third base brick wall!

- Sir?

- Yes?

Will we have to return

these shoes after the course?

Of course!

No, I am only joking!

These shoes are yours, Poorna.

That's exactly what I was saying, sir.

How can we climb Mount Everest

like Junko Tabei without these shoes?

- Girls!

- Go, go, go! Climb up!

- Are you enjoying yourselves or not?

- Yes, sir!

All of you know Mr. Praveen Kumar.

- Hello!

- Hello, sir!

How did you like his presentation

on Junko Tabei?

We liked it very much, sir!

So, would you like

to come back here again?

Yes, sir.

For a tougher course than this one?

Yes, sir.

What if we took you to a high mountain?

Who will come?

Yes, sir.

And on those high mountains,

if we take you to the snowline,

where there is ice.

Who is willing?

- Sir!

- Yes, sir!

And not just for a day or for a week,

but for months. Right, sir?

Yes.

Eight hours of climbing every day,

with 45 pounds of weight.

In subzero temperature,

where even water freezes.

And just one meal every 24 hours.

Who will go?

Sir.

The entire universe is within you

The entire universe is within you

The answer to every question

Is within you

In you

Around 100 students

were trained at Bhongir.

And this was a basic training camp

which included bouldering,

balancing, climbing and rappelling.

Some of these students are really

talented and naturally gifted.

In conclusion, looking at the performance

of the children you would think

they have been climbing for many years.

In other countries, children of this age

reach 14,000-15,000 feet.

Their children are physically

and economically strong.

Ours look like victims of starvation.

That's a generalization, Meena.

We all know you have

a weakness for underdogs.

You are not out to make

"Slumdog Mountaineer", are you?

The answer to every question

Is within you

In you

The answer to every question

Is within you

The entire universe

Is within you

Sir, I would like to

give these children a try.

I'll keep the CM in the loop.

Thank you, sir.

Sir, Praveen has come up

with a very innovative idea.

I've spoken to you about his efforts.

Yes, yes.

Social Welfare Schools Reform.

- Yes, sir.

- Prevention of dropouts

and re-energizing the system.

Yes, Praveen?

Sir, in our extra curricular

activities scheme,

the rock climbing children

have shown impressive ability.

We think some of them can

become expert mountaineers, sir.

So the children will climb mountains?

Not just any mountain, sir.

Everest.

Priya!

- Priya!

- Puru!

Priya!

That's a pinch hold in rock climbing!

Don't your hands hurt?

I came first in this!

Champion.

And this is rappelling, from 300 feet!

You are insane!

And this is from 600 feet on top!

God!

The Secretary of her school

has awarded her 5,000 rupees.

Don't you dare get her married

for another five years.

Priya!

We can study together!

Come, let's climb our favorite hillock!

I can't. I'm in my fifth month.

Tell me something.

When you get angry,

do you still pick up stones

and throw them at people's heads?

The number of stones have lessened,

but the heads have increased.

Are you all right?

What happened?

No, nothing.

Tell me.

"Poorna Malavath, you have been selected

for the Advanced Mountaineering

Darjeeling Camp."

Just two days left, Poorna!

Just two days left?

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

You want to stay here?

You will be married in two years.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes