 |
|
Travails of a midget Thakur Paramjit narrates the story of a Punjabi girl afflicted by dwarfism who is combating her complexes and surviving in the world of ‘big’ people in the USA. SINCE ages, dwarfs have been treated as ‘show pieces’ rather than as ‘human beings’. To satisfy the sense of curiosity and to make the spectators laugh, circus owners have employed them, not only in India, but also in foreign countries. Royalty also employed them as a "source of entertainment". But Anu, the tiny Sikh girl, is bold enough to live a fuller life in spite of her physical impairment. She was just eight years old, when her parents — Man Paul and Surjit Kaur — migrated to the USA. A cute little girl, with long thick hair, she was a darling of her teachers. Her parents tried their best to provide medical treatment to her, but some disorders are beyond the control of medical science even today. Although surgeries on her legs and spine did not yield the desired result, yet she spent a happy time in the school and the hospital, which she remembers even now. Now, 22 years later, she is successfully working as a quality assurance engineer in Lexington. She is a degree-holder in electrical engineering. In India, midgets can
think of working only in a circus. So, when her father visited India,
searching for a suitable boy for Anu to get married to, he could not
succeed in finding one. And in the USA, Anu remained an Indian at heart.
She never indulged in "dating" like her Western friends. She
also remained hesitant to enter into a matrimonial relationship because
of her physical deformity. She was very apprehensive that she would not
be able to meet the expectations of an Indian family — that of bearing
children for their son and doing household chores expected of a normal
daughter-in-law. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
She cannot climb stairs like taller people, who can alternate their steps. She has to put both of her feet on one step, before climbing the next one. In her third-floor apartment too, she cannot use electric switches and other facilities meant for people of normal height. However, her landlord was kind enough to realign the lock of the outdoor door, so that Anu could open it. Outside her house too, she faces a lot of difficulties because of her height. Just for example, she cannot reach the ATM machine, public telephone instrument or a sink in the toilet. A brave girl, she has learnt to face and live happily confronted with minor hardships like not being able to reach the ATM machine, public telephone instrument, sink and the mirror in a bathroom or open many doors. Anu faces another peculiar difficulty when she has to visit a garment store. Sizes meant for adults won’t fit her, and those meant for children are not suitable for an adult. At an age of 27 years, she doesn’t wish to look childish, though she stands just three feet and one inch. She faces similar kind of dilemma while selecting shoes. The length of her feet is equal to those of a child, but her feet are wider. The most common form of dwarfism is called Achondroplasia. It affects about 0.0025 per cent to 0.006 per cent people. This disorder creates a disproportionate appearance — short legs and arms and a normal torso. Usually reaching a height around four feet, the patient has a somewhat enlarged head. Unluckily, Anu was born with spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia — a bone and joint disorder, which affects just about 0.001 per cent people. This form of dwarfism arrests the growth of bone and cartilage. In this type, usually the head and face of the patient remains normal; while torso, legs and arms remain very small. Strange it may seem, but about 80 per cent midgets are born to parents with a normal height. The disorder does not run in families, and usually the brothers/sisters of dwarfs are normal sized. Caused by a genetic mutation, dwarfism creates physical and medical complications. However, for dwarfs, the greatest barriers are social. It is as true in our country as in advanced countries like the USA. Only the extent and shape changes. So the dwarfs in that country have made an exclusive club for themselves. Known as "Little People of America", it has about 5,000 members. The club also has a branch in England. In her quest to meet and talk to people of her height, Anu Singh did join this club, but was surprised to see that no Indian was its member. Determined to boldly face the truths of
life, Anu is a tiny beauty who is lovely, affectionate and friendly. |
 |
 |
