Kozhikode: Ever wondered how a blind man relishes food? How do they eat? How do they pay their bills?
Few of us must have given a thought about this reality, for as always reality is what we experience.
At the Malabar Institute of Optometry at Eranhipalam in Kozhikode, a bunch of good samaritans organised such an 'experience'.
Over the two day weekend on October 13 and 14, volunteers came together to convert an entire floor of the hospital into what became a unique restaurant.
The restaurant was to be the venue for the 'Dine in Darkness' programme, organised to mark the World Sight Day on October 11 and throw light on the day-to-day challenges faced by blind people.
At the outset this is a normal 'restaurant' with three sections catering vegetarian food, non-vegetarian food and sweetmeats. The difference though is the ambience. There are no chandeliers or warm lights giving you that snug feel, instead, as you walk up the stairs you are entering a zone of 'darkness'.
In the pitch darkness you will be ushered in by an aide. The aide will help you negotiate through the corridor and amid the tables and chairs to your designated place.
You will even need help to do the simplest of chores, like ordering your food and eating it. After the meal, the aide will lead you to the washroom and then help you read the bill and pay it (The bill is written in Braille since letters have no purpose in darkness).
After all this, the helpful hands will lead you back to the world of light and letters. Here you will meet your 'aide in darkness'- herself/himself a visually challenged person.
The short journey to vision and awareness is being spearheaded by a bunch of visually challenged teachers from different schools, volunteering as aides for the programme.
