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“I love to dance. When I go out I like to wear two or three dresses together”

Who’s that girl in the puja pandal, joyously dancing to the music? That’s twelve-year-old Debashri Roy, beloved firstborn of Kalyan and Mitali Roy, the apple of her grandmother Gitarani’s eye. Wherever the family takes Debashri, who has Cerebral Palsy (CP), whether it’s to a wedding, a family gathering, or any other celebration or festive occasion, she is sure to start moving her body instinctively in time with the beat. Witnessing her innocent delight, 60-year-old Gitarani often cannot resist joining her in rhythm with her steps.
 
Kalyan (36) is a construction labourer from Dinananthpur in Assam’s Cachar district. On a monthly income of not more than ₹12,000 he supports Mitali (30), Debashri, two-and-a-half-year-old Monalisa, and Gitarani. His brothers live in the same compound with their families. Before her marriage Mitali had wanted to continue her studies but now she pursues her love of Bengali literature by borrowing anthologies of poems and short stories from Kalyan's elder brother's college-going daughter Anima. 
 
When the couple noticed that four-year-old Debashri was drooling and finding it difficult to swallow, they decided to seek medical opinion in Silchar. She was diagnosed with CP at age five and could neither walk nor speak until she was 11. Through sheer perseverance and unwavering family support she now takes small but determined steps forward although her speech is limited and incoherent.
 
“She is our little fighter,” says Gitarani, her eyes brimming with affection. “I talk to her all day, and Mitali does the same, hoping she will one day respond.” Doctors had said her condition would improve with treatment in a big-city hospital but financial constraints put paid to any such hope. In the beginning, Mitali struggled to accept her daughter’s condition but Gitarani constantly reminded her that Debashri was not a burden but a gift. “She is our child, our blessing. She will grow at her own pace, and we will be by her side every step of the way,” she had told Mitali during her moments of despair.
 
Despite being denied admission to school Debashri is a keen learner. She watches her mother cook and mimics her, playing with toy utensils and pretending to prepare meals. She is moody at times, but her enthusiasm is infectious. Most of all, she loves to dress up. Every time she steps outside, she insists on wearing multiple dresses, much to her mother’s exasperated amusement. “She argues with me about clothes,” Mitali says. “Sometimes, she wears two or three dresses together. I scold her, but in the end I let her be. If that makes her happy, why not?”

What makes her happiest of all is dance. The moment she hears music, like a switch that’s turned on, her feet move and her body sways. “She dances like a butterfly,” says Nirmal, Kalyan's younger brother. “We all love her. She is like my daughter; I buy little things for her.” Anima, inspired by Debashri’s potential, is looking for ways to help. “I am planning to speak to my teachers about how we can give her therapy at home. If we can help her develop more skills, she will have a brighter future.”
 
Caring for Debashri is not always easy. She can be stubborn and Mitali sometimes loses patience but Gitarani is always there to remind her to be gentler. Debashri is often jealous of Monalisa and gets upset when her parents shower affection on the little one. “She doesn’t want to share our love,” Mitali says softly. “It’s a childish reaction. She will grow out of it.”
 
Kalyan and Mitali strive to provide Debashri with a normal life, ensuring she is never isolated. Their dream is to see her learn dance professionally, even though no such classes exist in their village. Mitali sighs as she says, “If we could afford it, I would send her to a dance class. But for now, we let her dance wherever she wants. She is happiest when she is dancing.”