Araria: 9-year-old boy travels 900 km by cart with parents

The nationwide lockdown has helped in controlling the spread of the coronavirus but it also led to a large scale migration of lakhs of workers. Here is the heart-rending story of bravery and perseverance of 9-year-old Tabarak, who drove his parents home, covering 900 km in 9 days.

Araria (Bihar): Amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country, on the one hand are heart-rending tales of ordinary workers, who have been forced to travel from other states in droves on foot, on bicycles, motorbikes and other vehicles to their homes, but on the other hand, there have been instances of some brave and strong-willed children who have shown grit in such difficult and dark times, much to the amazement of ordinary people. Recently, Rozi Kumari of Darbhanga had travelled from Delhi to Darbhanga on a bicycle carrying her sick father. Her struggle and resolve echoed all over the world and people saluted her courage.

A similar video is going viral again. In the viral video, a 9-year-old boy is seen driving his parents on a cart on the National Highway. This child is going from Varanasi to Araria. One can't even begin to comprehend the courage it took a 9-year-old child, covering a distance of about 900 km, to bring home his mother, who is disabled from one eye and his father, who is disabled from one leg, safely. ETV Bharat traced the child to his home where crowds of people had gathered to see the boy and were praising his enthusiasm.

The boy's name is Muhammad Tabarak. Tabarak's father earned his livelihood by running a stall in a marble shop in Varanasi. While working, a marble slab fell on his foot, paralyzing one of his legs. Mubarak went to Varanasi with his mother to look after his injured father, where he got stuck due to the lockdown. During the lockdown, they began to run out of food supplies and his father didn't have enough money to stay in Varanasi during the lockdown. When they couldn't find any transportation, Tabarak decided to carry his parents on a cart and covered a distance of 900 km in 9 days to reach home. Tabarak says that they faced trouble in many places during the journey, although many people also helped him.

Tabarak narrated the whole story of this journey to ETV Bharat.

Tabarak's courage and enthusiasm are being praised all around. People belonging to various social and political organizations are reaching Tabarak's house to encourage the child. Rashid Anwar, District President of MIM, saluting Tabarak's spirit, said, "there is no shortage of hard work and dedication in this child, if he wants to study, we are ready to bear the cost of his education." Meanwhile, District Council member Gulshan Ara demanded the state government come forward to help such promising children.

Thanks to his courage and perseverance, Tabarak has created an identity for himself not only in Araria district but in the whole of Bihar today. People are urging their children to value their parents and do something for them as Tabarak did for his parents and set an example.