The Wall of Kindness opposite FE Block has completed two years and there’s a fresh coat of paint and message on it, thanking residents for their donations.

The Wall of Kindness is a concept first started in Iran where people could go hang up old clothes on a wall for others to take home. The model has spread to several countries and in Salt Lake, Asoke Dalui of EE Block picked it up. “Back then, I wasn’t thinking about how long it would last; I just knew I had to start it.”

Dalui chose a wall on a footpath near EE Island. Heading from Bidhannagar Municipal School, cross the Jaidip Mukherjea tennis academy and take a right turn. The wall stands on the left side of the road. Dalui had begun by hanging up old clothes donated by his friends. He mentions the likes of Pradip and Shampa Sarkar of EE Block, Sujoy Sikdar of FE Block, Syeda Jahanara of Karunamoyee and his own children and relatives who have helped at every stage.

Initially Dalui put up a clothes line to hang the donations and put up a flex explaining the wall. “Even the clothes line and the flex got taken away,” smiles the elderly gentleman. He then put up another line and this time painted the message on the wall. Over the years the wall has seen donations in the form of clothes, shoes, utensils, books, toys and even watches and cameras. “Some of the clothes are torn beyond repair and I discard them but we also get freshly-ironed clothes.”

Some people leave bagsfull at the wall but many give them to Dalui so he can spread them out intermittently. “In monsoon, I remove the items while it rains and in winter many people take the clothes to — not wear but — burn and get some warmth. They can’t afford firewood. I don’t stop anyone,” he says.

Dalui makes it a point to never run into anyone who takes home the items. “I cannot afford to embarrass them,” he says. “They should in no way feel indebted to me or to any of the givers. I wish more such walls come up around us.”