देणारयाने देतजावे. घेणारयाने घेतजावे. एकदिवस घेणारयाने, देणारयाचे हात घयावे.

I got a call on my cell.This is a special ringtone assigned to a group, in my mobile. This group includes my very special friends. Six friends are included in this group. Neither do I pick there call, nor do I disconnect it!

After a long ring, It got converted into a miscall. I called him back.

"Heyyy good morning! Whats the matter? You called exactly on time today. that's great!"
It was 19:00 in my watch. I have this wicked habit of wishing 'Good morning', at any time of the day, if it happens to be the first talk, on that day.

"Nothing like, 'called on time' and all. I just came home and called you." He said.

The hidden message was - "Don't feel so important. I did not remember to call you, on time. It just happened coincidentally."

"Okay" I said. Knowing clearly that, it wasn't a coincidence.

"Hey, Vinod! Will that be fine? If I call you back after 15 minutes? Actually, I am on the way to home. I will call you up, once I reach home."

"Ok. Fine"

"Is there anything urgent?"

"Nopes. Nothing urgent."

"Okay then. Will catch you in 15 minutes."

"Okay bye."

"See ya."

"ya"

I was waiting for my 'egg fried rice', at the roadside vehicle. It costs me 20 bucks and quantity is enough for the dinner! It is reasonably hygienic and tastes good.

I took the 'egg fried rice' parcel and started walking my way, towards home.On my way towards home, I happened to cross a married couple.

"Please help us. We are from Nagpur. We will talk in Marathi. We don't have money to get tickets to Nagpur and we are hungry for the whole day." they said in bespeaking voice.

I looked at the them. A kid was sleeping on the man's shoulder. They were poor but were not looking like beggars.

I wondered, "How do they know that I am from Nagpur? and I am Marathi? or its just a coincidence?"

I was hungry and having food with me. If my father is having a meal and even if his enemy is around, my father will, definitely and without fail, call his enemy to have food with him. Being a son of a great father, I could not disrespect the request made by those people, specially when, I am having food in my hand.

"How much money do you want?" I asked him. This question may sound majestic but I really wanted to know, what amount they want, me, to help them with.

I thought 50 bucks should suffice. Getting them food is okay, but getting there railway tickets is certainly not my chore.

"We need to go to Nagpur. We need two tickets. One ticket is 210 bucks (May be, they were talking about the general compartment fare.) and we are hungry since morning. At least, we need one ticked for her." he said, pointing to his wife.

"Give your address. We will return all your money, once we reach Nagpur."

"At the most, I can get them 100 bucks, not more than that." I thought.
Actually, when conflict happens between brain and heart, I tend to follow the heart!

I took 100 rupees from my purse and gave it to him.

"We bow you. we are hungry from the morning." they said desperately.

"I bow you. Please get us some more money." His wife said. How is it possible? for a man to elude such a request? I respect women and its very difficult for me to say 'NO'.

Such things happens with almost all of us. While walking on the road, many times, people ask us for money and more often than the not, some of us try not to elude there request.

"How much I will spend like this? How much I will give them? What if these people are fake? What if this only is there business? May be, after getting money from me, they will laugh at my stupidity and foolishness. It is also possible that, they will use this money to get there beer. Any thing is possible. What if they are really needy?" Last question overshadowed all the questions and possibilities.

I understand that, giving easy money, may encourage there act of asking for the money. I clearly know, giving money to beggars is not absolutely correct. I am not proud of the fact that, I give money to beggars and the people like those were standing in front of me. But, there are many things which are also, not absolutely correct. I clearly know, that, some things which I do, as the matter of routine are also not absolutely correct, but still I does those things daily, like -
- I waste 1000's of rupees on my birthday, just for treating my loved once. Instead of wasting 1000's on food, I could definitely spend this money for some trusted charity.
- Ideally, I should not use any imported stuff.
- I unnecessarily shout on my mom.
- I don't exercise daily. On and On and On...
Many things I do, daily, are not absolutely-correct. This is for sure.

Very few things in this world are absolutely correct. Others are just relatively correct! relative to your perception, relative to your philosophy, culture, caste, religion, time and place.

"We are living in the world of perceptions and not in the world of facts!"
"All we can do in this world is, 'Have best intentions' and 'Give our best'." - this is what my experience about life taught me.
"Don't waste your life in making right decisions! Make decisions and make them right!"

"If they will use this money for having beer or for some other foul purpose, I don't have control on that.I can only do so much about anything."

What I can do is 'have the best intentions' and 'give my best'.

I took 120 bucks more, from my purse, and gave it to them. Total 220 busks. Thinking that, this will get them one ticket for the lady and some 10 rupees extra, to have some milk or some food for the child. If they need some more money, they will get it from some other fool, like me.

"Please give some more money. We will return it on your address." They asked again.

"This is all, I can give" I said with muddiness. As there was a serious war going on, between my brain and the heart.

I left the spot and started walking my way.

"Please give your address. We will return your money to your address." both of them, said in harmony.

"Its okay." I said, with a smile, to make them feel better.

As I was walking my way to home, I had a very strange feeling. The feeling was the blend of satisfaction and unhappiness. I was satisfied as my heart was praising my deed and unhappy because my brain was cursing it.

But I thought, "I can't help all the poor people on this planet. I am not in the position to do that. My heart is not that big. So, that is out of question. Can't I even help those? Who come to me and ask me for the help?"

I reached home and called Vinod. After having a normal talk with him. I said ...

"Hey, Let me ask you one question...

You are away from Nagpur... walking on the road .... one couple comes to u with the child sleeping on the guy's shoulder ... they requests to for 500 bucks .. they say that they are from your native place and know your mother tongue ...they will return all your money to your address once they reach to say Nagpur .. they say they didn't eat anything from morning .... they requests u like anything ... they say that they will bow u ...n all .... they say 210 is train fare from Bangalore to Nagpur ... so they ask for 500 bucks, so that they can take 2 tickets n have some food... u have 500 bucks with u ... n even if they wont return u ... u are okay with that... money is not a very big problem for u ... but u are really saving money ... n u have to save your money for at least 1 year with dedication.
what will you do ?? they are strangers for you."

"I would have given them 500 bucks and would have felt lucky that they came to me and I got the opportunity to help them out. I would purchase one jeans less, than I would have purchased in Diwali. A Jeans will definitely cost me more than 500 bucks. I would have saved 500 bucks there." he replied firmly. Without any confusion, doubt and second thought! What an Instinct!

I was very embarrassed, about my gesture and deed, after listening to his answer. Vinod has a big heart. He thought me one lesson,for the lifetime, that day. "If you get an opportunity of serving someone, Actually, you are lucky!"

"That's why I respect you so much, Vinod! That makes you larger than life!" - I thought.

"I gave them only 220 bucks." I confessed. With regret.

"I correctly suspected that this incidence happened with you.
That is also okay. At least they will reach Nagpur somehow." A person with a big heart, said.

"Sorry" I said, very emotionally.

"Sorry? Why?" Vinod asked me. curiously.

"Simply" I said, with heart full of sentiments, respect and admiration for Vinod.

There is a saying in Marathi.

"देणारयाने देतजावे. घेणारयाने घेतजावे. एकदिवस घेणारयाने, देणारयाचे हात घयावे."

It means, "The person who is serving others, should continue serving. The person who is being served, should also continue. One day, A person, who was being served, should take the hands of the serving person."

If you carefully look at the postures, of the hand of the person, who is serving and the one who is being served, in the picture, above. You will understand the meaning of the sentence...
"One day, A person, who was being served, should take the hands of the serving person."

This means, One day, the person who is being served today, should change the posture of his hands and start serving others.


Hrishikesh Alshi

छोटी बातें!... छोटी-छोटी बातोंकी है, यादें बड़ी! ... भूलें नहीं! ...बीती हुई एक छोटी घडी!

I called my friend on her cell. She was probably busy, with some other work.She didn't pick my call. I was siting on the bench, in the Diamond District. Diamond District is one of the very lovely places in Bangalore.I love to roam there in the evening, just to take my mind away from the office work and to make some closeness with the nature.

As I was about to call her again, I heard, someone calling me.

"Hey, Do you know? Where is 'Dukan'?" A very beautiful young girl, of about seven years of age, asked, looking at me.

She,along with her brother, where in search of something - I guessed.Both, she and her brother were of nearly the same age. They were very fair and wasn't from India. From there accent, I thought they were British.

I went near her, knelt down, to get to her height, and asked, "Excuse me, Can you come again?"

She said, "Do you know? Where is 'Dukan'?" she was so cute and her accent was so nice, that, I wanted to hear it once again.

The word 'Dukan' puzzled me.'Dukan' is a Hindi word, it means 'A shop'.Probably her mom or dad asked her, to ask for 'Dukan' and to get some stuff.

I knew,there is one super market at the back side of the Diamond District.
"Yes, I know one 'Dukan' nearby. Would you like to come with me?" I said, as I wanted to chat with both of them.

"Yes" she said, innocently.

"Follow me" I said, happily.

While walking our way, to 'Dukan',with those little and innocent kids. I started the conversation. "What is your name? I asked her, In the greed to hear her sweet and innocent accent.

To my surprise, she replied "Yes."

"What is your name?" I repeated. I thought, she misunderstood my question.

Again, the answer was same!.

I thought, If they would have been British, She would have answered me correctly.

Still, to extend the conversation, I asked her "Is he your brother?"

"Yes" she said. I questioned myself, was this a right answer? or It happened to be the right one?.

I asked her brother, "What is your name?"

He did not reply. May be, he was too shy to speak with a stranger.

"Where are your parents?" I asked them.

Her answer was same!. "Yes.". So sweet!

"Are you taking us to 'Dukan'?" she asked me, impatiently.

"Yes" I replied.

We reached to the supermarket. They rushed into the 'Dukan', leaving me behind.

I thought, they are not Indians and are kids. should I accompany them? inside the 'Dukan'?.If they happen to purchase something worth more than what they have, I will pay the remaining amount. I wanted them, not to get disappointed, just for the want of some money. To be very honest, there was another motive in being with them. I am fond of innocence and the kids of this age. I wanted to be with them, as long as possible.

"Bye Bye." she said, turning back to me. I read "Thanks" from her eyes!

I still stepped inside the 'Dukan', she kept looking at me. From her expressions, I unnecessarily felt like, she permitted me for accompanying them.

The shopkeeper and others,inside the shop, felt like the kids were with me.

Both of them, were running inside the shop and taking irrelevant stuff, from the shelf ,and then keeping it at some other irrelevant place!. The helper staff,in the shop, got annoyed with there act, but kept the false smile on there faces, as I was accompanying them.

I wondered, If these kids happen to buy some costly stuff,then, It will only be me, who will be paying the difference, of the bill amount and the amount they carry.

I hold the decision back for the later time, in the hope that, the difference will be in my budget.I made my mind not to disappoint those innocent kids just for some money.

Finally, they made the decision on what they had to buy. They took the stuff, they wanted, and directly innocently went out of the shop!

"Heyyyy, helloooo, come inside. we have to pay the bill" As we had to scan the bar code of the items, we had purchased. I had to call them up.

The bill wasn't much. It was just 48 bucks and she gave 20 bucks to the shopkeeper!

Shopkeeper looked at me.

"Take this." I gave him 50 bucks and asked him, to return her 20 bucks, back to her.

We paid the bill and stepped out of the 'Dukan'.

"We are finished. you can go" she said very happily!.

I was very happy to be the reason for there happiness and took pride of the right decision I made, so that, those innocent kids, should not feel disappointed, just for the want of some money.

I took my cell out of the pocket, to call my friend up.

"1 Message Received" this message was flashing on my mobile screen!

I opened the message:"M in examination hall call u later n tel u evrythng k bye tk cr"



Hrishikesh Alshi

The False Ownership

"Love never hurts! Its the feeling of ownership that hurts, which is exactly opposite of the Love!!!.”

I started my journey from my Karmabhoomi (A place of work- Bangalore) to my Janmabhoomi (A place of birth - Nagpur).It was 1:30 in my watch, train stopped at Dharmawaram.

"This is 31-32" I said, As I saw an old couple was looking for there seat. It was dark in our chamber, as every one was sleeping.

"Our seat is next to you." They said, as I switched on the lights.

I generally reserve side lower seat in the train, as its an assured window seat.

"Is there anybody outside? Selling some edible?" the old man asked me, as I was looking out from the window.

I looked outside but nobody was there, on the platform.

"Nopes, Nobody is outside." I said, looking at them.

"Drink some water." his wife suggested him.

"Drinking water, when you are hungry, is not a very good idea" I thought, suspecting that the old man was hungry.

I went outside the train in search of some edible. I was carrying lots of sweets, with me, in my bag. I thought offering sweets to the old man will be the last option, as eating sweets and that too at night, will not be good for his health. I searched for edible on the platform but nothing was there.

I came inside the train, by the time the couple was asleep.

Our chamber was already full. I saw, another couple, with their son, who was about the same age of mine, entered in our chamber. This guy was sitting on my seat. I sat near him.

"What is your seat number?" I asked him, as I had correctly suspected that he was traveling without reservation.

"We don't have reservation" He replied. He along with his parents was traveling to Nagpur.

"Let him sit for 15 mins, by the time we will manage seat somewhere" His father said rudely looking in my eyes.

I got very angry, as they were encroaching my space without civility, but swallowed it, as he was of my father's age.

"Where are you going?" guy asked me.

"Nagpur" I said, with discomfort.

To add to my discomfort these people were very dirty and unhygienic.

I had kept my luggage on my seat and locked it with the window bar, so already the seat was occupied and wasn't spacious.

I got irritated, when that guy took his feet on the seat, where I was supposed to sleep the whole night. His socks were very dirty. This was already testing my patience and he spit out of the window!.

The urge came from inside to blow these people out from the chamber. Two years before if this would have happened with me, I would have definitely asked them, to immediately leave my (?) seat, as I was very aggressive in my recent past. Now started realizing that the strength lies in patience and not in aggression, in listening and not in saying, in being polite and not in being rude.

"Go and check with the TT, If any seat is available in the train, give him some money and manage a seat for us." - His father asked him and gave some money.

He took the money from his father and went in the search of seat.

It was a good opportunity for me, to occupy my seat completely. I did the same. I cleaned the seat and lay over occupying the complete seat.

After a while, that guy came back and sat near me on the very small place.

"Train is full and no seat is vacant." He told his father, giving the money back.

As it was night journey, middle berth was on, so his mother has to sit, the whole night, bending her neck. I could see the discomfort of his mother, as she had very small place to sit, near the legs of some other women. Same was the situation of his father. All of them started feeling discomfort, as they knew that there is no seat available in the train. So the night journey would be a nightmare for them. I was very comfortable physically, as I did (was able to do) reservation before time and I had money (by god's grace) to do it.

Being a non believer of the concept that God resides in temple, I don't visit temples generally and I don't believe in worshiping God, with flowers and goodies. I am brought up with the concept that God is everywhere and serving humankind is the best form of worshiping God.

I was seeing the discomfort of the lady, who was about the age of my mom, and I was still laying on the seat just because I own (do I really?) that seat. While growing in life, my emotions started getting blunt and I started loosing my innocence. So sad, but true!

Train started and so as my thinking - "I will let them do all the efforts that they can do, for getting there seat. If nothing works, I will see, what I can do for them. Let me wait for the 15-20 minutes." Life had thought me to always keep a balance in everything.

"My luggage is on the seat and people are devoid of it.This is not done. If I would sleep happily without caring about the people around me, specially the lady, it will be the serious dishonor of my principles ('sanskars' ) which I got from my parents,uncle and few of my very close friends. Offering seat to the lady means loosing the seat completely. I am left with two options, be brazen and sleep happily or be stupid and loose both seat and the sleep. Considering nightout is not a big deal for me, as I am used to It. I did all my studies in night time. Being a younger person I could take the pain of remaining awake the whole night." - I took the second option. 

I got up and unlocked my luggage. I kept my luggage below the seat.

"If you want, you can seat." I offered my seat to the lady and stood near the seat.

Without wasting a second, she was on to my seat.

"Please take the seat. You have done fast today." Her husband said.

I took my mobile headphones and went to my favourite place in the train, the door. I love to stand in the door and sing songs. I started the music player ...."Na Hai Yeh Pana....Na Khona Hi Hai...Tera Na Hona Jane...Kyun Hona Hi Hai?....". I got lost in the songs for 3 hours.

Now It was 5:00 in my watch and I was feeling really sleepy, but I thought it will be indecent to wake them up. I waited patiently for them to getup.


"Chaaee chaaee...garam chaaee..." Train stopped at some station. I was so tired and sleepy that I did not bother to know which station it was.They got up by 7:30 morning because of the noise of people, selling, tea and the breakfast.

The guy and his mother managed to sleep together on my seat and his father slept on the floor.
When that guy got up, unintentionally, we had an eye-contact. May be out of guilt, he suddenly got out of his bedsheet and sat.

They all went to get freshen up and left there luggage and bags on the seat.They didn't bother to offer me the seat.

"Bahiya raat bhar nahi sooye" Guy told his father.

His father replied something, I wasn't in the mood of listening. Then they ordered some tea and breakfast and  started eating. His mother dropped tea on the seat and on my luggage. This was very irritating. By the time his father managed to drop the biscuit flour on the seat. It was 8:30 in my watch and they had no plans on leaving the seat. Seat was already dirty and I wanted to see the brazenness of these people. So I also didn't ask them to leave the seat. Actually, my past experience with people is very nice. Wherever I go, I meet with good people. This was probably one of the very few different experiences of my life.

"Bhaiya, aapne seat di iisliye saholiyat ho gayi" His father said looking at me. I wasn't impressed with this fake appreciation.

At nine the guy sleeping at the middle berth woke up.

"Bhaiya, aap soaaye nahi?" I felt like, he added insult to the injury.

"Nahi mooze neend nahi aarahi thi." I gave him the stupid answer.

After few minutes, the person on the top berth also woke up.I cleaned my luggage and took it to the top berth and slept there, for two hours. By 11:00 morning I woke up. This was the time for lunch. Everybody from our chamber started eating lunch. Man asked his son to offer me the lunch.

"Would you like to eat?" he asked me.

"Nopes" I said.

He forced me to join him for lunch, I touched his knees expressing my "No thanks".

During lunch, One old women dropped the sweet "Khir', on one persons feet. Then other guy poured water on his feet and chappal to clean it up. This was all pathetic to see but It was an opportunity for me to increase my tolerance level. I wasn't bothered with what was happening around me.

Thought came in my mind, "What kind of people I am traveling with?"

It triggered another thought, "When you complain about the people around you, remember the fact that, you are with those people only because you are one of them!" - By Swami Vivekananda.

I started questioning myself - "What would you do? If you are traveling with your mother, sister or some older person? Will you offer your seat to others?"

"My first responsibility is security and comfort of my loved once. Nope, In that case it will not be possible for me to offer the seat to others. If it is at the cost of my own comfort, I will do it. Even if I happen to have some important appointment or interview, on the same day, I am reaching the destination, I may not offer my seat to others."

"As you had bad experience this time, If same thing happens while returning from Nagpur to Bangalore what will you do?"

"As I will be traveling alone in the return journey, I can afford to offer my seat to others. About the bad experience - When I was very young, Doordarshan used to broadcast one serial, named 'Hindustani' - Where there was one person walking on the riverside, He happened to see one insect was sinking in water. He looked around for some wood or paper, to take the insect out from the water. But there was nothing around, so he took his hand in the water to save its life. That insect took his bite. Because of the pain, man took his hand out of water and insect fell in the water.... This happened 3-4 times. Another person watching this, laughed on the stupidity of this man and said 'Why do you want to save that insect?, let it die, It is biting you, leave it.' First man replied 'ye ek chotasa kida aapni fitrat nahi chodata! aur main iinsan hoke aapni fitrat kaise chod doon? '. If people like those I met there don't leave there attitude, What makes me leave my attitude? Just because of such people, I cant let my principles down.".

"Expecting Life to be better for you, just because you try to be better with others, is like expecting that, lion will leave you just because you are vegetarian!"

I looked out of the window, to see the huge land and small plots, where people have constructed there home. There OWN place.

"Do I really owned the seat? Do we really own the places? plots?gadgets? People?"

Nopes.

I started relating that train journey with Life - The Journey!
I got the "Reservation" of the seat, and not its "Ownership", for the limited time. From the start of my journey to its end.
Relating this with life, we get the "Reservation" of the various assets in this world, and not there "Ownership". From our birth till we say good bye!
Before I had that seat, Someone else had it and once I finish my journey, someone else will have it. Same is the case in life!

Its very human nature, to mistake this "Reservation" as "Ownership"!

The Ownership, that doesn't allow us to be human with others, the ownership, that doesn't let us give space to our loved once, the ownership, that takes us away from humanity, indeed, is false!

God has given us an opportunity in the form of money, position and power to serve the humankind and not to feel its ownership!

I stooped complaining about the people and started talking with the guys in my compartment. This is one good quality, I have developed, of making friends easily. I was actually enjoying the journey.

I took pride, that I kept the respect of my principles and I tried to give comfort to people around me, at the cost of my sleep, comfort and reservation.

One of my office mate was traveling in the same train, He joined me in the afternoon. He, I and my other friends, we talked, eat and enjoyed together.


Hrishikesh Alshi
Nagpur/Bangalore