………………..From
Other’s shoes
The last Saturday, 15th August, the
Independence Day.
I woke up late and was late for walking also. I set out at 7.30 .
I love walking in this new style Pondy Bazaar.
Just do 2 and a half round. That makes 5 km and
6650 steps. Park my two wheeler in front of Balaji Bhavan.
My walk track starts anti clockwise. I begin from Balaji Bhavan, and en route walk
up till Ramakrihsna School opposite to Panagal Park, take a u turn, walk back
the full stretch till Boag Road Junction, cross over to Hotel Presidency and
complete the walk back to Balaji Bhavan.
I’ve seen quite a few alms-seekers, mostly aged
and some physically challenged on the Pondy Bazaar stretch. That day on my round two, when I came near
Thanikachalam Road Junction, the old lady was sitting on the platform. Sometimes I used to give her just about Rs.5
coin. Strangely this time, this frail
looking lady asked very feebly “Can you get me some idly?.” I just walked past not knowing clearly what
she was asking. But I could hear her
utter the word ‘idly’. I felt an
uneasiness, the word ‘idly’ lingered. After
a few yards, I walked back to where the lady was sitting and asked her, “Do you
want idli?”. “Yes”, she said and her
countenance reflected her hunger. I
promised her that on the way back I’d get her “idlis” and continued my walk.
There was a food seller supplying food from his
cart near Boag Road Junction. Bought 4
idlis and crossed over to the stretch back from Hotel Presidency. As I was coming along Holy Angels, a
physically challenged middle aged man came pushing his cart wheel with his hand
from the other side. Seeing my carrying
the idly and sensing somehow that I intended to give the food in the pocket to
someone, he asked, “Sir, could you give me some food?” I didn’t know what to say. Still told him that I bought it for an old
lady, it’s okay.
Immediately he said, “Sir, no Sir, please give
it to the lady. Sorry Sir. No problem.”
I just gave him instead some money to buy food
for his breakfast. He happily accepted.
What a vision!?
He himself was hungry. He could not do like normally abled persons
to earn his livelihood. Yet he was so
big hearted in asking me to give the idlis to the old lady.
In life you come across, read from
scriptures. Many a time, what these
convey we can’t even fathom. But like
Godsend, all of a sudden you get the wisdom hidden in such scriptures, slogans,
gospels.
The above incident threw light on the following
verse of Isha Upanishad:
“Those who see all
Things in themselves,
And themselves in all
Beings, relinquish
Hatred. How can the
Seeming diversity of
Life delude the one
Who has seen its
Unity?”
