Perhaps each one of us when in kindergarten are taught to greet everyone around us with the gesture appropriate to the time of the day. I had a late realization though that people around me, including me, have very conveniently forgotten this basic courtesy. I go to the Ridge behind college every evening to run. A few days ago I came across this old man, in rather shabby clothes, who was sitting on this solitary bench on the side of the track and feeding dogs. At first sight, he appeared somewhat insane through his mannerisms. I was listening to my MP3 player and did not bother enough to pay attention any further. However, when I went past him, he wished me saying "Ram ram". I was a little surprised as to why would some stranger wish me and very quickly came to the conclusion that the poor chap must be mad. I was however, taken aback when he said... "arey bhaiya shaam to raam raam to bol do" (At least in the evenings you can reply brother.) I felt a little guilty and replied back with courtesy.
I realized however, that we the so called educated masses, feel too heavy to even greet each other. Basic courtesy and gestures that bind us together as human beings, instills love around us have been forgotten. Actually, it should not take us anything and it is absolutely not necessary to know someone to greet him. Just the sheer bond of humaneness should be enough. It is from forgetting these little gestures have we created so much hatred amongst us. We as humans have forgotten our real-self and the easiest solution we find to anything is one of hatred and violence. The sense of brotherhood has got lost somewhere. We do not know each other since we do not want to. We like being strangers. We would not be if we could just stick to the simplicities of life. All that takes to kill hatred and spread a little love is a smile and a "Good Morning..." One doesn't need to shell a couple of thousand bucks on a Kingfisher flight to hear that. Just imagine how the face of the world could change if each one of us could just "GREET".
I agree completely! In a story, Ruskin Bond said," People with a good eyesight fail to see what is right in front of them; they have to much to take in, I suppose." Adding to this, I think people today see only negativity in everything around. We as a generation have lost the sense of appreciation altogether!
ReplyDeleteI remember something from my school days that's very similar to the story of this old man in the ridge. My school is inside the Aurobindo Ashram premises, so many Ashramites stay around there. I remember this old man who everyone called "Ram Ram Bhaiya". That was because every morning, when all children would be coming to school, he would stand at our school gate and wish all children "Ram Ram". Initially, I never cared but after a while i starting wishing him back...and soon it became a habit. There were times when he won't be there and if i asked around i'd find that he is not well. But he would be back in a day or two and greet everyone with a smile. The little kids used to like him a lot because he helped with the way around sometimes. In my last year of school, I thought of interviewing him for an article to contribute in my school magazine. His house was a little hut-like-looking room near the ashram. He was very happy to talk to me. He told me that he worked for the Ashram all his life. He had two sons but neither wanted to keep him with them. So he stayed there. He had a beautiful garden and four tortoises as pets whom he loved to look after. When I asked why he stood at the gate every morning to greet all children, he said, "there is something about a child's smile. Even if one person smiled back, it would make my day". He used to count how many children replied back with a smile each day and be happy whenever it was a number higher than before. I am not sure if he is still alive, but he would always be a part of my school memories.