This is a narrative about a certain incident which filled me with great empathy leaving a lump in my throat. The beggar i saw in college really shook me up... find out how and why!
As I walked in I let my eyes wander about aimlessly drinking in the now very familiar sights and sounds of the Boat Club, my second home. I looked around searching for familiar faces and many hands waved back in reply to my smile. Everything seemed the same just the way I had left it only a couple of hours ago. Well as every COEPian I may proudly say “all roads lead to the Boat Club”. That warm sip of tea (Note: quantity obtained is defined as a sip and not as a cup) that hot vada pao and that inviting cut dosa (spoiling yourself is allowed sometimes) does leave you wanting for more visits in the day. So Boat Club var chill lavne is a must each day.
Yet as I entered today something seemed amiss…something was wrong…I could sense it but could not point it out. There was an uncomfortable feel to the whole place. It felt as though there was an intruder somebody alien to my home had barged in. Sudden bursts of laughter distracted me from my thoughts and I hurried on to get an inside on the latest gossip. All disturbing thoughts left me momentarily as I settled down to fruitfully waste my time. I was thoroughly enjoying the whos dating whom talk when, in between outbursts of laughter and jovial crooning, I saw him!
There he stood like he had no worry in the world mumbling to himself looking here and there but seeing nothing. He stood out as if he didn’t want to belong here as if he had just lost his way, was headed elsewhere. Everybody noticed him but didn’t want to show it. Everybody looked at him, glanced sideways and watched his every move out of the corner of their eye. Yet he was immune to all the silent unrest, he didn’t sense it or maybe he didn’t care. Alas I realised what had made me uncomfortable… that man, that intruder.
Who was he? Where did he come from? His appearance showed that he had no belongings that he did not have a thing to call his own. Sanity had left him, maybe life had played a cruel joke on him. Some said he is a beggar; what was he doing in the college campus. Some thought he was too mad to have come here intentionally. Some already began to put their heads together for a solution to stop ‘such’ people from getting in. Some pitied him while others loathed him despised even the look of him but no one flinched a muscle.
He kept moving around talking to himself or some imaginary friend. He began eating out of empty plates, laughing as he did so maybe he offered some to his ‘friend’ who refused. Finally he was driven out by a few. On seeing this, immense sadness engulfed me. Here I am complaining that my mother forgot the essential pinch of salt in my vegetable when this man eats leftovers. Here we are fretting when our clothes get dirty when this man has hardly any on his weatherworn skin. What right do we have to protest of a year old pair of shoes when he has none on his feet?
He breathes the same air walks on the same earth but yet he is treated as an untouchable. What wrong has he done to you for you to despise his look feel disquieted by his presence? Nothing at all. But then “c’est la vie” it is life … for him a full meal is bliss… a roof on this head is royalty, things we take for granted. I believe that if you cannot extend your hand in aid atleast do not draw it away in abhorrence. Although your hands may be tied or too small to extend to help those in need true sympathy and compassion felt deep within the heart makes a human… human.
7 comments:
man, aren't you a senti person ? good post though. Ever thought of why you are born the way you are born; in the place you are born. Is is just sheer luck? Could luck play such a cruel joke on some people while people like us are so happy? Or is there some other factor to it ?
Good one !!
Hey, Sandnya, long time no post.
Your exams must be over by now, right? So post something new.
Hey sandnya, i have linked you.
though I am not from COEP I have been to the the BC for our quiz club meets etc with Salil and friends. My advice is that when in India we see so many humanitarian disasters in the form of beggars and street tramps especially on traffic signals, so just forget about them. Free handouts is the reason why we have failed as a nation and showing empathy towards beggars is not at all going to help.
yeah it was nice to see the post but it's very difficult a topic to actually base judjements on.. cos for one thing it's sympathy that we do feel but you must remember that people have a choice. it's not written for one born into poverty to remain so.. in fact many of the most famous people have come through the most daunting odds and that's why they achieve what they do. the choice is for everyone to make.. and the ones who don't realise it are the ones who cannot control their lives. no one is destined to poverty. the ones we should take care of are the children...
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