A ride that he gave me...

Its kind of amazing how some people leave their marks on memory even If the meeting lasts for less than 10 minutes. One such person was him, I so remember him clearly, that ride in his Rickshaw on a day of shower…

“Madam aap na ekdum Left ki tarah ho jao….”

“Huhh?”

“Ha madam ekdum left side par baitho seat ki”

“okay Par kyu”

And I try to check the rareview if he’s tryin to adjust me so that he can have good view, but no…In those whats-wrong thought I saw an Innova passing by which splashed the whole water from road in the riskhaw…Ohh That’s why he asked me to shift. How thoughtful. Then he started –

“Madam ji aapko pata hai ye jo badi gaadi apne dekhi jate hue…”

“Hmm..”

“Aur ye dusri jitni badi gadiya dikh rahi hai na aaspaas”

“Hmm”

“Ye sab na dikhane ke liye hai madamji”

“Huhh”

“Haa madam ji, Sirf dikhane ke liye karza lekar kahreedi hui hai, Aisi hai ye Dilli!”

And he went on with his experiences with people who are living such life…Not such a ride I expected in a Dilli’s rickshaw! This rickshaw-wallah then took his course to how happiness is not through your possessions but in giving.

“logo ko dikhaane ke liye karz par cheezein kahreedna se toh achcha hai, jo hai usme se jaruratmando ko thoda de”

“hmm”

“kabhi suna hai, kisi ne loan lekar daan kiya ho?”

Well I had never heard of something of that sorts but yes I certainly know few people who are helping this society, evn if that is out of their financial capacity. Cutting the whole listing process of such people I know in my mind, I listened to him till I reached my destination. Before getting off that rickshaw I asked him about his life, He was in Delhi since few years and some 20 odd years ago, he had eloped from his house, in some village in Punjab to travel whole India. He never attended any school but as he said, “Zindagi se badi koi teacher nahi, madam ji”, He followed lot of preachers during his travel. “Ek hi cheez yaad rahi sabko sunne ke baad ki apne pass rakh kar bhi kya kar lenge, saath to kuch le jana nahi hai, jitna ho sake dusro ko do”

That was one hell of a ride, which still hasn’t finished in my mind, strangely this guy taught me the act of giving in simple words and in less than 10 minutes. Quite a few months later, today I recalled that ride and his talks after reading these lines by Kahlil Gibran -

“For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the over-prudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?”