Skip to main content

How should I look upon this one ?


This experience of mine which I am about to share just now...Is one of those experiences which I have shared with quite a many till date, I suppose...
The reactions to the same were of course quite unexpected and surprisingly painful as well…lets first tell you this experience and we will come back to this point in the end…

It goes like this…

I was hit by the cold air of the very winter morning when my mother just opened my balcony door for some fresh air to come inside. It was a Sunday morning, I remember clearly. There was nothing to do much on that very cold day, so mom thought why not we people go for some shopping. Lying on my bed, I yawningly agreed..

We people got ready and sat in the car. We were getting late and I was a bit hungry so I took my breakfast along with me in the car. Halfway from our place, we stopped at a signal…And my eyes fell on a beggar who was coming towards our car.

You find beggars everywhere in India…isn’t it? But this time this ‘beggar story‘ took a very peculiar turn…Lets check it out…

The beggar I was talking about…was half naked…he was wearing no shirt and a shorts(that too was torn from many places)…I looked upon myself…who was wearing a inner as well as a jacket on top, with gloves on both of my hands, and still feeling cold in the enclosed car. I don’t know whether he was feeling cold or not (!!)…but after looking at him and that too dressed like that…made me feel cold for him. I urged my mother to help him. She refused. I looked at her with confused eyes, eyes which were trying to find out the reason for such a refusal, an act which was filled with so much of insensitivity.
He was still a bit far away from our car. I got down of the car and gave my breakfast to him. Of course my mom was shouting at this very act of mine. I came back and sat again in the car. Complete silence was what we observed in the car. The signal turned green. I was just looking at him, just to find out whether he was eating the food given by me or not…when suddenly what I saw just AMAZED ME……

That beggar hurriedly wore a sweater which was just kept beneath the signal…………

Many of the readers might be feeling amused right now…just like the others did when they heard this very same story…
My mom of course gave me a nice lecture as to why cant I just listen to her… (So very expected)..she said again and again " dekha..mujhey to pehley sey hi pata tha " [ see, I already knew it ]

But the scene I saw…somehow made me feel very weird that day. A feeling which I am unable to describe , just caught me and I was lost in the complacency of emotions…For sometime I felt like I am a emotional fool…and the other time, I tried coming out of this enigma. But I never got a direction in which I could think about the same..what should be my reaction ?? Is the word "emotions" only found on papers ? Are we so insensitive ?? How can we play with each others emotions like this ?? Is money making and business the top priorities of everyone ??

The dilemma still exists so as to How should I look upon this one ?

Comments

Sushant said…
Don't dwell on this one incident so much. I live in Kolkata a city where every street has more beggar then the last one. I have heard and read about multiple instances of professional beggars. 1 story which i can never forget is that one evening someone was stuck at a traffic signal and gave a beggar some money. When the traffic signal turned green he saw the beggar get into a Mercedes and drive away. I'm sure the story is a little exaggerated. Maybe it wasn't actually a Merc but a different car. But one thing i have been able to confirm over the years is that professional beggars do exist. Some beggars have been able to earn so much tax-free money that they've bot houses and what not!

So don't dwell on it so much. These people exist in many countries countries but in various forms.

Cheerios! :)
Richa said…
the one thing i hate about signals is the beggars.
they are not the needy ones. they juz pretend to be.. they juz shirk work ths it.. no doubt there are few among them who actually are needy, but then, most of them are like tht.. i hate those small girls who carry a young child- sibling and hook along ppl and even pull thier clothes and dont go away till u either call a policceman or u dun give sumthn to them.. if u give alms to one, the other members of the gang too surround u and u r in trouble..
dun be an emotional fool girl. u juz have to be a lil careful as to who to help n who not..
most beggers at signals are fake..
Sushant said…
Richa what you have said is soo true.

As a result of this i give alms only to the very old ones or the handicapped ones who, i perceive, wont be able to work.

Help the needy not the greedy!Cheerios! :)
Pankhuri said…
sushant :-))

thanks for sharing yur story :-))
I agree with you completely..and don't worry..im not dwelling upon this one that much..but you know sometimes you just tend to think about these small issues in life so much which no matter are hardly even a little bit important..but its just some feeling as I wrote Im unable to explain...
anyways your opinion was very much needed as it made my post complete in every sense :-))
I was very scared when I posted this write up..I thought no one will even make an effort to read it..but you did more than I could even dream :-))
thanks buddyy..!!!
cheers..!!!

Richa di :-))

A person who no matter would be doing anything..always reads my post and expresses her views on it :-)) thanks di :-))
I agree with each and every word of yours undoubtedly and ill try to help the needy ones..but its tough to help a beggar after seeing all this :-))
cheers..!!
Si_Lee said…
hmmm .... i dunno ... as far as I go .. If i feel like giving i give ... i dn pretty much think whether they are needy or greedy ... more beause i cannot judge in a moment whether the beggar i see is a neeedy one or a greedy one .. so i leave the decision to my heart .... if i feel like i give .. if i find out tht the person was a greedy one .. fine ... i just did tht out of the right reasons .. no need to feel foolish about it or anything else fr tht matter .. as long as you do what you for the right reason ... you should not have any regret for it ...
Richa said…
ths sweet of u Pankhuri..

but I wud again say, Many of them fake handicapp and rest since we have all seen slumdog millionaire, we know how does this biz goes..

moreover, if u really wanna help sumbegger,, dun givbe them money, give them sumthn in kind.. i always carry a small pack of biscuit with me for the same purpose and pankhuri too helped the begger with eatables so tht is fine untill it fills sumone's stomach, and not goes to the dust bin..
Pankhuri said…
towards reclamation..

yaa..thats what my pont was..how can one pin point the greedy one from the needy one...
and as you said maybe ones heart can decide for one :-))
and ofcourse thanks for presenting your views :-))
god bless you :-))
cheers :-))


Richa di :-))

thanks for everything dear :-))
if one was slumdog millonaire..the other was traffic signal :-))
who made us aware of the various techniques in which they all do business...
secondly..not this beggar but with all the others..most of them dont even take food or else still ask for moneyy..I ve undergone many such cases where they refuse to take any eatable and still ask for money..and unfortunately we know why they do this :-))

cheers :-))
god bless :-))
Gail said…
Hi-
fascinating read. Here in the states there are many, many people begging - on the streets. I don't think about if their begging is true or not, rather I give because it feels right to me to do so. My heart and act of kindness was in a good place - if the beggar was deceptive that is about them.
I think you are wonderful for giving up your breakfast.

Love Gail
peace.....
Kartz said…
Well, I generally don't give alms outside temples. Cos thts where u can see them literally fighting amongst each other and mouthing all those specific epithets!

Otherwise, I give if I feel like; not that I am judging. It's just how/what I feel at that moment. Eyes can be deceived. It boils down to how u choose to make a difference to tht person at tht time.

@Sushant
Oh yes; I heard a similar version back in school. (Minus the Merc, of course...)

My English teacher narrated how this *beggar* would come and squat a few paces away from her residence and how he would *dress his non-existent wounds* in the wee hours of the day...

Anyone remember ol' Ganpat of the Ruskin Bond fame? ;)

Peace.
Gauri Mathur said…
I do the same,If I feel like giving I give.
Its all spontaneous!!

Dont get so emotional,there are people who are really needy!

So next time you come across any beggar and your heart is shouting to help him,Do help him!!:)

Dont regret for anythting.It is surely a matter of thought,but not regret.
At the end of the day what matter was Your intentions,Which were pure:)
Cheers!!
:)
God Bless.
Pankhuri said…
gail :-)

thanks dear for sharing your side of the story..we all were just talking about the same.what you said just concluded everything :-))
god bless you..
cheers :-))


Kartz :-))

Your each and every word potrays the most matured way of dealing and thinking about the same :-))
how true is what I can say about those words :-))
Thanks for sharing your side of the story with all of us :-))
And for being a person who can always guide the needed one any time any where:-))
thanks buddy :-)))
god bless you loads :-)))
cheers :-))


Gauri di :-))

Thanks for commenting :-))
""It is surely a matter of thought,but not regret.""
May be this sentence was the one which we all were looking foward to :-))
And im sure that this act doesnt have anythig to do with my next helping of any beggar :-)) trust me :-)) Its just something which I thought Ill share with everyone through jagruti :-)) And see the arious ways in which they react to the same :-))
cheers :-))

Popular posts from this blog

An epidemic of loneliness: Why are we lonely in a world so full?

In the town of Havenwood, an unusual epidemic takes over—not one of physical illness, but an outbreak of loneliness. When Lina, a fiery yet secretly tender-hearted skeptic of romance, meets Quinn, a free-spirited artist questioning the same ideas, they are forced to confront whether real connection lies beyond romantic love or if they are truly doomed to solitude. It was a crisp day in Havenwood, and the sky was brooding—dark clouds laced with impatient energy before a thunderstorm, as if even the heavens felt the town’s growing melancholy. It was not the kind of town you would expect to be cloaked in loneliness. Stone cottages lined the narrow, winding roads, and the trees had that sage-like stillness that you only see in stories and dreams. I hadn’t been here long when the problem struck me like a slap in the face: everyone was obsessed with finding The One, as if every single person was but half a person, wandering through life like a lost sock in search of its pair. How did a town ...

Epitome of Equality

First of all This is not to demean any religion.. I am a Hindu by birth, but yes I respect all religions .I offer my daily prayers , fast on holy days , but there was something that was disturbing me . God as per me was a Friend, someone who was by my side always , someone who was a dear friend , but this is not what everyone else thought , for others he was the Judge who gives his verdict always and punishes anyone and everyone . Walk into any temple and you would see , if you have money , you will be treated in a way as if you are the ONLY disciple of the God . I have had too many experiences where I was treated as a second class citizen in the temple . Why? Well I could not afford giving thousands as donation. This is not how it should be , God looks at each one of us with the same divinity .As I mentioned God for me is a friend, so tell me, do we chose friends based on their bank balances? Do we give our verdict on them ? then how can God do it? I know many of us would ...

Standard contents in a Guest Room

IN A 5 – STAR HOTEL GUEST ROOM:- 1. BED:- 1. Mattress (1) 2. Maters protector (1) 3. Bed sheet (2) 4. Night spread (1) 5. Blanket (1) 6. Pillows (2) 7. Bed cover (1) (Boisters) 2. ENTRANCE DOORS:- 1. Lire exit plan 2. DND card on the door know 3. Collect my laundry card 4. Please clean my room card 3. WARDROBE:- 1. Coat hangers 2. Skirt trouser hangers 3. Laundry bags 4. Pot 5. Extra blanket and pillows 6. Bed slippers 4. LOUNGE :- 1. Sofa,...