Ive always liked touching the feet of elders. Before an exam, after an exam, on festive occasions, family get togethers, it always feels nice to be blessed by someone you respect.
Just a few days ago, the SSC results were declared in Pune. My department at work, has a few daily wage laborers and one of them has a son who had appeared this time around. They met me during the day and from the huge smile on his face I figured that he had passed. He had a smile wide enough to extend away from his face, and his eyes were glowing brightly. I took the pedha he offered and then he swiftly bent down, and touched my feet.
I froze.
For that split second in which you are supposed to lightly touch the persons head and mutter your blessings, I couldnt get a peep out of my mouth.
" Aaah... There is no need for all of this.... " Im not that old, you know. " I gasped.
And then, I suddenly wondered. Was I ? Im 26 now, and the chap touching my feet was 16. Thats a gap of ten years. Whats supposed to be the normal yes-now-you-can-touch-his-feet-since-he-is-___-older -than-you age difference? Im sure ten years would at least get the consolation prize.
To him, I was a succesful doctor. Something he probably dreamt of being one day. He must have studied in a small "kholi" or "jhopdi (hut). With all the hardships you can imagine. No fancy classes for him. No guides. No branded stationary. No incentives for getting good marks. No pampering during exams.
And yet, he had thought it wise, to touch the feet of someone who had held his parents to ransom during his 10th std, making unreasonable demands that were to be met if they expected him to study. Someone whose admssion into Fergusson College was already secure , because of three reasons: his mother was a long serving staff member, his father was Ex-army, and he was eligible for the sports quota. Leaving him no real incentive to get good marks.
Did I deserve to bless him then ?
And say I did, would my blessings count ?
How long would it be, before I can safely , and with some pride, bless someone?
That day, as I rode back home from work in the pouring rain, I tried hard to find the answers to these questions.
My best guess for the third one at least, was a very long long time.
P.S. : I got into Fergusson College on the basis of the Sports Quota, a fact which I still use to my advantage in debates with my parents.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I can once again say a lot about the touching ones fet issue but first i would answer your three questions..and they are all in the affirmative..blessing someone younger with all the purity of one's heart selflessly, can never and should never rely on our achievements..your right that the boy thought of touching your feet cause he thought you worhty of it ..that Rohit is not just out of the respect of your profession but it weould be out of the respect of the person he saw in you..the mere fact that you realise his hardships and your ease that was at the same time reflects.. your gratitudue towards the things you are blessed with..which not everyone acknoweledges even at our age..and now getting back to touching feet...you should imagine my predicament when a 62 year old gentlemen one of the cases for my thesis..whose biopsy and radiographs I got done on priorty for the simple reason that it was equally important for my record trying to touch my feet..!I had a hard time trying to tell him to not do so:-)
Nice post mate...I can totally see what you mean...
Keep up the good work..
Cheers
I presume you will have to start blessing people soon..coz I think ur a teacher if u think your students are not gonna touch your feet before taking their exams..at least the university exam then ur highly mistaken!!
Post a Comment