'Atithi Devo Bhava'

The memory of that day is still fresh in my mind. I had gone to Srifort Auditorium to watch a show for which I had an invite pass. After the show around 8.30 pm, as I drove out and reached the intersection I took a left turn.

My car had yet not geared into speed. In a flash of a glimpse saw a middle- aged phirang (foreigner, from where I don’t know) standing on the footpath crying away tears. I had just passed by. An image registered in my brain and my feet applied brake.

“Why are you crying? Where do you have to go?” I asked with concern.

“Par..ya..wara..n  vi..har”was all she could utter in her anglisized tone.

I tried to stop a few autos but they buzzed by. Finally an autowala stopped.

I rushed to him and said, "Bhaiya yeh aurat videshi hai.Apne desh ki izzat hai isme, agar ek anjan ki maddat karen.Please inko jahan kehtai hain le jao.Kya mein tum par bharosa kar sakti hoon."

The man (god bless him) immediately said, "Don’t worry madam. Take my auto no. I’ll drop her."

The lady sat in the auto. The smile on her lips and gratitude in her moistened eyes said it all.

 They are still fresh in my mind.

Sitting back in the car I blurted out, "Atithi Devo Bhava."

I think I did my bit. With immense joy I drove back home feeling that I created one ‘good karma’ for myself.