Dial Humanity for Help

I believe there need not be a matter of life and death when someone comes to your help and you think … well humanity is very much alive. Simple or even irrelevant incidents confirm that … YES … people by nature are helpful, it is just the circumstances that don’t allow them to be.

On a May afternoon as I was walking on the streets of Bandra (Mumbai), I came across this small dilapidated (probably illegal) tour operator office. I had a two day trip in mind over the coming weekend but wasn’t sure of the exact mode of transport to reach the place. So I just walked into that office hoping to get some info and also some relief from the unrelenting Mumbai heat.

A typical Gujarati man probably into his fifties was the only person there in the empty office. As I walked in, the person broke into a smile expecting a tour booking which according to me was pretty rare given the state of that office.

I: “Hello Uncle … I am planning a weekend trip to Saputara … Do you do any booking for the same?”

He: “No beta … for saputara we do not do any booking. U can get the state transport buses”

I: “Can you tell me from where will I get the bus and how much time it takes to reach?”

I thought he might know this being a tour operator and in any case if he dint know, I had nothing to lose.

The guy picked up the phone and called some of his tour operator friend and spoke in Gujarati asking him about how to reach Saputara. But the other guy dint seem to know, so he called another of his friends. Finally after 5-7 minutes of talking over phone, he finally gave me the exact info. Thanking him I walked out.

I did not think about this until I was lying on my bed that night. Why did the guy have to take the trouble to find out what I had asked for? What was he going to benefit out of it? He surely wasn’t going to get any money out of it? Why did he have to spend his own money in the form of calls to get info for me?

This incident though very simple just strengthened my belief that people are inherently good. We just have to dial humanity for help and the world will be there for your help.

Food for thought: next time you buy a train ticket or take a rickshaw ride … thank the person before you walk off and observe their face J

Racism: Do we Indians deserve it?

The recent attacks on Indian students in Victoria, Australia have caused an outrage across Australia as well as India. Indian media has once again done a good job of sensationalizing a piece of news and has created good amount of awareness.

Before I proceed further, let me get this straight … I deeply condemn the attacks on my fellow countrymen and completely sympathize with the students and families who have suffered due to these attacks in Australia, be it racist or not . In fact, any sort of differentiation or hatred based on religion, caste, creed, economic or educational level, gender, region etc is deeply condemnable.

I do not claim to be an expert on the history of Indian culture and society, but if we look at our society, even today there is rampant distinction and division based on religion, caste, regionalism/ language, economic well being, gender etc.

This division can be seen in every sphere of our lives; be it our social or professional lives. We discriminate between rich and poor, between fair and dark, between male and female, between a Hindu and a Muslim, between a Hindi speaking and non-Hindi speaking and unconsciously between so many other things. Whether it is a Dalit being beaten up for drawing water from a well meant for so called “higher castes” or the more contemporary HR manager not hiring someone because he/ she is not from his/her region/ language. Whether it is some temples in South India not allowing lower caste people to enter or be it the stereotyping of people based on their caste. Whether it is giving preferential treatment to the rich over the poor or it is the hatred in the minds based on religion. The division and distinction is everywhere. Then why do we cry foul when someone else treats us in the same way we treat our own countrymen??

Isn’t it important to first attempt to clean our own home rather than point fingers at the world?

Jai Hind … Proud to be an Indian