" Joy of giving"

Give india organisation's idea of conducting an " joy of giving week" all over our country was commendable. In a way the event brought the entire country together for a noble cause.

The inspiring stories on their website were brilliant and the participation coming from all walks of life was very encouraging too. Mostly all the Ngo's in the country came forward and did their part.

Some were Spreading the awareness regarding a social aspect and some raising funds for a cause.

The wonderful example set by auttowallahs of chennai for coming together and do " Annadana" by preparing the food and serving to the needy was heartful to see.

I was very much interested in participating in some way or other, so everyday was checking the website "Joy of givingweek" to know about any events happening in hyderabad. I did find many events but dont know why dint i feel like going to any event and giving a helping hand!!

Must be becuase i thought it dint matter even if i go and help or because i dint have any urge to do something!! you never know the reason for being stupid, Do you??

So the week went by like any other week would go and finally the last day arrived.

Now all of a sudden the urge came to atleast be some part of joy of giving week,even if in a tiny-winy way it would be great i thought.

But in what way could i contribute???

I asked myself this question and pat came the reply tomatoes!!!!

I have fallen in love with cooking and tomatoes are my favourite especially the pulpy dark red ones!!!

So i thought why not prepare Tomatoe bath and give it to a beggar( actually not a beggar but a person who is in need ),but how could i give it to him??

Cant just take it in hands and give!! so i bought two plastic tiffin boxes with spoons.

Initially i had thought of giving only one person but i said why not 2?? it costs 40Rs.

I prepared the tomato bath, I might not be the best cook but whatever i prepare turns out to be best!!!!

The taste was good and i put extra ghee in it, and then packed it in two boxes and took a bag and kept the bag in Bike and started..

Now this is the interesting part!!

I started on this unusual journey of finding a beggar, unusual because everytime we find them near traffic lights and on roadside but we searching for them!! this was a change from usual.

The strange thing was when i was searching i could not find any for first 10 minutes, i had covered a good 2 km of area.

What it clearly signifies is that when you are trying to do something good you are ought to face difficulties!!!!

I found a raggpicker, he was a young boy and was busy doing his work and i stopped the bike in front of him and only stopped!!! dint do anything !! I really dint know how to approach, what should i say?? Should i ask him was he hungry?? or just give the box to him!! Then i decided that i will give it to people who are dire need of food. this guy dint look like one!!!

So went on the journey and found some of the beggars( women) sleeping at the doorsteps of shops on roadside. It was around 10pm and it was damn cold,it had rained for the entire day and these people were sleeping without blankets that too on cold floor!!

I felt very bad and the feeling only increased when i knew i couldn't do anything,It was awful feeling and it had helpnessness to go with it.

Then i went to a temple were i was sure to find people in dire need of food,and as i had expected i found some of them sitting at doorsteps of the temple. I couldn't say if they were hungry by looking at them but i decided to give them anyway!!!

Took the boxes from bike, hesitated for a moment!! Then said jai guru dev and just went and gave one box to a women who readily accepted and simultaneously one more hand came out asking, the hand dint have a finger!!! gave it to him and turned around and went!!

Guruji says that do seva and forget,dont expect even gratitude from them if you are expecting that then it would be useless since it would amount to business of give and take.

Coincidentally even swami vivekananda says that, serve people you will get thousand fold back but do not serve in expectation of getting it back. Do seva and forget and it will return!!

All enlightened souls preach the same, you have to understand it!!!

Hence i dint even look back, and went near the bike but i could hear their voices, they were talking among themselves. The lady first said it might be upma but got to know and said it was what it was meant to be tomato bath!! Then a small child who was along with them started laughing the moment he heard bath!!! At this moment i realised what is

" JOY OF GIVING"

The satisfaction which you get after giving cannot be expressed but has to be felt!!!

I was happy that i participated in the event in a small way but i learnt more by doing it.

What i did could have quenched the hunger of only couple of them that too only for a single day for that matter only a single meal for the day. What about tomorrow,day after tomorrow??

A question to think on, isn't it??

I just hope that guruji gives me more heart to do such deeds and in some way help. I was just the instrument through which god gave food to his devotees, hope i become a musical instrument which does not stop playing...............

"Jai guru deva"

Aditya.