I was studying in Calcutta, in 1973. Once in a month or so, I used to visit my cousin Rema and her family, staying in the city.From my institute on the out-skirts of the city, it used to take about 2 hours to reach her place. I would have dinner with them and return to my hostel, late in the night.
One Sunday, I set out in the evening. The buses were few and jam-packed. I let a few go by. Finally, getting impatient, I jumped on to a bus and stood on the foot-board, holding on with one hand to a metal railing on the side of the bus. I thought people will be getting down at the next stop and I could get inside. But the bus did not stop anywhere and was going at full speed. I clung on with all my strength. Every turn and curve the bus took, it sapped my strength. I was not sure how long I could hold on and thought of jumping off when the bus slowed down a little. The bus kept going with no let up in speed. Slowly, my arm began to go numb. Wearily I closed my eyes, waiting for my hand to loosen its grip and be thrown off. Suddenly, I felt a strong arm around my shoulder. It was a soldier in uniform, standing on the other side of the foot-board. He put his arm around me and grasped the metal rod on my side. I do not know whether he saw my face and did it or he did it to get a better grip for himself. Either way, he saved my life.
Our visit to Vrindavan was memorable. The birth place of Sree Krishna has an atmosphere which I have not felt at any other place of pilgrimage. The peace and serenity of Vrindavan is some thing special. Even the rickshawallas, instead of shouting for right of way, just say,”Radhey, Radhey”.
Of the many temples there, our favourite is the Banke Bihari temple,with young Sree Krishna as its deity. One evening, when we went there, the temple was closed and we had to wait. Jayshree went and stood near the Sanctum sanctorum, where as I chose to stand on the raised hall at the back of the temple. There were only a few people about and I stood on the right side of the door from where I had a clear view. Slowly the crowd grew bigger and the hall began to fill . After some time, a lady and her two young daughters came and stood near me. Fashionably dressed, they smelt of talcum powder and perfume. As the crowd grew, they came closer and closer to me and I began to get distressed. I thought of moving away but then I would have to move to the back of the crowd and it would be difficult for me to see the deity when the temple opened. Suddenly I saw somebody from the other side, waving to me. He seemed to be saying, “Come over”. I extricated myself from where I was and cautiously made my way through the crowd to him. A distinguished looking elderly person, he made a little space near him for me to stand and said, “This is better, isn’t it?”
Last year, we had been to the famous Sree Krishna temple in Sree Nathji in Gujarat. One evening, I had darshan at the temple and came out. Jayshree in the ladies’ queue was delayed. As I stood there, a young boy came and asked me for money. I waved him away and watched as he went around from person to person. Nobody paid any heed to him nor gave him anything. Dejected, he came and stood a little away from me. About 12 or 14, he was dressed in worn but clean clothes. He did not look very bright, a bit dull actually. Somebody’s dear son. When he looked my way, I called him over and asked him what he wanted. He said he wanted to buy a sweet from the shop near by. I asked him ,”How much does it cost?”.
He eagerly ran over and came back to say, a little hesitantly, “Ten rupees”. I gave him the money and watched him get an earthen pot filled with sweetened cream mixed with dried fruits. He finished eating, deposited the pot in a dust bin and went away.After a while, i saw Jayshree come out of the temple and went to meet her. She asked, “Why are you looking so pleased?”.Not knowing how to explain my recent random act of kindness, I just smiled.
This happened many years ago, when I visited the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa. Usually I make elaborate arrangements for going there. On a couple of occasions, my brother’s wife, Padmini had helped me get accommodation there, through her friends. This time, she was out of station and I did not bother her. When I was setting out, my mother asked,” What about your stay there?” Casually I said, “i will manage something.”
I reached the top of the hill at about 6.30 in the evening. My plan was to have darshan and then go arrange for a room to stay. But that evening, there was “Padi Pooja”, in which the 18 steps of the temple are worshiped in an elaborate manner. I stood in a steady drizzle and watched the Pooja. It went on for a long time. Suddenly a thought came in to my mind,”Lord, why are you keeping me here, wet and tired?”. There was no answer. Impudently, the next thought was, “Lord, if I do not get a room to rest tonight, I will never again come back.” Obviously, I was not thinking very clearly, but I was far too gone to notice.
By the time I had darshan, it was past 9 o’clock. I hurried over to the temple office where allotment of rooms are made. There was a huge crowd milling around and getting near the window where the allotting officer was sitting was difficult. I could see the harried official turning away people, except those who had documentary proof of advance booking. Very tired and hungry, I turned away. Descending the hill in the night was not an option I relished. First I went and had some food before the restaurants closed.
The open shed in front of the temple was over-flowing with pilgrims; people were sitting and lying and there was no way I could have spent the night there. Sadly, I decided to descend. Suddenly, I noticed 3 buildings on one side. Owned by the temple, they let out rooms for pilgrims. On an earlier occasion, when I enquired there, I was told that only people with advance booking could stay there. On an impulse, I went to the second building and approached the office. The man there said,”No vacancy.”Then, seeing the look on my face, he kindly said, “One person who has booked a room for today has not come so far. If he does not come by 12 midnight, I will give you his room”. It was 10 p.m. I sat on a chair and kept one eye on the entrance and the other on the clock. I must have dozed off. Some one was shaking me; it was the care-taker. He said,”Its past midnight . You can have the room”. He added,”Its only for tonight; you must leave by 6 in the morning” I told him, “I will be gone much before that.”
I got up at 4, had my bath and went for darshan, to thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to come back again.