On my second day, as I was walking along the state highway, some 15km away from a town called Shamirpet, I saw him. It was around 8:30 am. The morning sun is very hot and I was already drenched in my own perspiration. He was lying down beyond the shoulder of the road, oblivious to the heat. Full grown beard, long unkempt dirty hair and very dirty clothes. Few small dry leaves are stuck in his bread & mustache. As I was crossing him, our eyes met. I stopped. The eyes are very bright, resembling lighted bright candles. We both smiled at each other. I asked as to why he was lying down on the road. He simply shrugged.
He appeared to be in his mid-30s, not eaten food at least for 2 to 3 days. There was a sense of peace in his eyes. Noticing all this, I asked him in Telugu to walk with me till we find a ‘breakfast on the wheels’ stall. Breakfast on wheels stalls is very common in this area. He seems to have not comprehended what I said. So, I repeated the same in Hindi. He got up and we both began to walk. He was bare footed. His heels are cracked. He seemed as if he has not had a bath in years. Well truth is stranger than fiction. I found my travel companion.
A few kilometers later, we found a ‘breakfast on the wheels’ stall. These people prepare fresh hot Idlis, Pooris, Vadas etc, and serve them hot. These kinds of mobile eateries are found a plenty on this route. We stopped here. I made him sit, requested for a plate of fresh hot Poori + Bhaji served to my unique guest. I choose Poori + Bhaji because it is stomach filling and it seems this gentleman has not had anything in days!
Hot Poori + Bhaji was served. I had also asked for 1-liter Bisleri bottled water for him. He finished his food slowly in due course, appeared to be wanting more. I got yet another plate of steeming hot Poori + Bhaji served. He had two pooris from the second serving (plate contains 4 pooris), after that had half bottle of water, got up from his seat, took my permission and left.
What needs to be noted is that he did not either make attempt to pack the left over pooris or carry the half bottle of water. He does not know when and where he will get his next meal. Had I been in his place, I would have packed pooris, took the water bottle before leaving. The future is uncertain. He had been starving and yet he made no attempt to pack food! He could at least have taken the bottle. It was new water bottle, he alone used it. He could have refilled the bottle, could have later used. The sun’s heat is severe. It is a very thirsty day. But yet this man did not take the water bottle!
Had anybody been in his place they would not have done what he did. I do not simply have that courage. On second thoughts, I realized that he is a man of God. He had full faith in Him. His faith is unshakable. He knew that God will provide, when needed. For he has understood God.
We on the other hand do not have that absolute faith in God. This faith came to him naturally. He is an uncorrupted man, uncorrupted by materialism. He is the man who had nothing to lose. Sometimes, I doubt if we trust God at all. Had we trusted Him implicitly, we would not have made as many arrangements as each of has made for tomorrow. Tomorrow itself does not exist. We do not know our own expiry date, yet we make arrangements for tomorrow. This means we do not trust God fully. Saving for tomorrow is not being prudent. It means we believe in ourselves more than we believe in God. This apparently mad man on the road believes in the omnipotence of God. That is the difference between him & me.
About the Author
Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional.
What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”.
Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com
