Chennai Streets - The compassion of the poor

 

SetSptemdpbaletdorS anfrfcs1,oS 2rneui0ta19da  · 

Shared with Public

Morning walk. Daughter points out five cats sitting on the wall. She says that another few were lurking behind the wall, and would come when the auto came.

That every morning the auto driver came with two large vessels of rice. Sambar rice, and curd rice.

And that at the auto sound came the street dogs would run down to greet him. That he would slow down, and some of the dogs would get in and ride back with him to the end of the road. Where other dogs and cats would be waiting.

And he would serve them all food.

Daily acts of simple goodness. Done simply. Unselfconsciously.

That I see daily. In the simple peoples of this land.

Who sustain the land with their simple quiet goodness.

And teach us lessons. The most important lessons. Of service. Done in silence.

My saree pallu got caught in my cycle chain. I was pulled back by the pallu, and somehow managed to get off the seat, but there was no way I could extricate the pallu. I could just stand, tied to the cycle.

Cars whizzed by. Windows rolled up. But I knew help would come. The flowers vendors would come sooner or later. Or some vendor in a cart. I waited.

A tempo slowed down. The driver, with a hanky tied across his face sprinted a cross the road. He kneeled down on the muddy roadside and spent a patient 10 minutes extricating it.

I could only thank him, and bless him in my heart. As with a wave he sprinted away.

As long as the so called poor are there in this land, we are safe.

I tied the vegetables on my cycle carrier. I knew it was not firmly done, and yet I could do not better. I started cycling hoping it would not fall off, and knowing that is probably would, along the way.

Just then an old white haired man came walking towards me. He was probably a watchman. He said, "Amma wait, this will fall off.". I got off, and he retied the bags patiently, tugging hard at each turn of the rope, and finally making the last knot. I watched with fascination the perfection in each movement of his wrist, and in each knot. Then we waved me off, and I left thanking him. Knowing this was again one of those many brief encounters which would leave a debt. Which could only be paid forward.

I wondered along the way. Did I have the skill to do this simple task this perfectly ? No. Did I have the heart to wave down an unknown lady on a cycle, and tie her bags for her more firmly. Probably not.

• Mahendar Periyasamy

  If one does attempt it in a city it end up a disaster, in all likelihood

  

  1

  • Like
  •  · 
    Reply
  •  · 4y
  • Active

    Aparna Krishnan

    Not at all. Survived on a cycle everywhere !!

    

    2

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 4y
  • Active

    Aparna Krishnan

    This was in a city. The shop is 5km away.

    

    1

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 4y
  • Active

    Mahendar Periyasamy

    I was not talking about the cycle. I was talking about the old gentleman's gesture and what might have probably ensued had he attempted to do it in a city

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 4y
  • Active

    Aparna Krishnan

    This was in a city !

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 4y
  • Active

    Aparna Krishnan

    And I have had so many random people, simple people, help me on the roads with this cycle. Its that sort of a cycle !!

    

    2

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 4y
  • Active

    Mahendar Periyasamy

    Hahaha.... Good one

    

    1

     
• Aarti Madhusudan

  It's so nice to see you share positive and hopeful stories of urban folk 

  • Like
  •  · 
    Reply
  •  · 4y
  • Active

    Aparna Krishnan

    people have the same nature everywhere. the urban structure alienates and desensitizes. my issue is only with structures always.