Home and the World

Sharma auntie’s son is an engineer, and Mathur uncle’s daughter is a doctor. Oh! No, I mean every Sharma ji’s son is an engineer and every Mathur ji’s daughter is a doctor. Why are we so obsessed with engineers and doctors? It is obvious, isn’t it? We believe that doctors and engineers, of all other professionals, make the best money. And then there are the auditoriums full of aspiring models and actors. What do they seek? It is probably fame, glamour and even a large fan following! What’s the best career option for that? The entertainment industry, wouldn’t you agree? What if I told you that you are under a false impression? What if I told you that there is a better option? Believe it or not, but there certainly is such a profession where can have money, fame, fan following and even reverence (*conditions apply). Yes, you’ve guessed it right. I am talking about the new age sadhu! Celebrated and venerated, the holy man is now the ultimate professional icon. Consider this:

She wore tattered clothes. Her innocent face was nearly lost in the mud covering it. But that didn't matter. When the ravenous child was handed a plate full of food, hers was the brightest smile I had seen. But behind that bright smile, is a grievous story. She is perhaps, an unfortunate child, whose poverty stricken family cannot afford to feed her three square meals let alone send her to school. This is not the story of one little girl. It is the appalling story an entire nation. It is  my story and yours too. From the narrow temple streets, the busy traffic to the buzzing markets, they are everywhere. Their little, precociously rough palms stretch out to any stranger who seems to have some money in his pocket and a small heart in his body. Regrettably, many have the money but few have the heart. Speaking of one such stranger, a man hurled a coin onto the ground. He yelled, "Ei" at a street child and pointed at the coin on the ground. I watched, mutely. I w