नेकी के अनेक किस्से

Kindness is universal virtue, humanitas in Latin, नेकी in Hindi, and perhaps as many words as exist languages on earth. Yet more often in words, kindness exists in the myriad actions many people perform, thinkingly, knowingly, or unknowingly, for their loved ones, for kin, and for those who they have just met. It is a universal gesture, in humans as well as several other creatures, perhaps a shared thread of our mammalian intellect, the ability to look out for our own, for no personal gain is a tie that ties life across special (speci-ial, as in of a species) bounds on this planet.

There are many acts of Kindness people perform, I write this, as a tribute to the selfless spirit, and as gratitude to several of those, and to the many more of us, who perform acts of kindness with no expectation of personal gain.

Kindness was nowhere more visible, than to my journey to Uttar Pradesh, there is something about a less urbane, and more idyllic life that breeds in people, and essential sense of community, and with that comes a sense of kindness, and with kindness, eventual gratitude.

• Many thanks to the random pilgrim, who helped me escort my grandmother up the temple stairs. I deeply appreciate your help, and hope I get the chance to help someone else similarly.

• Many gracious thanks to the autowallah, how pointed us possibly the best Rasmalai place in Varanasi, at a very late hour, and helped us get there as well.

• Many thanks to the grateful temple administration for their help in providing us a glimpse of the temple premises.

Even beyond, and looking back into earlier events.

• Thanks to every neighbour, and family who showed up during a recent family emergency.

• My many many thanks to the rapido driver who helped me locate the intercity bus stop when I was but a newbie in Bangalore, and not knowing a lick of Kannada.

And perhaps, the smallest single random act of Kindness I remember, from someone unknown in a tier II city in India, where I hail from. I was at a fruit cart with my dad, me being an avid enthusiast of जामुन (black plums/java plums), fruit renowned for it's ability to turn your tongue, a very deep purple, and very fascinating in deed. This being the depths of december, my father was especially wary of a 10 something year old getting his favourite Java Plums. However at the fruit seller's cart, right as we were buying the other fruits, another co-customer was present who to my delight asked the shopkeeper for १ पाव jamun as well, and delightfully handed the plastic bag over to me.

Thank you altruistic stranger, for helping a ten something kid have a test of his favourite fruits right in the middle of winter.

References

• Jamun, or Java Plum, is a tropical fruit, which is rumoured to cause cold when consumed in cold season. Of course 10 year old me does not believe this.

• Ek Paav, is a unit of measure, approximately a quarter of a kilogram.

• Rasmalai, is an Indian dessert, made of cheese soaked in thickened milk, and absolutely delicious.