Human stain
8:30 in the morning is a busy time outside Ganesh fruit juice opposite Kempfort store. Almost all software engineers living in the locality are out there waiting for their respective shuttles to arrive and drop them beyond nowhere. The local urchins and beggars look at this as bounty time and come in hordes asking for alms. Some turn away, some give a cold stare, some take pity and drop a coin or two into their plates. The little girls try putting up their cutest faces, nag you the most and keep nibbling your arms till you either tell them a vehement no or drop their share of your salary.
Today morning was no different - the bus to the campus arrived on time and everyone lazily formed a queue outside to get in. Just as I was about to get in, a lady in the wee end of a queue gave a cry, slapped the little girl standing next to her, and started wiping her forearm with her kerchief with a look of disgust in her face. The little girl on the footpath was shocked and was staring unbelievingly at her. The lady, meanwhile, didn't stop but kept hurling abuses at her while staring at her elbow probably to see whether she had caught any infection.
I agree that it's not pleasant to have dirty, unkempt kids touch you - But did it deserve such an extreme measure? What was the lady scared of - skin infection? that the stains stuck in the girl's palms will indelibly be left on her top that was nowhere even close to where she was rubbing her kerchief? Or the human stain of poor, downtrodden, impoverished people leaving a slice of their pain and misgivings on her pristine soul? There probably was more to this incident than what I saw. However improbable I find it, probably the little girl slapped her hand or stamped something on her skin. I don't know why I was affected - probably because of the look I caught in her eyes as she stared at the girl stranded in the footpath - The look of such disgust, wrath and disregard as if watching a piece of unwanted, undesirable social scum. I don't defend beggars in any form - I am sure there's a whole racquet of men who make money by sending little girls to beg on dangerous roads and corners. But isn't there's a basic respect for another human being - for any human being - that is mandatory?
Today morning was no different - the bus to the campus arrived on time and everyone lazily formed a queue outside to get in. Just as I was about to get in, a lady in the wee end of a queue gave a cry, slapped the little girl standing next to her, and started wiping her forearm with her kerchief with a look of disgust in her face. The little girl on the footpath was shocked and was staring unbelievingly at her. The lady, meanwhile, didn't stop but kept hurling abuses at her while staring at her elbow probably to see whether she had caught any infection.
I agree that it's not pleasant to have dirty, unkempt kids touch you - But did it deserve such an extreme measure? What was the lady scared of - skin infection? that the stains stuck in the girl's palms will indelibly be left on her top that was nowhere even close to where she was rubbing her kerchief? Or the human stain of poor, downtrodden, impoverished people leaving a slice of their pain and misgivings on her pristine soul? There probably was more to this incident than what I saw. However improbable I find it, probably the little girl slapped her hand or stamped something on her skin. I don't know why I was affected - probably because of the look I caught in her eyes as she stared at the girl stranded in the footpath - The look of such disgust, wrath and disregard as if watching a piece of unwanted, undesirable social scum. I don't defend beggars in any form - I am sure there's a whole racquet of men who make money by sending little girls to beg on dangerous roads and corners. But isn't there's a basic respect for another human being - for any human being - that is mandatory?
posted by Rathish at 11:52 AM
5 Comments:
Rathu,
Well..As for me, The most Atrocious thing in the world is the hatred for other human being.. and if one does that, isnt said to be human being at all..Its the animals who hav got hatred amongst the other animal creatures that they eat those.And, We, being Humans having 6 senses shud know how to use the 6th Sense to atleast try not to be hatred among the fellow human beings who deserve the same respect like us.
On the whole, it was a superb post da...
Rathish ,
Came across ur blog . Really neat . As far as the Human stain post in concerned , one thing that everybody should remeber is most of us are lucky enuf to be in a gud posistion 2day ..but imagine if we were in thier position ? if one cant help ..better not trouble them ...
The verbal insults and the look of disgust probably hurt more than the slap itself. I hope I'm nowhere near that woman when the karma train catches up with her.
Great post.
@Avinash and nandha - thanks a lot guys :)
Totally agree with you guys! I guess, we get a point sometime in life where we start taking ourselves too seriously thinking nothing can go wrong.
@Mint chutney - trust me, the look was like that of a hundred lashes!
hi rathish
U just voiced my thoughts. Its unfortunate that these people have been condemned to such a life for no KNOWN fault of theirs. There is no reason I can think of that justifies such varied disparities in the lives of different human beings. And its even more disheartening to realize that the more fortunate ones still continue to complain about life and continue to remain selfish forever.
panch
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