The Old Lady

The Old Lady​

I was just reading a blog by Shree on Indus just now , and what the writer said touched me very much.She helped two aged ladies to get in her auto, for there were no autos, and dropped them to a hospital gate, where they were going to meet an old friend recuperating from an operation, and were in a hurry to spend some time with her, before the visiting hours got over. The lady in the auto had just come back from an job interview, which went badly, and these ladies told her, blessed her that if that is what she desires, she will get it.


And she did get that job.Power of the blessings of the old ladies, ? God knows !


Somehow this article touched me a lot, just as I read it now, and I remembered how so many were kind to me, and about times when I have helped somebody needy too, and how the lord too has blessed me in abudance.So here goes.


There was this Muslim suppliers from Jaipur, who used to supply Lac Bangles to Dad for exports.Dad had just started his own, I talk of 1965, and these suppliers knew dad from the time he worked as a manager for an exporter firm, who threw him out.


They had their own Haveli in Jaipur, roaring business, and the husband wife duo had come to our house in Mumbai, looking like those Afghanis, with a big kashmiri basket over their heads, full of dry fruits and normal fruits for us.And the lady, was so elegant, bejeweled all over, looking like a royal queen.


Times changed, her husband died, and I shifted to Jaipur.The widow came to meet Dad, and now she was in all whites, old and haggared, and told Dad about how her sons took away everything, the house, business and the money along with the jewellery, and threw here out, and now she loves with her married daughter.


I saw Dad crying, and I too could not control myself.Dad gave her something which he did not tell us, and instructed me and Harsha to give her 100/- a month from now on.Which we did , from 80 to 2000, 20 years, till she died. She used to come everymonth to collect the 100/- and spend 10/- on the bus, and an hour each way, I told her we will send u the money by the office boy to yr home. But she said , that coming here I look for ward to, bcs it gives me that one day peace from the Hell I am in.


And Harsha would give her old clothes, some fruits, some home food, and it was sad to see the state of the lady, I have seen her as a queen to be reduced to this state, I cant tell u what I felt then.


But all the while she was there, a hundred blessing would come out of her mouth, which used to embarrass me no end, but I suppose blessings that come from the heart, do mean a lot. In hindsight, I feel 100 was too less, I could afford much more, and wish I had given a 1000 at least.But all these things look good in hindsight, but somehow then I never got to do it.


And I somehow feel, that all we have today, is bcs of blessings from our elders, Dad, mom , Grandmom, and not the forget this old lady, for I know one thing, given my educational qualification, matric pass, I don’t deserve of tenth of what the lord has given me.


And I never gave bcs I would receive blessings. There is an old Hindi Song “ Tum ek paisa Doge, Who Dus Lakh Dega” , well one way I don’t believe this, is don’t give to expect anything, give bcs it makes u feel good. But I believe , bcs when he gives u, u don’t have enough containers to put the money in, and still it comes pouring down, and u start thinking , do I deserve all this ?


Sorry for this morbid post, not normally associated with Kamalji, but there are times , like today, I get senti.


I apologize.


KAMAL MAHTANI

 

Dear Shree,

This blog is born bcs of u, thanks a lot.Some things are forgotton, remaining in the far recesses of the brain, till a blog like yrs awakens me, we all have so many hidden memories, some good and some bad, but they need a catylyst to bring it out.

Thanks for the kind words.kamal

 

Dear Susri,

Well there was no scope for any humour in this post.Next one, there will be a lot, i promise, for can i stay quiet for long:biglaugh

Thanks for the kind words.Regards

kamal

 

Dear Usha,

now i ahve come to know ur name, i wonmt forget it now, Usha machines eh !

You know Usha, u all must have given more than me, at temples, beggars , elsewehre. i dont do much charity, so i am the poorest of the givers on this forum.But i knew her as a queen when i was a kid, and when u see that queen reduced to such a state, what can one say then.

Do u know i had some Sindhis come to me for monthly donations, and i told them my quota of charity is over, i gave a muslim lady every month, they shocked me by telling me, how can u give to a muslim, when we have starving Hindus !!!

But i have seen the Muslim lady and know her, so i will give to her, how can charity too have Religion Usha, tell me ? Some people can be very cruel.

Thanks .kamal

 

Dear Aruna,

Well God gives, who aer we to give, Aruna.Thanks for the kind words.

REgards

kamal