BEYOND THE SCENE

The time was 10.30 pm. The street and the square was fully decorated with colour bulbs and all types of decorations. On the open stage of the square a musical band was performing their best. The world was going to celebrate New Year. I and Risha were standing near the eastern corner of the square from where we could get a clear panorama of the square and street. We were waiting our friend Neeraj who offered us a pass for attending the annual day celebrations of a famous club of the city. The highlight of the program was an orchestra based on old hindi film songs which took my interest to accept the pass.

People came in groups singing, dancing and shouting. Many of them were in intoxicating moods for welcoming the New Year. Then Risha diverted my attention to a special sight. An elderly woman was coming through the pavement using her walking stick. She seemed to be a beggar had a small bag on her left shoulder. She seemed to be very old and was shivering while walking. When she reached near the may flower which was standing near the square from where the street begins, She put her bag on the floor and sat under the tree and opened her bag. She took a small Tiffin box from it and placed in front of her. She was going to have her supper without bothering the crowd. At the same time a group of boys some what twenty- twenty one years old- were also coming through the same side. Among them one boy was making a mineral water bottle as a foot ball and was playing it with. He was kicking it here and there. While playing with the plastic bottle he was also zipping beer. When he saw the old woman, he shouted her to go away from there. His gang also joined with him. When she disobeyed, the boy kicked the bottle towards her. The bottle clearly hit on her Tiffin box and it fell down and the rice porridge splashed every where, Then she stood up, wiped her eyes and went away from there. It was a painful sight for us. We wanted to help the lady. But the group was like a violent mob. We went to the cafeteria near the Bus stand and bought some food for the lady and waited for her. We saw her coming towards the bus stand. We gave the packet to her. She smiled to us and said “may god bless u”.  Even though we missed the orchestra, her smile and blessing was a special New Year gift for us. God can come in different forms, am I right?  It is our duty to help others. Everyone is one and the same in front of the God. Now we have everything, but tomorrow, we don’t know, what we may? So we should be kind and polite to others, lovable and affectionate, should have a mind to respect and help others. What would u say.