It is a true-story I read in Oriya literature book while I was in class 3. It not only inspired me in my tender age, it sets a direction for me to explore today.
It was during 19th century and there was a famine in Calcutta. Poverty and hunger was at its epitome. There were huge numbers of beggars on the streets.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was rooming around a street in Calcutta. A thin, malnourished boy came in front of him and begged,
“Sir, I have not eaten anything for days. Can you please give me a paisa, so that I can get some food out of it”?
The kind-hearted Vidyasagar paused there and asked the boy,
“What if I would give 2 you paise?”
The boy appeared happy and replied,
“I would buy food for me and for my mother.”
“And if I would give you an ana …?” (An ana is 6 paise and was available during British India) Vidyasagar continued.
Now there was smile on the boy’s face. “I’ll buy medicine for my mother along with food as she has been ill for long.”
Vidyasagar was happy to find the boy’s concern for her mother but, he did not stopped, “What, if I would give you 4 anas?”
Now the boy was blushing. He folded his hands and pleaded, “Sir, please don’t make fun of beggars”, he couldn’t believe someone giving 4 anas to a beggar those days.
Vidyasagar in his characteristic simplicity explained the boy that he was serious. The boy began to think and replied, “After buying food and medicine, I’ll buy some fruits with rest of the amount and start selling in the neighborhood.”
Vidyasagar seemed very impressed and gave the boy 1 rupee (i.e. 16 anas those days) and went.
A year passed. Vidyasagar was walking on the same street. An enthusiastic boy came and requested him to visit his near-by shop. Vidyasagar followed and found a beautiful fruit shop. The boy offered him some nice fruits from the shop. As Vidyasagar offered him money in returned, the boy now in tears, stood in his knees with folded hands and said, “Sir, I am the same beggar you helped with 1 rupee a year ago. I am now the owner of this shop.” The boy was wordless in expressing his gratitude towards him. The loving Vidyasagar took him in his arms and embraced.
It makes me wonder, ‘Was it another charity by Vidyasagar that day?’
No, it was not. That day, he ignited the boy’s imagination and invested in his potential.
Today, the 300 million hungry Indians, the bottom of the pyramid need this, what Vidyasagar did to the boy more than a century ago.
When people get rice @ 2/- per kg where as 6/- for paddy.. people need not work to get food and money..
ReplyDeleteYes those who are hungry and dying, its because they do the work in field and they are not covered under BPL..
And those who are under BPL for them people like us (who comes under TDS (Tax deduction at source)) pays the money..