Astitva.... The Fountainhead

Friday, August 17, 2007

Happy 60th Birthday India!!

The Cow
India is known for allowing animals to live harmoniously along with the humans in its cities and towns. Dogs, cats and the cows hold a significant position among these animals as they are found in abundance on roads, highways, parks and are often termed as 'stray animals'. This particular post involves a cow that 'strays' in the city of Dehradun and likes to visit our house every afternoon. Though this cow is 'stray', it has a strict schedule to visit our house daily at around 1 'o' clock in the afternoon unless the traffic does not permit; in which case it will be a few minutes late(Individuals are usually late by more than just a few minutes even in the absence of traffic). The stray cow is not so stray in this schedule because it knows that it will be fed a roti(bread) at this time of the day everyday. My mom makes it a point to make an extra roti for dinner each day that can be fed to the cow the next day.


The Boy
Our cleaning maid has a son who is thirteen years old and does not go to school. He is her step-son and his mother sends him to work so that her real son can go to school and live a better life.


The Roti
One day the boy comes over to our place one afternoon at around 1 o clock looking for his mother. As he is leaving the house, my mom gives his the roti from the previous day and asks him feed the cow on his way out. The boy looks at the roti and asks my mom,"Can I eat the roti Auntie ?".

My mom cooked lunch for one extra person that day.
Happy 60th Birthday India!!