During my 2008 visit to Mumbai, after being done with my all official as well as non-official formalities I was on my way to domestic airport when I had one of my first times. Well in one’s life all events are bound to happen the first time. And the same happened on my cab trip to Mumbai domestic airport. It was raining quite heavy and the cab driver was a bearded fellow. I asked him where he is from and his reply was Uttar Pradesh. And in response he asks me where I live in Delhi. I responded back what makes him feel that I am from Delhi. His answer was the way I spoke hindi was having a touch of delhi. Well I have been accused of being a Maharashtrian , a Bengali , a Rajasthani , a Oriya , a Kannadiga , a Gujju but this is the first time somebody called me a Delhi valla anyway there is a first time for everything and I took this comment from him in the right spirit .
As our chit chat continued, I saw a dog peacefully sleeping on the road. And I commented about that dog sleeping so peacefully unmindful of the rain and the traffic. The cab vallah replied back , let me tell you the story why the dog sleeps on the road. And he started as when Ramji was about to give up his earthly avatar and leaving for heaven , a dog followed him doggedly , requesting the Lord to let him accompany him to the heaven. On hearing this request, Lord Rama explained to them how it will be a violation of the law of nature to let them accompany him to heaven without his time on earth getting completed. However on seeing the dogged devotion of the dog , Rama promised them the next time he comes to the world, dogs will be the first creature whom he will be meeting. So as per the legend, the dogs are still and always on the road waiting for Rama to come back. And while I was marveling at the ingenuity of the story and the way that story had been fitted around something which I would have witnessed since my kiddy days but had noticed only when I was 28 the cab vallah continued in his chaste hindi “Sometimes we humans in our pride and arrogance; arrogance about money, arrogance about social status, arrogance about education forget to realize the importance of the God. But then story like this and the way even animals are waiting for arrival of God teaches a lesson about putting our beliefs in the strength of God”. As the words sank in my mind, I stared with wonder on the taxi-driver. I was not able to decide whether the taxi-fellow was commenting on me or was passing on his observations about others to me.
As our chit chat continued, I saw a dog peacefully sleeping on the road. And I commented about that dog sleeping so peacefully unmindful of the rain and the traffic. The cab vallah replied back , let me tell you the story why the dog sleeps on the road. And he started as when Ramji was about to give up his earthly avatar and leaving for heaven , a dog followed him doggedly , requesting the Lord to let him accompany him to the heaven. On hearing this request, Lord Rama explained to them how it will be a violation of the law of nature to let them accompany him to heaven without his time on earth getting completed. However on seeing the dogged devotion of the dog , Rama promised them the next time he comes to the world, dogs will be the first creature whom he will be meeting. So as per the legend, the dogs are still and always on the road waiting for Rama to come back. And while I was marveling at the ingenuity of the story and the way that story had been fitted around something which I would have witnessed since my kiddy days but had noticed only when I was 28 the cab vallah continued in his chaste hindi “Sometimes we humans in our pride and arrogance; arrogance about money, arrogance about social status, arrogance about education forget to realize the importance of the God. But then story like this and the way even animals are waiting for arrival of God teaches a lesson about putting our beliefs in the strength of God”. As the words sank in my mind, I stared with wonder on the taxi-driver. I was not able to decide whether the taxi-fellow was commenting on me or was passing on his observations about others to me.
