It was yet another date with God on Saturday morning. As I got down the car, I walked to pick the Diyas from a road-side vendor. It was around 7am in the morning and one of the coldest mornings of Delhi winter.
The lady who sells Diyas had not come yet. I saw a small child running towards me. I was glad. I said "Hey, Pankaj". He smiled and started picking diyas for me. In one of my previous visits, he had come to ask the half coconut which I generally take to the temple. I agreed to give him the coconut but I asked him his name first.
Now, to my surprise, when I met him this morning and as I called him "Pankaj", suddenly, few children who were sitting near by shouted "Didi, his name is not Pankaj. His name is Hakeeb"
In one of my previous visits, I had given coconut to a child called " Iqbal". That child was not smart as Pankaj in changing his name on the spot.
When I came out of the temple, Pankaj did not run towards me asking coconut as he usually does. My dad started the car but I asked him to wait. I called Pankaj and gave him the half coconut. He smiled.
Of course, it doesn't matter to me that he is Pankaj or Hakeeb. I wanted to reassure him in his growing up years that humanity is much bigger than religion.
I hope to see Pankaj tomorrow! And yep, my date with god is still on! :)
The lady who sells Diyas had not come yet. I saw a small child running towards me. I was glad. I said "Hey, Pankaj". He smiled and started picking diyas for me. In one of my previous visits, he had come to ask the half coconut which I generally take to the temple. I agreed to give him the coconut but I asked him his name first.
Now, to my surprise, when I met him this morning and as I called him "Pankaj", suddenly, few children who were sitting near by shouted "Didi, his name is not Pankaj. His name is Hakeeb"
In one of my previous visits, I had given coconut to a child called " Iqbal". That child was not smart as Pankaj in changing his name on the spot.
When I came out of the temple, Pankaj did not run towards me asking coconut as he usually does. My dad started the car but I asked him to wait. I called Pankaj and gave him the half coconut. He smiled.
Of course, it doesn't matter to me that he is Pankaj or Hakeeb. I wanted to reassure him in his growing up years that humanity is much bigger than religion.
I hope to see Pankaj tomorrow! And yep, my date with god is still on! :)
