Friday, January 22, 2010

TALE OF A COLD WINTER NIGHT: COMPASSION IN ACTION


Seldom has the city of Kolkata experienced such a chilling winter. Braving the fearsome cold weather Baba and two mission volunteers recently set out to distribute hundreds of warm woolen blankets to the numerous, forgotten homeless destitute who don’t even possess a square piece of cloth to shield themselves from the coldness. Every individual is dear to them, be it rich or poor, irrespective of cast, creed or religion.

Tonight Baba has no specific destination in mind. As the car makes its way through the alleys and by lanes of south Kolkata he notices a number of homeless beggars who have made the pavement their temporary abode, all crinkled up, and partially covered with thin pieces of cloth. Baba gets out and with care he wraps every single one of them with warm woolen blankets.
This act of benevolence seems more like an offering to god than charity. All the poor homeless souls bow down in admiration and gratefulness for Baba’s gift to them. The whole affair seems to be an exchange of love and respect, taking place…in silence…in the cold of the winter night…whiles the whole city remains in a deep slumber.
The night was becoming darker and colder. However Baba kept on moving forward and giving away blankets be it a wrinkled old man or a small handicapped boy……his service was towards humanity. Hence it was same for one and all.A child and its mother were tucked away under a thin cloth at the corner of a street under the magnificent deep blue sky, though the wind is blowing fiercely. With love and care Baba covers them with a blanket. The mother opens her eyes in gratitude, speechless.

Baba’s work was not over yet. He keeps on walking and serving numerous homeless souls. Three small boys were sleeping alone with a thin blanket covering all three of them. Baba wraps them carefully with the thick woolen. They will sleep comfortably for the rest of the night, waking in the morning to find a beautiful present of love and warmth.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

this is the real way of service as per my little idea....

'if a child cannot come to school for education, then education must go to him'..this is not the exact word of swami vivekananda but the intent is clear. So, if a poor cannot come for help, help must go to him...

All is the grace of the DIVINE...