Getting out of the city is always a dream during our hectic schedules. Managing a break from the rigour of our mundane routines is just something that most of don't manage to do as often as we'd like. But whenever I get such a chance I make sure I enjoy it. Other than the pleasure of it all there is so much that you learn about some different people, our own country and most importantly about oneself.
Where ever I have gone throughout India there is one thing that I have noticed. The poor or the underprivileged are actually always more honest than the urban junta that I encounter on a daily basis. For example take the cost of a cold drink out here in Gurgaon. It would be really rare to find someone selling it at MRP, cooling charge is what they term the additional charge. I have been lucky to see many smaller villages along the routes to different cities and never at such places have I been asked to pay a dime more than the MRP.
Also take the temples in these smaller villages. The villagers actually get together and put in their savings just to build a decent temple to come and worship their deity. And we've seen this in Kerala, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra.. and I am sure it is the case everywhere else. Now compare this to the tens of lacs spent by people like the Bachans to get a glimpse of the deity at Tirupati.
How is it that people tend to loose sight of the simpler things in life? How can we keep forgetting about basic decency, honesty, integrity and if possible a little bit of selflessness at times? Why is it so hard for many of us to reach into our pockets and put in a cheque to a cause that we care about? All of us with our big degrees and fancy gizmos just seem to have forgotten so much about our country even though we are reminded of it at every signal or crossing in all the cities. How do we manage to turn a blind eye towards so many ghastly things that happen around us? Are our consciences that numb of feeling?
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