…..Am no pariah. Am born to Hindu Lower caste parents though.
When my neighbor, Mr. Mammad’s son and other teen aged children called my father by his first name without any prefixes or suffixes indicative of respect, quite common among our routine discourses when we address an elderly, I did feel the pain within, though never expressed it outside. My father kept cool, though am sure he felt the pain within. I felt nothing strange when my dog and cat slept with me. About having closely caressed a dog some people treat me as an untouchable, I felt no pain about and have no worries. I have nothing against them.
I feel no bad about living in a dilapidated house since long. A day’s work earns me some farthings, but quite worthy to lead a happy life. Am not employed anywhere, but work every day. Be it a weekday or a weekend, I work throughout the week. I have no scores against the government officers who constantly engage their office hours destroying the common man’s life and help increase the number of destitute in our country.
I do respect the people of the upper caste. I do believe that they are above me in many respects though I don’t consider me as an inferior individual. I prefer starvation to butchering and eating an animal. I consider fruits, the fruits of hard work, the best food for human beings. I eat fruits mostly, some cereals and pulses every day and I eat twice a day, afternoon and at night on most days and am happy throughout. I find time for yoga everyday and do try to practice meditation. Never did it for good health, physical or mental fitness, but as a routine; am habituated.
I can do a multitude of works, and hence am never jobless. I don’t belong to any organisation, be it political or religious or job related. Even if the whole of humanity form an organisation, I would restrain from being a registered member. In other words even if the whole inhabitants on the face of earth desires to form a union I would not want to join them. I never felt I belong to any particular group.
I consider it really wonderful to live as a poor man. But I won’t ask you to try it.
Forget it all; I want to tell you something now. Something important:
I respect you a lot, I love you a lot, whoever you are, whichever animal you are…..
Please revert and tell me what you think about such kind of an outlook towards life.........
Dr. Sreevalsmenon’s help in bowdlerizing the content is acknowledged
