An Anecdote

An Anecdote

I was commuting from Mumbai to Delhi. The Rajdhani departed at 9:30 from Mumbai and nobody was really interested to check the faces, ages of the fellow passengers in the compartment and retired soon. In the compartment, in front, a hermit like gentleman in dhoti kurta, long untrimmed beard and hair was the most noticeable person. Rest three were young men who chatted until late loudly and ill-mannerly.

        The train galloped towards its destination so as the night. I woke up when the train was standing at Ratlam station. It was still very early but the sage was doing Yoga sitting on his berth.

Until 8, it was typical morning environment in the bogie-rush near the lavatories, the salient tone of the tea vendors and the breakfast servers and the laughter and disturbing chitchat of the three youths.

They were making fun of the elderly sage and asked him his introduction.

The man told that he was a musician and was travelling to Mathura. The musician seemed to understand the latent mockery behind all the queries asked and was well reading their sarcastic smiles.

People kept coming to pay him short visits from other bogies and provided more fun to the uncultured youths.

The train was about to reach Mathura. The sage’s disciples came again and crowded the bogie.

Mathura station appeared more congested than any other station. Hundreds of people were standing there with garlands in their hands.

The sage stood up to get down. The young men did not spare him to have last jest at him ‘going Swamiji, hope you enjoyed our company?’

Swamiji smiled ‘Yes, it is my destination. I enjoyed a lot with you and want to quote some lines for you-

 “यहाँ बुरों का भला नहीं होता,

यहाँ भालों का बुरा नहीं होता,

बरसों मौसम के मिज़ाज़ सहता है,

पेड़ यूँ ही बड़ा नहीं होता...” Said the sage and forwarded towards the bogie gate.

In no time, I and everybody else had known that the claque had gathered at the station to welcome the musician.

I don’t know who he was but the four lines he recited and the dignity and patience with which he tolerated the indecency of his co-passengers left an everlasting mark on my memory.