Saturday, July 21, 2012

A Picture Worth One Rupee



I've decided to pen down some of my thoughts, something I've been putting off for quite sometime now. In these modern times, when social networking sites have redefined ways in which people interact with each other, we feel quite comfortable, and cheerful, by updating "what's on our mind". And these updates can be as frequent as the tick of a clock, or as rare as words we hear from our beloved Prime Minister. Incessant tweets make me wonder whether one should bother more about sparrows in real life which are now on the verge of extinction, rather than telling his/her "followers" what he/she is doing, which, in my opinion, is infinitely less important!

This write-up is inspired by a simple yet profound day-to-day incident. I was sitting on my sofa on a Saturday evening when I heard a voice calling me out from the main gate. I went outside and found three small boys, around the age of ten, asking me to come and see what they had to offer. To my surprise, they were selling pictures of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu printed on very ordinary quality paper on the occasion of "Naag Panchmi" - a festival most of us hardly know or care to know about. Their innocent faces were brighter than any salesman I've come across, and their method of selling was sincere and honest. I stood in awe at the sight of three naive boys selling divinity for a rupee! They had pictures worth one rupee to five rupees. I couldn't help but buy a photograph of Lord Vishnu, with a multi-headed serpent coiled at his back. It instantly reminded me of how, as a kid, I believed the earth rests upon Lord Vishnu's serpent! After all, to believe is so much easier for a child than for an adult whose mind is filled with suggestions. As I thanked them for their offering, the look on their faces was priceless!


Simple, small things give us memories to cherish for a long time. We are too busy with our daily chores, making it impossible for small, insignificant yet significant, events to find us. It's strange how small acts can strike a chord within our inner being and make us smile.