It was 7:00 p.m. There was an atmosphere of a grand wedding in a luxurious farmhouse in Jaipur. Sparkling lights, the melodious melody of the shehnai and the guests glittering in expensive clothes. Everything from the gate to the stage was so gorgeous that the eyes would stop. In the midst of this glare, an old man quietly entered. He was about 78 years old. The outfit consisted of an old dusty kurta, a worn-out dhoti and a wooden stick in his hand. His legs were shaking. But there was a strange pause in the eyes. As if he was not startled by this environment but recognized it in some depth. Without saying anything to anyone, he slowly passed through
the crowd. People were turning their heads when they saw him. He paused with a few sideways glances, some laughter. There were all kinds of sweets on the dessert counter. Rasgullas, gulab jamun, cashew nuts, katli. The old man stretched out his hand and very gently picked up just a rasgulla. No plates, no requests. Just a sweet piece that probably woke up from memory, not hunger. Then a woman said loudly, “Hey, who is this? Has a beggar come in?” said another guest, laughing, “Let’s come to eat free food.” Whether it is a wedding or a temple, these people will be found everywhere. The third man said, “It looks like a movie scene.” The old
beggar came to steal the sweets. There was a light round of laughter. Someone took out a mobile phone and started making videos. But the old man didn’t say anything. He didn’t eat anything, he didn’t say anything. He just went to a corner with a rasgulla in his hand and sat quietly. He looked a little away from the crowd and looked at the stage. Where the bride and groom were preparing for the garland. There was a very light smile on his lips. As if he was looking at a quiet picture even in this noise. Then suddenly the groom standing on the stage noticed the elderly. His eyes were wide open. The color of the face changed. He threw the mic. Jumped down from the stage and
the whole crowd was shocked. The groom ran towards the old man, carrying his heavy clothes and a sehra. People didn’t understand anything. Some thought the groom had gone mad. Some decided to stop and watch. The groom reached the old man, cutting through the crowd and as he approached. He bent down and touched the elder’s feet. The entire crowd was stunned. The clarinet stopped. The DJ fell silent. The laughter stopped and the eyes were filled with surprise. The groom was crying bitterly. How did you get here? Baba, why didn’t you tell me? The old man just smiled softly. Now the vibrancy of the wedding had turned into silence.
People who had laughed at the old man a few moments ago. Now his eyes were wide open. Standing on the stage was the groom, the only son of a young aristocratic rich family, kneeling on the ground, and in front of him the man whom everyone thought was a beggar. The groom’s hands were still holding the feet of the elderly. Why didn’t you tell me, Babaji, that you were coming? You are everything to me. I am what I am because of you. People started whispering. Who is this? Does the groom have relatives? So much respect, so much love. And then the groom got up and stood in front of him and said, “This is not
a beggar.” This is the person who raised me. When I was seven years old, my parents died in an accident. There were no relatives left and I was on the road. People turned their backs. But this old man left everything and accepted me. He halved his loaves and fed me. They taught me to read from old newspapers. Every cold night, he covered me with his body and put me to sleep. They never asked me for anything. He was satisfied with just the smile on my face. Today I am a doctor. The director of the largest hospital in this city because a beggar-looking
man taught me to dream. Now the crowd was very quiet. No one was able to find the words. The old man who had received the scorn just a while ago. Now every glance was looking at him with respect. And then the groom held the old man’s hand and said. Now you will not sit alone, Babaji. You go on stage. You are like my parents and the blessings in my marriage are incomplete without you. The old man’s eyes filled with tears, but he didn’t protest. He got up slowly and for the first time someone grabbed him not with support but with respect. He was no
longer alone on his way to the stage. The entire staff, relatives, guests were all giving way to them as if they were welcoming a king. Reaching the stage, the groom made him sit on his chair. The bride also bent down and touched his feet. The elder placed the blessing on his head with trembling hands. The crowd was now clapping. But the applause wasn’t for the noise. It was a wave of shame, respect and learning. The picture on stage had now changed. Where a few minutes ago there was only the bride and groom pair. Now he was sitting in the middle. An elderly man dressed in a simple tattered dress, who had no complaints on his face,
no arrogance, just one thing, Perfection the groom now came to the mic and said, “Today I confess this in front of all of you, whatever I am because of this person, many times I called him to look for him, but he said, now you have learned to fly, I don’t need to see, but today when I am in my life.” I’m living the most beautiful moment. Their presence made it immortal. Now it was the elder’s turn. He was given a mic. With weak hands, he grabbed the mic and spoke slowly. I never thought that one piece of my rasgulla would be so heavy. I just wanted to see
that moment. When the child who once cried for a torn school bag. Today he is starting a new beginning in his life. But in the society where I saw him grow, today when I picked up a dessert, I was brought back to where I was. But today you all have lifted me up again. Keep in mind that you laugh when you see you steal a dessert. He has taught someone the sweetness of life. The crowd was crying now. Some hid their faces. Some turned off the video. Some held their children’s hands and said, “Learn, son.” This is true greatness. Marriage is no longer the same. The feast was on
. But now everyone took out at least one plate for the elderly. Someone was giving them a chair. Someone was serving food. And there was now a new placard on the dessert table in that corner. Here, the story of someone’s bitter life can be hidden on every dessert. The wedding night was over. The elders were going out again quietly. From behind, the groom ran and grabbed her hand. Babaji, you are not going anywhere now. You will go to my house forever. The elder smiled. No son, now my place is in the heart of every child that the world leaves behind. But someone
picks it up and puts it up again. I may or may not stay. But remember, the one who picked up the sweets never let anyone go to bed hungry. Which you laughed at for a rasgulla. He was the one who had ever given someone the sweetness of his whole life. Don’t recognize a person by his clothes. Sometimes the most precious memories are in a torn pocket