A Game of Hide-and-Seek

As I approached a stack of bricks during my morning walk, I noticed a little boy hiding behind it. He peeped out, looked at me, and quickly hid his face again, as though he were feeling shy. A moment later, he peeped out once more.

I smiled inwardly. Was this little stranger inviting me to play a game of hide-and-seek?

He kept looking at me, waiting for a response, but I pretended not to notice his playful gestures and continued walking.

A little further ahead, I saw the scene more clearly. The boy was enjoying chips from a freshly opened packet. His young mother stood nearby, smiling, while two labourers were busy repairing the society's boundary wall, which had collapsed after the heavy rainfall a few days earlier.

I had not been particularly enthusiastic about going for a walk that morning. Air pollution in Delhi NCR had risen, and my health was not at its best. Nevertheless, I had pushed myself to step out.

Usually, before Diwali, I look around for people who might need a little help. It has become a small personal tradition of mine. This year, however, my health had made me reluctant to undertake any such activity. I had even prayed that if God wished me to help someone, He would send the right person my way.

And there he was!

Perhaps the little boy had nothing more in mind than playing hide-and-seek with a stranger. Yet, his innocent gestures and eagerness to connect touched me. He seemed to be a child who wanted to share his happiness with whoever happened to cross his path.

I decided to bring something for him. Since nutritious food can be expensive for a labourer's family, I thought of buying some fresh fruits. I also wanted to give him a toy with a string that he could pull along and enjoy playing with.

When I returned and handed over the gifts, the little boy and his mother were equally delighted. His playful curiosity had brought me to them, and now a small gesture had brought smiles to both their faces.

I had stepped out reluctantly that morning, but returned with a heart full of joy. I had prayed for an opportunity to help someone, and perhaps God answered my prayer in the most unexpected way—not through a stranger's plea, but through a little boy's playful smile.

Pic : AI Generated 

When Diyas Brought a Smile

 

As I wondered what to do with the many decorative diyas I had bought from the roadside vendor, an opportunity to pass them on came my way.

“Would you like these decorative diyas?” I asked a housekeeping staff member who was standing with a woman holding a toddler in her lap.

The man looked towards the woman and said, “She is my wife.”

She gladly accepted two diyas from me and immediately showed them to her little one. “Look how beautiful they are!” she exclaimed.

The child first smiled and then let out a little laugh. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked at the beautiful diyas his mother was holding. I was amazed by how responsive such a tiny child could be. His innocent smile and laughter made this small exchange memorable.

The next day, I bought a packet of building blocks for him. However, I did not know the name of the housekeeping staff member. I enquired with his supervisor, who told me his name and informed me that he was unwell and had taken the day off. “When he returns tomorrow, I will send him to your house to collect the gift,” he assured me.

The following day, the man came to collect the packet. I showed him the gift and asked whether his child had any blocks to play with. “No,” he replied.

I told him that his little one was very intelligent and adorable. He then shared a painful part of his life with me. His first child had passed away when only a few months old. This was his second child.

I was deeply touched by his story. I blessed him, saying, “God has blessed you with such a lovely child. May he always remain happy and healthy.”

He accepted my words and the little gift with gratitude. I could see how much the gesture meant to him.

I had bought those diyas at a price much higher than their market value, without knowing whether the woman's story was entirely true. Yet, when I saw the happiness on the little child's face, I felt that at least some of those diyas had found a beautiful purpose.

I had initially wondered what to do with the extra diyas. I never imagined that they would lead me to a happy little face and a heartfelt conversation with his father. Sometimes, an unexpected little exchange can make an ordinary day memorable.

Pic : AI Generated

Double the Price After Discount

“Please buy some decorative diyas from me. I have three small children to feed, and I have to repay a loan of ₹70,000. People living in these high-rise buildings think that we are rich and earn a lot of money. But the reality is that after repaying our debts, very little is left for our own needs and our family.”

A roadside woman, holding an infant wrapped in clothes in her lap, shared her story with me. Her words carried the weight of financial worries and the responsibility of raising three young children.

I had already purchased a few decorative items from her, including a huge tray for holding water or floating candles and flowers, as well as some decorative elephants. She had approached me earlier, requesting that I buy something from her. Now, hoping to sell me more, she told me about her struggles.

“How much do these diyas cost?” I asked.

“I will tell you a genuine price,” she assured me. After offering me a discount, she quoted the price.

But there was a catch. Even after the so-called discount, the price was almost double the market rate!

For a moment, I wondered whether I should point this out to her. Yet, looking at the infant in her lap and thinking about the three children she had to feed, I decided to buy a few packets of decorative diyas. Perhaps her story was true; perhaps she had exaggerated her difficulties to make a sale. I had no way of knowing.

I was not entirely comfortable with the price, but I wanted to support her in whatever small way I could. After all, behind every roadside stall is a person trying to make a living, often without the security of a regular income.

As the saying goes, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” These words, often attributed to Aesop, remind us that even a small gesture can carry meaning.

However, as I returned home, a practical question came to mind: What would I do with so many decorative diyas? I had no real need for them, and I wondered why I had bought so many in the first place.

The story continues here.

Pic : AI Generated

Budding Picasso

Today, when my maid entered my house, I noticed that she was unusually happy, as though she had won a Nobel Prize.

“Yesterday was my son’s birthday. We celebrated it. He is now seven years old,” she told me even before I could ask what had made her so happy.

“How did you celebrate his birthday? Did you cut a cake, as people do nowadays, or celebrate in the traditional way?” I asked curiously.

“I made puri, halwa, and sabzi for him,” she replied with a smile.

As I listened to her, an idea struck me. I opened my cupboard and took out a box of colours and a drawing book.

“Does your son have colours like these? Would you like me to give them to him?” I asked.

“Of course! Please give them to me,” she replied happily.

The next day, I was eager to know whether the little boy had liked his birthday gift.

“Did your son like the colours and the drawing book?” I asked her.

She laughed as she answered, “He finished the whole book in one go! Yesterday evening, when I returned home after completing household chores in other houses, I found that he had coloured every single page. He loves drawing so much!”

Her words brought a smile to my face. What a wonderful discovery! A little boy had found something he truly loved doing, and all he needed was a few colours and a book to express himself.

Impressed by his enthusiasm, I gifted her another colouring book for her son. Perhaps the little artist would fill that one with colours, too.

Pablo Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” His words reminded me that a child’s creativity needs encouragement, not expensive toys or elaborate gifts.

Sometimes, a small gift can do more than bring momentary happiness. It can open a little window through which a child begins to explore his talents and discover the joy of creating something of his own.

I do not know whether this little boy will become an artist when he grows up, but I hope his love for drawing continues to flourish. For now, I am happy to have helped my budding Picasso find a few more colours for his world.

Pic 1: Colouring book I gifted

Pic 2: AI Generated

Two Wheels, A World of Possibilities

“Does your daughter have a bicycle?” I asked a female security guard in our residential society. I had previously gifted her daughter a schoolbag, a water bottle, a tiffin box, pencil colours, acrylic colours, sketchbooks, and drawing sheets after Navratri. This time, I wanted to give her something a little more expensive—something that would last longer and bring her joy for years to come.

“No,” she replied.

“I will buy one for her, but you must accompany me to the showroom and help select the right one. Since it is an expensive gift, I want to make sure we choose the right brand and size according to your daughter’s needs. I don’t want to spend money on something that may not suit her.”

The next day, during lunchtime, the security guard obtained permission from her supervisor and accompanied me to the bicycle showroom. Together, we selected a suitable bicycle, keeping her daughter’s wishes, the brand, and the size in mind. As I paid the bill, she remarked that it was quite expensive. I smiled and said, “If your daughter enjoys riding it and puts it to good use, every rupee will be worth it.”

A few days later, when she saw me, her face lit up as she shared the good news. Her daughter was delighted with her new bicycle and had already started enjoying rides on it. She even took her cousin along for a ride! It warmed my heart to know that a simple gift had brought so much happiness to a young girl.

Months later, the security guard shared another little piece of news. Her daughter had become confident enough to ride to the market and bring home household essentials whenever needed. The bicycle had become more than a source of recreation; it was helping her contribute to the family and become more independent.

As Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Though the quotation speaks metaphorically about life, a bicycle can teach a child valuable lessons in the most practical way: balance, perseverance, confidence, and the courage to move forward after a fall.

For a growing child, cycling is also an enjoyable form of physical exercise. It strengthens the body, develops coordination, and offers a sense of freedom. For a girl, particularly one who may have limited opportunities, a bicycle can open up a world of possibilities. It can help her travel short distances independently, run errands, visit friends, and explore her surroundings with greater confidence.

I had initially thought of the bicycle as a gift that would last longer than the stationery and art supplies I had given her daughter earlier. But its value turned out to be much greater than its price. It brought a smile to a child's face, encouraged her to stay active, and helped her become more independent.

A bicycle may have only two wheels, but for a child, it can carry dreams, confidence, and the joy of discovering the world independently.

Pic : AI Generated

The Cosmic Aarti of Baby Krishna

I had a rather strange and unforgettable experience one morning while performing aarti.

As part of my daily routine, I closed my eyes and began to imagine Baby Krishna sitting in my lap. In my inner vision, He was holding a panch-aarti diya with five wicks in His right hand, moving it gently in a circular motion. The five wicks reminded me of the Panchabhutas—earth, water, fire, air, and space, the five elements that constitute the material universe.

Gradually, the vision transformed. Baby Krishna began holding the lamp with both hands, moving it gracefully in a clockwise direction. I remembered Lord Krishna's four-armed form, a divine manifestation associated with Vishnu, which devotees often find deeply reassuring. But what unfolded next was beyond anything I could have imagined.

Baby Krishna seemed to grow four arms, each holding an aarti lamp and moving in perfect rhythm with the devotional song. Then, before my inner eyes, more and more arms emerged—hundreds, thousands, countless arms, each holding a lamp and moving in unison with the music. It was as though the little child in my lap was revealing a cosmic form, an infinitude of divine hands participating in the same sacred offering.

And then came the most astonishing part. Krishna placed a lamp upon His head and began rotating it along with the movements of His hands. His head moved swiftly, yet the lamp remained perfectly balanced. Everywhere I looked within that inner vision, there were lamps—thousands upon thousands of them, shimmering and revolving in divine rhythm.

I felt a little frightened by the sheer magnitude of what I was experiencing and opened my eyes. Before me was the aarti playing on YouTube, its devotional music continuing as usual.

I sat there wondering what had just happened. I had never heard or read of Baby Krishna appearing in precisely this way. The experience felt so unusual, so vivid, and so different from anything I had previously imagined. I could only reflect on the infinite forms in which the Divine is contemplated by devotees.

As the Bhagavad Gita declares in Chapter 11, Arjuna beholds the extraordinary Vishvarupa of Lord Krishna, a form encompassing countless manifestations of the universe. My experience was not something I could equate with Arjuna's vision, but it brought the idea of the Lord's immeasurable nature vividly to my mind.

There was another reason this morning felt particularly meaningful.

During the month of Bhadrapada, corresponding roughly to August–September, I had performed sadhana dedicated to Lord Krishna. Usually, towards the final days of a sadhana, I experience something spiritually significant. This time, however, nothing unusual happened. When the sadhana ended, I consoled myself, wondering whether I had made a mistake in the procedure or had failed to concentrate sufficiently to receive a blessing.

Yet I continued with my devotion.

After completing the sadhana, I distributed burfi as prasadam. I shared it with everyone I could think of—the security guards, electricians, gardeners, plumbers, labourers, and local shopkeepers—not only in my own residential society but also in the neighbouring societies.

And then something happened that made me smile in amazement. Despite distributing the sweets to so many people, the prasadam simply did not seem to finish! Every time I thought there could hardly be any left, there was more to distribute. It reminded me of Draupadi's Akshaya Patra, the inexhaustible vessel from the Mahabharata.

Finally, tired from all the distributing, I prayed to the Lord, “Krishna, I am tired now. Please, let us finish this!”

With that prayer, I placed the last piece of burfi in a labourer's hand. The distribution was finally complete.

I am still unsure how to interpret the vision I experienced during aarti that morning. I can only describe what I saw in my mind and how deeply it moved me. It brought to life, for me, the idea that the Divine cannot be confined to a single form or limited by the boundaries of our imagination.

Perhaps the greatest blessing is not always the experience we wait for, but the grace to continue praying, serving, and loving even when nothing extraordinary seems to happen.

The Lord is kind and benevolent. Sometimes, He gives us what we ask for; at other times, He surprises us with something we could never have imagined. 

Pic : AI Generated

When Kindness Became My Celebration on Karva Chauth

“Have you kept the Karva Chauth fast?” I asked a female security guard at a reputed mall near my home. I had gone there to attend a business meeting and noticed that she was wearing a bindi and sindoor. Assuming that she was married, I gently asked her the question.

She nodded, but there was a hint of hesitation in her response. After all, I was a stranger asking her a personal question.

“Please keep this money and buy yourself a snack, some sweets or fruits,” I said, offering her a fifty-rupee note.

She hesitated to accept it. Perhaps she felt uncomfortable taking money from someone she had never met.

“Today is your fasting day, and yet you are performing your duty. I appreciate your hard work,” I told her.

She eventually accepted the money.

However, while returning home, I began to think about my gesture. Fifty rupees was hardly enough to buy much these days, given the rising prices of everyday necessities. I felt that I could have offered her more. My intention had been to bring a little happiness into her day, but perhaps I had not done enough.

Soon, I spotted the woman who regularly pressed my clothes. I asked her the same question.

“Have you kept the Karva Chauth fast?”

She nodded.

Here was my opportunity to correct my earlier mistake. I offered her two hundred rupees so that she could buy some sweets and fruits for herself. This time, I felt more satisfied that I had been able to offer a little more comfort to someone who was working on a day when many women were observing a fast.

I do not celebrate this festival myself, but I believe that we can still participate in its spirit by bringing happiness into someone else's life. Festivals are not only about our own celebrations, rituals or family gatherings. They can also remind us to notice the people who work quietly around us, often putting aside their own comfort to fulfil their responsibilities.

As Anne Frank wrote, “No one has ever become poor by giving.” A small act of kindness may not change someone's circumstances, but it can make an ordinary day feel a little more special.

If we do not celebrate a festival ourselves, we can still celebrate its spirit by bringing a little happiness into the lives of those who deserve it.

Pics : AI Generated