The Gujaratis are known to be enterprising, consummate businessmen. Some are very generous too. They have traveled across lands to the Middle East, across oceans to Africa, Australia, Europe and the Americas to set up shop. Patels and their motels are a famous combination; even in the farthest reaches of Alaska there’s a Gujarati business-owner to be found!
Growing up in a small town in the state of Gujarat I was amid many thriving entrepreneurs, oblivious for the most part but soaking in the environment in some ways, nevertheless. Every summer at the start of the much awaited mango-season, the elderly Nanubhai and his family would provide a free meal to the village needy that included endless portions of the luxurious golden, sweet-and-tangy freshly squeezed mango pulp slightly flavored with cardamom. As I child I did not then know the terms “generating good will” and “giving back to the community”; to me it was just an annual tradition!
The incident that created an everlasting impact however was my interaction in high school with the owner of a bicycle repair shop. It was a small shack, a few minutes away from the apartment we had moved into temporarily for a year, leaving behind a large corporate bungalow as my Dad changed jobs. The apartment was close to my school, about a 12 minute biking distance. After a few weeks at the new place, I checked the small storage closet in the balcony and realized we did not have a bicycle pump. The front tire did not look too good, so before heading to school I trundled my bike to the shop. It was small, neat, with some tires on the walls and a few bicycles lined up for repair.
As I waited at the door looking at my wrist-watch, the shop owner laid his tools on the floor and walked up. He was grey-haired, lean with a slight stoop in his shoulders. I tried to explain the backstory of why we did not have a bicycle pump and he simply started working on my bike. A couple of minutes later as he was getting ready to put the pump away, I handed him two 50-paise coins. I wasn’t sure what this service cost.
He wisely looked into my eyes and said Hawaa naa soo paisa, chhokri?* I politely insisted but he was firm and sent me off packing to school.
It has been over 30 years since.
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(*) “Does air really cost anything, young lady?”
Enjoyed it in middle of hectic week….joy of giving is really priceless
👍🏼 thanks Namrata!
Always good to have some quiet time in busy weeks 🙂
Such a lovely story!
Glad you enjoyed it!
AK, the Gujarati generosity and empathy are instilled in you – mentoring you do is priceless!! What a lovely story.
Thank you N 😊 I really don’t do much, am only paying it forward!