Hospitality!!

Country like India is known for its hospitality. Everyone has heard of term  Atithi Devo Bhava (अतिथिदेवो भव:) coined many years ago. And now tourism sector is also using it as a tagline.

Everyone may have experienced this and may had done this. It’s in our blood.

The reason behind why I said it’s in our blood is the reason of this blog/Mann ki Baat.

Reason 1:

In India or rather I should use in Rajasthan and more specifically in region around Bhilwara district there is one culture prevailing since long or I can say from the day I was born, I’m seeing this that whenever I visited my maternal home to stay or even for 2 hrs, while leaving after staying their they will give me money. Over the years this money increased from 10rs to 500rs. Not even a single time they forgot to do this.

Last time I visited my maternal home to meet my maternal grandfather specifically. Something strange thing I observed.

My maternal grandfather who is 80+ year old is unable to hear voice whose decibel value is below 75 dB and if heared unable to processe information completely too.

Don’t even recognise me over phone. With all these flaws one thing he did  that when we were leaving he asked my maternal grandmother to give money in return to us as per the culture followed since long time. I was shocked with all those flaws he had he still followed the culture by heart that’s why I said in starting that hospitality is in our blood❤️❤️. You can’t take it away from people till death.

Reason 2:

Everytime I go home, me and my parents  visits one of their friends farm (khet).

And sometimes my parents go atleast once in fortnight.

Like us many people comes in their farm. Their farms are open to all(not animals😀). Everytime we go there they always say take anything of your use from farm. If we deny they themselves pack the fresh vegetables or anything which can be harvested for us. Even sometime we had a dinner/lunch at their home. The way they treat guests is unmatchable. From home they gave us fresh curd, buttermilk, ghee etc. saying you want find these in your area so keep it. They do this without expecting anything in return. But as a social custom we have to do something in return. But problem is that they don’t accept money. If you show power of money to them they will kick you out from their village. So what’s the alternative? Answer is BARTER SYSTEM . Yes barter system, you can give them things in return. So basically what it means that whenever we go in their village we never came back with empty hands. I was overwhelmed by seeing such a pure heart and love❤️. Then I realised rural people’s have the most purest heart. They are the real people whose hospitalities example we are using in promoting urban area tourism. Why I was overwhelmed because in this era we are so attached to our things that we don’t even wants to give or even  share them with others.

Above two reasons were enough to conclude HOSPITALITY is in our BLOOD!!

In this universe many people follows hospitality even I also love to host. I always prefer house party’s rather than outside party’s. But question is whether we do it without expecting anything in return from them and GOD. Question raised here requires introspection.😀😀

Thanks🙏