Illusion Of Being Civilized

There was a person who used to live in a tribal village near my city. He used to work on our fields. The name of that person was Raj. Raj was a highly skilled and dedicated person. Day and night he used to work on our fields and never felt tired. Very efficiently he used to do all his task and never in his life he has given us opportunity to blame him for anything, He was just perfect. Due to his hard work and dedication, he got a chance to work as a laborer in a paper mill in a small town of Himachal Pradesh. But sky was the limit for this young boy. In his current industry also he worked very efficiently and very soon he was in big factory in metropolitan city of the country, this time as a task supervisor, a senior position. And today that boy is in Dubai, working in a multinational organization. Hard work is definitely a key to success. 

Once during my college holidays, I went to my village. There I went to see his family. When he was in Himachal Pradesh, I was the main point of contact between him and his family as I was also there with my family. His family members used to call me to know about his well being.

 As I entered his house, I met his mom and dad. Very politely they served me tea and snacks and we started our friendly chit-chat. After a while his father said,"Raj's grandmother is always worried about him. Why don't you tell her not to worry. She will feel happy talking to you.". I said,"Why not. I will surely meet her." 

As I reached her room, respectfully I touched her feet. The She just stood up and said,"Sir please don't touch my feet. You are the landlord & we are the tenants. I should touch your feet." I was just shocked listening to her words.

I started to think that are we "actually" living in the 21st century. We talk about growth, jobs,technology, computer, infrastructure and all the material possessions. But at humanitarian level, we have not even started growing. The question here is why that old lady felt like she should touch my feet? She felt like this because we are still following the age old cast system & principles of untouchability. We are still not out of this cruel mentality which is separating humans from humans. And the only reason is we do not want to come out of this. The person whom somebody is suppressing he is a graduate & the other person, born in an elite family, since last many years he has not been able to quality his 10th Standard Mathematics examination, repeating consistently for 5 years in the same class. Is this what we call a high class person. 

I bent bent down on my knees and touching her feet I said," Please don't do this. It is a slap on my face if an 80 year-old elderly lady is touching my feet. And it is not only a slap on my face but a slap on entire human race".

 

Oh humans! So this is your civility and this is what you call a disciplined and civilized society where an 80 year old elderly lady who is not even able to walk properly, who is not even able to see clearly, whose ears have stopped hearing and whose eyes are unable to identify his own family members, is touching feet of a 24 year old boy. 

Shame on the entire human race.