In your journey of life, you will meet people extraordinaire, they may not be big shots in their fields but surely will be brimming with day to day wisdom – life for all of them was never bed of roses but they inculcated the art of living whilst they started to live life each day.
That was a time, there was no internet and no social media, Youtube, many people had the habit of “Reading” and glancing through various books and magazines street vendors and hawkers decorated at various pavements of Delhi, Mahesh being one of them became a prominent book hawker – with a diligence to earn a livelihood along with interest in part time reading, he soon educated himself via open school education system and also mad friends with students like me who were studying for various competitive exams – unknowingly , we became friends and started to share a bond of discussing various current affairs topics which we read and glanced through in various magazine’s.
Today, when I saw him after quite some time, my old memories resounded, generally asking about his well being and what he has been upto, we quickly shared the same bond and asked each other that pertinent question “Do you still read?”, he was quick in his reply and reverted “ Yes, of course!, Books are my lifeline and has taught me so much.”
Mahesh is now married and has a teenage daughter; he was proud
to convey that his daughter is a voracious reader and is his “Permanent
Customer!” – “She speaks clear cut English Bhaiya!” – I was elated! and at the
same time happy to learn this – after all his efforts had bore fruit – at a
time when many youngsters have just lost contact with books and have turned to
virtual shortcuts, here was a street vendor who himself had inculcated the
habit of going through various books and have also passed on this hegemony to his daughter!
As we again parted ways, not before buying some good stuff
that he recommended accordingly – again he astonished me as he knew my “reading
taste”, time had not eradicated his memory, as he still remembered me as his
one of the primary customers decades ago. Today when I started to read his
recommended book, his words echoed in my conscience “A book can teach you so
many things in a lifetime!”.
“So true Mahesh, these are invincible words of wisdom which you have resonated with decades of standing at your makeshift pavement shop and selling such precious pieces of wisdom, unfortunately few of them would partake in your journey, I truly consider fortunate to have found such a lovely gentleman and a true friend with whom I share a profound relationship and camaraderie of non stop book reviews and life’s conversations… Looking forward to our next meeting eagerly, not before I complete your recommended book as I know for sure your first words of inquisition would be “ How was it ? 😊” …Until we meet again…
No comments:
Post a Comment