In Search of the True Beggar

On the request of the author. I translated this story originally written in Hindi by Ms Geeta Jha and included in the anthology of her stories titled "Bachpan Se Pachpan Tak". 

 Circumstances made a person poor, of low esteem, greedy, atheist, lazy and finally a beggar. He was not getting sufficient food at the place he was begging. Therefore, he decided to move to a better place and reached a city. As soon as he reached the city, he went to the first house in a street and started begging by calling out “ I am hungry. Please give me some food to fill my stomach, be it  chapati / roti, rice, anything to eat whether fresh or not!”

Everyone heard him, asked questions, discussed with friends about him but did not give him anything to eat. In spite of calling out in a loud voice for long time, he did not get anything from them. He thought to himself “Perhaps the people in this street do not have left over food. Therefore, today let me go and sit in front of the temple and fill my stomach.”

The next day the beggar noticed that his clothes were torn and parts of his body was naked. He went to another street to start begging for the day and started calling out “Oh brother give my hungry stomach something to eat and some clothes to cover my nakedness as I have nothing to wear!” But no one gave him either food or clothes. He therefore had to go once again to the temple to fill his stomach.

The third day he went to a drummer and requested him to give a drum for rent for one hour. The owner said “The price is two rupees whether you rent it for an hour or whole day” The beggar agreed and took the drum and went to the street he had entered the first time he came to the city. He started drumming on his drum and announced “Listen, listen! If anyone wants to become rich without any effort, have enough food to eat, lead a relaxed life, come with me! Only 100 slots are free! Permanent pension, no tension, no frustration, no qualification, just selection!”

On hearing this, people, in hundreds thronged to join the beggar and started walking with him. He moved to an open ground, got on top of a high platform and started giving a speech.

“I am a beggar. However, I find no difference between you and me. Three days back, I came to your city in search of food and clothes. But you did not give me anything. The fact that today you came here with me willingly proves that “you want everything easy without effort or doing any work, like me a beggar. You are driven by greed, selfishness and laziness!”

“I see that you are worse off than me . At least I had the honesty to admit I am a beggar. You are not even fit to be in any worthwhile group! As for me, I realize that poverty made me weak and disheartened. I ended up wanting to make a living without working. Now, no more! I will work for a living. I will no longer be lazy and remain a beggar.”

Learning: It is the carelessness and laziness of people that turn them into a beggar. Come out of it and become hard working.

Translated from Ms Geetha Jha's original story in Hindi by Rajeev Moothedath