God's own Chariot!!!

"Sometimes it's not about the journey or the destination...

But the people you meet along the way."

18th October 2013, just another day for me as it started. Getting up early morning to the sounds of chirping birds and religious hymns being recited on TV. Day started a bit early than usual due to a scheduled interview. Got ready,had breakfast and left. Gave my interview which was great indeed. The next thing on the plan was to head towards college as usual. Reached station and boarded a slow train from Thane station. Crowded doorway and somehow managing to get in is something what a daily routine is of any person in Mumbai who travels by local trains.

Somehow i managed to get a seat and my earphones plugged in i enter into my own world of thoughts. Watching ladies talk, buy stuff from the hawkers, and everything which i notice everyday. On and off i keep replying to messages on my phone and i reach my destination without even realising. Stepping out of the train, i rush towards the stairs realising i am a bit late. Exiting the station i approach the road to quickly get a Taxi and reach college as soon as possible. 

I stood there for a while but could not get a Taxi as there were others standing and waiting for the same. Suddenly i notice a Taxi coming and before me even waving, it stopped in front of me. The taxi driver who was a White bearded sikh man who would be around 60yrs of age, politely asked me "child where you want to go". The shine in his eyes and the charming smile made me think for a while actually where i wanted to go. I got into the cab and told him my destination. He smiled looking at me and said you would reach. 

For a moment i forgot everything that was on my mind. I sat quietly and he started asking me about me and my family. He suggested that you should go to gurudwara(sikh temple) and i happen to think how come he knows that i don't go there often. After long convictions by my mom i would someday go and attend the prayers. This man was having some power. He made me think on a lot many aspects. While he spoke, there was a big traffic jam a little ahead of the station road. He said looking at the stranded cars "this is the situation of many,who get stuck in the race of reaching a place where everyone wants to be but in the due course there are things left behind and you cannot take a U-turn." He pointed towards the responsibilities towards parents and the family. In just 15 minutes of my commute in this Taxi, i was made to rethink on my own beliefs.

Somewhere i felt the journey should not end. I wanted to ask him so many things which were obviously related to what he spoke about but definitely would have given me a clearer view of life. We were just about to reach the college gate and i started looking for my wallet in the bag. I took out money to give him and he said he would not like to accept it from me but somehow i convinced him to take it. He returned me the change and told me to wait for a second. He pulled out a pack of biscuits from the dashboard and handed two from it to me saying eat it as an offering and he drove ahead. I stood there watching him disappear in the traffic ahead.

This was not something that happens often with me. It was an incident which certainly changed me a bit if not fully. Whole day there was a thought coming in my mind that was he a human or an avatar of God. Whatsoever it may be, i feel blessed to have come across such a being and my belief in humanity is regenerated. If everyone tries to be a little like this man amidst the dense concrete forests, world would become a heaven to live in.