The day a stranger fed me on behalf of God
The day a stranger fed me on behalf of God
A few kilometers outside Pushkar, I stopped in a small village for chai and to get some rest in the shade. I instantly became the sensation of the shack and the entire town. People asked for selfies and all kinds of questions about my walk, as well as my country of origin. A lot of friendly banter ensued, and all the men in the shop rushed to buy me one more chai, even though I had already had a few. Some of the friendliest people I encountered on my journey, with barely any cars passing by. So pure.
One of the men I met, Subsingh, spoke very good English, so we chatted and joked for quite a while. When he insisted I visit the local school, I was ready to get back on the road before the Rajasthani heat became unbearable, but his kindness made me feel like I should stay a little longer. I felt it in my bones. There was something in him and in the vibe of the village that made me feel comfortable, safe. I was a pilgrim treated as a king.
The school was very humble compared to the ones many of us are accustomed to, but I had the impression they ran a tight ship with all the beautiful children behaving in such a respectful, sweet way, and all the staff, including the principal, treating me like royalty despite my usual vagabond-like appearance. I showed in each class where Italy was on the map, and all the children always went "ooooooohhhhh." I tried to explain I walked all the way from Dharamsala, and they all seemed unimpressed. Once I showed where I started my walk on the map, once again, they went: "ooooooohhhhh."
After visiting the school, Subsingh insisted I stop at his family home to get lunch. I rarely accepted lunch invitations as they took a lot of time off from my walking hours, but unknowingly, my acceptance of his invitation would have saved me that day. As I chose to walk on a very small rural road, for the whole day, I wouldn't encounter a single place where I could get some food. In the afternoon, I gave a chocolate bar, the only food I had on me, to a group of kids, counting on finding a place to grab dinner later that night.
Instead, that night I went to sleep in a snake-infested temple with my stomach empty except for a few chais. My next meal would come nearly 24 hours later after the delicious lunch prepared by Subsingh's mother.
Looking back, I pale, realizing what a gift of the Universe this encounter was. I thought I was visiting a school; turned out a stranger was feeding me on behalf of God. I had the money to buy hundreds of meals for myself and nowhere to spend it, as in some places, you can starve even if your pockets are full.
I like to think this day was as special for these kids as it was for me. A tiny, tiny fraction of my tiny, tiny heart was left behind in that tiny, tiny rural school in Rajasthan.
