Always try helping people selflessly to show gratitude to those who helped us
It was incident of my college time, somewhere around in Oct 2002. I took admission to an engineering college on Hoshangabad road in Bhopal. I went to Bhopal with one of my friends. After reaching there, initially we stayed in some hotel. First day, from hotel, went college to report.
After finishing admission formalities, checked with some classmates about nearby locations where we can take room on rent. Some people suggested Shakti Nagar and Saket Nagar were kind of places where we could find rooms easily. We came to Shakti Nagar and started searching, asked some people here and there and could find a room. One room we liked and we talked to the house owner, discussed on rent, and finalized the room. We gave some advance amount also to the owner. Though rent was little high, but it was on main road and was easily accessible for college bus stop. After finalizing the room, we went back to the hotel. By evening, we came back with our luggage and shifted to this room.
Photo by Hanna Morris on Unsplash
Next day, my friend returned to his native to get some more household items. I went to college that day. While coming back, got introduced to some more students who were studying in different streams. They were staying in my area only. I got some relief that now I know some people who stays nearby, and I can get some idea from them about the locality. Next day onwards started going college along with them.
They were very nice people. Basically, it was a group of 5-6 students who were from different places of Bihar and staying together only. Among these students, there was one guy named Ravindra. Eventually he became good friend in short period of time only. That day went to their place to just to do some chit chat. They had a small kitchen in their house and used to cook food on their own. They offered me to have dinner with them, initially I was hesitating, but they insisted so I had accepted their offer for dinner. This whole group was very friendly with me. I liked their company.
Next day same routine, started and coming from college with this group only. While coming to Bhopal, I brought some cash, which was kind of almost over in admission, advance rent, and other daily expenses. I was not having even 500/- Rs also. I asked my parents to send some money, but there were not much options available to get the money transferred from my native to me in Bhopal. There was no UPI or any other mode of money transfer. Only option was to do account deposit.
Now to get money from my parents, I need to have a bank account. I enquired in some nearby banks. They asked for documents and initial deposit of 500/- Rs. I was fine with the documents, but I did not have 500/- Rs. As I was new to this city, I did not know anybody except few classmates and this group of students with whom I used to commute to college. I was not sure from whom to ask for help. Who will be helping me in this city as I met with people here just 3-4 days back only. This amount of 500/- Rs was a big amount for anybody that time also, even it is today also. Here the people I knew, all were students only. They themselves would be kind of having limited money only, so not sure whom to ask for this amount.
In the evening, I went to Ravindra’s place. After chit chatting for some time, we went out for walk. I was little upset, and Ravindra could sense it. He asked me why I was in tension. I told him the whole story, how the money got over and to get money from home I must have a bank account. To open that account, I need to have 500/- Rs as initial deposit and I didn’t have that money.
After listening this, Ravindra immediately said, why don’t you take this money from me. Return me when you get money from your parents. I was little uncomfortable with this. He knew me hardly from last 3-4 days only, and taking money from him would not look good. Initially I refused saying that I will arrange from somewhere else, though I did not have any other source to get this money. He also knew that there was no one else to help, so he insisted. After saying no for sometimes, hesitantly I accepted his offer.
We went back to his place, and he gave 500/- Rs. I was very happy and grateful to Ravindra for helping me. It unexpected for me that somebody who just knows me from last 3-4 days only, would helping me with such a big amount. I am writing this in 2023, after around 21 years, though we are not in touch, but I feel this incident is very close to my heart. I will always cherish this incident as a reminder that we should always try to help people selflessly, as and when possible, to show gratitude to those who helped us.