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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

calm and unwavering mind of samosa seller - no avarice .. decorum of high order !!!


The modern day child knows – Mcdonalds, Subways, Café Coffeeday, Pizza huts and the like – items like  ‘French fries’ – the elongated pieces of potatoes deep-fried, long, thinly cut slices served hot and crisp to eat- have redefined the way children relish their food .. for common man, especially those of working class, the preference is much different – it could be  – Samosa, from street corners to big hotels and marriage parties,  complete  with savoury filling including spiced potato, onion, lentil and something….. more ~ typically in triangular shape.  ~ and there is, ‘Bajjis’  made of besan (kadalai maavu in tamil) encasing onion, tomato, cauliflower, potato, mirchi and many other vegetables  ~ the recipe of success is simple – deep fried in oil. 

The famed Thiruvalluvar in his Arathupal speaks of the possession of decorum thus :

Propriety of conduct leads to eminence.  Decorum gives special excellence ~ and for men of virtue, it should be preserved more carefully than life itself.

-          .. here is something connecting ‘decorum of high order with a samosa seller’…

Actor  Varun Pruthi has conducted social experiments to raise awareness of the bystander effect in Indian society.  To put simply, to see how common public react to any incident ….. he has been posting them on You Tube and other Social media.  He is not without detractors, who say that he is trying to become popular by exploiting poor, whom he is showing to protect ! – but one cannot deny the fact that some of them are outrageously emotional. 

In one such video,  a visually-impaired samosa street seller  is given generous gift of money from a stranger has gone viral. Posted on YouTube by Indian actor Varun Pruthia whose 'Bringing Humanity Back' videos have made him an internet sensation, the clip shows him approaching a man sitting on the ground selling samosas. Priced at just 10 rupees for two samosas, the man is left astonished when Delhi-based Mr Pruthia gives him 1000 rupees, saying: 'God sent this for you' before walking off without waiting for his change.

MailOnine comments that Rs.1000  is around £10, and with more than 40% of Indians earning just 78 pence a day, a one thousand rupee note is the equivalent of two weeks' wages. However, rather than accepting the money, the samosa seller chases after him and insists on giving him his money back.

'Sir, I don't need 1000 rupees,' he says, 'what I make with my efforts is enough for me. 'Give this to someone more needy than me,' insists the street seller to Mr Pruthia who smiles at him in astonishment.   After pausing a moment Mr Pruthia says: 'Ok, please hold this,' and hands the seller the samosas whilst he goes to get smaller currency. 'You're an inspiration,' he adds as he looks in his wallet. Mr Pruthia gives the street vendor Rs100 and waits patiently as the man counts out his Rs90 in change.

'A big salute to you sir for your honesty,' says the actor, still clearly in shock, '...never give up in life.'  Mr Pruthia then asks the man for a hug and as they embrace the food seller says: 'I just want money for my efforts, here is your change.'  Both men smile at each other, salute and part ways.  The video then goes black and a message comes on the screen: 'There are people who have money, and people who are rich. 'He [the samosa seller] teaches us that money doesn't make you rich, attitude does. 'Share this if he makes you proud to be human.'

The street seller insists that he doesn't need the money and that it should be given to someone more in need.  The video is just one of many similar clips online of Mr Pruthia carrying out acts of kindness on the streets of India to promote his #BringingHumanityBack campaign. The actor, who for the last ten months has been posting kindness videos on his YouTube and Facebook pages, has become an inspiration for many across the globe, and has even started his own 'nomination' trend on social media. Mr Pruthia is encouraging people to help 'hardworking, needy people with money in the next 48 hours.

The Samosa Seller represents the ‘honest, happy, sincere persons’ – still living in the Society – sure, there are some around – and it is the duty of the Society that such men are regarded, respected and treated well.  Salute the Samosa seller’s attitude, honesty and truthfulness.  Long live and may his tribe increase !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

23rd Mar 2015.

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