ATITHI DEVO BHAVA

Recently I watched the Kannada film “Bettada Jeeva” on Television.  The movie made based on Jnanapith Awardee K.Shivaram Karant’s novel was very refreshing.  The screenplay, direction, cinematography, the locales and the performance of all the actors added value to the story.

The story set in early 1940’s is about a freedom activist escaping arrest, taking shelter in the house of an elderly couple in a remote hilly village, away from civilization. The hosts make his stay in their house an unforgettable experience.  We (I and my family members) traveled back in time as we watched the film. My parents, reminisced “good old times” when people were warm and generous and had leisure to pamper guests – known and unknown.

Even during my childhood, on a few occasions, we (my parents and siblings) spent our vacations in our relatives’ homes.  We bathed in the common bathroom (which comprised of just four walls, door and a roof were also considered a luxury) ate in the verandah (the menu was decided by the lady of the house) and slept on the terrace gazing at the sky.  There was a lot of space and leisure and absolutely no restrictions.  We played, chatted or just read books and never got tired or bored. We too have received a lot of guests at home.  The present scene is different.  Drastic changes in lifestyle have taken place in the last two decades; primarily due to IT revolution, economic reforms and massive urbanization.  Strangers are no longer welcome in any homes due to security reasons and there is a significant change in the attitude towards guests. People are so busy with their own lives, accommodating guests is no longer enjoyable. Holidaying is now associated with resorts and tourist spots and visiting relatives happens only when there is an occasion or an agenda.  Guests now look for five star comforts and are reluctant to adjust.     

My sister, who was present at home that evening, shared the essence of a discourse she recently attended at Chinmaya Mission with us.  The orator questioned the audience as to what according to them was “Hindu culture”?  There were many answers to this question; while one said the culture is synonymous to Indian languages, another said it was the attire; someone said it is the way the elders are treated and another the rituals and so on and so forth.  After listening to these ideas, the speaker shared her experience.

The speaker was once traveling in Central India and stayed with a large family.  She observed that, late in the night after the dinner was over, the womenfolk were busy cooking.  She questioned the host as to why they were cooking after everybody had eaten their meal. The host replied that they always kept food ready for four-five unexpected guests and that, they were replenishing food.  She concluded her speech stating that the hallmark of Hinduism is feeding hungry guests; Atithi devo bhava – meaning “guest is God”.

My sister has a reason for quoting this to me.  While I don’t dispute with the concept of “Atithi devo bhava”, I get into frequent arguments with my mother on the quantity of food cooked at home.  My mother was born and raised in a village.  Paddy and lentils were cultivated in the land owned by her family.  Food was cooked on firewood and the process was very cumbersome in the absence of gadgets, cooking gas and electricity and hence food was cooked only once in a day and that too in large quantities.  The same food was served during lunch, dinner and carried forward for breakfast the next day morning.  Food was cooked not only for the family members, but for the shepherd, domestic help and dhobi.  On certain days in the week, few students from the gurukulam (a residential school where Vedas were taught) had food in their house. (The responsibility of feeding poor students who studied at the gurukulam was shared by all villagers in turns).  Extra food was cooked for unexpected guests too. There was no question of wastage, as the leftover was fed to the cattle. 

Coming to the present, we have almost all gadgets in our kitchen.  Firewood and charcoal vanished without trace.  Cooking an elaborate meal takes not more than an hour.  Though only three of us live in our house, my mother wants to cook at least for five or six.  She says it is for unexpected guests.  In the recent past, we have not had any guests, particularly unexpected guests at home.  My argument is when food can now be cooked quickly, why should it be cooked in advance?  Neither our domestic help nor the beggars in our locality are keen to take the leftover food. We don’t have cattle or dogs to be fed.  We end up either eating the excess food (I feel this is the main reason for my obesity) or recycling.   Disposing of waste food is a serious problem in cities.  I am yet to convince my mother.