- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
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Although I really do not have the spare time to do this post it is time for a little more effort on my part on cross culture information -- which we need as I can see from recent posts so I will take the time.
On King's Way in Kathmandu, the biggest and finest Boulevard in all of Nepal, where the rich tourists stay at the five star Yak and Yeti and Annapurna Hotels, up maybe fifty yards from the Annapurna is a section of sidewalk where beggars sit in the hot sun of summer and dark, cold days of winter hoping for a few paisa to keep them from starving.
You will see in this group some blind, crippled, deformed, sick and a few Sherpas who have lost hands and feet to frostbite. Most tourists and rich Nepalis passing by ignore this unpleasant sight, a few will toss a ten rupai note into a cup and then quickly move on.
When I passed by I would try to give a few rupia to what I judged to be the worst off of the bunch. I had learned quickly that I could not support every beggar in Nepal and would have to be selective no matter how difficult that might be. I always gave something to the Sherpas.
Since I passed this way almost daily I started to get to know some of these beggars and there was one who quickly became my favorite. His name was Raj which means "king." He had some sort of birth defect which left him paraylyzed and deformed from waste down. I suspect he was maybe 4 foot six and weighed maybe 80 pounds. His parents would roll him out to his space on the beggars showcase on the sidewalk each morning on a cart made of wood which rolled on metal wheels. And, he would sit there all day hoping for enough paisa to make his service worthwhile. Then his parents would come pick him up at dusk with his Nepali style wheelchair and take him home.
What attracted me to Raj was his attitude. Unlike most beggars who will hold up their cup and show tears in their eyes, Raj always smiled brightly and gave me a hearty "Namaste" when I passed by. He always asked about my well being and tried to chat. He never really begged or held out his cup. Amazing to me, he seemed happy, and caused me to wonder how this could be. I soon found myself lingering there with the beggars and chatting a few moments with Raj. He was a bright and a very positive fellow for a man in his circumstances.
As time passed Raj and I became friends and I would sometimes sit on the sidewalk with him and spend an hour or two just talking. Seeing me there, a Westerner, seemed to be of great concern to the tourists who walked by and I must admit even my Nepali friends thought it not a good idea to sit with the beggars. Hardheaded SOB that I am I paid no attention to any of this and simply continued my relationship with Raj.
I was in Nepal trying to learn about life, death, Buddhism, and myself. Raj was to become one of my gurus. He taught me that regardless of the cards one might be dealt in this life one can make the best of his hand. Raj was a beggar who did not beg. He was a man of honor and principle in a loincloth. He was cheerful and looked for the best even though he lived in a deformed and near helpless body and survived because of the generosity of others. He showed me that what one sees and what really is can be at the different ends of the rainbow. He became not only a teacher but an inspiration to me and what I learned from him alone made all my efforts seem worthwhile.
As always is the case, Raj gave more to me than I ever gave to him, and he showed me who the real beggar was.
When I left Nepal the last time I went to Raj and told him I was leaving and asked for his blessing. He blessed me (it is very valuable in karmic terms to receive the blessing of a beggar) and we both cried upon parting.
Raj, king of beggars, I will never forget you and I am just as certain that you will never forget me. And, Raj, wherever you may be I send you my eternal gratitude for all that you gave to me and did for me.
------------------
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
On King's Way in Kathmandu, the biggest and finest Boulevard in all of Nepal, where the rich tourists stay at the five star Yak and Yeti and Annapurna Hotels, up maybe fifty yards from the Annapurna is a section of sidewalk where beggars sit in the hot sun of summer and dark, cold days of winter hoping for a few paisa to keep them from starving.
You will see in this group some blind, crippled, deformed, sick and a few Sherpas who have lost hands and feet to frostbite. Most tourists and rich Nepalis passing by ignore this unpleasant sight, a few will toss a ten rupai note into a cup and then quickly move on.
When I passed by I would try to give a few rupia to what I judged to be the worst off of the bunch. I had learned quickly that I could not support every beggar in Nepal and would have to be selective no matter how difficult that might be. I always gave something to the Sherpas.
Since I passed this way almost daily I started to get to know some of these beggars and there was one who quickly became my favorite. His name was Raj which means "king." He had some sort of birth defect which left him paraylyzed and deformed from waste down. I suspect he was maybe 4 foot six and weighed maybe 80 pounds. His parents would roll him out to his space on the beggars showcase on the sidewalk each morning on a cart made of wood which rolled on metal wheels. And, he would sit there all day hoping for enough paisa to make his service worthwhile. Then his parents would come pick him up at dusk with his Nepali style wheelchair and take him home.
What attracted me to Raj was his attitude. Unlike most beggars who will hold up their cup and show tears in their eyes, Raj always smiled brightly and gave me a hearty "Namaste" when I passed by. He always asked about my well being and tried to chat. He never really begged or held out his cup. Amazing to me, he seemed happy, and caused me to wonder how this could be. I soon found myself lingering there with the beggars and chatting a few moments with Raj. He was a bright and a very positive fellow for a man in his circumstances.
As time passed Raj and I became friends and I would sometimes sit on the sidewalk with him and spend an hour or two just talking. Seeing me there, a Westerner, seemed to be of great concern to the tourists who walked by and I must admit even my Nepali friends thought it not a good idea to sit with the beggars. Hardheaded SOB that I am I paid no attention to any of this and simply continued my relationship with Raj.
I was in Nepal trying to learn about life, death, Buddhism, and myself. Raj was to become one of my gurus. He taught me that regardless of the cards one might be dealt in this life one can make the best of his hand. Raj was a beggar who did not beg. He was a man of honor and principle in a loincloth. He was cheerful and looked for the best even though he lived in a deformed and near helpless body and survived because of the generosity of others. He showed me that what one sees and what really is can be at the different ends of the rainbow. He became not only a teacher but an inspiration to me and what I learned from him alone made all my efforts seem worthwhile.
As always is the case, Raj gave more to me than I ever gave to him, and he showed me who the real beggar was.
When I left Nepal the last time I went to Raj and told him I was leaving and asked for his blessing. He blessed me (it is very valuable in karmic terms to receive the blessing of a beggar) and we both cried upon parting.
Raj, king of beggars, I will never forget you and I am just as certain that you will never forget me. And, Raj, wherever you may be I send you my eternal gratitude for all that you gave to me and did for me.
------------------
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
