Dear friends,

I was on my way to write the foregoing story for posting as Blog. This morning I happened to read a Blog posted by my friend Payal Mehra of Baroda comprising of two stories first a love story and second on KINDNESS. As I read KINDNESS and found it really a readable. KINDNESS and my foregoing story carries the same message/moral.

However, my story was told to me by senior family members around 1975 as a moral and home based education to be KIND with all.  So an old story.

I request you to please read both the stories and get the experience of life and be KIND to all. THANKS.

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EK LAUTA PAANI

A poor farmer family comprising of husband, wife, son and daughter lives in a village. Their son and daughter are student of primary classes. Wife is a generous, kind hearted and religious minded  housewife and husband a poor farmer would go to fields daily to plough.

One day housewife was carrying lunch and EK LAUTA PAANI (drinking water in a metalled container) for her husband and suddenly a wounded man on his horse appeared on her way.  He requested housewife to offer her water otherwise he will die thirsty. Housewife told that I have no surplus water. Again wounded man requested that water is must for him otherwise I will not be able to flee from the sight of Police and would be picked or will die due to thirst. Housewife offered him water and thus the wounded man saved his life as well as went away from the sight of police.

The wounded man after treatment visited the family  and told that he is a decoit and police is always after him. I am alive due to your EK LAUTA PAANI. And he promised to help the poor family from time to time, which he did. Soon all villagers came to know the story.

Their daughter grew and was marriageable. And the poor farmer died due to a serious illness. So great responsibility! The decoit promised all possible help on marriage of daughter as well as to offer KANYADAAN (on marriage parents donate girl to boy) in absence of her father.

Soon the Police got the news and laid down a trap to pick up the decoit. The decoit arranged and attended the marriage. Police not interfered during marriage but as soon as marriage was over decoit was captured.

The housewife regretted that it is due to us you have been caught. Decoit replied NO I have neither regret nor remorse. I must be punished for looting too many persons. I have cleared my dues of EK LAUTA PAANI. If there were no EK LAUTA PAANI I would have either in Jail or dead. Still your EK LAUTA PAANI is heavy than what I did for you.

In the court Police also took the side of Decoit and he was awarded a little tolerable sentence.

So kindness always live long and rewards ultimately.

vkbajaj1950@yahoo.co.in