The last few weeks have been an interesting journey for me-- from the Bay Area in California to the Moved By Love Retreat, and later serving with the Gandhi Ashram family. Interspersed with all the activities were opportunities to reflect through the Awakin gatherings and time spent meditating at the Santram Ashram in Nadiad.

Through my time here, I happened to come across Raghu Makwana, a person affected with polio since childhood and his main project of tiffin deliveries to neglected widows and elders, most of whom have nobody to look after them. 

This may sound like a living tribute to him, but it is simply written out of love. He has two projects that he runs—Tyaag Nu Tiffin (Food of Sacrifice, in which people voluntarily fast to skip one meal a week and the 50 rupees they would typically spend on that meal goes to the project to feed a widow or elder in the slum community) and the Tulsi Project. The tiffin project involves daily deliveries of 2 meals a day to at least 15 widows and elder men in the slum area, mostly regardless of weather—so rain or shine. Raghubhai is someone whom I will never forget. He would ride his pedal 3-wheeler rickshaw throughout the communities and now has a 3-wheeler motorized vehicle that he named Isha Vashyam (Isha from Ishwar, or God, and Vashyam for Everything and Everyone, hence Everything and Everyone is God). Raghubhai’s custom-made motorcycle gets up and down steep hills, rocky surfaces, through mud and large puddles that look like streams, rivers, or ponds in the heavy monsoon rains. Sometimes with the monsoons in parts of India, the rains look like sheets of water falling. It is not as if he needs help with the tiffin deliveries—he can manage on his own, even with the pouring rain, as he has connected very well with the surrounding community, especially the young children. They usually greet him, as he asks how they are: â€‹“Kemcho?” or “Mazama?” and they do the same (“Mazamachu” is typically his response, meaning “very well”). â€‹

I think the contrast of his dark skin and shiny white teeth when he genuinely smiles was a draw at first glance. It is a constant reminder of how I was during childhood - the so-called joker, or “mirchi”. The first time I met him was in front of the clinic that Manav Sadhna takes its volunteers to when they are sick, or need some sort of medical attention. I was just overcoming some flu-like symptoms and stomach issues when Shirishbhai, a staff member of Manav Sadhna, brought me to the clinic. As I exited after meeting with the medical professional, I saw Raghubhai along with his colleague along the path waiting for their chai to arrive. I greeted him in the typical Indian manner with a Namaste and hands folded in prayer, but also bowed down somewhat to make eye contact with him, as he uses his hands and arms mostly to walk so was seated on the pavement. I had heard and read about him through ServiceSpace and having friends who know him pretty well. He sensed that I was unwell and immediately showed loving care and attention, which I am grateful for. He asked me if I wanted some chai—I accepted. He kindly gave me the cup that was intended for him (he didn’t even order another cup for himself). I realized this after. It seemed like a natural handshake or gesture of his non-attached and selfless giving, which I’ve had the privilege and honor of witnessing in a myriad of ways since then, even his gifting of his mala/string of plastic/stone beads that he wears, or gifting out chocolates that were gifted to him for Guru Poornima (a festival to honor our mentors).

He really goes beyond doing just his duty of delivering tiffins and tulsi plants, which he performs a prayer and puja for, as the holy basil plant is considered sacred in India and treated like a mother. Tilak is placed on the tulsi plant’s pot and usually a prayer about motherhood, such as “Twa Meva Mata” is chanted, with everyone seated on the floor in a circle surrounding the plant. He has assisted families living on the streets (some who are of Adivasi, or tribal, backgrounds) with domestic violence issues. With issues of corruption rampant in India, especially with police, some people do not want to take the time to report incidences, as they fear the cops will ask them for money/bribes, or it will become the talk of the neighborhood or town and their privacy will be hence disturbed. He has broken up physical fights between mostly misdirected youth, especially boys, taken children out to the movies that normally wouldn’t get this opportunity otherwise, especially the young girls, some of whom have never been out, or left their community pre-marriage. 

Raghubhai feels like a brother, and when I thank him for his gracious hosting, he says, “There is no thank you between family.” This quote is reminiscent of something my father has said from time to time - that “Love is never having to say, ‘Thank you’ or ‘I’m sorry.’


His life seems to exemplify this quote: “Our lives become beautiful not because we are perfect. Our lives become beautiful because we put our heart into what we are doing.” -Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

Posted by Varsha Mathrani on Jul 29, 2013 | permalink