Annadaatasukhibhava – “May the provider be HAPPY”

Abandonment is such a punishment , seldom did I realise about it until I stepped into an orphanage this morning to enquire on a service offering. As we sat in the art cafe, reading the Ravi Verma biography , a sudden idea to visit an orphanage crossed my mind and I voiced it out to my best friend. I chalked down the things I would do when I get there and I was super-excited.  I had worked with under privileged children at government schools in the past but this was the first time I had decided to visit an orphanage.

Early next day, as I rode to office I decided to drop-by the orphanage for a general enquiry on the offering.  I parked my vehicle in front of the gate and looked happily at the pink building that stood in the corner of the street. I pulled the small gate that had a board hung on it with the words “Push” on it,I smiled at my foolishness and opened the gate . As I walked by, voices of children singing prayers lingered in my ears; I entered the house and searched for the receptionist but unfortunately there wasn’t anyone who could help me out.  

 As I continued to look around for someone to help me out, a pair of twinkling eyes caught my sight. Looking straight into my eyes, she smiled at me as her lips continued to sync with the rest of them in the group  “Annadaatasukhibhava” – “May the Provider be Happy” and that is when I realized  that it was their breakfast time. I went a little closer to get the glimpse of the whole gang, as my registered the count, my eyes did it’s job. The kids formed a circle and sat in front of their plates with a lady in her early twenties sitting in the middle serving them the food. A big vessel  with half-filled rice with some seasoning was their breakfast for this morning. As I stood observing, the lady walked up to me and greeted me with a smile. I looked at her and told her that I would want to visit them the following day, she readily agreed and thanked me as the rest of the eyes continued to look at me with a broad smile on their face. I was already delayed by half n hour to office and ha to rush out immediately I complete the conversation with the lady. I looked back and smiled at the girl who had caught my eyes and left the place.

I passed by the orphanage and hit the main road; tears started rolling down my cheeks and my stomach twitched. For the first ever time, I did not understand the meaning of the emotions I was experiencing. After a bit, my memory flashed a thing it had registered while the number game was on; the phrase “Annadaata Sukhibhava” – While we utter these lines after we finish our meals , the kids in the house did it before they put the morsel of rice into their mouth.  They wished good to the providers even before they tasted the food. My mind hovered around and there were many questions that emerged and I knew that I could find answers only to a few of them.

The only thing i kept thinking throughout was how lucky are we who are blessed with loved ones around us – ultimately it is the power of love that makes us humane and nothing else.

“Abandonment is such a PUNISHMENT” – I understood the reason behind the tears but I still can’t figure out the meaning for the ocean of emotions I went through.