Maalik!

 

Last year, around Holi time at our village, once a group of kids were passing by while I walked. There were about 20 kids, all of age around 5-7, making merry and enjoying themselves while going somewhere. And then I heard something and looked back. I saw a small kid of around 4-5 who was looking up at me and then he said, “Maalik! Pranam!” I blessed him and moved on. While I moved on, I was surprised and touched by the kid’s gesture. There was so much love and respect in his voice that I felt a bit shy. I wondered who the kid was and why he saluted me that day. I came to home and asked my mother who said he must one son of one of the laborers who work in our fields and hence paid his respect when he saw me. I forgot the incident until yesterday.

Yesterday, I was walking in front of our house when the same kid came in. He was accompanying another kid of his own age (around 5-6). The kid from last year saw me and said, “Maalik!” I looked at him and when he saw that he caught my eye, he just smiled in a way which melted my heart. This time, he did not say “Pranam” or anything else, but he just smiled looking at me. Who was this baby Krishna?

I smiled back and did not say anything. Then I saw that he took his friend towards the open field besides our house where goats and cattle graze and he showed the area to him. At times many kids come to play in that field and perhaps he was showing the field to his friend as a playground. Then the two kids returned and while they were passing besides me, I saw that his friend was continuously starring at my face as if trying to remember my face. That was touching too.

Every time I remember the kid and his “Maalik!” resonates in my mind, my heart warms up and melts a bit.

- Rahul