Serving the Tea on dayaaluta दयालुता (Kindness)
In an era such as the one we live in now, one that is constantly looking for ways to divide us, we can find peace in the universality of kindness. There are a lot of things that make us different from each other in this world but when you begin to meet people from different places and backgrounds from your own, you come to realize that kindness and the mannerisms that come with this essential interaction are generally universal. In kindness and understanding, I have always found a way to connect with people I seemingly have nothing in common with. This is what we need in our world right now.
India has given way to this universal kindness in many different forms, all of which have given me hope and the tenacity to create a more just world. The friendships I have made here with the other interns at the Sehgal Foundation, Rohan, Himani, and Gautham have been invaluable and I will cherish their friendship long after I leave India. Without Rohan and Himani’s immense kindness I would have had a very difficult time navigating my first few days here in India. They have suggested places I never would have went to, foods I never would have tried, and helped me understand India in a way I wouldn’t have without them.
The acts of kindness that have brought me closest to India have been from the farmers of Mewat. My first trip to interview farmers from Mewat was filled with anxiety and some guilt over the idea that I was taking their time to interview them. I thought that they must have something more important to do than answer my questions. But through the language and cultural barriers, they managed to make me feel welcome with kindness. They showed their kindness through chai. Every group of farmers that I visited would offer me a cup of tea. This small gesture made me feel so welcome and any anxieties I may have had vanished. The farmers of Mewat have taught me not just about agriculture but about the power of kindness.
