Mattran Veetu Aditi Devo Bhava

Dear Ilites,

Aditi Devo Bhava which means - Treat the guest like God and serve him/her.

This is a traditional practice of Hindus from Vedic age. But in today's metro life we get less opportunity to practice this. Fortunately we have few special occasions where we get an opportunity to serve and honour the guests. To name them few - Navarathiri, Family functions like Wedding etc.

Now we are in the month of Aadi (Tamil month) which is considered to be very auspicious and the activities are associated with Goddess and of honouring "Sumangalis" (Married women of whom husbands are surviving).

If it is a Friday, it is much more auspicious being "Aadi Velli" (Aadi Friday). I am able to see lot of activities carried over in many houses in Chennai.

Even Aadi Pooram is considered to be a special day of Aadi month where women celebrate the day by distributing "Colourful Glass Bangles" to their counterparts and express their respects and honour.

Well, I would like to narrate an incident where an ordinary woman taught and made me understand what is meant by "Aditi Devo Bhava".

Yesterday myself and my mother happened to visit a very distant relative in Mandaiveli, Chennai. She was staying in a housing board right next to Bus stand where most of the residents belong to slum. I was wondering how she is able to manage her living in that area surrounded by people who were not from her community.

As we were entering the block, we saw a lady standing near the staircase. She kindly enquired us to whom we were about to visit. When we spelt the name, she immediately gave a call looking towards the top floor saying loudly, "Kala, you have got visitors, please switch on your verandah light."

She guided us to our relative's home. It was dark and raining outside. While we were about to leave the place, the same lady came inside rushing fully drenched. She offered us "Malli Flowers" and asked us to wear it on the head. She said that being "Aadi Velli" we shouldn't be sent without offering flowers and kumkum and thus she ran to the flower shop nearby in the heavy rain and bought some flowers for us.

The whole beauty of this incident is - That lady is an absolute stranger to us and she lived in the second floor of that block. We being guests of somebody who resides in her block was highly honoured by this neighbour lady which is quiet unusual in this era. We were deeply touched by her kind gesture.

To be frank, having the neighbours from the same community to which we belong, I should say 'they weren't helpful" and hardly speak to us. Point to be noted, we are not of that type. And when we happen to see somebody honouring us who is unknown to us - it was a delightful experience.

She sets an outstanding example for - ADITI DEVO BHAVA or should I say "MATTRAN VEETU ADITI DEVO BHAVA" (One who honours even the guests of neighbours).

 

Hi Viji,

That was a noble thought of honouring widows. I too feel the same like you.

Sumangali Prarthanai is purely a home oriented function where you get a chance of honouring your own people and others of your community. The ultimate goal is to please the Sumangalis. So, you celebrated this Aadi month being a special host of Sumangali Prarthanai .

 

Dear Pavithra,

Thanks a lot for your FB. I think we should not consider her gesture as a mere "thought", I feel it was spontaneous.

 

Sriniketan,

You are absolutely right. Generally I love people. That too these kind of people make me more happy.

When I say I love people, I love them for all the goodness in them. Normally I get an intuition when I see or interact with somebody that the person is not my type or I just cannot get along with the person, so I just keep a distance.

 

Dear Brindha,

Yes, it was really touching. I couldn't take it as an ordinary gesture and that is why I have expressed it in this forum. Thanks for the FB.