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Times are grey and gloomy. One hears about killings and fanaticism often. It is alleged that a popular app has algorithm which feeds into human affinity and tendency for negativity, in all things of life.
Recently, I was driving within the states of MP and Chhattisgarh. As I turned back North towards Jagdalpur to reach a base camp of a central India jungle trek I entered a hilly terrain with deep hushed tropical forest, where a team was resurfacing the single lane road. It was strange to see men in battle fatigue manning the periphery. Shortly, there was a puncture. I changed the tyre in strange silence of the jungle. Within few kilometres a second puncture occurred, possibly due to car’s ride over work area just an hour back. As I started to mull over this strange situation of having no spare tyre two men appeared walking on either side of the road. The car was stranded on a dipping gradient. As both the men saw me over the horizon they stopped. Hesitantly one of them came up to about hundred meters from the car. He saw, studied the scene and before I could ask for help, turned back. Later both men came back followed by five more men walking in a scattered group. As they passed me, something prevented me from saying anything. I noted that the men were lean and appeared fit but extremely wary. As the group moved on, a man in the centre stopped and said something to another man walking closest to him. The group stopped and one of them came back to ask in a local dialect which, was difficult to understand but there were enough words from Hindi. In my chaste Hindi I explained my predicament. He went back to report. Soon two men from the group came back and picked up the first flat tyre from the car, loaded onto a cycle and rode downhill.
The men returned within forty-five minutes with a repaired and fully inflated tyre. As I got on the off-side of the road to change the flat I waved hesitantly at the “leader” to thank him. He lifted his hand and smiled. Once I got up after the tyre switch, there was no one. They had slipped away into the eerily soundless jungle. I often wonder how they got the tyre so quickly as I could only reach the next settlement after an hour’s drive.
As I drove on towards the base camp of the jungle trek, my phone rang. A deep measured voice came on. He asked me, very apologetically, if I could pick him for the trek. The place was on my way. Earlier, I had informed on the WhatsApp group of the trekking batch that I am driving via Raipur so can pick up anyone who needed transportation to remote base camp.
I reached a compound, miles from any civilization, deep in the country side. There were many huts like buildings. The compound was neat and at the gate it mentioned primary health hospital run by an NGO.
As I got off from the car, a well-built tall figure walked towards me with extended hand. He was in his forties. Let us call him Neel. Neel remarked that I was early so do give him time to complete his departure. He took me to a sparse office where everyone got up to greet Neel. As he signed papers, I noticed Neel being referred as Dr. Neel. Then Dr. Neel took me to the dining hall for lunch. Deep inside the hall, close to pantry sat five people, eating on a bench. We joined them. Dr. Neel introduced me to all five doctors. When they came to know that I was a professional sailor they started asking me about sea life. The chief cook came with folded hands thanking Dr. Neel and asking him to come again.
While driving towards the base camp, Dr. Neel requested me not to reveal, during the trek, his profession or even later to retain his anonymity. Thus I call him Dr. Neel. He informed that every two years he travels to interiors of the country and stays there for about two months and performs surgery, free of charge. He turned out to be a famous plastic surgeon from a metropolis.
People tell me that the men in the jungle were rebels or bad men. In that case they had put themselves in harm’s way to help a stranded stranger with kindness.
To many these days doctors are the new Shylock, extracting their pound of flesh but majorly, barring few odd cases which they are in any profession, all doctors are, silently and with dedication doing such good social work.
The road to kindness is smooth and free of potholes.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.