Atithi Devo Bhava

Watching the delightful movie ‘Atithi tum kab jaoge?’ on Star this Sunday, my mind wandered back to the various guests I have had at home. Some used to be really welcome, whereas… well… like Paresh Rawal in the movie, some guests are much better known as pests…!!!

One of the most regular guests we had was Doctor Joshi and family. Doctor Joshi was a student of my dad’s during their Med School days and would land up at my home with his wife and 2 kids at least once a month. Though I used to be happy for my dad when they came over (dad hardly interacts with all, Dr. Joshi was an exception!) but for my mom, the situation was different. Once the Joshis came in with Joshi aunty’s mom in tow. Here is my mom’s attempt to be a good hostess:

Mom: What shall I get, tea, coffee or thanda?
Joshi Aunty: We shall all have tea today.
Mom: (happy that she just has to make 1 thing) ok…
JA: We shall have 5 tumblers of tea…
Mom: yes… :-???
JA: One full tumbler of strong sweet tea… for mummy…
Mom: (noting in her mind) yes…:-???
JA: One half tumbler of strong sugar free tea for Joshi Saab…
Mom: (still noting, feeling confused already) yes…:-???
JA: One full tumbler of light, sweet tea for me…
Mom: (wiping her brow at these hotel type instructions) ok and… :-???
JA: 2 half tumblers of light, normal sugar tea for the kids… simple…!!!
Mom: (phew!)…

Sometimes guests just don’t realize how much they inconvenience the hostess by trying to get everything just as how they have at home… if you want everything ghar sa, they why impose yourself on others at all? Just be at home na… :-P

Another guest we used to have regularly was Dr. Raj and his family. This is one guest all of us used to love having. Dr. Raj’s wife Disha aunty was an extremely talented lady… a superb artist, she used to indulge my brother n me by giving us cartoons painted on thermocol to be used as wall hangings. Till date the Hardy which she gifted me painted on thermocol finds pride of place in my room. Their little kid, Rohan, was a joy for us. Disha aunty’s enthusiasm for the arts rubbed off on me also and things like glass painting and crafts are my hobbies till date. When Dr. Raj finally decided to leave our small town for the greener shores of London to pursue higher studies, we were very sad. The day before they left, they came as guests at home for the very last time. I remember being in tears bidding them goodbye… we are not in touch with them today… but I just hope they are having a great life wherever they are…!!!

Nowadays, an obnoxious guest I get at home is an old family friend of my in-laws’. Nitin bhai has a word for everything happening in my home. At times he comments on my lack of involvement in the kitchen and at others it is about the absence of a kid. Still other times he has comments on my husband’s weight or about my vegetarian status. He is one guest who takes ‘ise apna hi ghar samjho’ extremely literally, much to my discomfort!!! Needless to say, the days he comes, the clock seems like it is purposely moving slow so as to heighten my uneasiness…!!!

Guests are always welcome, but they should realize their limits… as Paresh Rawal says in the movie, guests should come for a short span of time, so that, when they leave, we will wait for them to come back… a guest who overstays his welcome once is never welcome back… so let us all be great guests so that our hosts treat us no less than gods…!!!