My Little Big Friend

Come aunty, i will show you my house”, she was so full of excitement, and my sweet friend Ridhika held my hand to take me around.

” meet our cows first”

“Sure, dear. Have you named them as well? ” I was equally excited in my body of 55 but, today, with a heart of 10.

“Yes, yes. We call this one somi, as she was born on Somvar. And this calf is Nattu.”

There were some 7-8 cows, under one roof.

“See aunty, these are kiwis”, she pointed out above.”

“And this is mango plant, but here it doesn’t grow taller. And no mangoes.”

” And, come this side. Here are tomatoes. And, this one is a gai buti, (गाय बूटी ) (cow herb)”, she plucked few small, thick green straws and showed me.

” If our cows are sick, we give them this to eat and they start to feel better”

This 10 year old seemed to have all the knowledge that her elders use in day to day life, I was amused to think.

Plucking two more different leaves, she explained to me, “and these leaves can cure us of our skin ailment. Just rub them on the diseased skin, and it gets healed.”

” Ridu, you are so intelligent. You know everything about all these plants, bushes, shrubs.” I was overflowing with praises for her.

Ridhika’s elder sister was also with us. This time she spoke and told me that Ridhika has special interest in the flora fauna.
” I hardly know anything, although I have taken admission in BSc. Horticulture, but Ridhika keeps observing her mom, tai ji, and grand mother working in fields, caring of cows etc. and has already picked up a lot from them”, she said.

Meeting my this new little big friend today in a small village, Jatoli, at Solan and spending an hour in the fields was my Disneyland Trip.

As kids love and enjoy Disneyland, the kid inside me was overjoyed to see my deeply buried wish of visiting one such dreamland coming true.

Those trees heavily laden with Naashpati fruit, were planted by her great grand father, and now they need Zero care. Every year they give abundant fruit . This information was a very deep spiritual learning for me.

Very happily, we clicked pics, and I made a small video of this very talented soul.

“Aunty, you also share a video of your house when you go back. I have never seen a city house. I want to see what all is around your house.” Ridhika’s innocent request clean bowled me😊

This happy soul was my mentor today.
I have learnt very subtle life lessons from Ridhika.

One of the best days of my this existence.

God bless you dear❤️