We consider our guests as our God

We have a saying in our local language that says “Atithi Devo Bhav” that if translated in English will mean, “Guests are our God”. Old traditions in Indian subcontinent have always believed that a host could sleep hungry but not their guest that gets proper respect, best food available in the house and best bed to sleep.

In fact, it doesn’t make a difference whether guests are invited ones or they have come without even giving a prior notice from that particular industry which ended the need to visit Russia any more. It may sound funny here but some guests do not mind enjoying our hospitality more than we can afford to but we never tell them to quit.

However I have certain memories in my mind about my trips aboard where I thought I could enjoy more only if my host country would have little more generous or knew how to deal with guests. I am posting one of my own experience I had in a Russian town Sergiyev Posad near Moscow in Russia.

I had visited surrounding areas of Moscow during my several short and longer stay in that beautiful city despite having couple of anxious moments every time I visited there. So when my colleague was interested in going out and see some of the famous surrounding areas I suggested we visited Sergiyev Posad (known as Zagorsk also).

Sergiyev Posad is about 70 km from Moscow which I suppose has turned into an industrial town now but when I was there it was famous for Monastery of St. Sergii or the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergii. What a beauty this white-stone building, with sloping walls that I have never seen anywhere else and the wonderful gold dome similar to our own Golden temple of Amritsar is perhaps one of the best of its kind in Russian churches.

However, I am not writing this post to describe the beauty of Russia or Monastery of St. Sergii but the experience we had in Sergiyev Posad. My colleague who belonged to town of Uttar Pradesh state in India was so impressed with Russian buildings after watching that Monastery said the people of Russia were so lucky having such beautiful atmosphere and buildings, cleanliness etc.

I said nothing in response to him so he looked at me and asked if I did not agree with his statement. I said if he would say the same when we depart 2 weeks later I will also agree with his statement. Soon he realized what I meant when he met several people with rude behavior that refused even the smallest of favor like providing him vegetarian food or food which we did not eat.

These were small things but for people like us who consider guests as god. We have a firm belief in a old saying, “Guest is God” and we do everything to make them comfortable. My colleague agreed that maybe we lack in several things but we are far ahead in several things too.

Image source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergiyev_Posad