Ram-Rahim Roti

I was given a simple directive. At half-past 6, show up at kalpatru fruit market, near the Hanuman mandir. Joined by a US resident fellow on the trail of digging below the "surface" of India, I asked the rickshaw-wallah to take us there. It is located in the old part of Ahmedabad, beyond the lal-darwaja (that's the gate Maharaja Ahmed used to enter the then tiny city of Karnavati-nagari nearly 600 years ago), through the cacophonous maze of teeny-tiny gullies and jam-packed streets. 

Here is where the pujari of the temple, for over two decades, has been providing free food to all who come to his door. The concept is simple. You show up, you get food. No questions asked but love and smile offered unconditionally. We reached there to find a few people still getting their evening meal, sitting by the side of the road. The pujari lives in the temple itself, in one small room that has nothing but a 15" TV and a couple of mattresses on the side. The rest is a kitchen and a large backyard that's used to wash dishes. 

There are about dozen of us, many from local NGOs who have come to learn about this amazing man and his story. This story goes back to 1987 when riots between the two communities of Hindus and Muslims were frequent. At times like these cops usually leave it to the mauraders from both sides to sort it out, mostly ensuring that it does not get too out of hand. A bit passive but there was one inspector who went beyond his call of duty to engage with folks from both sides to ensure peace. 

He was murdered and the chilling effect was felt on both sides of the rift. In his memory, since that despicable event, this mandir has been serving out Ram-Rahim roti for all who come to the door for an evening meal. 

When we asked what was his motivation, he looked back with curious inquisitive eyes, almost as if talking to a child, "do we need one?"