Seeing a way of life other than yours can be a big learning, and it can sometimes lead to transformation within.
Learning to Live and Let Live
It was the first time I noticed him properly. His eyes had a certain radiance: they sparkled with mischief, or the promise of a bright future, or, perhaps, both. Before this, Yuddhishthir had just been the friendly young chap assigned by the hotel to accompany me on excursions into the wildlife park nearby. But then he caught my attention by asking me to shut up.
“It’s just a garden spider, don’t scream!” he said in a hushed tone, befitting a jungle. I had indeed screamed—I was in the front seat of a safari jeep and the spider was on my leg. I couldn’t get off the jeep in the middle of the park and even if I could, I wouldn’t have, as I was paralyzed with fear by the scary little thing.
“It’s a white garden spider,” he repeated, looking at the creature with more affection than I could muster for most humans.
“I don’t care what it is, make it go away!” I said, this time whispering urgently. I was terrified, and he was interested in the classification of the species! I wanted him to pick the thing up and fling it out of the jeep right at that moment. He did something quite else.
He pushed his leg towards mine and held out the cloth of his trousers to gently let the spider on to his own leg. He then drove on, as if nothing had happened. The spider crawled a little bit and then just stopped there, clinging to his knee. I sat there staring at the spider for any sudden movement—if a tiger had walked by then, I would not have even looked at it.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi
Pushpesh Pant, one of India’s pre-eminent food writers, is back with a comprehensive food history of the capital.
Who Wants Coffee?
It’s bitter—but beloved around the world
Prevent The Pain Of Shingles
You don't have to suffer, as long as you take two important steps
The Best And Worst Diets For Your Heart
Dozens of diets are touted as ‘best’, but it’s easy to lose track of the fact that healthy eating needs to be about overall wellness, not just weight loss.
ME & MY SHELF
Journalist Sopan Joshi has worked in a science and environment framework for nearly three decades. His book Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango (Aleph Book Company) synthesizes the sensory appeal of India's favourite fruit with its elaborate cultural roots and natural history. He writes in English and Hindi.
SWITCHED
In 1962, nurses at a small Canadian hospital sent home two women with the wrong babies. Then, 50 years later, their children discovered the shocking mistake.
ECHOES OF THE PAST
A VISIT TO THE ANCIENT BARABAR CAVES IN BIHAR REVEALS A SURPRISING CONNECTION TO A LITERARY CLASSIC
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honour the many men who helped her survive her childhood
Fiction's Foresight
British-Bangladeshi author Manzu Islam's works reveal startling parallels to recent political upheavals in Bangladesh, begging the question: Besides helping us make sense of our world, can stories also offer a glimpse into the future?
It Happens ONLY IN INDIA
The Divine Defence Picture this: A tractor in Rajasthan‘s Banswara district,a group of loan agents closing in to seize it and the defaulting farmer and his family standing by.