I am an outdoor freak and usually take a much-needed break, away from my draining work schedule, to the mountains once every 3 to 4 months. It helps me to unwind and return to my work with renewed vigor. Once I was visiting Chadwick falls near Shimla by the trek route. The charm of the trek route is immense as it throws open some of most breath-taking views in the midst of pristine nature. While on my way back from the falls, the sky became overcast with thick black clouds and it soon started to rain. Although it was still daytime by the clock but it became miserably dark as if it were night time. I waited for about an hour for the rain to stop and when it reduced to a drizzle I decided to resume my journey back to the hotel.

The path had become wet and muddy with rounded pebbles making walking a terrible and a dangerous exercise. One had to be extremely careful otherwise slipping and rolling over the pebbles could plunge one deep into the valley. During the walk, I tumbled over the rounded stones and managed to bruise my arms at the elbows and blood began oozing. It was a miserable situation I found myself entangled in, drenched and injured. Turning my head in every possible direction, I could find no place to take shelter in the inclement weather. After a few minutes of walk along the way, I saw a lit up thatched hutment in a distance and my face lit up and hopes soared high. Approaching the door meekly, I knocked fearfully as well as expectantly. As soon as it was answered, I filled the person about my condition and also how I landed in a situation like this. I uttered a few requests about securing some fresh water to wash my wounds and instructions around safe passage back to my hotel in the city. He brought a lamp up to my face and observed me from head to toe including my injuries. Satisfied, he asked me to come inside. He offered me a comfortable place to sit by the fire. Without wasting time, he instructed his son to fetch some water, cotton and an antiseptic. As soon as he began the service, I said I could help myself. I carefully washed the wounds and applied the antiseptic. I felt relieved with the provision of the timely medical help at the non-descript cottage.

Take this towel and dry yourself up by the time the tea boils over’ said the man. After drying myself up, sipping hot cup of tea seemed like pure pleasure. He asked me how I managed to fall into so much trouble. I narrated my short story and in a brief span of time I felt as if life had been put back into me by God himself. Afterwards when the rain had finally stopped, he offered the services of his son who would guide me up the hill to the first point in the city. Not knowing how to thank the angel enough, I took out a five hundred rupee note and raised it in his direction thinking that it would help him somehow to make his ends meet. He stopped my hand midway and asked me to return it to my pocket. He declined to take the money.

‘We do not help strangers like yourself in the hope of a reward. Maybe God has positioned us in a manner that we can help people in dire need’ he said ‘to be in any sort of advantageous position to render help to others is the biggest reward itself’. That day a small man far away from civilization taught me the most important lesson of my life. To this day, I wonder what would have happened to me if I did not receive timely help at that nondescript hutment. Such rare events help re-establish diminishing faith in God and mankind. To me it was truly the abode of the God.