The wealth of sanskar and shistachar

Recently, one of our relatives requested our presence at her residence. Her son was all set to settle down in matrimony, and she wanted us to meet the soon-to-be bride before sealing new bonds. As we stepped in, we saw the younger sibling of the bride-to-be, who seemed busy, intently working on her sleek laptop. I was a little surprised that the girl did not even look up to greet us, leave alone stand up as a sign of respect, which is customary in most Indian households. More appalling to me was that even her parents did not seem to mind their ward’s behaviour. I mulled within myself; maybe all these could have some intricate nexus with one’s own intrinsic sanskar and shistachar. While sanskar has multiple context-driven connotations, one of which is culture and manners, shistachar exclusively implies etiquette. 

The same evening, I came across youngsters who painted a stark contrast to the unsavoury morning episode. As I was strolling, I stumbled upon a furniture showroom showcasing splendiferous stuff. I stepped in and looked around that magnificent showroom without any motive for procuring anything. 

As I gingerly entered the shop, I was greeted by a store manager, who graciously began guiding me around the gorgeous showroom. He said he was Naren, a native of Nepal. Naren’s cheerful countenance and cordial/courteous behaviour, coupled with charming etiquette, were uplifting. Call it an induction effect; even his colleague, Arshiya, displayed the same delightful manners. And the youngsters seemed extremely genuine and emphatically not trained. As I moved around, marvelling at the artefacts, Naren cautioned me: “Ma’am, watch out for the water spillage; it is wet there and woefully slippery; the protruding part of this piece may pierce. Avoid it…” I was truly moved by the genuine care and concern, especially from a young man hailing from a modest milieu. When I complimented Naren for his impressive qualities, he instantly said that though some could be inborn, some he has imbibed from his incredibly amazing master, Riyaz Arif, the proprietor.

Finally, though I didn’t buy any of the magnificent merchandise, I brought home this meaningful gyan: The way one behaves is all reflective of one’s own innate sanskar and shistachar. And a person simply can’t get endowed with sanskar just by owning wealth and academic accolades, although education and exposure may, to an extent, play a part.”