Last month, just a week before Shivarathri(an auspicious day for Hindus, especially for the devotees of Lord Shiva), i was busy at home preparing to start to office.
knock...knock....
I opened the door and there were some 5-6 elderly persons, well dressed in very formal white khaddhar shirts. Well manerred too and aged between 35-50. They looked very decent in talking.
1st person: "Sir, on the eve of shivarathri, we from temple of Sai baba mandir, are organizing an Annadhan. We are here to request for donations."
Me: "Which temple? Where is it?"
1st person: "Its in the bhagyanagar colony, Kukatpally"
Me: I had been many times there, "Accha! Ok! Pretty famous temple. Right near to the main KPHB road right?"
2nd person: "Yes sir. For this coming shivarathri only, we are organizing a annadhan. Donate with what ever you can?"
3rd person picked up taking the receipt book out from the pocket, "Sir, so what amount you want to donate..116, 516, 1116?"
4th person stepped up, "Do you want to give it on your name of your parents? Whats the flat number sir? yeah its 103. Write it down."
Me: "Wait wait, first tell, are you from the same temple?", i was thinking of that only one sai baba mandir in Bhagyanagar colony, kukatpally.
1st person: "Yes sir.We are from that temple only."
Me: "Ok, then make a receipt of Rs.516 on my name"
1st person came front and showed me printed pomplete like paper with different amounts and different charity events they plan.
1st person: "Sir, Rs.1116 for one year annadhan. And Rs.2116 for life long inclusion of your name in the event. If you ready for 516, make it 1116 or 2116 so that its for total year and life long respectively"
Hmm i dont know, in what mood i was in, after a couple of seconds, i felt what he said was sensible, "Ok, then make it Rs.2116. It should be on my name. I need my surname in full. I will get the money."
Then i realized that i dont have so much cash in my wallet. "Sorry, i dont have so much cash now. I will come to the temple and give it there."
Then the 5th person who never involved in the conversation interefered, "Sir, if you can give us cheque, we accept that too".
Me: "Ok. then i will give you the cheque. Please wait".
I wrote a cheque on name of the 5th person, Mr. Satyanarayana, and handed it over to him after noting the cheque number & details in my cheque book.
Me: "Ok. So, when exactly this Annadhan in planned and what time?"
3rd Person: "Sir its in the afternoon of Shivarathri. After 12:30PM. If possible please be available at the temple for the event". I felt very obliged with the humble invitation.
One month after the event, yesterday i was passing by that temple and thought of finding out about how the event went on. I found two gentlemen sitting at the corner of the temple premises with a table and two chairs which looked like tumbling down at any moment.
"Excuse me, how did the annadhan happened on the shivarathri?"
"What annadhan you are talking about?"
Showing the receipt i had, "On shivarathri, the one your committe planned and took donation for".
"You have been cheated. We never come to house for donation. Please dont give any such donations at home. If you want to make a donation come to the temple and do or you can put the offerings in the hundi."
"But, they said that they are from the committee of this temple only. His name is Mr. Satyanarayana."
"No sir. We heard of such cheating incidents some time back. We didn't know these quacks are still doing this. This is pretty famous temple and so some quacks use the name to cheat."
"Oh!"
"Yeah, from next time, if you want to donate for charities, please visit the temple and do it there. No offense right?"
Fooled. Another lesson to learn from.
After some self consoling i felt, ok, its one such last instance that can happen to me in my entire life. It felt bad. I wondered how people do this in the guise of god. Dont they feel the pinch or fear of sin to cheat people, that too in the name of god. Pssschhh. These scoundrels should repent.
But one thing to be appreciated about them is their excellent TEAM WORK. What a team work guys!! With the way they started and how every one in the team took up their roles(to convince and confuse the opposite person) and not giving other person to think or doubt, they are excellent in that area.
I decided, from now on, who ever they are, temple comittee, orphanage, oldage home etc etc...even if they are genuine people, i will not donate even a single rupee at home visits. If possible, i will visit their place and pay it there.
If you are a type of person who learn from others experiences too, make a note of this. Atleast we can be sure that, the money has gone to the right people.
knock...knock....
I opened the door and there were some 5-6 elderly persons, well dressed in very formal white khaddhar shirts. Well manerred too and aged between 35-50. They looked very decent in talking.
1st person: "Sir, on the eve of shivarathri, we from temple of Sai baba mandir, are organizing an Annadhan. We are here to request for donations."
Me: "Which temple? Where is it?"
1st person: "Its in the bhagyanagar colony, Kukatpally"
Me: I had been many times there, "Accha! Ok! Pretty famous temple. Right near to the main KPHB road right?"
2nd person: "Yes sir. For this coming shivarathri only, we are organizing a annadhan. Donate with what ever you can?"
3rd person picked up taking the receipt book out from the pocket, "Sir, so what amount you want to donate..116, 516, 1116?"
4th person stepped up, "Do you want to give it on your name of your parents? Whats the flat number sir? yeah its 103. Write it down."
Me: "Wait wait, first tell, are you from the same temple?", i was thinking of that only one sai baba mandir in Bhagyanagar colony, kukatpally.
1st person: "Yes sir.We are from that temple only."
Me: "Ok, then make a receipt of Rs.516 on my name"
1st person came front and showed me printed pomplete like paper with different amounts and different charity events they plan.
1st person: "Sir, Rs.1116 for one year annadhan. And Rs.2116 for life long inclusion of your name in the event. If you ready for 516, make it 1116 or 2116 so that its for total year and life long respectively"
Hmm i dont know, in what mood i was in, after a couple of seconds, i felt what he said was sensible, "Ok, then make it Rs.2116. It should be on my name. I need my surname in full. I will get the money."
Then i realized that i dont have so much cash in my wallet. "Sorry, i dont have so much cash now. I will come to the temple and give it there."
Then the 5th person who never involved in the conversation interefered, "Sir, if you can give us cheque, we accept that too".
Me: "Ok. then i will give you the cheque. Please wait".
I wrote a cheque on name of the 5th person, Mr. Satyanarayana, and handed it over to him after noting the cheque number & details in my cheque book.
Me: "Ok. So, when exactly this Annadhan in planned and what time?"
3rd Person: "Sir its in the afternoon of Shivarathri. After 12:30PM. If possible please be available at the temple for the event". I felt very obliged with the humble invitation.
One month after the event, yesterday i was passing by that temple and thought of finding out about how the event went on. I found two gentlemen sitting at the corner of the temple premises with a table and two chairs which looked like tumbling down at any moment.
"Excuse me, how did the annadhan happened on the shivarathri?"
"What annadhan you are talking about?"
Showing the receipt i had, "On shivarathri, the one your committe planned and took donation for".
"You have been cheated. We never come to house for donation. Please dont give any such donations at home. If you want to make a donation come to the temple and do or you can put the offerings in the hundi."
"But, they said that they are from the committee of this temple only. His name is Mr. Satyanarayana."
"No sir. We heard of such cheating incidents some time back. We didn't know these quacks are still doing this. This is pretty famous temple and so some quacks use the name to cheat."
"Oh!"
"Yeah, from next time, if you want to donate for charities, please visit the temple and do it there. No offense right?"
Fooled. Another lesson to learn from.
After some self consoling i felt, ok, its one such last instance that can happen to me in my entire life. It felt bad. I wondered how people do this in the guise of god. Dont they feel the pinch or fear of sin to cheat people, that too in the name of god. Pssschhh. These scoundrels should repent.
But one thing to be appreciated about them is their excellent TEAM WORK. What a team work guys!! With the way they started and how every one in the team took up their roles(to convince and confuse the opposite person) and not giving other person to think or doubt, they are excellent in that area.
I decided, from now on, who ever they are, temple comittee, orphanage, oldage home etc etc...even if they are genuine people, i will not donate even a single rupee at home visits. If possible, i will visit their place and pay it there.
If you are a type of person who learn from others experiences too, make a note of this. Atleast we can be sure that, the money has gone to the right people.
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