Since childhood I have been hearing an adage 'Daane Daane Par Khaanewaale ka naam likha hain', which translates to "Every grain has a name engraved on it".

My mama taught us to be humble and God-fearing. When we would grumble to finish our food, she would force us to finish it by saying the above adage, if I would share something with my siblings, mama would say, their name was written on the grain, it was meant for them. When food was wasted she would say, No one's name was written on it, or the birds and animals' name is written on it".

Quoting a short story of Guru Nanak Devji, the first Sikh Guru.

Once Guruji was travelling along with his two disciples, Bala and Mardana, and Guruji was telling them every grain has a name engraved on it, Bala laughed it out, picked up a corn seed, and asked Guruji, "Whose name is engraved on the corn"? Guruji replied, "It's meant for a Hen".

Bala laughed out loud and put it in his own mouth, however, the corn seed got stuck in his throat, and he was in pain, was finding it difficult to breathe too. Guruji took him to a Ved(Doctor) in the village, the minute the Ved thumped his back the corn seed fell on the ground, a hen pecked on the corn seed and ate it. Guruji explained to Bala and Mardana, "God chose you as the carrier of the corn seed to be delivered to the hen".

I was reminded of this short story, when a couple of weeks back, I purchased a few snacks, and the shopkeeper asked me to taste a new variety of banana chips, just arrived the day before from Kerala, since I was in a hurry, holding the chips in hand, I entered the lift to my meeting venue, a lady with a special child in her arms, the child must be about 10 years old, entered the lift, as I was holding the chips in my hand, I offered the child the banana wafer, I put it in his mouth and he enjoyed eating it.

Mama's sentence rang in my ears. This is God's way of doing things, that child was a stranger to me, his name was engraved on the wafer, it reached the child the rightful recipient, without any payments done. Here I can't say I gave it to the child, I was just a medium sent by God, to reach it to the rightful name.

This further strengthened my belief every grain has a name engraved on it, it reminded me of my mama's one more Punjabi saying which we could never follow as kids, "Hoyga Ralliya teh aayega Chaliya". "If a person has a share in it, that person will definitely come and receive it"

.    .    .