Operation Rs.500 - My Hanuman Mandir Experience !

By Manuwant Choudhary

This morning I was in one of those rare moods so I visited Patna's famous Hanuman Mandir near the Patna railway station for a `darshan'.

Since Hanuman is the Hindu God who gives you strength in times of difficulties.

Patna has many Hanuman mandirs...but two are popular...they could win elections too.

One is like really massive and strong made from Buland cement so  he is called `Hitler' Hanuman...

Hanuman is one Indian god who is so powerful he can encroach on any road he likes and no government can remove him...he is more powerful than even Maoists.

But I prefer the railway station Hanuman for their laddoos made from pure ghee like the ones from Tirupati.

The first time I had the Hanuman laddoos were ironically from Bihar's chief minister Rabri Devi herself, while her husband Laloo Yadav looked on..."Kha lijiye...Hanuman Mandir ka ghee ka laddoo hai...," I recall she offered with much affection.

Also nowadays in `acche din' it is hard to even donate old clothes, since most Indians have become rich..they have cards and plastic wallets and plastic money and Big Basket what not...

But Hanuman mandir still has beggars who accept humble donations...this is what happened..

Coming out from the temple I reached for my wallet and took out some money and offered Rs.500 to a beggar...

Beggar: This is Black Money...I will not accept it.

Me: It looks yellow to me..not black...

Beggar: Don't you have TV at home...Modiji says Rs.500 is black money.

Me: But all these years I have purchased so many things from Rs.500 and now you say all this from midnight..

Beggar: I believe what Modiji says...he wants to remove black money and since Rs.500 is black money it should be removed..

Me: You mean it should be burnt...only its ashes are black..

Beggar: Don't give it to me ..do what you want with it...

Me: But it has Mahatma Gandhi on it so how can it be Black...he was an apostle of truth...

Beggar: I just like Modiji...he is so brave..removing money from India...everybody is praising him...even Narayanmurthy...

Me: Common...I just want to give you some money so you can feed your family and you are talking about some colour of money.

Beggar: But I am honest..I don't accept black money...

Me: Is Rs.500 less..how about Rs.1000?

Beggar: Never. Even that is black money...

Me: But how?

Beggar: Modiji says it is black money used for terror attacks on India?

Me: But terrorists can use any money...even dollars and pounds..or...dinaars...

Beggar: I just believe Modiji...

Me: But Rs.500 is guaranteed by The Central Government & Reserve Bank of India...

Beggar: I just believe Modiji....

Me: Rs.500 even has signature of Raghuram G. Rajan, RBI Governor...

Beggar: I want signature of Baba Ramdev !