Small Hands, Big Hearts

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Around 17,000 students appeared for the NEET examination across nearly 50 centres in the city on Sunday. However, the scribe came across a kind gesture that is enough to prove that humanity is above religion and is deep-rooted in the era of hate and selfishness.

It so happened that one NEET centre was at Azeem Campus situated in Nagsen Colony, near Jinsi (Khas Gate) in the old city. The centre was surrounded by an upper middle class Muslim locality.

The exam was scheduled from 2 pm to 5 pm, but parents—many from non-Muslim communities—began arriving as early as 12.30 pm, ahead of the 1.30 pm reporting time.

With temperatures soaring, the heat was difficult to endure. While many local parents dropped off their children and returned later, those from out of the city had little choice but to wait nearby, seeking shelter under trees, building shadows, and ledges. The exam centre had arranged a single water jar outside for visitors.

Amid this, a heartwarming scene unfolded. Between 3 pm and 4 pm, two siblings—a boy of about 11 and his 13-year-old sister—stepped out of their home carrying chilled water bottles and glasses. Moving among the waiting parents and guardians, they gently offered water, saying, “Uncle, pani chahiye…?” or “Aunty, pani chahiye…?”

Their simple act of kindness brought immense relief to many battling the heat. Each time the bottles ran empty, the siblings returned with fresh, chilled water. At one point, when only a glass of water remained, the boy offered it to a teenager of around 20 years old, who dismissed him with a wave, absorbed in music through his headphones. Undeterred, the boy moved on to offer the water to someone else before heading back to refill.

This moment was noticed by a guardian standing nearby, who felt disheartened by the teenager’s response. When the siblings stepped away, the guardian gently told him, “Even if you don’t feel like drinking, you should have it out of respect for the love with which those children are offering it. One should not disregard such gestures.”

This impacted the teenager. When the siblings returned once more with fresh bottles, he asked for a glass of water and drank it. Meanwhile, the children continued their rounds, their voices—“Uncle, pani chahiye?”—echoing even as they moved farther away.

Their thoughtful act left a deep impression on everyone present, reminding all of the quiet power of kindness and humanity.