“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” - M.K. Gandhi

Seven years ago a group of people sat in a room sharing so many ideas on how to celebrate the birthday of a loved one who was to turn 70. This lady had dedicated her life to service. Her journey took speed from teaching, to catching values as a part of her journey, to standing up for the right thing no matter who is in front of her, to being a brave hero who saved two drowning girls, to creating spaces where women would feel empowered, to changing the face of road and revenue systems, to creating a mark of her own as a leader of a state and most importantly etching a mark in the hearts of her family, children, grand children and many others whose paths she crossed. How do you offer gratitude to a woman who embodies strength, courage, determination and commitment towards a better world, where her dream is that each individual be served with dignity and humility, while also constantly working on being the change herself.

That woman was none other than Anandi Ben Patel, also lovingly called Anandi Ba :)

A small thought of sharing gratitude for her turned into a couple hundred people doing 70 small random acts of kindness across the state of Gujarat, especially Patan the city that she grew up in. From cleaning streets and toilets, to sharing meals with the marginalized community to picking up trash from streets, to simply bowing in prayers. The list was endless. Amongst that, a small idea birthed where a group of people decided to connect with all those souls who were considered mad, insane, rubbish and were allowed to rot on the street. These people were outcasted by the society and lived the life of rags, with stinky clothes, not bathed for years and most times eating food thrown in dustbins. A group of people decided to give them a makeover :) They gave them a bath, new clothes, cut their beards and hair that were filled with lice, gave them food to eat. It was incredible to witness the joy that poured out in their beings when someone even touched them, let along hug them.

One person out of them, Beba Seth, one of the richest man in Patan, was so moved to see this entire unfolding that it left a deep impact within his heart. Anandi Ba’s birthday had just become a catalyst in opening up his heart. So much that he committed to serve these men every single year. Every Diwali, for the last 7 years - Beba Seth personally sets out with his pair of razors, nail cutters, combs on the same streets of Patan and gives these men a bath, cuts their nails, offers them clean clothes and food to celebrate the festival of Diwali with them - like every family would do.



If you look at it, its not a big deal. These men may be back on the street homeless - again, someone may feed them - again, they may get dirty - again, not bathed and have lices in their hair again. But yet, one day of the year, they will get to feel special - again. And that one day of the year, Beba Seth will yet again listen to his heart and set out to 'sweep clean' them and his heart again.

Why? …

Because it’s worth it.

Few days ago as Anandi Ba celebrated her 77th birthday, Beba Seth had come up in memory again for being the change and keeping the flame of love and gratitude burning for whoever wished to serve - in any capacity that their heart guided them to.

It’s true, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love” :)

More pictures of the day's unfolding here.