Unwanted Guests

Courtesy: NavinHarish.Org

In Sanskrit there is a saying as per Indian tradition, "Atithi Devo Bhava", meaning 'Guest is God'. Indians have an obligation to treat their guests with the best they have, whether they can or not. Does this imply that guests can ask for anything that they may want from the host?

With the changing times and traditions, people now-a-days feel not too happy when somebody visits unwantedly without prior information. With the fast paced life that we live and the busy schedules that everyone has, its hard to tend to guests without preparation.

There was a time when people did not have to worry about everything that came along. They were limited to their own family and filling its need. But in the current times when a person does not even own a house, has hardships just even to feed stomachs and buy medicines for the elderly and sick, its hard to take out time to tend guests. A man who does not own a house, plans on saving money to buy land and build his own house in the next 10 years. In the meantime he has to take care of his parents, fulfill his siblings need, and also has to worry about his job.

With the prices going sky-high its hard even to complete one's education, find job and on top of that if a guest comes and plans on staying with you for even a week, You are bound to get worried.

With that said, it's also the responsibility of the guest to consider the host's situation and financial capability to spend on and accommodate an extra person. Guest must keep in mind that if they have to visit, they must not make plans on staying for too long and obviously should not plan an event which the host might not be comfortable with spending on. The guest should not interfere with the hosts privacy and also should not be the kind that they feel you don't exist at all. Most of all, being a guest you should not ask the host questions of their personal matters, for example, job and salary, about the baby to a newly wed couple, or such matters that they may become uncomfortable wit you.

This is to everyone, Do not be a unwanted Guest, inform prior to the visit, be happy and understanding for your hosts and best would be to not stay for long at their place.