Begging has become a lucrative business that requires no investment. In a movie, the householder tells a beggar he has nothing to give, and the latter murmurs, “Then what are you doing here? Come with me, and earn something”.
In ancient India, an individual’s life was divided into four ashramas, the last one being that of renunciation or sanyasa. The person does not own anything and gets his bare necessities satisfied by begging. When he is hungry, he goes to a few houses with a begging bowl till he gets enough food to satisfy his hunger. He does not keep any food for the future.
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The legendary Sai Baba is also said to have begged for food from a few houses, mixed everything he got in a pot, and ate out of it without caring for taste. He would leave the remainder for other animals and birds.
Recently, an article highlighting the menace of beggars in Goa appeared in the O Heraldo.
Begging has become an organized racket controlled by underworld dons. Kidnapped children are made lame or blind and used for begging. Some female children are used for other nefarious activities. Emaciated and sick children are put in the arms of beggar women to evoke sympathy. The goons expect a minimum collection from each beggar under his control, and those who fail are thrashed and kept without food.
There are some places like traffic signals and toll plazas where beggars refuse to move until they are paid. They also harass tourists at beaches and other spots frequented by them. Although reports of young beggars being rescued and rehabilitated appear now and then in the media, the menace has taken serious proportions as there is an acute shortage of such centres. Political parties are not interested in solving their problems as they belong to a floating population without voting rights.
Beggars with healthy bodies often face criticism from people who ask them to work and earn. Some even fake disabilities to make the onlookers generous towards them. When it is time to call it a day, all their ‘disabilities’ disappear, and they move like normal human beings!
The menace is acute in some states, where beggars from neighbouring states, both male and female, seek alms. Many of them are suspected to be child lifters. It is also said that the beggars act as observers during the daytime and convey information about uninhabited houses, those where only aged people reside, and other vital information to thieves. They also would take away unguarded utensils and other materials if they get a chance.
In the past, one could get rid of beggars by offering them one or two rupees. That is no more the case. If the alms are not up to their expectation, they would be thrown back at you and a higher amount would be demanded.
One of the regular beggars who visit my residential area is said to have properties in his native state and is said to be running some business. It is rumoured that he lends money at high-interest rates, and his children study in expensive schools and colleges.
