As this writer walks through the huge piles of debris, clothes and bricks, an old lady comes up saying, "My grandchildren are hungry. I have lost my daughter. Now, I have to take care of her two children. For the last two days, nobody has given us food. Please give me some money. I want to feed my grandchildren. I do not know when they will give us food. Three of us have to eat. Each dosa (local pancake) costs Rs 15."
I give her some money. As she collects the money, Mariamma appears with a potful of water. She looks at the lady with a sneer on her face and asks, "Are you begging? Didn't the government give you Rs 4000? You should be ashamed of yourself."
Caught off balance for a second, she tells Mariamma: "I work as a maid at her house. She has come to see me after knowing that I lost everything. She has given me this money because of love. No, I didn't beg..."
Mariamma, who obviously doesn't' believe a word of what she said, looks questioningly. What can one do but turn and walk away...
Complete Coverage: Tsunami Coverage