Horegallu
by Sudha Murty
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In this warm anecdote from 'The Old Man and His God', Sudha Murty recalls the 'horegallu', literally 'a stone that can bear weight', a stone bench placed under a large banyan tree in her childhood village. Weary travellers carrying heavy loads would rest on it, drink cool water and chat before continuing their journey. The horegallu is linked in her memory with her grandfather, a retired schoolteacher, who sat there for hours simply listening to tired villagers pour out their worries; just talking to him seemed to refresh them for the road. Her grandfather explained that everyone carries burdens according to their situation, and a horegallu gives them the chance to put the burden down, rest, and pick it up again with renewed strength. Years later, working in Mumbai, the author met Ratna, a cheerful senior clerk who spent every lunch hour simply listening, without judgement and in complete confidence, to colleagues' troubles, thereby relieving half their burden. The author realises that both her grandfather and Ratna were like a horegallu: performing a quiet, priceless social service through the simple act of listening. She wishes there were many more such 'horegallus' in the world.
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'Horegallu' by Sudha Murty is a gentle anecdote about the value of listening. A horegallu, literally 'a stone that can bear weight', is a flat stone bench placed under a great banyan tree in her village, where travellers could rest, drink cool water and share news before continuing their journey.
The grandfather and the stone bench
The horegallu holds special memories because it is linked with the author's grandfather, a retired schoolteacher who spent hours sitting under the banyan tree, talking to those who rested there. Tired villagers, carrying heavy loads over long distances, would drink the cool water and share their daily worries with him. He could only listen, yet 'just talking to him seemed to refresh them for the journey', and they would pick up their burdens with new ease.
The grandfather's wisdom
The child once wondered why people blessed a mere stone bench so often. Her grandfather explained: 'We all carry our burdens according to our situations and capacities. But every once in a while, we need to stop, put down that burden and rest. Only then can we be refreshed enough to pick up the load once more. The horegallu gives everyone that opportunity.'
Ratna, a living horegallu
Years later, working in Mumbai, the author met Ratna, a cheerful, middle-aged senior clerk who spent every lunch hour listening to a colleague's troubles. Ratna said she was no trained counsellor and could not solve anyone's problems, 'I only listen.' By hearing people out with sympathy and without judgement, and by never betraying their confidence, she relieved half their burden.
Ratna's words uncannily echoed the grandfather's. The author realises that both, without wealth, were doing 'tremendous social service', like a horegallu that lets people regain their strength. Whenever she passes a horegallu now, she remembers them and wishes there were many more such people in the world.