There is a proverb in India that almost everyone has heard, some from school books, some from elders when a visitor arrives and sometimes it is seen being written in operations and tourism advertisements -Atithi Devo Bhawa. The visitor is God. On paper, it looks very easy, just four words, but if it is actually conceptualised, it is not just a civil performance, it is an entire ritual packed in a small expression, something that citizens of India have been transporting for centuries and still somehow follow even when the world around has become quick and private and doubtful. The concept takes place of the ancient sacred writings from the Taittiriya Upanishad, where it is told that a person should observe the visitor as god, as the god may arrive at the person's house in any form be it a beggar, fruit seller, tourist, flute seller and so on. If the person treats the guest nicely, god will always reward the person. If the person treats the guest rudely, god will punish the person. When looking at the Indian houses especially in ancient times, the front side of the house was always open, with a balcony or an enclosure where any person could sit. Food was prepared as a courtesy, not only for the family but also in circumstances when someone arrived. It may look unusual to visitors, but it is considered a form of respect, it is an ethical conduct. Because the guest had crossed the threshold of the house and once inside, he or she is not considered as an intruder, but under the care of the resident of the house. People narrate stories of how sages or gods dressed up like beggars in order to test the heart of the people they ask for a roti. There are stories where rulers misplaced their owner as they disrespected a visitor and others, where a poor farmer was rewarded with luck as he provided water to a tourist. The concept was not only a part of generosity, but it was about karma, about the trust that what a person does to others it returns to the person in ways a person cannot believe. A visitor is someone long way from home, may be exhausted and may be nervous and if people provide food, water and smile, visitor begins to trust that person and the community becomes powerful. When the journey becomes hard and painful, that culture might protect the lives. An intruder might bang on a door and find shelter for the night and that was existence. India transformed the existence for worship. But nowadays due to rise in theft and robbery in house people don't let stranger come to their house. As many stranger who might look helpless or sick but loot the house people don't let even an ill stranger in the house. But that's not true as not every stranger might be a criminal, thief or a robber that stranger might be a kind hearted person as well. In the story Rattrap a peddler didn't have money so he used to steal belongings but oneday when a girl had provided a hospitality to peddler he had transformed into a kind hearted person. So Atithi Devo Bhava tells that if a person treats a visitor nicely that person would be rewarded. Oneday in Japan Atithi Devo Bhava campaign it was shown that a girl had missed her bus soon a lady who was carrying her yak took the girl to her house and soon the lady was rewarded.
