Raju, a beggar living in Pathankot district of Punjab, has neither a roof nor a permanent residence for himself, but his passion for helping others is no less than that of a great social worker. Putting aside his hunger and suffering, Raju considers serving the needy as his life.
Whatever money the beggar collects by begging, Raju does not use it for himself but to help the poor and destitute. He says that he has nothing to lose, so whatever he gets should be of use to others. Raju, who sleeps under the open sky during the chilling winter nights, recently distributed warm blankets to 500 needy people. The special thing was that these blankets were bought with the same money which he had collected in alms.
Raju told how he does this work
Along with distributing blankets, Raju also organized a tea langar for the poor, so that people could get some relief in the cold. His efforts have forced everyone to think, especially at a time when many people hesitate in giving even water to a person suffering on the road. Raju, who does not get proper food for many days, says that his inspiration to serve comes from God and he considers himself only a medium. He has appealed to the common people to come forward and help the needy, because society becomes strong only when everyone supports each other.
PM had mentioned in Mann Ki Baat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also praised the selfless service of Raju Bhikhari in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program. He did not use the shelter given to him by the Central Government for himself, but instead converted it into a place to stay for poor and homeless people. Raju the beggar is an example for the society today. His life story gives the message that true humanity is not recognized by position, money or facilities, but by the feeling of living for others.