Mangalore: Good Samaritan Restores Some Pride of Mangalore
by Florine Roche
Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
- The honest auto driver in his 50’s, is an epitome of sincerity and does not want to reveal his identity to the media
Mangalore, Feb 17: In the last few months Mangalore’s image has taken a beating for the worse. While everyone one is cribbing about the loss of face and sullied image of our Kudla there are a few incidents that restore the pride of Mangalore. A Danish couple who are in Mangalore for the last four months, found to their surprise and good fortune that humanity and honesty is still prevalent among people in a city like Mangalore.
The couple Ulrik Raimund and his wife Sara leave no stone unturned to eulogize the good virtues of Mangaloreans, which the couple had the good fortune of experiencing yesterday. The couple had left their bag containing valuables in the auto they were traveling and the honest auto driver traced them to handover the same to the couple. Needless to say the couple was ecstatic not just for finding their valuables but as Sara puts it “we are gladder to find there are honest people in Mangalore”.
Ulrik and Sara are in Mangalore as a representative of Danish Company Jupiter, which has started an Indian company by the same name, having a contract with Suzlon. Yesterday, being a Sunday the couple went to hotel Gold Finch to meet their boss and his wife by hiring an Auto from Falnir auto stand. On reaching the hotel and in the ensuing hurry of meeting his boss the couple just forgot about the bag containing an expensive camera, cash and other valuable documents in the auto they traveled. On reaching the hotel they went to Kudroli temple with the boss in another auto completely forgetting about the bag.
Suddenly Ulrik remembered about the lost bag while in Kudroli and with the help of some locals contacted the station. “I wondered whether they understood everything I said and therefore I called our friend Sanath Kumar Shetty”, recalls Ulrik. Sanath then took over from them and explained to the police about the incident. He also contacted Hotel Gold Finch and left a message to collect the bag if anyone were to come with information about the bag. Sanath then sent his boy to leave a message with all major auto stands and asked the drivers to pass on the message.
The auto driver in his 50’s is an epitome of sincerity and does not want to reveal his identity to the press. Nevertheless the Danish couple is impressed and delighted about the entire episode which, they say has enhanced their love and affection for Mangalore.
Though Sara had visited India (Goa) 15 years ago for Ulrik it is the first time in India. Sara is a vegetarian for the last 18 years and says “being a vegetarian there is no other place better than India for me”. However Ulrik decided to take his assignment even before he saw or knew anything about India. Did Sara influence him to take the decision? “Yes I did” she replies proudly.
Though the recent pub attack has brought notoriety to Mangalore the couple are unanimous when they say “walking in the streets of Mangalore we feel more safe and secure here than the capital city of Denmark”.
Though Ulrik’s job is in Padubidri the first choice to stay was Udupi but the couple chose to stay in Mangalore heeding to the advice of friends and well-wishers and they have no regrets. “Staying in Mangalore we know what the real India is like. Though we have gone to Bangalore we never had this feeling. Our friends feel they live in a big city but we feel being in Mangalore we really live in India”, the couple opine.
Ulrik and Sara have visited religious and other historic places in the last four months of their stay. “Kudroli is really fantastic as the entire atmosphere there is relaxing. Visiting the temple make us respect other religions because we will be careful not to overstep the line of freedom” Sara remarks.
Given a chance the couple would like to make India (Mangalore) their second home. For the moment they are enjoying their stay, work and are satisfying their quest of exploring all the fascinating facets of Mangalore. Finally Mangaloreans have restored some of its lost pride, thanks to the Good Samaritan who came in the form of the auto driver.