In the office washroom, a loud thud silenced idle chatter. Divyaansh, an employee clutching his stomach, collapsed onto the cold tiles, his face ghostly pale. It was the fourth such case that week. After a few questions, the office doctor jotted down the diagnosis: food poisoning—he had just eaten at the office canteen.
Whispers began to circulate. A few concerned employees quietly sent food samples to a local lab. The results confirmed their fears: the steaming curries and warm rotis masked dangerous contamination.Varchasv, the head of administration, summoned Chatur, the canteen contractor. Chatur fell at his feet and wept, “Sir, forgive me for the sake of my family.” Varchasv’s heart melted; he issued a stern warning but allowed him to stay.
Food improved briefly, but the illnesses soon returned. The matter was escalated to Prabhutva, Varchasv’s superior. Chatur again cried foul play and sought forgiveness. Prabhutva responded with a written warning: one more complaint would result in the cancellation of the contract.
At a staff meeting, employees nodded dutifully when asked if the canteen food had improved. However, days later, a junior executive was rushed to intensive care. The complaint reached Shakti, the director, who firmly declared: “Enough talk! Chatur must go.” He cancelled the contract and called for fresh tenders.
Enter Laabhesh, a soft-spoken man who opened the canteen with a complimentary lunch. The fresh and delicious meals restored hope. However, two months later, Kailash, an employee, noticed that the rice and dal from the previous day were being reheated. Others dismissed the issue when he raised it, yet complaints steadily grew.
One Sunday, Savera, the office accountant, noticed something eye-opening while dining at a restaurant in Paharganj. Behind the counter, Laabhesh and Chatur were laughing together; they co-owned the eatery as brothers. The “new contractor” was merely a smokescreen.
Word spread. Days later, Sajag, an administrative officer, spotted the brothers again—this time catering a grand garden party for Varchasv, Prabhutva and Shakti. For the powerful, gourmet meals; for the rest, neglect.
Savera and Sajag decided to act. On a Sunday, they visited the chairman’s residence and disclosed everything: illnesses, pardons, parties and betrayals. The chairman listened attentively and summoned Chatur and Laabhesh the following morning.
As expected, they fell at his feet.“You are like God to us,” they pleaded.
The chairman’s gaze was steady. “So, I’m like God to you. What about the employees? Are they not God to you? You hope to silence me with flattery while feeding my people poison. There are no shortcuts to true service.” He cancelled their contract.
The new contractor, Shabari, ate the same meals as the employees. Her kitchen hummed with care, and regular food tests rebuilt trust. Shabari shared her inspiration in the office magazine: Dr M.C. Modi, her role model, performed over 595,019 eye surgeries primarily for poor people. He once declined an international award, saying, “A trip to the US would cost thousands their sight.” The chairman cited Buckminster Fuller, who, on the verge of suicide, vowed to discover “how much one person can do in one life for humanity?” Fuller went on to write 25 books, patent over 2,000 inventionsand dedicate his life to service.
This canteen story reflects two contrasting ways we perceive and serve the Divine.
Some, like Chatur and Laabhesh, project their egos and traits onto the Divine, imagining Him as the person that power would make them: a narcissistic figure who can be flattered or bribed for personal gain. They worship power—whether in God or humans—to gain favours and evade accountability for exploiting those they are meant to serve. By adopting shortcuts to serve the Divine, they betray Him as they light lamps in shrines but darken the world outside with their apathy, greed and self-centredness.
Others, like the chairman and Shabari, believe that the Divine breathes through all beings. Teaching a child, renouncing an animal product, restoring a lake, or solving a workplace challenge becomes their sacred offering. They ask, “How can my work light up lives?”—and live by the answer, inspired by Dr. Modi’s selfless surgeries and Fuller’s vision to serve humanity.
Belief in the Divine alone doesn’t make one holy—many commit horrors in His name. A true rose leaves its fragrance on the giver’s hand. Similarly, genuine service to the Divine must leave behind a world resembling heaven. If our “devotion” leaves behind polluted rivers, deforestation, ceaseless cruelty to animals, corruption, exploitation of the vulnerable and despair, we are serving our ego, not the Divine.
Albert Schweitzer wisely stated, “The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
Start each day inspired by Shabari’s care, the chairman’s empathy, Dr. Modi’s devotion, or Fuller’s vision. Infuse love, care and creativity into everything you do—cooking, cleaning, or completing professional tasks. Approach each task as if you are doing it for the Divine, for He waits to be discovered in the lives you touch with your next act of soulful service.