“मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव ।”
— Taittiriya Upanishad, Shiksha Valli (1.11.2)
Quote Transliteration: Mātṛ Devo Bhava. Pitṛ Devo Bhava. Ācārya Devo Bhava. Atithi Devo Bhava.
Which means:
- Treat your mother as Divine.
- Treat your father as Divine.
- Treat your teacher as Divine.
- Treat your guest as Divine.
So it’s not just about hospitality in the literal sense, but about a broader ethical outlook — to honour those who shape your life and those who arrive at your door, whether expected or not.
Over time, Atithi Devo Bhava became deeply woven into Indian culture, especially in the context of hospitality. It even became the slogan of India’s official tourism campaign (“Incredible India”).
In keeping with the moto Atithi Devo Bhava — a guest is visiting divine. which has shaped my childhood, and it is also the seed of my site icon.
Years ago, when I had just returned from the US and was working part-time at Ability Foundation, my parents and I were living in a temporary flat. One Sunday, two little girls appeared at our door with a box of chocolates. It was my day off, and I was quietly resting — but their laughter and energy transformed the afternoon.
My parents welcomed them in, as they always did with children. Soon enough, we were talking and laughing together. Hospitality in an Indian home is rarely formal; it is spontaneous. A knock on the door, and suddenly you are serving tea, cutting fruits, or sharing stories. In that spirit, those two girls became part of our weekend without any ceremony.
They tugged at my hands to show me their home, and soon I was sitting with their mother, introduced like an old friend. In many cultures, walking into a stranger’s house unannounced would be unthinkable. In ours, it is almost expected. This is how a stranger becomes family — not over years of acquaintance, but in an afternoon of trust and welcome.
The girls were curious about stories, so I began impromptu creative writing sessions with them. For the very first class, I wanted an exercise that was both cultural and fun. I couldn’t find the right outline of Lord Ganesha online, so I drew one myself, drawing upon my old art lessons. We coloured it together, added a small rhyming poem, even tapped rhythms on cymbals we found at home. The whole house rang with laughter.
That Ganesha drawing later became the seed for my site’s icon. What began as a playful project with two unexpected guests turned into the emblem that now greets every visitor to my journal.
For me, the icon does not carry religious significance. Instead, it holds the memory of that day — of doors opening, of hospitality flowing naturally, and of how children can bring divine grace into ordinary afternoons.
In many ways, it is a reminder that “Atithi Devo Bhava” is not a motto we recite; it is a way we live.
Credit: Co-Created with Mira (AI Powered ChatGPT)
Itinerant Storyteller 