Jammu, July 26 -- Ziya boarded the morning bus from the city bus stand on his way to work. Just as the bus was about to leave, a young woman, hardly twenty years old, entered with folded hands and appealed to the passengers for financial help. She said her family depended on such generosity to survive.
Though dressed in a faded outfit and worn-out slippers, she possessed an extraordinary grace. Her expressive almond-shaped eyes, thick black eyebrows, rosy cheeks, and long silky hair made her stand out despite her poverty.
Moved by her plight, Ziya opened his wallet and handed her a fresh hundred-rupee note. Most of the other passengers either ignored her or offered ten or twenty rupees.
The same scene repeated itself almost every day. Ea...