ATITHI DEVO BHAVA

‘Atithi Devo Bhavah’ a Sanskrit verse which means – consider the guest as God finds its place as the slogan of the Ministry of Tourism of India in its attempt to improve the treatment of the foreign tourists coming in the country. The campaign led by brand ambassador and popular Indian Cinema Superstar Aamir Khan reiterates the fabled and Indian hospitality where the host went to every extent possible to appease a guest.

As the CEO of two of India’s acclaimed hospitality brands, Hotel Sahara Star and Aamby Valley City, I deeply value the maxim of ‘Atithi Devo Bhavah’ and this article is an honest effort from my end to give this age-old adage its relevance in today’s time.

The origin of the word ‘Atithi’

“Atithi Devo Bhava” is part of the verse mentioned in the Taittiriya Upanishad, Shikshavalli I.20 that reads in full as: ‘matrudevo bhava; pitrudevo bhava; acharyadevo bhava; atithidevo bhava’. The literal translation of this verse brings out the sense that an ideal person should strive to "become a person who considers the Mother as God, the Father as God, the Teacher as God and the Guest as God." 

“Tithi” as we know in Sanskrit or even in Hindi language means a (calendar) date.   “A-tithi” means who does not have any date. It is interesting to know that in the olden times, when there were no fast modes of communication it was impossible to intimate the arrival of a guest and people paying visit to a household without prior information was considered normal. The guest therefore was called “Atithi” one who does not have any fixed time of arrival. Anticipating an unexpected guest was the norm of any household and people according to their social and financial stature generally cooked extra meals to ensure that the ‘Atithi’ was well taken care of. The code of conduct to welcome guests and make them feel at home was also detailed elaborately, the core sentiment being treating the Guest like God.

The Ritual in invoking an ‘Atithi’

If a guest is assumed to be God-like, then the way he or she should be treated can’t be any less. As the God is treated with reverence and respect and there are proper rituals to invoke the God, similarly, the guest should also be shown the respect through the same rituals. In Hinduism, these rituals comprise of five-steps which is known as Panchopchara Puja. These five rituals from the worship and became the five “code of conduct” to be followed while receiving guests:

Fragrance/Incense (Dhupa) - The rooms must have a pleasant fragrance while welcoming any guest because a good fragrance will keep a guest in good mood.

Earthen Lamp (Deepak) – A lit earthen lamp looks beautiful and fire, which is a source of light, is considered pious. The symbolic Deepak also emphasizes that everything between guest and the host is clearly visible.

Eatables (Naivedya) - Fruits and milk-made sweets were given to guests for refreshments. Additionally special food was served to make them feel satisfied.

Rice (Akshata) – Tilak is considered not only a symbol of warm wishes but also an expectation of well being of the person on whom it is applied. Made from vermilion paste, tilak is put on the forehead and rice grains are placed on tilak. This is the most respectable form of welcome in Indian Hindu families.

Flower Offering (Pushpa) - A flower not only symbolizes freshness and but is also a gesture of good will. It symbolizes the sweet and enduring memories of the visit between the host and the guest that stay with them for several days.

From an unplanned ‘Atithi’ to a planned ‘Guest’

If Indians were fabled for anticipating the unexpected guest and ensuring that his or her treatment was God like, one could safely assume that managing the planned Guest for the Indian Hospitality Industry should be a cakewalk. I am disappointed to state that the same is far from being true. The process of creating Standard Operating Protocols for the Hospitality Industry has actually killed the art of personalization. There is too much polish that makes the pursuit of Guest Satisfaction look fake and rehearsed.

What differentiates a warm welcome from a choreographed robotic performance is human sensitivity- the sentiments, the care and concern with which we act or perform. We are unconsciously becoming prisoners of processes and procedures. While protocols should always be respected and adhered to the human touch of hospitality should reign supreme. Processes and procedures should operate at the back stage, while the face of hospitality should always be fronted by a human-to-human contact. One with sensitivity, emotions, warmth and concern.

Small steps make a big difference

How much does it take to know a guest’s preferred fruit or drink, the fragrance he or she likes? Can the fruit basket kept in the room with a welcome note then be tailored to the guest’s taste? Can the welcome drink of Mr. & Mrs. Sharma checking in from Delhi be different from the one offered to Mr. & Mrs. Robinson checking in from London?

It actually takes small things to please a human being whichever part of the world he or may come from and more often those are the areas that we conveniently neglect. Winning over a guest’s heart requires just one quality- an intent to win a guest over. Once that is ingrained in every person who is associated in dealing with a guest, winning over a guest will cease to be an effort.

Look back into our glorious traditions. Soak up on our puranas, parampara and kathas. There is every evidence of India being at the forefront of hospitality and we Indians being the best hosts in the world. It’s time we regained this status.

Because ‘Atulya Bharat’ is where ‘Atithi Devo Bhava”