Monday, May 19, 2025

~ You always Want More...~

 So you want more, but don't you have enough ? - these lines made a tinge in my mind as much of it was true ! 

We all are living with a dichotomy of living a grandeur life by wanting more , loosing the streak of what we already have - we hardly recognize these special gifts which are just around. We don't love ourselves, our bodies - we all are able bodied but how many of us revere it? - ask a soul who was born blind or has lost hands or legs due to an unfortunate accident. All of our goodies are taken for granted and we hardly value our able bodied- ness. 

The best state of living is to honour each and every second of your life - we are not living consciously - and for most of the time we are in a rush to achieve the chimera of aspirations - the mind is playing clever games but it is his nature - it will throw vagaries of thoughts which will bombard your conscience every now and then - this makes us oblivious of the 'Haves' we have in our lives and rather start to focus on the 'Have-Nots'!

My sojourn to the hills this time was full of talking with people who were climbing with great difficulty - many of us were part of the middle of age crisis and had started to have age related problems - a common regret we all shared was , " Why we didn't took care of our bodies when we were alright?" , " We ate anything and everything and at anytime of day or night and that now that our bodies have started to wither, our old habits die hard!"

We could  a little envy with our peers who were of our age and were walking with ease, and with a glowing smile , observing their demeanor, we all could decipher that they have had a very meaningful and disciplined life - for their body was a testament to their decree of fitness.

We All have a human tendency of neglecting what we have, once our body was our best friend and we hardly took care of it, now that it has started to age and show signs of weariness, we are complaining!

Similarly, all that we have got in our life - our parents, friends , buddies, brothers, sisters and education, career is ephemeral and for sure internally we all know this hard fact - still the wild chase is on! 

See our living rooms , wardrobes, clutter around us, we are all gathering , be it thoughts, junk info or anything we love and like for a second, we buy it and keep it in our safehouses to be left their to rot or be a part of the junk itinerary - as the famous saying goes " Whatever you have not worn, used for 6 months will never be used!" , Still the hoarding philosophy rules our mind and we don't have enough of it!

We will never have enough in our lives and as times skips away second by second, we will one day realize our follies to have lived live in harmony and with much awareness and not have set realistic targets which would not give us happiness that we so eagerly aspire for....

Still you have time, live consciously and start to part ways with items, thoughts and many such things that have filled your consciousness till the brim, for the burden was your making. And t is you who has to get rid of it....see what you feel post doing so....!

Monday, May 5, 2025

~ Rejoice Your Failure ~

 Nothing is greater than 'LIFE' as it is the only pretext your living - problems will come and go but your zeal and continuous aim to do something or other will  make you walking unknown paths.

There would be numerous Big defeats and small wins too , something in you will make you stand again and start afresh. There are numerous such examples where people have turned exceptional with failures, I want to quote some examples here to prove my point.

In today's world of cut throat competition and where students have taken 'suicide' as a route to escapism, I see people enjoying their failures - In recent such example I came across parents who were enjoying with their son who had 'flunked' the Class 10 / higher secondary exams - they were rejoicing because they know the hard truth about life and that is , Life doesn't limit itself to exam results! 

The picture of parents boasting of their son's 'Exceptional Feat' has stormed the internet - at a time when students are ending their life as they didn't clear prestigious IIT / NEET exams , as if they wont be able to do anything in life other than being a 'Cyber Clerk' {as I call software engineer's} and doctors!

As the boy's parents say ' It was disappointing result But you have NOT failed in life, It always give's other chance!" - Though the boy's friends made fun of him and even mocked him for flunking the exams - in all the subjects , his parents were rock solid support for him - as for them this is also not a mean feat! :)  - Why not, this has become a life solving problem for many students who are not much academically strong and are average students - not securing 90+% in exams and securing seat in prestigious colleges wont be an end of life and it should not be! - As I write this ,  "Kudos" to such parents who are standing behind this achievement, what the school had to teach - "the art of accepting and handling failures', parents very neatly did this job and proved a great example to the society!

Another instance I would like to quote is from a prestigious school from Delhi, as the exams results for senior secondary school exams were out , I could see the flashy numbers which the school website had displayed to boast about their academic excellence - almost everyone got more than 90% marks except one - out of heard of high scorers , here was a humble name who had scored in mid 50%'s and that made him so unique - my eyes were scrolling though top performers But stopped at this unique boy's name who proved himself different!  

Suicide wont give life another chance  - you can change your defeats to wins but for that you need to give life another shot - today i write this with somber mood as i know a child who is not in this world because she did not got the result according to her aspirations, rather I would say her parents aspirations - what is life now in those parents life who might have pressurized their only daughter to become a doctor or something exceptional which they themselves were not !

Life is beautiful and consider it to be a batsman standing on the pitch getting bouncer's but you need just one bad ball to hit a Six ! - for me, this has been an idiom which I have lived by and preach - for our motto in life is toe enjoy defeats too and when you that loose Ball comes , come out with flying colours!

Thursday, May 1, 2025

~ 'Change' - The True meaning of life ~

 Change is inevitable, what looks stable and in control today will change - the change is for good and sometimes not but every change begets a new learning and a new opportunity. Initially we might think situations going out of control but in the long run , when you are in a position to judge what went past, you will realise and obliged that what change brought was for you
r betterment.

Just the other day , I was in conversation with a close friend who had lost his job due to current global churning - one of fine technocrat from a good engineering institute from Delhi - He was in a state of mental disbelief and shock - just few months back he had bought his second home and a brand new high end model car - life was transitioning smooth, from a high middle class to 'Rich' status , but the change was to happen, know body new and for sure , he himself was oblivious to such a change.

Meeting him after a decade was sure pleasure but he was  a changed man, a sense of comatose had engulfed him - all the running around after latest degrees and self-prophesised certificates 😊was not helping him either.

As I asked him what was the learning curve from this episode of life - he was in wits and laughed at my question - a truthful answer was " Life is unpredictable and anything can happen anytime, beyond a certain degree of measure!" -

"Now my Boy, you are living Consciously! and have started to know true meaning of Life!" - as I laughingly commented on his statement!

Tea arrived in no time and sipping through we were reminiscing our past, the playground which was our 'partner in crime' place and also our old pals, many of them had left the colony , suddenly a gush of emotion passed through my friend and he had teary eyes - he turned himself into a pensive mood and at that very moment he said something which was truly out of wisdom - "Sanjeev, was this all running around so necessary and worth it!"

I had no answer to this direct question though I subtly knew that we all are part of that infamous rat race and the 'Crab Story!" where you put a crab in a bowl and no Crab would be lucky to get out as other Crabs would always pull him down! - As I replied in honestly -"Sameer, We realize this when we get torn apart from our usual running around! , when something exceptional happen to us and we sit down and take stock of the situation - when things go out of control and in spite of our best effort and planning things go haywire - you get to learn the toughest and wisest lesson of life - " It just Happens and traverse without your doing and control!"  

I keep on insisting on this idiom through my journey of life - whatever planning I did , much of it just didn't happen :) , on the contrary I lived a life out of the blue - never ever I thought that I would be living this way and, in these situations, - I am still very thankful to HIS grace - I guess this path is better off in many ways that I had perceived.

At the end, I culminate, 'Change is inevitable! and it would surely happen on its own time!" - love it our ignore it , this would happen and at the fag end of your life , you will be a testimony to it!

Sunday, April 13, 2025

~ Purpose OR Need ~

 Often many of us sway our thoughts between two words 'Need' and 'Purpose' - both are equally important for our living but many will oblige when I say that I have a better inclination for 'Purpose' - the purpose to live and the purpose to do things while you exist.

'Need' is equally on the pedestal but has a sense of tangible greed - you could be needy for many materialistic things and aspire for much beyond your purpose.

Contemplating on the subject once you have passed that breakeven age and are enduring mid life crisis , you start to seek what you are here for and what is your purpose to live and achieve?. Delving into those golden years that you have lived - childhood, adolescence, middle life and now progressing towards old age, you must have achieved quite a lot and if not, the need or greed must still be there but now thoughts waver at another tangent - what is the purpose of achieving all this? , for those who have achieved quite much, a question they ponder is was all the running around to achieve this much was worth it?

A famous thinker once said "Don't earn this much that you need to distribute in alms!" - the sayings is true in real sense today, looking at the trend of philanthropy now a days, big shot billionaires as donating their wealth!!!- money that they ran for in their entire life, and the killing hard work they must have done to earn so much , at the end of the day , they are of mind percept to 'Give' - so the purpose of need dilutes here - they must have satiated their needs for they have started to give back to the society and the deprived.

On the other hand, what about the 'purpose' - according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs , the top most need is spiritual - beyond which everything else fades, after you have achieved the societal needs and saved much for your living, you start to look for the 'Purpose' of your existence, this is another interpretation of what Maslow calls 'Self Actualization' - Questions such as - "why are you here for?", " what were you destined to achieve?" ,"Did you achieve your true purpose in life?" and  "Where you will go from here?" , are the true askance of your living.

In Hinduism your living has been categorized broadly into 4 stages - the  last stage of life as prescribed in the texts is  "Vanprastha" - meaning renunciation of worldly life and moving to seclusion and life of austerity and spirituality - it is in this context that you seek answers to your existence and your purpose. 

Many of us talk to ourselves and ponder on this question but the jest of life supersedes the search for answers - very few beings consider themselves lucky to break the cage of daily razzmatazz of life and look for true answers but the pulls of life will damn you back to its basics and one day you will also find yourself stranded between the question of 'Purpose v/s Need' ...life will ask... wait for the moment...!!!

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

~ Free Tea With Rusk...~

 You meet certain people in life which makes you feel that you are special - Naveen Bhai is one such soul that I have befreineded over a period of time and mind you I have not spend a fortune to make him my friend - Instead our love for a common beverage "Tea" is that has made us good friends!

My bi-monthly sojourn to Himalayas has become a norm of the day in my life, as I eagerly wait for the time to come and go into my own spiritual shell, the feeling and experience is always majestic - New learnings and thinking about life from a different perspective is what I always do, not returning before making new friends and delving into life of many such souls who become part of my seeking journey.

This time I met Naveen after quite some time as he had left the area where he was always abound - his bread and butter always revolved around making tea and coffee for roadside commuters - his timing was phenomenal - from 6 a.m in the morning till 6 p.m in the night - this seem to be a full time job for him - one can surely imagine standing for 12 odd hours every day with rapt attention as customer can turn up anytime.

 After finishing his duty, he goes to his electrical repair makeshift workshop and dons the hat of an electrician - his diploma in electronics comes handy here. He doesn't take any off's on  Saturday or a Sunday - once I asked him why he is putting on so many hours and doesn't give a sigh of relief to himself - he was upfront in his revert " Bhaiya, I love my job and be a part of this market where I stand, the hustle and bustle gives me an adrenaline rush to continue for long hours not realizing how much time has passed.!"

I have known Naveen for more than a decade and this time I promised him to write about him in my blog - which I am doing so... post this, I plan to share my writings with him on his WhatsApp number - a technology enthusiast , he is a diploma holder in electronics but could not pursue his studies due to impending financial crisis - though he is making no stones unturned to make both his sons study in good private schools - his brief stint in one of the radio manufacturing companies made him self learn things and as a part timer, he is an electronics repair man!!!! 

He dons a hat based on life's situations - to me he is a true family man balancing life in all its spheres with whatever resources he has in his kitty.

Just the other day, he was elated and told me, "Bhaiya, my elder son is a graduate now, and wants to do his master's ! - this truly is an accomplishment for all of us in my family as none of us are Graduates!" - As we both cherished his son's achievement, I was treated with a free cup of tea along with baked 'Rusk' - believe me you, the sweetness and the taste of such a succor was unmatched - Naveen made my day in the morning itself! 

I look forward to Naveen breaking the news of his son's academic accomplishment in few years from now when he completes his Masters and finds a good job to start his career - this would be a true tribute to his hardworking father who dotes on his son's achievement - as an unspoken word, Naveen see's his hardships being converted to success story through his Son's - All the best Naveen Bhai - I know your dedication will surely bear fruit one day and I am eagerly waiting that free cup of tea accompanied with baked Rusk to celebrate another extravaganza of your life and family...!!!

Friday, February 28, 2025

~ Kumbh - The Dip of Life...~

 The silence of the Ganga was making noise Inside me... every second, every minute was changing but Ganga though flowing in front of me looks to be still... there was certainly something inquisitive about the sacred river...

Taking the holy dip was an altogether a different experience, closing your eyes and immersing yourself into the divine river was nothing less than mesmerizing and once in a life time opportunity never to be forgotten through time space. The legend stories are a true basking of parables of the river showering energy and love and cleansing your thoughts and percepts about your living and life.

The stark time of 10:00 P.M made the difference, the shining moon overhead spread its light over Ganga and gave it different look altogether - the calmness of the flowing water without an iota of gush.

Let me illustrate here that the experience was exhilarating, the calmness streak of Ganga was intriguing and once when you immerse yourself in the divine flow, you cant stop getting more and more spiritual - your tangent gets hooked up to a different level of thoughts - combined with the people around you seeking for that evasive solace of  life, immersing themselves in the holy waters to find that profound truth! 

Asking them about what made the difference, many spoke in anxiety and with a sense of acceptance, " its amazing, there is something divine here!" - coincidentally, I met a 'foreigner' from Italy as she as all in awe of the flowing waters of 'Triveni Sangam' - my only question for the moment was " How was the experience?"

She was in tears- words were not coming her way, I could see the pure sense of devotion and submission in her, she was without words! - after 20-30 seconds of gap, she spoke with a teary eye 'It is such and amazing experience' - look up , there is moon and the stars! and below the reflection of almost full moon night made the river glow - isn't it such a coincidence!"

Her excitement was evident, as she stood still closing her eyes and still crying, there was nothing else to be asked! - She actually was echoing my experience - It has been a lifetime  experience and for sure nothing to be forgotten - as I looked around, I could see the excitement in souls with long shouts of 'Har Har Gange' and 'Har Har Mahadev!' - the two divine percepts in Hindu Mythology.

Visiting 'Akhadas' was another momentous moment for me, you could see the ultimate faith of yogis towards the 'Unknown' as them looked intriguing to the human mind - their faith spoke for themselves - totally enchant in their daily 'Sadhna' - the yogis or 'Baba's were into their own business of spirituality - it was us or many 'Youtubers' who were trying to indulge themselves with them for their daily 'Likes' truly forgetting the purpose of bathing in the divine land on a particular Mahurat!

Now as an experienced Khumbiete, I would just like to say 'Thanks' for inviting me and showing you divinity to this pious occasion - May Mahadev be kind to all souls - for even those who didn't make it due to any reasons known to them!

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

~ Find Yourself ~

 If India is land of opportunities, it is equally a land of spiritual awakening – many yogis and Sanyasis have proved their mettle with a disciplined regime with a sole objective of achieving Salvation and to get out of the cycle of Birth and Death.

Life
Puppet’s is the word which defines all of us – yet we are living unaware of this majestic truth whist we keep on living and doing our day-to-day activities.

In my recent spiritual sojourn to one of the greatest city of India ‘Vrindavan’ I could resonate with the feeling of loneliness and belonging – quite oxymoronic as it may sound, the truth is that we all are ‘Seekers’ from inside – whatever materialism you have achieved will fade away with time and you will fall back on seeking the ‘Unknown’ – try this yourself, all you need to do is to sit down and close your eyes and ponder upon this ultimate reality.

To start with, think of the best material passion you were mad about and worked hard to achieve it, almost killing yourself but once you have got it, slowly and steadily, the love for it fades away.

Have you ever though provokingly asked “Why is this change of mind over a period of time, why the best material possession you were so passionate about to own now has no value in life? “ – the answer to this intrigue is simple “ We all want to rise to a pedestal and discover our true self and answer the most important question “ Who are we and what are we here for? – they call  it the ‘Truth’ and finding it is the sole purpose of some.

In the ongoing ‘Maha-KUMBH’ we are witnessing a new wave of soul seekers, yogis and people from diverse backgrounds who are intense in the search for the truth – they have realized that there is something beyond the materialism that that they have achieved – a Aerospace Engineer for prestigious IIT -B turning yogi is not an insane way of life – something has ‘Clicked’ in him and his mind – and he took the path of Sannyas to find the true self. Similarly an Army officer from US had renounced the world after his son’s untimely death which made him turn towards his inner self and thus leading to path of Yoga and Bhakti. 

We all are mortal beings, people, situations, tangible and intangible things, relationships – will all change with time, but the ‘Truth’ will always remain and this is what we all are after – knowingly or unknowingly – we tread this life’s journey with a hope of tomorrow and wisdom that we have gathered with each passing day – remember, our forefathers had much more wisdom and used to live with unanimity with nature and God – no wonder, they aged with grace , less of misfortunes, less diseases and were pleased and satisfied souls – living with harmony with nature , they realized the meaning of their existence and knew very well the limited time they are here – we as young blood have the same opportunities to live the way our primitives lived – with the same methodology and life’s philosophy – else we will have to suffer the wrath of existence as it is powerful as it ever was – so live consciously and be aware of each passing second, with a soulful though ‘ you are not here for eternity’!

Thursday, January 2, 2025

~ The 'New' about this Year~

 Finally ‘+1’ has been added to the previous year, and we have gone mad about it – everywhere we are enjoying like anything and feeling happy and elated as something magnificent has changed in this world or in one’s lifestyle – sounds negative , ‘nah’ not at all as this is an yearly feature – we all want to enjoy on moments when history takes a tick ahead – be it change of season – look at tourists who throng through the Himalayas for that year long retreat – or be it a festivity – we want to enjoy at all costs! 

As the clock ticked and we ushered in an era of uncertainty be it financial , political , climatic and otherwise, we hope that world turns out to be a better place when we reach last day of 2025 – considering the situation and the intent of powerful people controlling the situations, it is highly unlikely – so when I say that the New Year is just a change of date and year , the world will remain more or less the same, it is no magnanimity but prudence of a world and times lived here!

Many of us might have made better plans for us to execute – one must, but close your eyes and ponder, you did that exactly last year too – how many of them actually materialized and made you live life which you are doing it – but as a human percept, one does think positive about his/her living and plans good for his/her future – it’s a human percept!

As time ticks, situations and scenarios would unearth and make us live the way it wants us to live, planning is of course important but a certainty beholds otherwise – We would live the way we want to and also do our daily struggle for our own betterment – New Year is a sure shot catalyst, a time stamp which gives us an adrenaline rush down our spine to set new Goals and accomplishment we surely want to achieve before the closure of 365 days.

For me the only plan I have made is to ‘Plan No More and live in the moment!’ as that is the best learning I have taught myself – ‘Let Life Happen’ – At the two critical times of your life, no one took your permission or asked you anything – Be it your Birth or Death – you will not be asked either – in between the time, You have that freewill to explore, do stupid things and rise and fall and further plan – the humans that we are have been programmed the way society wants us to behave and we do exactly the same – so next time you are ‘stuck’ up in the mad rush of enjoying the New Year- sit down and deliberate what is ‘New’ that prefixes the stamp of time you want to live in future – make plans for sure, go for the kill, one must but be wary of something better or worse happing anytime in your life as that is what this Game of life is all about… 

Remember Many of those who made plans for 2024 are not there to see the beginning of 2025 and many of those who didn’t plan to see the end of 2024 were a witness to the 2025 melodrama….

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Why Death is important ?

In my recent visit to the hospital, life percept changes when you observe the people visiting their near and dear ones expecting a miracle to happen for the terminally ill or age old patients who have a skimpy chance to get back to life…!

Though death is inevitable but necessary as it brings down curtains to one’s life – by the time death occurs, the body is withered out and is unbearable to various pains – the same body now demands rest and cannot bear more gruesome wrinkles on your skin

Asked by one of the octogenarian, one asks for death as it is just unbearable to live as a burden with the body – as an idiom “the biggest liability of your life in old age would be your health and body and it certainly would be NOT financial.” , the sooner one understands this , the better. 

Though an inevitable truth, you cant help it as it is so natural – This moment will kiss everyone in life, though for most of us it is an unwanted truth but this would be a sure shot certainty!

Just recently, I have had an unceremonious visit to the hospital and could see octogenarians lying as lifeless , being supported by all kinds of machines – be it a ventilator or a pacemaker, some home life is clinging to the body – to the amazement of it, the Doctor so practically described it as a “ an Artificial Life with in a Body!” for the sake of someone’s relative who doesn’t want his / her mother to leave the body and move to the other realm – certainly not knowing the excruciating ‘pain’ the body has to endure to keep the soul intact!

The subject is the body which has lost its capacity to sustain life but our emotions towards our near and dear ones run high and we are just not ready to say a final goodbye to our dying relative!

In this case, the children were quite understanding and they took the final decision to remove the ventilator support for their mother and let the expected happen, which it did!

Aunty was no more in flesh and blood though the first thought which came to our mind was a jest of life she carried when she always said “ Let me go in Peace whenever my time arrives…don’t make me cling to machines for injecting an artificial living… Death is beautiful too …!”

Her words have always resonated in my moment of dullness and melancholy, as an ultimate end everyone has to embrace death and leaving the body would be a cumbersome task which is a painful in itself but cant be skipped!

Certainly death is beautiful in its own way, it relieves the body from pain and gives peace and calmness to the leaving soul…why cling to the body which has obeyed you for ages and now has stopped doing so due to its inability to hold on – surely it has aged and is beyond its limits to cater to your day to day functions…. So why not say a timely and thankful goodbye to it before you say “Adieu” to your soulmate, family and friends, more so, the first relationship of you was your own body which culminates in Death… the proven truth of living…

So next time you see or are in a situation, pray for the departing soul and let go of her with smile and heartful thanks for time she has spent with you in this lifetime, ask the Almighty to guide the departed towards light and prepare the soul for its next sojourn, until your paths again meet in a lifetime in different situation and relations!!!

Friday, November 29, 2024

~ A Photostat Life...~

He is the man sitting in a dingy little room converted into a shop of photostat and printing – with offline shelves stacked of stationery and enquiring about him more, you will get to know that Mahesh – what he likes calling himself, he has been working here for past 5 years.

He loves his job and is punctual to the surprise of everyone, as he reaches to open the shop himself by 8 a.m regularly, without fail. Mahesh is all smiles as he received me on his shop – as I was enquiring about any photostat shop in close vicinity – it was urgent for me that day – suddenly I stumbled upon Mahesh and quickly asked him “ Photostat ho jayegi?” [ Is Photostat available?] – he answered with equally quick ‘Yes’ and with an ear-to-ear smile. 

The deal was thus done – in the midst of the act, I asked him questions about his life and where he belongs and what is the best thing about his ‘JOB’ that he does with so much fervour. As he was working along with, he was intermittently answering my questions but one thing constant was his captivating smile.

“Bhaiya, I am from Gurgoan and I travel 30 kms one side everyday to do this ‘JOB’, which I have been doing for past 5 years non – stop. I love this job as it gives me a stable income, the malik {Employer} is a happy go lucky person and he has given me full command to run this shop and hardly interferes in whatever decisions I take in my day-to-day functioning.”

He was a man of his words – as the job entailed paying change of rupee notes, here was a man who PayTm’ed me back a paltry sum of Rs 2/- which had remainder of the job, as I said “ Leave it!” he was quick to revert “ No Bhaiya, business is business, I have to pay you Rs 2 which he did!”

Asking about what future holds for him and what he think about future, he was very positive, “ Bhaiya , I am not married as now but soon will be getting married, I earn ok and I have told everything very clearly to my fiancée and she is OK with it as far as we both are happily married. – though one day I would like to have my own setup of printing and photostat!”

His meagre aims and aspirations and living satisfactorily in these times begets him of a title of a Saint in today’s time! – he is oblivious of people who are incessantly running after power, positions and titles and not paying heed to other important goodies life has offered them – health, family, wife, parents, kids, family and friends… as I always keep on chatting with people I meet everyday and try to form a human bond and strike a talking deal – I see loads of such souls who are living well beyond one’s means BUT are satisfied souls…a true examples to emulate in this age of run and noise!

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

~ Finding HIM ~

 In my quest of search for the self and trying meeting the unknown, I have found many such souls who took the same plunge and have so far achieved somewhat a tinge of that ‘Known’ we call called GOD.

Recently my stay in the hotel was fructified by closing in with a gentleman “Mangat Ram” as he vehemently pronounced his name – out of a lineage that he carried of his grandfather – on further prodding, he juxtaposed his name with his Grandfather – a true legion living his past!

Mangat Ram was a keep in a guest house that I recently checked in – he was quick to come to us to offer his services – though limited as age had taken over his body and he was incessantly limping whilst he walked – though the zeal was never low enough to not generate an adrenaline rush your spine – he was a chatterbox ( just like me 😊) and he started on an instant note – enquiring about me and where I was from.

I never though this man with his village look could be a deep dive in meditations and on an internal stern spiritual path – he had somewhat achieved the ‘silence of mind’ and boasted of being happy always, come what may – his smile was a true testament of his sayings!

Soon, he took custody of my baggage and lead me through a newly allotted room, he was at his marketing best – though seem to be less educated, he was good in selling the features of his hotel room at best he could.

He surely qualified for a tip as the room was on the second floor and he had done hard work, beyond his age, to life two full throttle bags and carried it skilfully and cautiously to my allotted room. As I paid him, to his gratification, the tipping point was bust, he soon started to talk with a sense of camaraderie and break the silence barrier between us – as he asked about my whereabouts and as to where I came from and what was the purpose?

The last question was of particular interest to me and I was quick to respond “ In search of myself and the Unknown!” – believe me, hearing this from my mouth, the guy burst into laughter, as something amusing had happened – I felt a little embarrassed on his reaction but was soon gathered courage to ask him “ Mangatram ji, What happened? Any joke that I have just stated?”

He was still laughing but chose to answer my question – he said “ Sir, I am still searching for him and could not find him, though I have achieved a tinge of HIM in my own self- believe me HE is there INSIDE all of us – spectacularly confiding in our genre and being – the only thing is that we don’t TALK to him , though he is always outspoken and guides us in our right’s and wrong’s – that “Inner Voice”is your own conscience which is ingrained for ever till you take your last breath and goes with your soul when you call it quits in life!”

 I kept mum for a minute – how on earth a semi-educated man was so knowledgeable and explaining life in such simple terms – he was beyond human anymore – though doing a job to cater to his family – Mangatram ji was a true exception as he earned a true badge of knowledgeable and Advaita for me!

More had to come – as I enquired about his credentials, he was loud and clear and not hesistant to spell the beans of his achievements and was vociferous about describing his life path – he was a doctorate in Sanskrit and had been studying the various Sanskrit artefacts since more than a decade – a deep meditator , a trekker and a solitude lover – he had renounced his family long back and didn’t like to talk about it anymore- nor was he in any touch with them.

I took a strong exception to this fact, as he counter- argued, “Sir, it was tough for me to balance things – my spiritual quest was much more aggressive than living a family life – though I had made ample arrangements for my wife and kids to live a normal life as I was a zamindar and have transferred my land to them.” 


“What is your future plans now?”, as I asked, he was quick to reply, “Sir, I am living here as a small peasant and the hotel owner has given me a small room to sustain – that is enough for me. My aim is to uplift myself spiritually and know the bigger purpose of life and its meanings!”

As he started to move out, in a laughing stance he finally spoke “Sir there are many souls wandering in Himalayas like me, who have been bitten by the spiritual bug – lets see who gets to know HIM. Please let me know if anything else is needed and I shall make sure you get it! – one request though – I won’t solicit calls in early morning and late evenings as that is my ‘Dhayan / Meditation ” time!”

As he squelched his slippers, the sound got dim and he just vanished before my eyes, the next few minutes was devoted to him and his talk – rarely will you get such souls living in such trajectory and fulfilling his soul’s quest – though I still firmly argue with myself that he should not have left his family for he might be termed selfish by society – no matter what he might think, he is truly living his destiny as we all are – some living the conventional way , others unconventionally!

Popular Posts

~ You always Want More...~

 So you want more, but don't you have enough ? - these lines made a tinge in my mind as much of it was true !  We all are living with a ...