~ 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!

~ 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!

~ What is Success? ~

 A very interesting conversation took place just recently on a trip to one of my favorite places in the Himalayas – the king of Mountains , a simple question was raised by a deep thinker friend – the question is synonymous with lives of many of us , and once in a lifetime we all stop and ponder and think aggressively to find the answers to this all pervasive question, “What is Success?”

The question itself opened a pandoras box amongst group of individuals sitting together and having a quality time – the time to ponder had just started.

One of us took the plunge and tried to answered my friend’s quest by simply saying “Dude, when you have everything at your disposal AND you can further buy anything your soul wants…start thinking that you are successful!”

No sooner this was stated, one of my other friend confronted his thoughts as if he took a serious offence of the answer which was given – for him success was NOT ONLY about moolah or materialism but quite a lot depended on being satiated soul and living a content life, free of disease and a life full of contentment – this seems to be quite a practical answer derived from keen observations from other people’s life  but it still lagged some gaps , as according to another gentleman in our group – who was keen listener and was absorbing other’s thoughts – as he started to speak about his take on success, he had a clear definition – for him Success is all about being satisfaction in whatever one is doing, mutually exclusive about the money one is earning or not – having time for the family and being healthy and foremost being humble and not beating a  trumpet  about one’s achievement.

Myself being the last one who was asked about the definition of success – for me Success is a continues process and not a definitive destination – it starts to living one’s life with humility and care and sensitivity for others, see around you – how much you are lucky – you are able bodied with no missing limbs, arms or eyes ! – is that not a miracle, you are not a paraplegic or having a differential abilities – this itself is a recipe of success – the second measure of success is to have ample time for yourself and your family – your parents, kids and other family members – sitting down on the dinning table with a giggle and making merry about day to day life’s situations! 

Sure, a certain amount of moolah is needed to have a life full of contentment but don’t be prey to over accomplishments – the more you will earn, the more next aims and objectives will be formed in your conscience and you will start to run after them – this will soon turn out to be a life’s never ending chimera which you will never be able to achieve, even at fag end of your life – so a final measure of success is ‘Contentment’ in your life’s current situation – you are doing your best and the rest will come as a measure of your karma and efforts.

Success is relative – one’s aim and aspirations and definition of success may not suffice with yours; be content, be happy and spend quality time on yourself and with your family and took care of the best gift from GOD i.e your Body – the recipe of success ends here – at least for me …. Rest it’s your call…!

~ A Life Anonymous...~

 During my Annual visit to the Himalayas, I have come across people who are living with their own stringent set of thoughts and actions – somehow during the course of their lives, they have encountered situations and turbulences which have made them adamant to situational living – their set of thoughts may sound weird but are exceptionally true to their sense of living and working fine for them, may be!

Prabhu Narayan is one such octogenarian who I have met quite few times – the first meeting being two years ago – he is an exceptional character with a demeanor different from many others – you can spot him with his genre looks and desperate eyes as he seems a class apart from the mundane surrounding, he stands. 

The hustle and bustle of mart does not bother him much as he is there for a mission – a mission which begets a bigger purpose of his living and the hidden sacrifices that he has done in his life.

This time when I saw him, I purposed the courage to meet him to ‘help’ him in my own little ways – by buying some pics and stickers of the ‘Goddess’ he so eagerly sells , reaching near him I could sense his despondant looks and a mild argument between him and a prospect customer who was arguing senselessly about the ‘high’ price of his sell.

As the deal broke down and the prospective customer moved out, I was in the queue – I was quick to buy some of the items he was selling but with a hidden purpose to engage with him , asking about his life, family and what he was all about. His reticence was his character, and as he spoke less to my lengthy questions , I was quick to decipher his character – truly a man of karma … as he told me that he was a Bachelor and purposely didn’t marry as he had adopted 10-12 orphan girls who he was a father, mother and a guardian – 2 of the girls had started to work after completing their education and the arrangement was soon turning out to be a successful NGO! – the zeal of uncle was unmatched as he lit up when he made profits through me , I could surely sense that at the back of his mind what was going on and what the evening would be.

As we were talking , a sardarji was a intriguing listener who sold bangles on the street and often saw uncleji loitering around – as I moved after purchasing necessary photos and pics, Sardarji followed suit and spoke that he knew him more than a decade and he stays close by helping orphaned and abandoned girls and is a school teacher by the day and a street vendor in the evening for 2-3 hours! – at this octogenarian age, the effort was no less than a miracle – truly he was driven by the ‘Divine Force!’ – the pic of which he was so zealously selling – totally comprehensible of the fact that it is the divine mother which is making him do things, which otherwise could not fit well at this age of his life…

Such are the souls living anonymously but quite enriching doing their Karma for the purity of humanity - no noise , no boisterous tantrums but plain karma as according to their means and effort!

Kudos uncle as reminisce you today and eagerly wait to meet you again when the Divine mother calls me again at her Abode!...till then pip pip!