I had gone to visit the world famous Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra recently. I took a conducted tour in a bus, which took me to Ellora, and thereafter to the Grashneshwar Verul Jyotiralinga nearby.
The guide, a deeply religious man, had a quick darshan and then stood near the gate to help the passengers. The gate was only three feet high and one had to bend considerably to get into the compound of the temple. Sir, have you had the darshan? He asked me politely. No, I replied and added rudely, and nor do I have an intention of doing so. He was taken aback. Let me explain, I said, and told him my story of how cruel cancer had crippled, chewed and killed in slow motion my deeply devout and religious wife. I lost faith in God the day she died, I told him. He listened quietly and did not utter a word or show any emotion.
I soon realised that I had got carried away with the self-pity of one wronged. So I tried to draw him into a conversation and asked 'What is it that you asked for
from God when you had the darshan'? I prayed for 'moksha', was his short reply. And what is 'moksha', I persisted. It is the deliverance from the cycle of births and deaths, he explained. I again took an aggressive anti-view and added that I would like to be born again. Again and again. For 84 lakh times. And experience the happiness and sadness, excitements and disappointments of life, in whichever lifeform I am. I do not want to run away from the world. Who wants 'Moksha'? Not me. I said somewhat arrogantly. And then suddenly we spotted the other passengers of the tour-bus approaching the gate and our uneasy conversation was cut abruptly.
I moved towards the gate to leave the compound. Suddenly three persons came from behind and wanted to cross the gate ahead of me. I obstructed them with my arm and told them sternly that I was ahead of them. All right, you go first, was the curt reply of one of them. As I rushed out of the gate, my head hit it with a bang. The knock was so hard that my head reeled and thought I was going to faint. However, I recovered, and feeling blank, moved towards our bus.
Was it just a curious coincidence? Or an incident attributable to my arrogance, which so diverted my mind that, I became blind to the existence of reality? Or literally a quick knock on my head by Lord Shiva to put me on the right path?
I don't really know!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Ab tera kya hoga Kalia...
Is it a bird...is it a plane? No it is the Superbaba who is back with a bang after rest and recuperation of about a week. He gave interviews to all theTV channels yesterday on how he is going to remove the scourge of black money.
Ab tera kya hoga Kalia (short form of Kaladhan)....
Kuch Na Kaho, Kuch Bhi Na Kaho ... ...
This was about ten years back. I was working in Koraput in Orissa. It is a tiny little town at an elevation of about a thousand meters and surrounded by lovely green hills.
During my 2 years stay in Koraput none of my relatives or friends visited me- none except my brother- in- law and sister- Dr. Narendra Wig and Veena. In fact when they first told me that they were planning to visit me at Koraput, I was greatly surprised as they were staying in Chandigarh and coming by train all the way to Koraput appeared to be very brave and adventurous.
I drove down from Koraput to Raygada, the rail head, about 120 kms away towards the East Coast to receive them. The train was in time and we all drove back to Koraput. During the next 6 days we travelled to various interior parts of Orissa at a leisurely pace. The weather was heavenly and their company made it absolutely great. As it happens, the good times appear to pass very fast. Soon it was time for them to leave. Another road trip through the lovely green forests and we were at the Raygada Raiway station once again. The train was to come from Vishakhapatanam, and not taking any chances with the trains and the roads, we reached a good one hour before the schdeuled time. And what does one do in such situations? Yes one falls back on hot cups of tea.
The man preparing and serving tea at the stall on the platform appeared to be in his sixties. He was making tea for two persons who were before us. The effortless ease of his movements drew our attention. Dr. Sahib wished him with folded hands and said “Namaskar Ji”. The man was taken aback and almost spilled the tea in the utensil. But then he composed himself and returned the greetings and replied in chaste Hindustani “Inkay baad aap kay liyay chai banaoonga”.
And soon the conversation started. Why did you feel startled when I greeted you, Dr. Sahib asked him. Not many clients wish me and none has ever wished me with folded hands, was his candid and simple reply. His name was Ramdhan and he originally belonged to Bihar. Soon we got our glasses of tea. It was a cool and cloudy day and we enjoyed every sip of the hot tea. The conversation progressed and Dr. Sahib asked him since how many years had he been in that business. He did not respond immediately as he was desperately trying to fight his tears. He failed and wept like a child. And then he replied. Dr. Sahib, he said, I came here with my father when I was twelve and this was fifty years back. His voice choked again. Dr. Sahib went closer to him, and hugged him but didn’t say a word. There was nothing more to be asked and nothing more to be said.
And this was good two years before Munnabhai first talked about his “Jadoo Ki Japphi”........
During my 2 years stay in Koraput none of my relatives or friends visited me- none except my brother- in- law and sister- Dr. Narendra Wig and Veena. In fact when they first told me that they were planning to visit me at Koraput, I was greatly surprised as they were staying in Chandigarh and coming by train all the way to Koraput appeared to be very brave and adventurous.
I drove down from Koraput to Raygada, the rail head, about 120 kms away towards the East Coast to receive them. The train was in time and we all drove back to Koraput. During the next 6 days we travelled to various interior parts of Orissa at a leisurely pace. The weather was heavenly and their company made it absolutely great. As it happens, the good times appear to pass very fast. Soon it was time for them to leave. Another road trip through the lovely green forests and we were at the Raygada Raiway station once again. The train was to come from Vishakhapatanam, and not taking any chances with the trains and the roads, we reached a good one hour before the schdeuled time. And what does one do in such situations? Yes one falls back on hot cups of tea.
The man preparing and serving tea at the stall on the platform appeared to be in his sixties. He was making tea for two persons who were before us. The effortless ease of his movements drew our attention. Dr. Sahib wished him with folded hands and said “Namaskar Ji”. The man was taken aback and almost spilled the tea in the utensil. But then he composed himself and returned the greetings and replied in chaste Hindustani “Inkay baad aap kay liyay chai banaoonga”.
And soon the conversation started. Why did you feel startled when I greeted you, Dr. Sahib asked him. Not many clients wish me and none has ever wished me with folded hands, was his candid and simple reply. His name was Ramdhan and he originally belonged to Bihar. Soon we got our glasses of tea. It was a cool and cloudy day and we enjoyed every sip of the hot tea. The conversation progressed and Dr. Sahib asked him since how many years had he been in that business. He did not respond immediately as he was desperately trying to fight his tears. He failed and wept like a child. And then he replied. Dr. Sahib, he said, I came here with my father when I was twelve and this was fifty years back. His voice choked again. Dr. Sahib went closer to him, and hugged him but didn’t say a word. There was nothing more to be asked and nothing more to be said.
And this was good two years before Munnabhai first talked about his “Jadoo Ki Japphi”........
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