When I First Met Guruji
Posted: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 by Kratik in Labels: Advance Course, Art of Living, Jai Gurudev, Sri Sri Ravishankar, YES!+, Yoga
(There is something horribly wrong with my blog font and it's not getting sorted)
You
know you’re special when he smiles at you,
You know
you’re adored when he touches you,
You know
you’re treasured when he tests you,
But you just
know you’re blessed when he shows you what celebration really is.
My Nokia phone screen read March 2, 2009 21:37. Knowing that all the YES!+ teachers and most volunteers from Pune had already left for Aurangabad a day before, even my best shot at staying clam couldn’t help numb the disappointment that had sunk in, arising from the feeling of not even making an attempt of meeting the man whom I called my ‘Guru’, Sri Sri Ravishankar-ji. Moreover, digesting the fact that the chance to meet him was sort-of gone, the rising emotions were absolutely killing me with guilt.
My Nokia phone screen read March 2, 2009 21:37. Knowing that all the YES!+ teachers and most volunteers from Pune had already left for Aurangabad a day before, even my best shot at staying clam couldn’t help numb the disappointment that had sunk in, arising from the feeling of not even making an attempt of meeting the man whom I called my ‘Guru’, Sri Sri Ravishankar-ji. Moreover, digesting the fact that the chance to meet him was sort-of gone, the rising emotions were absolutely killing me with guilt.
Well, but
that was more-or-less because I knew nothing about Aurangabad, and so, I didn’t
even count myself a candidate in leaving all on my own for the City of Gates.
In fact, to be true, you know, I had forgotten that I was already
‘taken-care-of’ by the master and somewhere deep down, I was begging for that
feeling to be revoked. And ‘He’ did exactly that! His messenger: a dear friend.
After
a day in the physical presence of the master, almost the whole of our ‘AOL
sena’ had returned back to the Queen of Deccan, Pune, and one of the returning
volunteers was Vishal Vengulekar. I knew it would make me jealous, but it was a
feeling that I couldn’t resist; I had to call up Vishal – my first YES!+
friend, who had seen ‘Him’ at the satsang in Aurangabad a day prior, when he
went with the other Puneri volunteers and teachers – and ask him of his
experience, and so I did. Vishal took my call and briefly told me everything
that he remembered of the trip: right from his bus journey to Guruji’s
‘Question and Answers’ session.
(Mahasatsang
at Aurangabad that Vishal and other Volunteers and Teachers attended)
He inspired
me so much that I told myself, ‘I can’t miss this, I simply can’t!’ So, I
decided to find way so that I could somehow
get to Aurangabad, and therefore, I
called up a YES!+ teacher, who was partly responsible for introducing me to the
world of YES!+ and Art Of Living, Shashank Ombhase.
Shashank was
one of those people who were on the bus with Vishal. Shashank, like a typical
YES!+ teacher, encouraged me even more to meet Guruji. In fact, he clubbed his
day’s experience with a couple of his own Guru stories. When I finished talking
to him, I was so convinced to go that I had started to believe that Guru’s
grace would inevitably conjure up and He, my will and my valor would overcome
all the difficulties and make me meet him. (Just to note, my father was in
Aurangabad for that very day, so, I knew if I could somehow reach the city of
Aurangzeb, I wouldn’t have to worry about finding accommodation).
(Pic taken about three years back, I hope
this solves the purpose of identifying the people. Akhil - long hair, blue
shirt, on the right and Vishal - center-right, black jacket, next to
Dhanashree, who is in red)
Shashank
gave me Akhil Balekar’s phone number, who was an Art Of Living volunteer from
Pune, then in Aurangabad. The very next moment, I was on phone with Akhil. I
asked him if I would be able to ‘see’ Guruji; his reply was affirmative,
however, he added that meeting Guruji in person could be very difficult.
Meeting
seemed like a far-fetched dream, and in-truth, I was contented in catching a
glimpse of Him, even if it was from 100 yards away. With 23:30 the reading in the wall
clock and with excitement oozing out of me, I took out my kurta – the only kurta that
I had and which I had
worn in a play that I took part in after my 10th grade – and a pair of jeans
and set a morning alarm of 3:30 AM as I started making all the preparations for
my Aurangabad adventure. I slept with pumped adrenalin and as I woke up, the
blood through my veins felt like it was gushing faster than ever before. It was
just crazy; I couldn’t stop smiling.
(Me, Shashank, Aarushi and Khushboo;
Forgive me as all my photographs with Shashank were group photos and this was
the best of the lot)
I even energized
myself with the sixth source of energy, the cold water bath. And guess what, it
wasn’t even 4 AM. Mummi was shocked to see my determination and she couldn’t
believe that I was seriously leaving for Aurangabad. She thought it was one of
my ‘I am going to own Manchester United Football Club one day’ like things.
With a water bottle and a Monaco biscuit pack and I set off to meet Him.
Well, I
hadn’t even reached the gate of my building complex when the sandal of my right
foot tore. I certainly wasn’t going back to change my footwear, and so, a
bright smile followed and I walked on. I know it was a little foolish on my
part to not go back, but then, that was one of my least concerns; I just wanted
to meet Guruji.
From what I
could sense, Guruji was having fun and he decided to play even more. I had to
wait 20-minutes for the rickshaw and half hour for the Aurangabad bus at
Shivajinagar bus stop, where this person fooled me and handed me ticket for
this bus that only went half way, to Ahemadnagar!
(The 'Bus' or was it?)
The bus'
condition was atrocious to say the least. In fact, it was not even a bus; it
was a mini-bus/ tempo van, which was stinking as though it had not been opened
since the 19th century.
I couldn’t do anything but ‘accept’ and that’s what I did, accepted the van not
the people though, which was my biggest mistake.
This guy
sitting on the seat before me was spitting outside the window continuously and
when I saw that, ‘random acts of kindness’ point from the YES!+ course conjured
in my head. However, I hesitated and did not do anything. So, Guruji decided to
give me a gift, when a drop of that guy’s tobacco-filled spit flew through the
window and on my cheek.
Yuk!
That was
that!
I gave him a
hairdryer, and I wouldn’t really be surprised if he has
always thought of me
before spitting ever again, even if it was in his washroom’s basin.
Well, I
hadn’t informed my father but in a morning conversation with my mother, he was
told that I was on my way to Aurangabad. So, as I was about to reach
Ahmednagar, he made me aware of the buses available buses from the Ahmednagar
bus stop.
Two hours of
journey and I had finally reached Ahemadnagar. So, as I was told, I stood at
the bus stop waiting for the bus, and what a bus stop! I didn’t end up being
its biggest fan. I asked people around me and everyone told me that buses to
Aurangabad were as frequent as 15 minutes. Maybe I was just unaware, ignorant
or probably dumb because I stood for over an hour and didn’t find a bus that
would go to Aurangabad. Can you believe it? He sure was playing games! However,
I did find an ‘Omni Van’ that would go only half way to Aurangabad, until this
place called ‘Newasa Phata’.
(The Omni Van)
This Maruti
Van was legendary in its true sense. Guess what! It was a Van that was supposed
to seat only three people on its two back seats, however, as per the driver’s
‘order’, either seats had to have four people seated. The driver looked in no
mood to assure comfort and I was rather stupid to even think so. So, there were
four people seated on either of the back seats and out of the sandwiched four,
I was one of them.
Well, but
that wasn’t the real problem, the real problem was that everyone who was
sitting next to me was ‘sweat-stinking’ (okay wait, ‘stink’ is an
understatement), and I was not only sitting right in the middle of the two
seats but also, in the middle of my seat. I was lucky that the man who was
sitting next to the window decided to get down, I wonder why? Not really!
Well, I
certainly was in no mood to miss on the opportunity to sit next to the window,
and so, I hurriedly sat, poking my face and more so nose outside the wi1ndow,
trying to avoid that entire foul sweaty odor.
An hour ride
and we were at Newasa Phata, phew!
I called
Akhil from the Phata and he asked me to come to Sachin Mule's bunglow in
Aurangabad. At Newasa Phata, I could see an Asiat bus waiting at a restaurant,
and I thought to myself, ‘That’s it! I certainly am meeting Guruji now!’ But
it’s said, “Sabar ka phal meetha hota hai.” Maybe I had forgotten that!
I met this
person, who also had to go to Aurangabad. After meeting him, I breathed a sigh
of relief and thanked Guruji for sending me a companion, who could guide me on
how to reach the city. I smiled at him and said, “I will walk a little further
and see if we can get any means which will help us in reaching Aurangabad
faster. If this bus is about to leave, please wave your hand.” So, in a
carefree manner, I went a little ahead to search for taxies, keeping that man
in my sight. When I returned to Newasa Phata and that restaurant, there was no
bus there. I was shell-shocked! I asked the man about the bus and he gleefully
replied, “Woh toh gayi!” And I went like ‘What?!’
(The Asiad Bus)
Although it resulted in a wait of another half hour, but I finally boarded a bus and I was on my way to Aurangabad. Oh yes! I was almost there!
…but it
doesn’t end here as I got down at the wrong stop!
Papa had
sent a driver to pick me up from this place called ‘Baba Petrol Pump’ and where
did I get down? 10 Kms. before the stop, at Pandarpur!
As Srividya
mam says, "Einstein!"
To cut it
short, more wait, but the driver finally picked me up and dropped me to Sachin
Mule's bungalow. Now, the bungalow security was very tight and I was told that
I simply could not to enter! Well, I was not going back now, not even if David
Beckham invited me for his birthday party. I called Akhil again and he came…he
came with hope but he left as quickly as well, as he had some ‘important work’.
I looked on with a poker face, thinking to myself, ‘How could he just go in?’
Well, for the first time, I was really losing it and losing it bad, but that’s
when He turned it all around.
I had been
waiting with a family for almost 20 minutes outside the gate and I pretty much
knew that the family would get permission to enter the gate. It was miraculous
what happened next. I guess the guards thought that I belong to that very
family and they let me in to the bungalow with the family.
Having met
Akhil a bit later who asked me to sit with the other volunteers, I joined this
group that had come down from Mumbai. Becoming friends within minutes of meet,
we did the Sudarshan Kriya together. They were so enthusiastic that they even
did Surya Namaskars 2:30 in the afternoon! If the trip wasn’t all that
adventurous so far, another surprise came my way. I discovered that by the time
my Kriya finished, the food had got over!
Well, I was
this being who hadn't had anything since morning; I was starving. In fact, that
was not only the case with me, but with everyone who had travelled many miles
to see Guruji. One thing that I learned on that trip was that Mumbai volunteers
are smart. One of the volunteers from Mumbai went into the kitchen and got
almost half a dozen roties made. Six roties with chatni for ten volunteers, totally worth it!
Minutes
on and we left for Garware Stadium, the place where the event/course ‘Utsav’
was to take place. We were all allotted sevas and I was at the security. It all went
fine and the Utsav started!
Now,
the teachers for the course were the biggest surprise element for me so far:
Khurshed Batliwala and Dinesh Ghodke. Well, I was a participant of the second
course that Srivi mam ever taught, so, I knew about Bawa and Dinesh Bhaiya, and
if you are her student reading this post, you will know that she talks so much
about them in her course that your fascination to meet them reaches an
unprecedented high.
Thus, just
watching the two directors of WAYE (World Alliance for Youth Empowerment) in
front of me teaching the workshop that they have designed themselves was an
exceptional sight. It was so cool! However, having not carried by spectacles, I
remember, I was not able to see them properly even on the big screen and so, I
prayed.
As the
course moved on, it was time for Long Sudarshan Kriya! Now, I had done my Kriya
in the afternoon and right before the start of the Sudarshan Kriya, the Mumbai
volunteers from somewhere got the news that Guruji will be coming on to the
stage when the course participants end their Kriya. Now, that was jugad underlined!
…and
that’s exactly what happened!
Saleel
bhaiya needed some volunteers to ‘welcome’ Guruji back stage and guess what; we
‘incidentally’ were at the right place at the right time. Bhaiya asked us to be
seated in a line as told us the golden rule, ‘Guruji’s speed of motion is
directly proportional to your excitement’. I said, “Whatever,” which was
another of my mistakes! I mean, I had done by YES!+ course two and a half
months back, so, I didn’t know who Saleel Bhaiya was. We volunteers sat in a
line along the path on which Guruji was to pass. I was so very excited and
guess whom did I see walking by, passing a smile towards me, Dinesh Bhaiya! I
went like, “Dude! I wanted to see him from close and here he is, smiling at me!”
(Me and Dinesh Bhaiya, this is a a recent
pic; venue: Vishwamitra)
With my
heart beating faster with every passing second, especially after hearing
on-and-off whispers from other volunteers – who came out with rumors such as
‘He is climbing the steps’ – I finally saw Him. He was distant but I saw Him,
and I noticed that he was walking towards me. He had his secretary holding a
basket full of fruits, of which he was giving one fruit each to a
volunteer/security-guard that he came across while making his way on to the
stage.
I was sitting with the Mumbai volunteers and we were one of the first
few volunteers that he was to meet. Just as he reached our group, Saleel Bhaiya
introduced us to him by saying, “These volunteers have come from Mumbai just to
meet you Guruji,” after which Guruji asked, “Yahan sab log Mumbai se aayen
hain?”
And that was
the moment that all the excitement that I was holding back, came out and with a
wide smile, I impulsively shouted, “Guruji main Pune se.” He said,
“Ah…Okay,” and then, he handed me an apple and walked past me. In fact, there
was more to it. As I said “Guruji main Pune se” in an instantaneous manner, Guruji
looked into my eyes and we shared an eye contact that lasted for about two
seconds; maybe more, maybe less…I don’t know. It was a moment when I had
forgotten everything; it was like the time had stopped.
It was absolutely
magical. However, when I saw him walk past me, that’s when I realized, I should
have kept my calm. Trust me, all that was going on in my head was, ‘Had I
followed Saleel Bhaiya’s golden rule, the meet could have longer’, but I was so
happy.
Just like
the test of my resolve to come to Aurangabad, Guru’s grace didn’t end there. As
the 1301 course participants came out of their meditative state to discover
Guruji sitting right in front of them on his throne, we volunteers were told to
assemble next to the ramp. I was the second volunteer standing in the queue. As
the volunteer who was first in the queue was given seva, I was told to move forward.
Now, just imagine, I was standing right below the stage, next to the ramp, and
sitting in front of me were Guruji (to my left) and Bawa and Dinesh Bhaiya (to
my right) at a distance of less than five meters; it sure was incredible. I
could not believe it; I still can’t.
Guruji
answered a number of questions from the participants and left soon. After the
course day got over, I met Bawa and Dinesh Bhaiya personally. They blessed me
too.
It was all
like a dream. March 3, 2009 morning, all I wanted was to catch a glimpse of Him
and here He was, giving me an apple in the evening on the same day. Moreover, I
just wanted to see Bawa and Dinesh Bhaiya from close, and here they were,
blessing me.
That
Aurangabad trip was nothing but a perfect chance given to me by my Guru to
implement all the sutras that I had learned in my YES!+ course. I gave my 100%
and he made my experience worthwhile. In fact, he showed me how to celebrate
life by making my experience one that acted as an epitome of grace and
celebration.
Like Dinesh
Bhaiya once said during a volunteer’s meet, “He makes the impossible possible,”
and that’s what my whole Aurangabad adventure was about…impossible becoming
possible.
No Breath, No Life,
Know Breath,
Know Life
Jai Gurudev J
Love J
Kratik J
finally u met guruji.....in Aurungabad....seems it wuld be so mch nice trip fr u...:)