All my life, I have been raising existential questions like who am I and where do I come from? So it is indeed difficult for me now to try and say something about “About Me”. But there are a few things, however, I could always say about myself.

Two Men on the Roof

There are some stories you never forget. A long time ago, when I was in high school, I read a big thick book, with more than 1000 pages called “The Source” by James Michener. It was a magnus opus on Jewish history and culture. The book told a tale of an archeologist who goes to…

Amrit

It was many, many years ago, I happened to ask a friend, what he understood by the word “Amrit?” Please, no ‘gyan’ needed Nihal, was his instant retort. Oh! OK… OK…   But now that my life is hurtling towards a conclusion there is a strong impulse to share what Pitaji told me about ‘amrit’…

The Mouse That Roared!

Not unlike Little Ganesh, it was a sweet little Mickey that shared the room with the Guru! But Mickey had a problem! Every day, without fail, he would turn up at the feet of the Guru And tumble around in supplication. “Palti khata tha”.   Mujhe bachao! Mujhe Bachao! Save Me! Save Me!   Mujh…

2022 : A Reset

I am recounting my conversation with Pitaji when I lived with Him in Faridabad, around year 2000. After dinner, He would sit in the verandah and I would join him on the floor beside Him. One day I asked Him: When will this period of excessive overconsumption end? The markets are full of food, liquor,…

Sadhu Sant Guru

Pitaji said that in Gurubani the three words: Sadhu, Sant and Guru have been almost used synonymously though not without reason. But there are differences between the words.   Sadhu is he who has withdrawn his senses From this phenomenal world Much like the turtle that pulls in its shell And blocks the world outside.…

Ramayan

RAMAYAN: The Coming of Ram Ideally, this story should be timed for Diwali. But that’s not important because Ramayan is an eternal story and any time is good time provided you are ready to listen. But first things first. Ramayan, to begin with, is Not a Story or a “Kahani”. It is a “Katha”. The…

Departure Lounge

A month before Pitaji left His Body, He warned me to stop “Khana-Pina” literally “Eating and Drinking” – because He said: diseases are coming… I forgot about His words of caution and when I returned from Faridabad to Jaipur, I began drinking whisky in beer glasses filled with ice and took to cooking mutton koftas…