MAHASHIVRATRI - 2012, DANDI ASHRAM

I took my mothers’ blessings and left for Dandi at 7.50am. I picked up three sadhaks at Vakola and I was to pick up Shri Purav at Chikuwadi, Borivali where he was having a meeting early in the morning. I was to pick him up at 8.15am along with a vehicle full of new sadhaks who were to follow us to Dandi. I too had wanted to visit the ground where the Mumbai Maha Dhyan will be held on March 7 and this was like my prayers were answered. We tried to go from the highway, missed a turn and were thoroughly lost in the bye-lanes of Borivali East. We ultimately found our way to the ground after repeatedly asking for directions and reached the ground just as Shri Purav’s meeting got over! We picked him along with another sadhika and left for the highway. We again got lost and by the time we reached the highway the new sadhak car had left and Shri Ramnath Kamaths car had also passed Fountain Hotel on Ghodbunder Road, the usual touch-base spot. We decided to catch up at Kamat Hotel just off Manor. We picked up Dr. Ishnath Singh at Vasai and reached Hotel Kamat at around 10.15am. The hotel was packed and Ramnath said that after waiting for 15 minutes they had just got seats. But as we entered a large group got up and we all got to sit together – all divine timing, would you say!?! The rest of the drive to Navsari was uneventful. One group had to check whether bookings made through a third person were available at Supreme Hotel, hence we there first and as it was already 1pm we decided to have lunch while that group checked into Hotel Supreme. After lunch we decided to go to Royal Regency and check in, relax and leave for the Ashram at around 3.45pm. We checked in, relaxed, freshened up and then left for first the Dham and then later for the Ashram. We soaked in the atmosphere at the Ashram – it was already crowded and gave a clear indication of what we should expect the next day. At around 6pm, we saw that Ashram volunteers had started removing the mattresses from the meditation hall and were taking them outside readying for next mornings’ program. Ramnath Kamath and Deepak Tandon said lets help. So we all picked up 3 mattresses each and started carrying them to the designated spot. On our way back, we found that collective energy had worked, as other sadhaks had also joined. I made two more trips and the entire lot of mattresses, were relocated in about 15 minutes flat!

We went for “bhojan Prasad” at around 6.45 pm thinking that we will get the final dhyan in time. As the persons who came for bhojan Prasad far outnumbered those who had registered, the Prasad was being freshly cooked, hence we had to wait. At 7pm we were served by volunteers after which, Deepak Tandon and I finished our Prasad dinner and left for the meditation hall. As we sat down the “Guru Avahan” started – we had just reached in time. After a good last session of meditation, we left for the hotel. In the car park, we saw a group of five who were stranded as their auto had not come. They asked us for a lift, and I told them I could drop them off at Eru circle to which they said ok. It was a tight fit, as we now had ten people in a car made for 7 people. We dropped them off at Eru circle and proceeded. We reached at around 9.30pm. Dr. Ishnath Singh said he will prepare his herbal concoction which he has kind of made me addicted to (I have it every morning at home). He had forgotten to bring jaggery (one of the ingredients) so Shri Pravin Purav, went down to the Hotel kitchen and brought some. In the meanwhile Dr. Ishnath asked me whether I had got a writing pad and pen to write about the event. I said no, no one had told me, and if I write I will be writing my blog. He then told me that my write-up on the Mahashivratri function for last years’ blog was translated by him for the official version (this I did not know till that moment). I was not keen to write though Dr. Singh said he will give me pen and paper. I was non-committal! Dr Ishnath prepared the drink and Shri Purav served it to everyone. After that we sat upto 11pm chatting and sharing spiritual experiences and discussing books. We had a gala time. We retired for the night, saying that we will leave the Hotel at 3.30am so that we could go to Hotel Supreme, pick the other sadhaks and guide the new sadhaks to the Ashram. The idea to leave early was to try and avoid the expected traffic.

Next morning Dr. Ishnath woke up at 2am, I wished him good morning and went back to sleep. He finished his morning ritual by 2.20am, at which point I got up and freshened up with a bath, etc. I woke up Pravin at 2.45am by which time Dr. Singh was well on his way to make his brew. I told him, that I will go down to the reception and complete check out formalities. I called the Supreme Hotel and told the sadhaks there that we will reach the Hotel at 3.45am to pick them up. I then went to the reception asked them to prepare the bill, went out to the car and cleaned the windshield of all the dust and turned the car around for a quick departure. When I went in again to sign the bill, guess what happened! The guy at the reception gifted me a diary – which I saw as a divine indication to write, so I asked the receptionist to give me a pen too! On now being gifted the diary and pen the decision for me to write the Mahashivratri event diary was already taken by divine intervention! So the blog after this one will be the full event report.

We left at exactly 3.30am, reached Supreme at 3.45am, and got stuck as the sadhaks there were not ready. I called them down urgently as I anticipated great traffic with the recent Mahadhyan experience which was a much smaller event. At around 4.05am they came down and we left without waiting for the new sadhaks, telling them to come by themselves as otherwise we would miss entering the Ashram in time. My fears were proved right, as there was a massive traffic jam for about 5km from the Ashram. This traffic jam came into being because of complete lack of discipline amongst sadhaks. The road to the Ashram is narrow and vehicles returning from the Ashram had their way blocked because of vehicles going to the Ashram starting to overtake vehicles and going on the lane for oncoming traffic. This is what caused the jam. We were stuck from around 4.30am to 5.55am. A little bit of self-discipline would have gone a long way in avoiding the chaotic traffic conditions which put tremendous pressure on the volunteers to clear the jam. A lot of good souls got out of their vehicles to help – God Bless them. As we got onto the rough road, we found that sadhaks had got out from their vehicles and were running to reach the Ashram. This made driving really scary as using horns was not allowed. But in spite of the challenges, we reached the Ashram just in time. We took a seat again just in time to catch the Guru Ahavan before start of silent meditation from 6am to 6.45am.

At exactly 7am Pujya Gurudev entered to the sound of conch shells and enthusiastic clapping from the assemblage of around 20000 participants. Pujya Guruma also entered and lighting of the lamp at the hands of Pujya Gurudev took place. After this he sat down to deliver his discourse. After the discourse, at around 8.30am Shri Rambhai announced that Pujya Gurudev will give a personal darshan to all his sadhaks in a Rath (carriage) to be pulled by sadhaks – this was a first! In the meantime, Pujya Guruma’s departure was announced. We were told to avoid joining hands in obeisance but to close eyes and soak in the energy. As the Rath started passing in front of me, tears started rolling down my eyes, as I felt how much Pujya Gurudev wants his children to soak in the real energy. As tears rolled down my eyes, my spine was becoming chill and my fingertips were pulsating with energy with cold vibrations in the center of both the palms of my hands. I kept my eyes closed for most of the time and just soaked in the energy field with a feeling of intense love and awe at what was being showered on Pujya Gurudevs children through his immense Grace. After the darshan, Pujya Gurudev left and we were told that we could participate in “paduka naman” followed by two exhibitions – one of photographs in the meditation hall in the ashram and the other – an Ayurveda exhibition outside. We were told to definitely view these, partake of bhojan Prasad and then leave. As we had a lot of time on our hands we just sat down and chatted and generally enjoyed ourselves in the energy filled environment. As there were long lines everywhere, we thought it prudent to sit down and relax. We had a lot of fun discussing spirituality and also pulling each others’ legs! A volunteer at around 11am asked us whether we had done paduka naman, we said no, to which he told us to go as there was no line. We paid obeisance at Gurucharan and then went for Prasad. We stood in the queue for about 15 minutes, we then went for the photograph exhibition which show cased Pujya Gurudev’s photographs on events and on his life as depicted in his Autobiography. This was beautiful, but we did not get to really enjoy the display because we were made to rush through due to time constraints. We went for the Ayurveda exhibition at around 12.15pm which was very informative and then wound up - located all sadhaks who were to travel with us and left for Mumbai at 12.45am. We stopped for a watermelon break to Vapi, a snack break at Parsi da Dhabha at around 4pm, where we met a whole lot of sadhaks. We had snacks, then left for Mumbai, I dropped off my fellow sadhaks one by one and reached home at 6.40pm with the same feeling of another event which should not have ended – going to the Ashram and returning is always difficult. Hopefully with Mumbai-ites adopting the Dandi Ashram maybe we could in future have some plans where it would be possible to stay at the Ashram for a number of days with permission of the Trust. Jai Baba Swami.