Category Archives: Fun

Round The World in 60 Seconds

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When we went to North Pole 90°N in 2009, I was told that we would be spending almost 24 hours at the extreme northern point of earth’s axis. Obviously, there would be no shelter.  To the contrary, it would be a trip full of hassles, especially if we encountered heavy rain or snow.  I wondered if I’d get totally bored of spending a full day there, with nothing to do.

Once we reached, it all proved to be interesting.

If one has to travel around the world, one could do it near the equator or the Tropic of Capricorn or Cancer or any latitude.  Which basically means you have to go around the axis of the earth.  90°N is also a point on the axis of the earth.  At this point of North Pole, it would take the shortest time to travel round the world.

Keeping this concept in mind, a beautiful event was arranged, “going round the World in 60 seconds”.  A flag pole painted ‘North Pole’ in red and white was fixed on the sheet of ice on the land’s surface at 90°N.  All the guests and crew formed a circle around the pole.  The circle was about 200 feet in diameter.

Then, every one sang and danced while going around in a circle.  About 105 guests from 24 nationalities.  While moving in the circle, we were waving the Indian national flag, which we had carried with us. We were one of the very few who carried our national flag with us, as can be seen from the picture.

It was symbolic of going around the globe.  At North Pole, going round the point of North Pole 90° North, is same as going round the world from any other degree of latitude.  This could be done in shortest time, even less than 60 seconds!  

We felt pride as we went around the world waving our national flag.  The captain prayed for universal harmony and suggested that we all accept the challenge to spread world peace.  The event was appropriately named ‘around the world in 60 seconds”

Round the world in 60 secondsat North Pole 90°

Round the world in 60 secondsat North Pole 90°

Another thrilling event was the Polar Plunge, which I have written about.

Also, for the first time in my life, I had barbeque, wine and dine on a large sheet of Ice.   No structures around for handreds of kilometers/  On the ice, chairs and dining tables were laid, the barbeque was cooked and served hot.  We spent the entire day at the North Pole leisurely.  I didn’t want to leave the place when we were told that it was time for us to sail back.

Amazing and absorbing events at oddest of odd places in the world.

It made me realise, wherever and in whatever condition one might be, with proper imagination and planning, one could still wholesomely enjoy life.

Experienced and Written By: Badri Baldawa

Edited By : Meeta Kabra

Thrill On The Pitch – World Cup Finals 2011

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Grand event of World Cup Finals between India and Sri Lanka on 2nd April 2011 at Wankhade Stadium, Mumbai.

I was seated on a couch in the Garware Pavilion adjacent to the players’ dressing room. On this day, I could not have expected to be seated anywhere better in the universe.

I was one of the five winners of ‘World Cup Ka Hero’ for the Finals in 2011, a lucky draw, sponsored by Castrol out of the participants from all over India. We were entertained for 3 days prior to the match. A suite at a 5-star hotel and a car at my disposal with an armed body-guard!

The night before the final, we attended an entertainment program – a fantastic, huge event, which I understand was at a budget of Rs.20,00,00,000. The gathering included celebrities, past and present cricket players and personalities from all over the world. It was a grand 3-hour show.

On the day of the match, I was escorted to the stadium through the VIP entrance, an hour and  a half before the start of the match.   Two seats in the center of the pavilion were replaced by a cushioned couch – a throne of sorts – for me. Around my couch were three cheerleaders from East Europe, two on each side and one in front; a security guard behind me.   Adequate food and drinks were stocked at my disposal.

It was toss time. We were escorted to the ground, very close to the spot where the toss would be conducted. We were introduced to the crowd in the stadium on the public address system and were asked to cheer the crowd. It was an amazing life-time experience and the entire stadium responded with a deafening sound. An unimaginable atmosphere.

The crowd of course, wanted India to win the toss. Toss proved to be a confusing event.   Dhoni spun the coin and the Sri Lankan skipper called. We did not know who won the toss. In the loud noise, the umpire could not hear the call. There was a discussion and it was decided to toss the coin for the second time! This time Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first.

India started well with first 3 overs from Zaheer proving to be maidens. Indians controlled well till the 40th over permitting Sri Lanka to score around 180 for 5. One ‘not out’ by umpire went for review and was given ‘out’ to the cheers of the crowd.   However in the last 5 overs, India gave away an average of 12 runs per over, obviously not to the liking of the crowd. India was left to chase a total of 274

At the lunch break we were taken out to the pitch through a tough multi-layered security system. We were asked to cheer the crowd again.   It was an electrifying atmosphere with Indian flags all around and variety of loud sounds.

It was a huge total to defend, the highest in any World Cup final. To India’s bad luck, Sehwag fell for lbw in the second ball for a duck. India was at 1 down for 0 runs. The crowd hissed.   “Shooooo” was the crowd when Gambhir was dropped right in the beginning of his innings.

The crowd was hoping 100th century from Sachin Tendulkar to come to the rescue. Alas! Tendulkar went out soon at a small score of 18. The crowd went completely silent! Suddenly the exciting match started looking boring. Kohli was slowly trying to pick the reins up but soon got out.

Meanwhile, Gambhir made good use of the life he got and continued to bat steadily. As it looked like he would score his century in the next ball by scoring to the ropes, he went for a lofty shot and that was his end.   We as an audience were confused – do we sympathise with him for missing his century or applaud him for his valuable 97?

It was all Dhoni and Yuvraj thereafter. India now needed 28 runs in 22 balls. It was the 49th over when Dhoni hit the unforgettable sixer to win the World Cup. Winning Sixer by Dhoni!

I could see tears of joy from many of the Indian players and fans alike. The rest of the team carried Gary Kirsten and Sachin around the stadium on their shoulders.  There was joy and celebration everywhere.   The fire crackers all around seemed louder and brighter than ever. The stadium continued to remain crowded till almost an hour after the end of the match. Security was extremely tight. After the presentation ceremony, the crowd invaded the pitch. Many Indian cricket lovers were kissing the ground. Some of them collected the dust from the pitch to carry it home.

I, World Cup Ka Hero, was presented mementos, all autographed by Sachin Tendulkar – a mini ball, mini silver-finish bat, a cap, two T-shirts and a coffee mug. The mug also had pictures of Sachin.

100_1314 100_1306 100_1300100_1349

None of us had had enough. So the electrifying atmosphere shifted to the roads after the match – people jumping, dancing with slogans cheering the Indian team, Dhoni and Sachin. Many Mumbaites came out with cars to get a glimpse of the Indian team at their hotel. The queue ran from the Gateway of India to Khar, a distance of about 18-20 km.

It was a night when I did not want to go back to my bed!   An experience I would never forget in my life!

Last week when India defeated Pakistan in their first 2015 world cup match, it took me back to the experience of the last World Cup final.  Let us all hope, the Indian Team comes true to our expectations this time too!

Experienced and Written By: Badri Baldawa

Edited By : Meeta Kabra

 

 

I Almost Gave Up My Childhood Dream, But ……

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My target was trekking to the Mt Everest base camp.  It was the sixth day of an 18-day expedition. I was on my way to Dabuche.   Instead of the norm of going with a group of 8-10 people, I decided to experience the journey by myself, with a sherpa to help and guide me.

I had already had enough of the bitter cold. I was weak from a day’s worth of upset stomach to go with the steep climbs.  I had seen injured people being carried back and heard of quite a few who were being flown back due to severe altitude sickness. Along the way. I had seen too many bodies of trekkers who died in their attempt to complete the trek.

I almost gave up.

Usually, trekkers from both directions assemble in the evening at the dining area of tea shops at their night halt points.  Most people prefer to hang around closer to kitchen ovens because it is slightly warmer compared to the sleeping cabins.

Keep Climbing

Keep Climbing

At the end of that day, I was too tired and feeling depressed.  That evening, I heard terrible stories about the trekkers who had gone ahead. I was scared, worried and tense.  For the first time in the trip, I wondered seriously why I had left the comforts of home food, bathing and toilet luxuries, my own bedroom with controlled temperature and the great evening walks with my wife. Doubts started creeping in.

Things were likely to be tougher since the path ahead was more isolated.  Maybe, it was wrong to have come for such a tough trek.  I thought it wasn’t too late to go back home instead of facing the risk ahead. I considered telling the sherpa that we ought to return.  But I could wait till the morning.

I wasn’t hungry, I just had a bowl of soup with bread and stretched for a while on the bed.  It was already dark.  I felt slightly relaxed and positive.  I picked up the torch which was always handy.  I looked for the folder with the travel documents.  In the folder, I found two sheets of printed stuff.  I had carried with me some of the interesting and encouraging messages sent by friends and family, before I left.  I put on my glasses, held the torch in one hand and started reading them.  Each of the messages made my nerves tingle with positivity.

  • “you are an inspiration”,
  • “you are different”,
  • “with your energy, you can give people half of your age a run for their money”,
  • “nothing is impossible for you”,
  • “you convert ideas into realities”,
  • “you convert hopes into accomplishments”,
  • “You overcome fear into self confidence”,
  • “You are definitely one of those handful few”,
  • “You are equipped with spiritual health and strong will power”,
  • “Not many can visualize a dream and achieve it also”,
  • “I would have the privilege to tell to my friends, that a personal friend of mine has done this”,
  • “We are proud of you”,
  • “it is tough, but cake walk for you”,
  • “Fantastic, what a way to do the things man”,
  • “It is honour to know someone like you to look upto” etc.
  • One also read: “Height may make you feel a bit shaky at times, but I know you can reach the top!  With your courage and determination, you can go past all obstacles coming your way, you can do it, you can do it!”

  • Another:

    “Follow your dream…..

    Take one step at a time and don’t settle for less…

    Just continue to climb….

    If you stumble, don’t stop, don’t lose sight of your goal…

    Press to the top, as at the top, we can have a vision to see something new….

    Press on, follow your dream, follow your dream”

These really boosted my spirits, when I needed them the most.  I regained my confidence.  It reminded me of my philosophy which, for a short while I had forgotten, ‘If others can do it, why can’t I”.  These well wishers saved my day and enabled me to move forward with full vigour to make my 50 years old childhood dream come true!

Therefore, let us put in inspiring words wherever possible. Let us not under-estimate the power of our positive words.   They work wonders!!

Experienced and Written By: Badri Baldawa

Edited By : Meeta Kabra

God, The Jugaad Master !

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I was stuck at an altitude of about 11,000 ft above sea level with my imported Honda Civic. The car had stalled.

 It was 1988, a time when a Maruti 800 was considered a novelty on the roads. We were on a road trip from Bombay – my wife, the three kids (ages 9-14). We were headed to Badrinath Temple, abode of Lord Vishnu in the Himalayas.

The nearest city which could service imported cars, was Delhi, over 550 kms away, passing through dangerous single lane ghats full of sharp turns and twists.

The traditional route to Badrinath was via Rishikesh. I was told that drivers needed special hill-driving endorsement on their licence to drive after Rishikesh.  I did not have the endorsement and hence was not eligible to drive to that part of the Himalayas. But I still wanted to pursue my crazy idea of driving from sea level all the way to the top of Badrinath and to the base of Kedarnath at 12,000 ft above sea level.

If I drove through the traditional route, I had to pass through many check posts. Without a hill-driving endorsement I would have been forced to engage a professional certified driver.  But, I wanted to experience the thrill of making those sharp and dangerous turns myself.

I changed the route.  Instead of going through the traditional route via Rishikesh, I deviated from Gwalior to drive through Nainital and Almora and joined the traditional route at Karna Prayag.

There were no check posts on this road. Understandable because there were not many vehicles who’d dare to use this route. Over a length of 300 kms after Nainital, the alternative route was steep, full of sharp turns, single, 4ft wide and had a deep valley on one side. A stretch of about 200 kms to Karna Prayag, was completely isolated.  I saw only 3-4 trucks in a drive of about 8 hours.

I did not know that roads could be so dangerous!  We prayed for our lives. We made a promise to God that once we reached Badrinath we’d visit the temple in the evening and again the next day morning, irrespective of how crowded it would be.

We reached Badrinath late in the afternoon, checked-in to whatever accommodation we got, dipped in the holy hot water spring and paid our respects to the Lord. We then decided that we could move on to the next destination immediately, instead of staying till the next morning, which would save us a day.

We checked out of the rooms, packed our baggage back into the car and settled in the car to leave.  When I tried to ignite the engine, the car refused to start!  It was in perfect working condition when I had switched it off last.  Try as I might, the engine cranked but refused to start.

Of course, there was no garage around and the one for this type of a car was far away in Delhi.  The other option was to tow the car.  But towing through a ghat stretch of sharp turns was not safe at all.  We were stuck.

The car was in an open parking ground.  There were quite a few cars and trucks around.  I checked under the hood and apparently nothing was wrong.  The battery was going weak due to repeated attempts to start the car.

A truck driver was watching me struggle. He said, screwdriver in hand, that he knew the mechanism of the car and could help.  Another guy got interested too.  As I was talking to him, the driver with the screwdriver suddenly unscrewed the screw of the carburetor top, breaking the original seal exposing the inside throttle valve.  This valve is a vital part controlling the fuel and air supply to the engine and needs absolute accurate adjustment to run the car.

He proudly claimed that he broke open the seal. He did not realise the complication he had created! He tried to adjust the valve and screw it back but just couldn’t do it. The engine was now completely dead, no more cranking sounds either.

It was a much bigger problem now! The options we had were either to call a known mechanic from Bombay, a distance of 2000 km or an unknown mechanic from Delhi.  This also meant we were stuck in Badrinath, at sub-zero temperature for a few days.  Else we could tow the car through the sharp ghat curves at very high risk.

We were completely upset and worried. We just looked at each other and had no clue what to do. This is when we realised that we were in trouble because we tried to cheat the Almighty – you can call it belief or call it what you like.

Earlier while driving through the dangerous ghats, we prayed to stay at Badrinath atleast for a night and be in his audience the next day before we left.  Now just because we were in a hurry to reach the next destination, we conveniently forgot our promise to stay overnight.  We of course, decided to stay overnight.

We tried to forget the problem at hand and left it to the Lord to solve the problem.  Even so, it was an uncomfortable night.

Next morning, we offered our prayers to Lord Badrinath, apologized for our attempt to leave earlier than promised and slipped in a special request to solve our car problem.

I went to the car, right from the temple.  Yeah!  It cranked, at the very least.  The fuel though, was over-flowing heavily from the carburetor.  The leakage was heavy enough to empty a full tank in 5kms. Only a trained mechanic with garage facilities could fix it.

We gave up all hopes. I considered staying back with the car and send my wife and kids to Delhi in a cab.  I was leaning towards calling my trusted mechanic from Bombay. Heavy expenses aside, our vacation more or less ruined.

Just then, a guy approached me. He looked like he was about 30-35 years old.

He: I drive a private taxi for tourists. I think I can fix your car.

Me: Are you qualified and trained to repair imported cars?

He: No.  I am not a qualified mechanic. I am uneducated. But I worked at Gwalior palace for a couple of years, where the king of Gwalior owned a few imported cars.

Me: Look, yesterday, one guy with great confidence damaged the seal of the carburetor and created more problems. I don’t want another problem.

He: You have no options, Sir. In any case, you will have to leave the car here and go.  So there’s really no harm if I try, right?  Believe in Lord Badrinath.  Nothing worse can happen.

Me: Well. Ok, what will you do?

He: I will set the carburetor suspension mechanism right and start the car. I just need quick-stick-fast paste. I am here only for a couple more hours.

There were hardly any shops there, let alone one where I could get the required paste.  I started asking the drivers and travellers around.  One of the car drivers had one.  The Gwalior guy adjusted the valve, sealed it with the paste.  After 5 minutes, the engine cranked and started, but the fuel was overflowing, though in a manageable quantity. Some hopes from this Gwalior Prince!  He wanted another attempt and I agreed immediately.

He: I want a 25p coin!

Just 25p?  I managed to find one though 25p coins were rare during that time.  He adjusted the float once again, sealed the screw and fixed the coin on top of it with the glue.  After 10 minutes of waiting for the paste to dry, we tried the engine again.

Click started the car, but the fuel was still leaking.  Still, not good enough to drive in the steep valley.  Then our potential savior asked for a 10p coin and a metal wire.

Sure, why not?  He opened the carburetor screw, adjusted the floating valve once again, fixed the screw, fixed the 25p coin, then stuck the wider 10p coin over the 25p coin and tied the coins tightly over the top of the carburetor with the metal wire.  He ensured that the coins did not slip.

He confidently said,  “Relax, pack your bags in the car and be ready to leave in half an hour.  I will also be driving down the hill by that time and will follow your car, just in case there is more trouble.”  We went to the Temple once again, loaded our baggage in the car and were ready to leave.  We were not sure if it was just a dream!

Those 30 minutes were like 30 hours.  We started the car after 30-40 minutes.  The car at once started and no leakage!

There was nothing wrong with the car.  The misfunctioning carburetor was created by our screwdriver friend.  Why the car did not start on the previous day? God knows!

The Gwalior prince did not take a single paisa and said “Lord Badrinath who inspired me to help out.  Thank Him for that.  I assure you, you will have no problem till you reach a reliable garage in Delhi.  You can then, remove all my decorations to your carburetor and get it tuned.”  He was following us till we were through the most dangerous bits of our drive and then disappeared. His decorations of  25p, 10p and the wire remained on the carburetor for years and I had no ignition problems till I sold the car about 4-5 years after this  incident.

For us this gentleman from Gwalior was no less than a God-sent emissary.

What does it prove? Honour your commitment, even if it is to the unseen Almighty?  Or is it a marvel of the Indian Jugaad ?   🙂

Experienced and Written By: Badri Baldawa

Edited By : Meeta Kabra

In 1940s, Why Many Were Born Before 10 June !

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“What is your son’s birth date?” the clerk at the primary school asked my uncle who took me there for admissions in 1950. My uncle was caught unaware.  He never expected to face this question for getting me admitted to school!

I was born at home with the help of Akkamma, an experienced daima (mid-wife) who was devoted to our family for pre and post natal needs. There was no system of celebrating ‘Happy Birthdays’ during those days!  So, parents never bothered to remember the actual birth date of their child!

If I had to check with my Mother for anyone’s birthday in the family, she would quote an incident which happened a few days prior or after the specific birth.  I really appreciate their memories. The deliveries very rarely  in hospitals.  They were mostly at home with the help of daima.   Hence there were no official records. Only a lucky few could afford to wear a wristwatch at that time.  Therefore even the accuracy of the exact time was questionable.

Then how come we all have birth dates? Oh, and even the exact time of birth! In this entire loop, at least in my case, there was one individual who played an important role in determining my actual birth date.

In business communities, the 6 feet long red colour cloth bound bahi-khaatas (books of accounts) were maintained by the family muneems (accountants).  Whenever there was a new arrival in the family, he made a note at the top of that day’s journal “wife of Mr. so-and-so delivered a baby boy/girl at such-and-such time.”

The time noted was as given by the family members.  That became the basis for preparing janam and lagna kundalis (birth and marriage horoscopes) by the Pandits (priests). These were usually prepared years later, as and when the necessity arose.  Else there was no need to remember the birth date.

Therefore, when most unexpectedly the guardian of a child is asked for a birth date, one does not expect to get an answer on the spot.  Even if the guardian knew, there are some other internal and external limitations which needed to be considered.

There were no pre-KG or KG classes then.  For admission to the 1st standard in a primary school, the student had to complete 5 years of age as on 10th June of the year of admission.  If someone was born on 11th June or later, he would lose one year in school as that year was not counted for admission age of 5 years.

And there were other factors too!  An auspicious day was selected for getting admission to school. There was a belief that once you go for a good cause, it was inauspicious to return without having completed the job.  Hence, once you were at the school for admission, there was reluctance to go back home to find the actual birth date.

Even if he wanted to, he would have to trace the books of accounts of five years back, look through each and every day’s notes around the approximate date of birth. A tedious task indeed.

Further, parents considered it an honour to have their child admitted to a school.  It didn’t matter if the age was a couple of months short; the repercussions in the future were not considered seriously in those days.

The school authorities were interested in as many admissions as possible, so that they coult earn enough.   A date which proves completion of 5 years would do.  The parents were conveniently advised to give a date between 1st and 9th of June (of 5 years back) so that the child could be considered as having completed 5 years of age!

Not surprisingly, a good part of the population at that time was born just before 10th June!

Written By: Badri Baldawa

Edited By : Meeta Kabra

For my other Blogs please click on www.smritiweb.com/badri/

 

Who Was She?

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I was driving alone from Abu Dhabi to Dubai on a Friday night in 1983-84.  It is a distance of 130 kms and a 1.5 hour drive.  At that time, the stretch of about 100 km from the outskirts of Abudhabi to Dubai World Trade Centre, was an isolated route.  The roads hardly had anything other than speeding cars plying at over 140km/hr.  It is a right-side-drive system in that part of the world.  That Friday night, I had a peculiar experience.

After about 20 kms from Abudhabi, I saw a lady standing on the roadside with her right thumb pointing up for a lift to Dubai.  She was wearing bangles made of white gold with shining studded diamonds.  Light from the headlights of the car reflected the brightness of the diamonds when she held her hand up for a lift.

She was wearing a white chudidar-kurta.  White – as white as you can imagine.  Shiny silk fabric. Silky white – neck to toe.  No part of the body were exposed except her hands.  I could not trace the face. I don’t remember it it was hollow at that time!

Normally, I would not give a lift to any one on that isolated route. But I don’t know why, I stopped the car to my right.  Though my car doors were auto-locked, she opened the door. It opened absolutely softly.  She sat in.  I continued driving.

She sat quietly. After a while I asked some question. She did not answer.  While I was still driving, I glanced towards her seat. She was wearing white socks, snow white, shiny sandles.

Funnily because I saw her legs resting on the neck support at the top of the seat next to me.  I quickly realised, it might not be really funny.  Where had her head gone?  It was at the bottom of the seat, with top of her bald head covered with a white scarf resting on the foot-carpet.

I glanced again, this time top to bottom of the seat.  It was clear to me she was sitting upside down.  Bald head, a long, long nose, eyes deep inside and chin projecting out!  There was certainly something seriously wrong!

I had the same thoughts you are having now.  I need to protect myself!

I had to take a pre-emptive step!  Who else could be better than Lord Hanuman in such situations?  In my mind, I started chanting Hanuman Chalisa. “Bhoot Pisacha nikata nahi ave, Mahavir jab naam sunave etc.”.  (If you chant Lord Hanuman’s name, ghosts will stay away.)

After a while, I glanced at her seat, though not at her.  She was still there.  I already had her company for about 50km.   No communication and it looked as if she was waiting for an opportunity to do something harmful.

I collected all my strength and started chanting again Hanuman Chalisa, this time loudly.  I kept repeating the loud chant.  After a while, the car stopped on the road side!  Waah Hanumanji!  I don’t remember having turned the steering nor did I remember applying the brakes.  But the car stopped decently, on the side of the road. She opened the door, got down, slowly walked away and after a couple of steps she disappeared.

Can someone tell me – Who Was She?

Written: Badri Baldawa
Edited: Meeta Kabra

 

 

The “Soonya” state of Mind at Ganges

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1 April 2014.  I was at theof River Ganges, at Rishikesh, Vaan Prastha Ghat.

People from various philosophies visit this place.  Rush of believers flood for Ganga Snaan (a dip in the Holy Ganges). After my Yoga class in the morning from 6.30 to 8.00am, I had my breakfast and came down to the ghat for a dip.

Nice, clean water.   Chilling, cold, freshly diluted ice. The current was strong.  It was difficult to stand even on the bank as you feel that you would drown with the strong flow. Heavy iron chains are provided at this bank so that one can hold the chain tight and take a dip in the river.  Still you are afraid that you will drown.

Normally, I dip myself 3 or 5 times in the Ganges.  But I recollected an interesting experience my niece Nirmala (Naru) narrated.  She went for her bath at Rishikesh, Geeta Bhavan #1 ghat.  Close to her was a lady from Eastern Europe taking her dips too.  As is her habit, Naru started talking to the European lady in English.  The lady replied in Hindi and told Naru ‘Dubki poora lena.  Shir aur shir ke hairs bhi bhigana”  (Take the dip properly, your head and hair should go in too). Naru was surprised with her reply in Hindi and said: “Kaan meh problem.” (I have a problem in my ears).  The lady said ‘haan kaan meh paani jata.’ (Yes, the water does go in the ears.)

After 5 dips Naru stopped.  The lady said, “Nahin Nahin, gyarah dubki lena.’  (No-no, you should dip yourself 11 times). When Naru said it was enough for her, the lady insisted, “nahin, nahin 11 lena.  Mai count karegi .”  (no-no, 11 times. I will count.) She forced Naru to continue and started counting dips “six raam raam, “seven raam raam” and continued till 11 dips were completed.

Today, I was afraid that I had come alone. I double checked to see that I am  safe.  I held the chain with as strong a grip as possible.  I had my first dip, second and third.  Normally I feel satisfied, rather I feel tired and complete at 3 dips. But then I recollected the instance Naru had narrated. I took 11 dips!

I do not know whether there is any logic behind this count of 11, but the last 5-6 dips gave me a thrill and pleasure which I have never experienced before. I didn’t know if there was anything surviving or existing in this universe. It was absolute “Soonya” (zero) state of mind.  Nothing but energy flowed in.

It is amazing how devoted foreigners are to learn, understand our traditions and implement them.  Some of them study our traditions and philosophy deep enough, that they are qualified to teach us our own traditions and learning from our scriptures.

Thereafter every time I was in for river bath, after The Float, I took 11 dips and enjoyed getting  in “Soonya” state of mind.

Author: Badri Baldawa

Edited: Meeta Kabra

Define Contentment

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A day at Ganges Ghat at Rishikesh in April 2014.

Just as I was about to enter the river for my bath, I saw one of the sadhu pandits (priest) wearing a white handloom dhoti, just finishing his bath.  I knew he was going to chant Hanuman Chalisa (a prayer for Lord Hanuman).  I went to him to say “Please wait for me to complete my bath, we will sing Hanuman Chalisa together”.  He did not speak.  I took my 11 dips and sat next to him.  We recited Hanuman Chalisa together.

He was the same sant (saint) who I saw two days ago at the river side.  That day, I obseved him as he had his bath while chanting all type of Mantras. He then, sat on the steps and chanted the Hanuman Chalisa with a lovely tune.  I was at peace of mind and unknowingly joined him. I thoroughly enjoyed the vibrations. I waited till he completed his jaaps (chants) and was inquisitive to know more about him.

He was about 60 years old and from a village in Bihar.  He lost his parents long ago.  He did not marry and had no relatives, except for a brother and a nephew, who he had no contact with. He stayed in a temple in his village and was the caretaker.  He traveled a lot.  He reached Haridwar by train and expected to stay in Rishikesh for 4-5 days before moving to other places.  He was planning on reaching Badrinath by foot and expected to reach there by mid-May 2014.  On his way, if he feels like it, if he finds it interesting, he’d stay at any place for 4-5 days.

No plans, no itinerary, no reservations for accommodation, no worry about food, no expense budget.  He appeared a fully content soul.  He would stay in any Ashram which wouldn’t mind giving him some space to sleep, even if it means open space in very cold weather.  He’d eat at any of the Ashrams which had complimentary meal arrangements for Sadhus. In case he didn’t get food, he said, he wouldn’t feel hungry; he felt hungry only when he saw food and not otherwise.  He had just a dhoti and a spare langot for clothing, which he would wash every day and use.

We, on the other hand, would not bother making travel plans unless we have confirmed reservations, comfortable place to stay, planned arrangements to eat and a load of warm and fancy clothes.  Here was a soul who had full mental satisfaction even though he did not have any financial for expenses, accommodation, food arrangements or in fact any materialistic possessions!

Now look at this.  Just on the way to Rishikesh, I lost my iphone.  It was pinched by someone at Delhi station when it was kept for charging from right under our nose.  All my information, contact details, data was lost with the phone.  I was very upset.  I felt very sad.  Losing that phone was almost as if I had lost one of my beloved ones. Is such an attachment necessary?  It is bad that we have become so dependant. How did we manage when cell phones did not exist?  We probably had better mental peace and less dependency on an external non-living tool? Just compare that to the Sadhu who wasn’t even dependent on living beings and was still happy and content.

Later, I went for a trek from Rishikesh to the Neelkanth mountain.  This is located in the centre of a valley, surrounded by mountains all around. It was a circuit trek of about 25 km including a steep climb of about 3000 feet over a distance of 12-13 km.

This is said to be the place where Lord Shiva took his salvation after he consumed the poison, during the Samudra Manthan – to save the universe from destruction, Shiva retained the poison and did not allow it to go down his throat.  It created such heat that he had to rest in a cool place.  That place was Neelkanth.

(Neelkanth is the same place where it is whispered that Mrs. Jasodaben, the wife of the BJP nominee Mr. Narendra Modi is presently stationed  in an Ashram.)

This place could be visited by a vehicle.  But we preferred to trek. No doubt it was a hard trek.  Since I lost my cell phone, I carried my wife’s phone.  It was for the loved ones at home to know our whereabouts.  But every time there was a call, it disturbed the peace and trek thrills. When I had such a wonderful time with nature in wonderful company of two daughter-like grand nieces, Archana and Krishna, any call was a disturbance.  We gain a lot from modern gadgets, but we lose a lot too!

I wondered if it was really necessary that I buy a new cell phone to live? Since I lost my phone, was this an opportunity to stay without it?  I am wondering whether I should buy a phone at all?  Can’t I get on without depending on it?  Will I not be happier without a cell phone?  Why not try at least for a few months to see what difference it makes?

Author: Badri Baldawa                                                      Editor: Meeta Kabra

Affordable Traditions

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“This is the marriage season, I will be very busy”, said a neighborhood moneylender. How do weddings make a lender busy?

Did you get it?

Weddings obviously mean business to many like caterers, decorators, jewelers, etc.  We missed out another category of businessmen who look forward to the wedding season – The moneylender.

The affluent lay down certain traditions to show-off their prosperity.  In the process, probably they do not realise the quantum of damage they cause to society.

A practical example.  In our town, at any wedding, the entire community was invited for three full course meals. ‘Sigree noota’ – all the members in every family were on the invite list. This translated to 200-250 people on two of these meals and 400 people for one of them because people from the neighbouring townships were also invited.

Funnily enough, for those who could not attend, a parcel to their home! Obviously, these meals mean a lot of money.  Someone who probably wanted to boast about his wealth must have started this and with time this became tradition.

Those who did not have adequate sources of income, also had to host three meals.  They were worried that if they failed to host 3 meals they would be looked down upon by the community. Their fear was valid.

Whenever invited by the affluent class, even the members of the low income profile families would go for the dinner.  Not attending was considered as an unfriendly act. Once they went, it was understandably difficult to avoid inviting when there was a wedding at their own home – an endless chain.

Think of the amount of harm this tradition caused.  Those who could not afford, borrowed money.  Some sold or pledged their homes to finance the meals.  A few had to convince their wife and daughters-in-law to sell or pledge their ornaments and jewelry.

Obviously, loans from banks was not available for weddings.  Therefore, they had to borrow from private lenders. The maximum amount a moneylender would lend would be about half the value of the property pledged. An additional condition was that if the loan was not repaid before the amount accumulates to the total value of the property, the owner lost his right to the house or the jewelry.  The interest on private borrowing was anything from 24% to 36% (usually monthly compounded) per year.  This means over a period of 2 to 3 years, the amount repayable would double.  In short, within 2-3 years if the loan was not repaid, hard earned pledged items became the lender’s property.

Why? What is the root cause?  Is it just to maintain a tradition in the society? Will the society for whom this has been done come to his rescue? No. Just forget it, they would be busy gossiping!

The irony is it hardly made any difference to the guests, but the host was doomed. It wouldn’t be surprising if, in certain cases, it led to suicides. What is the point of following such traditions? Inspite of knowing the consequences, no one dared to amend or rectify.

Justification : “why should I be the first one to defy tradition?  Let someone else take the blame”.

Solution?

If we can sensibly act.  For example, at my wedding in 1971, we were reasonably better placed financially and could have managed to host 3 meals easily.  For me, this was an opportunity.  I explained the above consequences to my dad.  He was well aware of such unnecessary burden on some people in the community.

I suggested “Kakaji, why not we restrict the wedding celebration by hosting just one dinner? Let us take the blame for curtailing this tradition and the change could save someone”. My dad was in favor of a positive change in the society and he readily agreed.

Yeah, we did it!  We changed over to all-in-ONE dinner for my wedding.  It is almost 43 years since then and this system is followed to date!

This is just an example of one tradition at a wedding.  Sure, there are many other such opportunities at weddings, but the same principle hold good for birthday celebrations, religious ceremonies, anniversary functions, death ceremonies, etc.

Value of return gifts is another classic example.  If you can take a bold lead in curtailing them down, you have done a great service to society. My appeal to youngsters – Enjoy and Celebrate in life. But sensibly, curtail the formal events to the extent everyone in the society can afford.

I have constantly tried over 40 years ‘Take no gifts and give no gifts.” Some firm traditions of giving and accepting gifts have discontinued in the family.  However, I was only partly successful. But you could do better, will you?

Written: Badri Baldawa                                                      Edited: Meeta Kabra

The Puff

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My family owned a tobacco business for a few years when I was a child.  All the adult men in our family had to smoke to assess the quality of the tobacco.  The youngsters, particularly from the family of my uncles, were not prohibited from smoking. If they had to be a part of the business, they had to know the taste of the tobacco.

Smoking, however, never interested me.  As a child, I thought smoking was bad for youngsters and may be good for older people who earn out of it. I didn’t smoke and my dad didn’t want me to smoke ever.

Around the mid 1950s, on one specific occasion, curiosity got the better of me – I wanted to know what a smoke tastes like.  I chose a time when my dad’s office was empty.  I closed both doors to the office.  To ensure that no one detects me, I crept under the office table, and put a beedi in my mouth, filmy style.

I tried to copy Dilip Kumar, N T Ramarao or Nageswar Rao, the then Hindi and Telugu famous movie actors. I lit the beedi, and took my first puff.  Oh no! I started coughing immediately. The cough just would not stop.

My dad was in the quality inspection room located just behind the office room.  He sent our senior supervisor Girijappa to figure what was wrong with me.  Girijappa rushed, looked at me, understood what I was upto. He said it is not unusual and that it happens when you smoke for the first time.  That was the only puff I had in my life.  I hated the concept thereafter.

I thank that puff for keeping me away from smoking forever.

Written: Badri Baldawa                                Edited: Meeta Kabra