11th January, 1994 - Trip to Garoi ... (and ten years
later ... at the end)
In the night of 10th, I went to Mausa's home from the hostel where I was
staying at that time during my college days. The 11th was the electorial
day in the college, but somehow I preferred to go to the Ashram at Garoi,
which was planned on 11th morning. The day was a special one, as it was
the birthday of Baba on the Bakul Amaavaasyaa. We went to sleep at 1pm and
got up at 5am and started our journey to Garoi. This was my second journey
and I didn't have enough experience before. So it was devoid of any fixed
idea or prejudice. We had a loaded camera and tape recorder for any worthy
incidents. At about noon we reached there (10:30 - 11:30). When we
reached, the man of our destiny, Buddhia Baba, was taking bath. Turmeric
paste was pasted all over his body. It was instructed by the Pothi that
Baba will be wearing flowers on that day- flower garlands, flower crowns
as the ritual was called Phoola Besa (flower form). It was due to be held
at 3 pm but got late till evening.
...After seeing Baba, a naughty thought came to take immediate snaps and I
tried to do so without even asking once (I was too young, 20 years old, to
show a rational behavior !). Kalu was my partner that time, even more
naughty and mischievous. So he also morally supported me the whole time
and shared the thoughts. A lady, whom I do not remember anymore, told, "Hey
Son, dont take pictures without permission, It will also not come anyway".
I started to laugh inside at the seemingly naive comment, it will not
come; what she was talking about !. Baba also heard the lady and realized
my intention and commented to the lady, "Why you are lying to the child
?". Then he turned towards me and told: "It will come, why not, but, we
will take pictures later when I will be looking better. This time is not
suitable, So wait, we will take later". I felt the happiness of small
victory that the lady is wrong, and of course the photos will come, only
problem was why later ?, Anyway, it does not matter, be it so ... Little
did I realize that time that the lady was right, and I was wrong. Baba
also told: "Haan mu uthibi (photore), pare uthaaiba, bhul heu ki thik heu,
mu chauraanabere uthibi" [Yes, I will rise up/captured in photo, later
shall we shoot picture, Be it right or wrong I will get up in 94]. It had
a different meaning too ! He meant that 1994 was his time to reveal
himself partly and mix with the devotees. He was living an anonymous life
before that, only few people knew him.
The whole day just passed by, taking Prasaad (meal at temple), moving
around in Siali Lata or near Bata tree, and so on. Also, we saw a rare
bird at the top of the temple; elderly people told/boasted its a Garuda
Pakhshi. It looked though different, I didn't see a Garuda bird
before, so I didn't have the experience to compare or identify, but the
bird was a bit strange-looking. The atmosphere and weather was good and
the time passed by. Mausa was moving here and there busy, the whole day.
At about 4 pm, I was allowed to take one snap after getting an informal
permission. At that time I didn't know that I was made a fool of, that
nothing came later in the photo, when developed later. Anyway, that was
not all ..., it was only a small part of the game. More was coming soon
...
We waited a long time for the Phoola Vesa. In evening about 8:30 we saw
Baba, he looked a bit different and more serious, anyway what it has to do
with me; my job was to take a lot of photos - relaxed or serious hardly
mattered. But he was looking more and more serious and intense, as if
overpowered by someone else. As per Taamrapothi that I heard later, Shri
Achyuta had sheltered in him for a short time that evening. These were
anyway too hard for me to comprehend- I suppose for any normal person, it
is. After a good amount of time, he slowly got relaxed again, though still
looking a bit abnormal. Then he went on to the temporary stanza, where
some singers had gathered, including Bhikaari Bala and Shaantilataa Barik.
There Baba sang a Bhajan and came back.
After sometime, Baba took the new chair (Aasana) inside the Ashram
premises. Mausa had called me and Tapu to be there in PhoolaVesa and we
came. After being instructed by Mausa, I started to take photos
immediately without delay. As if I must win this challenge, the Buddhaa
(old man) is playing the whole day and not allowing me to take pictures, I
must do it now and I must win this challenge. Then I took a snap
face-to-face. Seeing this, also two other cameras rose from the group
there. Suddenly, Baba woke-up and told: "Kana, photo neijiba, nela
dekhibaa kemiti neba, kie neba dekhibaa?" [What, you will take photos,
take we will see how you can take, who can take ?]. Baba was wearing a red
dress that day. After the words, me, and two others were ready to take
photos. We made the flash on, and got ready to shoot. Then we pressed the
button --- Oh No, to everyone's astonishment it was impossible to push the
little buttons of the cameras at all. The small buttons looked like they
have become immovable. All three were stopped together. Mausa took the
camera from me, with a hope that I was wrong, and he might be successful.
But, ha ha, he too failed, it was not only the previous three. Then Baba
broke the silence: "Kana waakil, buddhi kaama karuni. Kali yugara tinitaa
machine maada khaaigala. He he, mu uthibini, ichhaanahele uthibini, ana mo
machine". [What lawyer ?, your intelligence is also not working ! Three
machines of this kaliyuga failed. Ha ha, I will not be captured in your
camera, if I don't get the wish, I will not. Bring my machine]. Someone in
the crowd, gave him a camera and he started sporting with that and making
snaps at random. Again he told: "Achaa, ethara uthaa, mu uthibi" [Ok, you
can take now, I will be shot now with your camera]. Now the cameras were
functioning. The three cameras were in action. We took some snaps. And
suddenly, he repeated the process again. In total , the cameras were
blocked three times. Every time, he used to move his finger from a
distance the cameras stopped and then at his words or will it started
functioning again. At the end he told: "Pila duitaa sakaalathuu kahuchanti,
aame photo uthaaibu, uthaa" [The two children are telling since morning to
take pictures, OK you take]. The whole sport was a real- baffling
situation for all of us, though we were only few there to witness the
event. It is very rare that Baba shows anything at all of such mysticism,
but we were a lucky few present there to witness something like this in
this era of modern machines.
After this, he was decorated with flowers approximately 50 kg in weight.
He was still looking serious. It was too late, 11 pm. Me, Papu along with
Mausa stayed there & we took partial rest in the car only as there was no
other possibility there, no big buildings or commercial accommodation. As
per Pothi, Shri Achyuta was to come in the form of a small boy, dark
colored. He should be offered tiffin as he would
deny a meal. We saw a small black boy- as per him he was from a distant
village about 10-12 km away. Frankly speaking, I don't trust fully what
was told, but anyway it is very hard to comprehend these abstract things.
But the incident with camera was real and it really happened to me, so
there is no point to deny. It would be too illogical to deny that for me,
as it is too illogical to accept this without experiencing. After all
this, I too retired inside the car. In morning Mausa woke us up and we got
up hearing the sounds of the temple-bells with a fresh and cool
atmosphere. The five disciples went carrying a big wooden box with the
garlands and put it inside the nearby river (Bisarjan). It indicated that
Baba got some new dimensions in that whole process shedding off some of
the previous humanly attributes.
I
was still fascinated with the incident and was looking for Baba. He had
bathed himself and was entering the temple. Suddenly he looked up at the
flags at the temple-top and was not happy to see
that it was not flying freely. It had got stuck rounded around the
support. He suddenly raised his right arm up with one finger open and
moved his arm in a circle three times. Each time, I did notice, the flag
was opening one fold, and after three times he just waved his hands and
the flag started to blow with the wind. Then Baba entered inside the
temple. This event was not witnessed by anyone else, I was just
coincidently there to observe this from a distance, though secretly. It
was too early in the morning and nobody was nearby.
~17th (or 15th) January, 2003 - Trip to Garoi
...
It was a day of Makar Sankraanti, and me, mausa and one cousin
had been to the Ashram for a short time. It was a calm day and there were
not many people. After sometime, before returning, I just put again the
question, through Mausa, about the blocking of the cameras. Baba looked
straight and replied: "you are working on science for so long, but in
ten years of time you could not understand this how the camera stopped.
See, I am not God, I have a Boss, only one Boss who is above me.
Sometimes, I do such things (so called mystic things), but at his will
only. When he tells, I do (he pointed his finger up once and then to his
own solar plexus) There is nothing great in it, when
he wants the white light comes and falls on a place to do whatever is
required. What cameras?, this
light will not allow the staying (functioning) of any machine. But you (he
pointed at me), do what you are doing and as you want, but don't touch my
main-switch (making a bit of joke laughingly)."
The answer was so modest yet so powerfully charged.
Baba respects the Science and Technology, but does not like the pride due
to this. He once told: "The KaliYuga machines are not fascinating for me,
my machine is a bit different. Raavana, in Tretaya had achieved almost
everything, if not all, what you people have made today. Raavana had done
so with his Buddhi (intelligence) but got destroyed due to his pride and
"I-ness" (muun). But I do not need intelligence, I need Gyaana
(knowledge). I ask God for pure devotion and for supreme knowledge".
Toka, Puri |