The year was 2010. I had just done my basic course ( art of living happiness program as it was called then) . 2 months back and i was very satisfied with results of my daily kriya practice. I was feeling more happier and energetic. Gurujis visit was planned to Mangalore, with a stage program in mangala stadium, live Sudarshan kriya with Guruji and a volunteers meet etc. I jumped at this chance to meet him again in person after the Kateel Visit. Me and my friends spread the news of Gurujis visit to all those people whom we knew.The great day had finally come and I was excited to meet him.
Live Sudarshan kriya with Guruji was at 4 pm and we were supposed to report at 3 pm. Then the first disappointment happened. To my dismay I saw that there were no arrangements made for shamiana to cover the venue where we were supposed to do the Long Kriya and we were supposed to wait under the hot sun waiting for Guruji. But I accepted it and was waiting patiently with all the others.
After long time of waiting, the organizers announced , that due to some unexpected circumstances, Guruji would be arriving late and thus the Sudarshan kriya would not be a live kriya which Guruji would chant himself, but the recorded long kriya which all of us generally practice in follow up. This was a big disappointment to me as they had created a lot of buzz about live kriya with Guruji .
Then after still more time Guruji came for the satsang. The satsang was decent but not what we had seen in TV in other places, or what I had imagined it to be. The final straw was when I got news that volunteer meet was also cancelled as Guruji was tired and was going to a resort in Moodbidri some 30 kms from mangalore to rest. I was very upset, and just walked away from the venue. I went home and told my family I was never going to attend any art of living session ever. I felt disappointed in Guruji who didn’t appreciate us volunteers who had put so much effort.
My friend who had introduced me to Art of Living called me and I shared all my frustration with him. He told me he and one more friend were going to go uninvited to the resort tomorrow to meet Guruji. I told him, I was not coming as I had was very disappointed with previous evening program and didnt want to face further disappointment. Then next day I told my family i was going to the office. I set out with all intentions to go to office and I parked the car outside my office. Just then I felt some curiosity and I called my friend who had gone to moodbidri what the situation was there. He told me that he had arrived at the resort and they were waiting for Guruji. I told him he was welcome and I anyway had no experience driving such long distances alone and I am not coming.
Then I started to drive my car all the way to moodbidri. I felt it was very strange. I didn’t want to go, but I felt some force was pulling me all the way, I was resisting it , but it was as if I was helpless. I drove all the way to moodbidri very fast, much faster than I had ever driven till then. I reached the resort, and I started running to the venue where Guruji was there. When I reached there Guruji who was on the stage, just stopped what he was saying and just looked at me with a compassionate smile. In that one glance, he was telling me , see how I got you here , even though you didn’t want to come.
There were hardly 15 people there, who were invited and we 3 gate crashers. We got a chance to meet him on stage, introduce ourselves personally. There was a later press conference where I got to sit literally at his feet, very close to him and many of my doubts got clarified in the Q&A session with the press. All the events of previous day faded away and I felt so connected with him. The Volunteer meet which was cancelled the previous day was also scheduled later in the day and also those volunteers who could not meet him also met him.
I thank him most deeply and humbly for making me drive all the way to moodbidri in such a dramatic manner. The memories of the time spent there, are so touching and deep.
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