When I read about the passing away of spiritual leader and educationist Dada J P Vaswani at 99, my meeting him sometime in January 1983 in the then Madras flashed in my mind. Those days I was conducting classes in Conversational English for women at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. My Sindhi friend who was also a freelance journalist informed me that Dada Vaswani was holding a press conference in Egmore at 4 pm. After finishing my class I tried to look for an autorickshaw, but since it was raining I couldn’t find any. After waiting for more than 40 minutes, I was able to get one.
When I entered, the small crowd appeared scattered in the large hall. Right in front I spotted three men all clad in white pajamas engrossed in conversation. I introduced myself to one of the women who was around and she asked me to accompany her. “This is Meera Rao, a journalist,” she said introducing me to Dada Vaswani. He greeted me with a spontaneous childlike smile and I could notice the softness and glow in his eyes.
“I cannot forget your name as it reminds of bhaktha Meera,” he said smiling. “I am extremely sorry for coming so late, but I couldn’t help it. I seem to have missed the whole press conference,” I said apologising profusely. “So what, if you have come late, you can have the session all over again. I am prepared to spend as long as you want till you are tired of me,” he said with a smile. “Have your tea first. Then we will sit together and talk.” His words left me doubly refreshed.
He spent nearly an hour. “There is a similarity in the teachings of the great. Whatever religion they followed, the fountain of their inspiration was one. Jesus reaffirms the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita,” he observed.
“Whatever you do, however busy you are, never neglect your daily appointment with God, cultivate a relationship with Him, make Him your mother, sister, brother or friend and have daily communication with God,” he said. The last relationship appealed to me. “Yes,” I echoed excitedly. “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” While taking leave of him, he said, “Bring joy into the life of someone who is joyless.”
Here was a spiritual leader who spared his valuable time to make someone happy. My arriving late was a blessing in disguise indeed. I did not feel like an interviewer but felt I was talking to a friend. When I told him this, he replied “Yes, I am your friend,” smiling softly again.
N Meera Raghavendra Rao
Email: meera45@gmail.com