EARLY YEARS WITH OUR MOST BELOVED SWAMIJI ??

When loved ones come home, the joy and excitement of the children are palpable. And why not? They become the center of attraction. The icing on the cake is when their arrival creates a festive atmosphere in the house, bringing in many people, siblings, and friends—some known and some unknown. This is what happened when Swamiji came to our house.

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In the early sixties, receiving advance notice of Swamiji's arrival through a postcard was enough for my young mind to grasp the importance of the message. I still remember Babuji's promptness and my quietly following him barefoot. Late Bimalacharan Sen Ji, Late Khitish Sen Ji, and Late Jeevan Krishna Ray Ji all needed to be given the good news. The same evening or the next morning, everyone must assemble, plan, and prepare a well-arranged list of all the programs that would take place in Swamiji's presence.

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A month would pass in a jiffy with intense preparation. Eventually, the day would come when everyone would anxiously await Swamiji's arrival. Fat Fat Fat Fat – As soon as the sound of the fatfatiya (a three-wheeled passenger vehicle, a sort of tonga powered by a powerful Bullet motorcycle engine that used to ply in those days) came from the distance, everyone would exclaim, “Swamiji has come, Swamiji has come!” I would immediately latch onto my middle brother, Shakti Sharan Ji. Holding me on his back, running and panting, he would reach the end of the road from where the fatfatiya entered our block.

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Seeing us approaching, the fatfatiya would stop, and my eldest brother Vireshwar Ji, who used to go to the station to receive Swamiji, would pull both of us onto the vehicle. Swamiji would fondly place me on his lap. Those few moments felt fleeting, like sitting on a flying cushion riding to the moon. Swamiji would have liked to take me around the block, but Babuji would be standing restlessly at the foot of the stairs to our quarter, waiting for Swamiji.

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The moment Swamiji stepped down from the carriage, the whole environment would become mesmerized. His impressive personality in white attire and his heart-touching sweet smile filled everyone with immense joy. Mother would welcome him by blowing the conch shell, and the devotees, filled with emotion, would eagerly touch his feet. No one was watching us children, but our eyes were on Swamiji's green bag, which had so many pockets. Will there be anything for us in those pockets? The innocent hope of a small heart, maybe something for us too! Don't know how Swamiji could sense our mind! Calling us near, he would take out batashas (kind of small sugar half-moon shaped candies that’s offered as prasad after prayers across India) from one of pockets of his green bag and give one to each one of us. Getting a batasha without sitting in satsang for hours! Can anyone imagine the happiness of us children?

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Now, I would wait for Swamiji to finish his morning rituals—prayers, meditation, etc.—and sit down for lunch. Mother prepared so many dishes, but still, Urmila Devi Ji brought Bengali Shukto (a mild, slightly bitter, milky mixed vegetable Bengali dish eaten before the main course) and Chhanar Dalna (a Bengali curry dish with homemade fresh cheese and potatoes). Shobha Devi Ji brought homemade Bengali Shandesh (with saccharine, as Swamiji was diabetic). How could a child not drool after seeing all these dishes served to Swamiji? Before eating, Swamiji would sprinkle water around the plate three times while chanting mantras. Then, pointing towards me, he would tell Mother to bring my plate as well. How could my little stomach eat so much? But I loved Chhanar Dalna. Then Shobha Devi Ji would say, “For Raja, there’s Shandesh with sugar.” Swamiji would say, “Wow, royal sweet for our little Raja!”

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During Swamiji's entire stay, there would be a lot happening from early morning till late at night. There was the practice of shlokas, satsang, shastra path, and discussions on many topics. Swamiji would teach taal and sargam to Vireshwar Ji and enhance new compositions and self-composed bhajans and tunes. Vireshwar Ji would spend one hour in the morning with Shakti Sharan Ji and other boys and girls and another hour in the evening with seniors (mostly women). I would often sit on Swamiji's lap, and he would teach me how to play the majeera (a pair of clash cymbals, a traditional Indian percussion instrument). By the time I was three years old, I had a good knowledge of rhythm, as I am told. While going to the Kullu sammelan in 1964, when everyone was performing aarti on the bus, I played majeera very well. I was only three and a half years old then.

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While still very young, Swamiji inspired the children to decorate the Thakur Vedi (altar). I had a special fondness for making flower garlands. There was a flowers nursery in front of our block from where I would pick different types of colorful flowers early morning. Babuji, while returning home from the office, would also bring a bagful of unique flowers from the bungalows of high-level government officials he knew. Swamiji would show us different methods of making garlands with small and big flowers every day. The flowers would be sewn upwards from the bottom middle of the garland on both sides, and the locket would be made of special flowers. To ensure proper hanging of the garland, small nails would be placed on the top - left and right sides of the photo frames of the deities, and both ends of the garland would be wrapped around them. The upper border of the photo frame would have separate flower decorations. The beauty of the staircase-like altar and canopy was a sight to behold.

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Similarly, Swamiji would teach us how to make rangoli (colourful decorative patterns on floors) with flowers and also very attractive necklaces on the glass framed photos of Gods with red and white sandalwood paste. Our family members became so adept in this art that we would often get calls from different places for deity decorations. In 1972, when the first President of independent Bangladesh, Shri Mujibar Rahman visited Delhi, our family was chosen to make a rose garland to welcome him. Such was the effect of the virtues taught by Swamiji. Even today I try to decorate our puja ghar with the same dedication. By God's grace, wherever we lived, we never had a shortage of fresh flowers. The design of the thakur vedi in our Faridabad house is still the same which Swamiji had created with his own hands in our Delhi government quarter in Sarojini Nagar in early 50s.

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During Swamiji's time, every year in winter, a preeti sammelan would be organized, and we would all board a bus and go to some beautiful park, monument, or place of tourist interest. Bhajan, food, and excursions – we children would eagerly await this day for a long time. Such trips gave us the opportunity to visit India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Qutab Minar, the Zoo, Old Fort, Buddha Jayanti Park, Lodhi Garden, and many other tourist places, allowing us to learn about our history and the environment.

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Today, while reading the postal letters sent by Swamiji 40 to 60 years ago and the memoirs written by Babuji, I go down memory lane. His frequent mention of my name, 'Raj Shekhar,' in his letters to me and Babuji for 17 years, and his persistent encouragement to live up to my name, were constant sources of motivation for me to excel in whatever I do.

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Apart from music, acting, drama, and sports, Swamiji instilled leadership qualities in all of us from a young age. I became the leader of the children in my locality. Whether it was the birth anniversary of great men and deities or festivals like Lohri, Republic Day, Spring Festival, Holi, Baisakhi, Independence Day, Janmashtami, Rath Yatra, Rakshabandhan, Teej, Durga Puja, Diwali, Dussehra, Gurupurva, or Christmas, our aim was always to do something new. And we achieved this mostly without spending much money.

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At the age of nine, I learned the art of bookbinding and envelope making from Swamiji. I practiced this skill passionately every afternoon for six months at a nearby house where bookbinding work was done. My efforts paid off when a well-to-do family, whom I helped repair old books, gifted me about 50-60 children's storybooks and comics before leaving Delhi due to a transfer. This collection marked the beginning of Raja’s 'CHILDREN’S LIBRARY' in a corner of our house. The library operated just like a well-established one. When Swamiji saw this unique venture and its growing popularity, his surprise and joy knew no bounds. He took me to an ongoing Russian exhibition and bought a children's book, 'Chuk and Gek,' which he presented to my children's library.

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My closest friend Ashim, a skilled tabla player who accompanied Swamiji during recitals, was also an excellent drawing artist. Ashim made about 25 paper posters to promote the book and the library, which we pasted at bus stands, milk depots, and markets within a 3-4 kilometres radius of our house. As a result, within a few days, the library's popularity and membership increased so much that children had to wait up to two weeks to get their favourite books issued.

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By the time I was ten years old, Swamiji and I had come very close, and we often went out for outings, sometimes by bus, carriage, horse carriage, or even on foot. Visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and churches, he shared with me many stories about various religions and customs. Swamiji had a special interest in handicrafts. He would take me to Gwalior Potteries, where I enjoyed making clay toys with the potter's children. Sometimes, he would visit a cobbler, tailor, carpenter, or blacksmith, showing me their skills and explaining the importance of each trade. In those early years of student life, we children who were close to Swamiji were a fortunate bunch. We gained so much from practical experiences and exposure, and this had a direct impact on our excellent academic achievements, as well as our success in sports and various extracurricular activities.

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The year 1970, when I was ten, was especially significant for me. Just a few days after the Durga Puja Festival, the fourth triennial sammelan of the Sarvangi Vikas Sangh (the institution founded by Swamiji and his disciples in 1951 for the all-round development of society) was scheduled to be held in Delhi. The Durgotsav in Sarojini Nagar was like a family festival for us, taking place in the huge school ground right in front of our block, with preparations starting 3-4 months in advance. Our house would be abuzz with marathon meetings and rehearsals for the programs, and this year, with the sangh sammelan, it was going to be double the action.

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Satsang, practice, and rehearsals... Meanwhile, during an afternoon walk, Swamiji asked me to memorize some shlokas (verses) from the Bhagavad Gita and began explaining their meaning in simple language. Although I had memorized the 12th and 15th chapters, the verses Swamiji was explaining were not in the usual sequence. Back home, he underlined some verses on various pages with red and green pen in my Gita booklet and announced in the evening, “From today onwards, we will call our Raja Arjuna!” As a small child, I was a little confused as to why Swamiji was changing my name. Later, Swamiji laughingly called Tapan Ji, another member slightly older than me, and said, “This is our Lord Shri Krishna, the charioteer of Arjuna with the bow.” Swamiji had actually planned a dramatized play ‘Krishna Arjun Samvad’ for both of us, and from that day our practice began.

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All was fine, but everyone was so busy that no one had time to burn the Ravana effigy that I had made for the Dussehra. After the sammelan was over, when Swamiji got information about this, he immediately asked Shakti Sharan Ji to transport the Ravana to the Hindu Mahasabha Bhawan, the venue of the sammelan. I was extremely happy. Ravana was burnt in front of everyone.

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It was as if the Delhi sammelan suddenly expanded my world. The experience was filled with so much love and intimacy that I felt overwhelmed and cherished. I became a very special younger brother to the sisters of Ahmedabad and Kullu. Children from all branches participated enthusiastically in the programs and various contests. The sammelan made little Raja acutely aware of how much the honor of the family increases with the small contributions of children. Watching their presentations, I saw how proud and joyful the parents and everyone else became.

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Everyone was mesmerized by the tabla playing of my 12-year-old friend, Ashim Chakraborty, during the night-long cultural concert. Until then, I had been playing the bongo and congo, but seeing the appreciation Ashim got, I was inspired and decided to learn to play the tabla.

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The Delhi branch received the most awards at the sammelan, which filled us children with new enthusiasm. During the sports sessions, some young outstation members showcased unique feats of physical fitness that greatly impressed the children of Delhi. Although the cold had intensified, the sammelan inspired many people, including Swamiji, to be more active in healthcare. This initiative began with walking instead of taking the bus for the weekly satsang.

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Even in the bitter cold of January 1971, we would set out on foot with Swamiji (or as Swamiji liked to say, taking "bus number 11") to Ram Krishna Puram and Moti Bagh. All the children, youth, men, and women briskly walked with Swamiji, singing bhajans and chanting mantras, always reaching ?for satsang ahead of time. This not only gave everyone a new boost of energy but also helped ward off the cold and cough. The walks became a cherished routine, instilling a sense of community and well-being among us all.

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In 1975, we moved from the Government Quarters in Sarojini Nagar to our new home in Chittaranjan Park. From then on, whenever Swamiji visited Delhi, he stayed at the Ram Krishna Puram residence of the late Jeevan Krishna Rai Ji's family. Chittaranjan Park was a burgeoning Bengali colony, and the energy we had acquired from Swamiji radiated through this new place. This vitality was evident in all the social, cultural, and welfare initiatives undertaken with the same passion and dedication that our family had practiced for nearly 25 years.

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So, these are my cherished memories of my early years with our dear Swamiji, whose vast influence operated within our homes and hearts and will always continue to do so.

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Shata Shata Pronaam to Swamiji ??

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Swamiji not only made Sadhana-Satsang an integral part of our daily routine but also guided our internal energy and working capacity to deliver fruitful results.

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Some of the fundamental principles that Swamiji instilled in me:

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·?????? Life should be driven by efforts.

·?????? Proper utilization of available resources is essential.

·?????? Renewal in thought, methodology, and implementation should be a continuous process.

·?????? Complete dedication in every task that not only brings self-satisfaction but most impotantly serves the purpose.

·?????? Always progress in your work without expecting praise or reward.

·?????? Do not judge any person or their actions in the short term; give time to form your perception.

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