Who is Krishna Das?

Enter the new year with a new resolve and get to know a man who is quietly doing his work.

If you dig it long enough, you’re gonna find a 2011 BBC article that talks about Krishna Das, but that’s it. 2-3 articles here and there. He’s practically a nobody. Yet he embodies all the motivation that you will ever need.

Let me tell you how this all started.

In March 2020, I moved into my parent’s house in Mumbai, to tide through COVID without anticipating that this will become my permanent residence for quite some time.

Mumbai’s high priced real estate leaves no area for you to be alone. You are always surrounded by concrete buildings and people. We don’t have normal ceilings and balconies that the rest of the country enjoys.

I didn’t mind it till I was spending every waking minute inside the house.

I love to move and workout. I tried working out at home, but my hands kept getting struck by the fan. I’m 5’9” and I’m living in a flat that’s worth well over 2.5Cr. So I am neither tall nor do I live in a shabby place. Isn’t that weird? How little space Mumbai has left for us to breathe?

Thankfully, there is one place that the city of Mumbai was not able to claim. Nature doesn’t allow it.

The beach. Juhu beach. The vast expanse of sand and an endless sea. If you’re in Mumbai and you’re feeling locked or stressed, go to the beach. I promise you, the air, the morning sun, it’s gonna shoot up your serotonin levels.

Disclaimer#1 Don’t go on the weekends or in the evenings. There is way too much crowd. Specifically go on weekday mornings.

Disclaimer #2 Quickly get away from the entry point. Within 500m diameter of the entry point are all the one-timers and fakers. Clicking pictures, wearing shades. You are gonna see that shit on your Instagram with the tag “peaceful morning time at the beach“. Instead, get about a kilometre or two within (or park your car, at a smaller further entry point).

If you’re at Juhu beach between 6:00-7:00 am on the weekdays, you will see the runners, the meditators. People who had the tenacity to sacrifice sleep and be there. An army of BMC workers is picking up the trash that people left the night before and then there is Krishna Das.

He is a yogi, originally from Moradabad, quietly putting his boards on the high end real estate of Juhu beach. From 6 am till 9 am, his boards are gonna stay there. He doesn’t have a permit or anything. He is marketing his ideas at zero cost and zero profit. He has a cycle and a dhoti so he doesn’t need much.

He is a yogi who has meditated in the Himalayas and he got inspired to spread his message of love and peace when he heard the famous Morari Bapu at a conference. He is irreligious and his boards depict learnings from multiple religions.

He believes that he can reduce the stress that this city faces. It’s a tall ask.

Look at him enjoying his new year’s morning waving at the birds. Just being a part of nature.

He has been coming and placing his boards for almost 20 years. He places them at Juhu beach in the mornings, and at Juhu circle when people are going to work.

Almost everyone ignores him. People are doing their thing, or listening to music, or just driving by. But that doesn’t faze him one bit. He enormously content. He does his job diligently day after day.

It baffles me to see his resolve. After you’ve been seeing him for months, you’ll be like,"what is up with that guy?!”

Isn’t it crazy? That someone can keep putting in the work, day after day for 20 years? No Sundays, no holidays.

Think about this for a moment. Where would you land if you put in your 100% work, day after day, all 7 days of the week, without seeking credit?

I am envious of his resolve. I’ve met a lot of smart entrepreneurs and investors, but this is something else. I’ve never seen anyone this undeterred. The last time someone wrote about him would be 5-8 years ago. So he is definitely not into getting famous or anything. He is not looking to do that.

He will seem like a madman to you at first, but there he is every morning. Doing what he believes in, expecting nothing. I saw him first in April when I first went to the beach. Then I saw him every day till I spoke to him 9 months later on 1st January 2021.

He keeps changing his boards based on what he thinks the world needs and the current socio-economic climate and he had put out a new content for New year’s.

Here is his post on wearing a mask.

Translation: Wear a mask. Maintain distance. Don’t be scared.

Without further ado, I’m leaving you with the custom-made posters that Krishna Das made and placed especially for you on the first morning of 2021.

Translation: Follow your religion. Love everybody.

Translation: Believe in yourself. Nothing will go wrong.

Translation: Everyone has flaws.

Translation: You need to have “masti“ for life to work itself out.

In many posts, he uses the word “masti“ to talk about a state of joy and child-like happiness. A state of simplicity. I can’t find an exact synonym, so I am gonna use the word “masti“.

Translation: By asking for forgiveness, you will have “masti“ back in your life.

Translation: Respect your spouse if you want to have “masti” in your life

Translation: This is a country of warriors.

Translation: Whatever had to happen, happened. Move on and correct it.

Translation: We owe our success to a lot of people who backed us.

Translation: Keep your motivation high.

Translation: When you make a mistake, correct it.

Translation: Small things combine to form a larger thing.

Translation: Your mind is powerful and patient.

Translation: Trust the gods. Everything will work itself out

Translation: Be of service to your parents. You will receive their blessings.

Leaving you with this final picture of Krishna Das. ??

Translation: Welcome to 2021. Strengthen your mind.

This article originally appeared on my Substack