[My first visit to Banagram]
[At that time (December 25, 1983) there was only one fragile bicycle in the Banagram Ashram which was used by Trishanda (Swami Parameshwarananda Maharaj). Trishanda used to go out from ashram almost every morning by that bicycle and at the end of the day i.e in the evening or even later, he would return to the Banagram ashram via Mukherjee’s house. But before going out in every morning, he must meet (consult) Guru Maharaj. If there was a programme of sitting of Guru Maharaj outside, Trishanda would usually take the responsibility of the programme and took Guru Maharaj with him.
I also saw that in the most places(any other villages or towns outside the ashram), as long as the sitting of Guruji was going on, Trishanda would still stand at the front of the door, as an ideal body-guard of Guru Maharaj. I also noticed that Murari Da (Swami Niskamananda Maharaj)- at the Banagram Ashram, sometimes( if he had time off from work,) might have come to hear Guruji’s sitting – but he also would stand quietly in one corner. I have never seen these two men to hear Guru Maharaj’s sitting by sitting down-anywhere !
However, there was not more than one bicycle in the ashram at that time. And why there was no more bicycle? It was because the bicycle were run for 7/8 months in a year then, and the remaining four/five months, it had to be kept on the loft. Because when it started raining in the rainy season, the road was too muddy at that time!! And the mud of Banagram was absolutely thick and was so sticky ! If by any chance the mud got on one’s feet, It didn’t want to get up from feet anymore ! If anyone came to the ashram during the rainy season, he had to take off his shoes and roll his clothes or pants and he had to step his feet carefully at the road after Vandul( The road from Jabuidanga to Vandul was paved at that time and Vandul to Banagram was muddy.) to come to Banagram at that time. And before reaching the ashram, the first thing we had to do was to go down to the pond and clean the mud of the feet by rubbing with hand for a long time ! But surprisingly, when one went to bed at night, he/she almost noticed that the corners of his/her toenails were covered with mud ! Dear readers! Then you could understand that how sticky, the mud was !
One incident was common to many disciples at that time___ they missed the bus at Vandul, just for cleaning the mud of the feet in a pond near the bus-stand ! So one had to walk to Jabuidanga again !
Still, it was a pleasure to go to the ‘Banagram Ashram’! The food was not very good there, the sleeping space was not upto the mark, the sleeping area was crowded (15 to 20 people would sleep together within a big mosquito net)- inspite of all this inconvenience —-there was joy ! what an incredible joy ! What an unearthly enjoyment !! It was because__ there was Paramananda himself in the gross body then !!
After writing these words, I am not willing to write anything more !! If anyone remembers that face(of Paramananda) – can he concentrate on any worldly matter?? All conflicts, all arrogance, all quarrels – all these calm down, as if everything heals, as if everything becomes silent! So I want to remain silent !
But still I have to write something about Guruji’s lesson or preaching and that’s why I’m writing ! Guruji himself gave me ‘the pen’_ that’s why I’m writing !
Anyway, what I was telling to you was that__ at that time there wasn’t more than one bicycle at Banagram Ashram because there was no economic prosperity then . There were also more some difficulties like that ! But one or two more bycicles were donated by the devotees within a short period. However, if someone from the village (Banagram) called Guru Maharaj in case of any sudden danger or any intense necessity, Guruji would ride on the bicycle himself and went to the village. It was a strange sight to see Him riding on a bicycle ! After lifting the saffron cloth a little and then with the pressure of his feet on the paddle twice, he used to ride on the bicycle !
I also saw Guru Maharaj cycling in Korui village (Mama Maharaj_ Swami Keshbananda Maharaj’s country house) once ! He was cycling with Shantanu, the eldest son of that house and was going around the houses of other devotees of the village one by one.
In fact__ whatever the situation was, He adjusted to that situation! Whatever the time was, He was punctual to it! Whatever a person was, He adapted to him!
He had no problem with us all the time! In fact, We used to create a distance, with our own various difficulties, weaknesses etc. and then we would think that Guru Maharaj was a different person, He was a person of the spiritual world __ etc.etc.
But he was a simple man_and not only simple but He was the simplest man of the world ! He was a man of broad and open mind, He was the most precious man of the world !! For those who have not met with Guru Maharaj in this life, I would like to say that – If anyone ever gets close to “Bhagaban”(incarnated God himself) in his life or in the life after this life – he/she should not keep any unnecessary distance, he/she should not make him a different and distant person to cover his/her weakness!! He/she should always keep himself/herself close to Him or he/she should always be close to Him. ! It will not be a problem for Him, it’s the problem of that man_who gets the chance, but can not come closer to Him !
Bhagaban(incarnated God himself) is so simple ! He is the mother, the father, the friend, the absolute loving aspect__and everything !!
However, let’s come back to our previous discussions. I was talking to Nagen about Guru Maharaj. Nagen said that then Guru Maharaj would take him wherever He went locally. In the village of Tentulia, the song master (with whom Guru Maharaj had some incidents and who used to teach the ashram-boys songs ) used to organize an annual programme. Guruji had an invitation to join there. He took Nagen with Him as usual. Nagen used to call Guru Maharaj “Baba”(father). However, everyone in Nagen’s house or almost everyone in Banagram called Guru Maharaj “Thakur” or “Babathakur”. Everyone in N’kaka’s house (Mukherjee’s house) used to call Guru Maharaj ‘Babathakur’ and used to address him as “Thakur”.
However, Guruji had come to the village of Tentulia a little earlier, but when Nagen arrived there in the evening, they went to the singing stage together. After greetings and refreshment were over, the ‘master’ put Guruji on the stage and of course Nagen was next to him. This time, one by one, the local artists started singing. Younger- older, anyone could sing – there was no such binding. Guruji also encouraged everyone by clapping for their songs. But some amusing incident happened there(which will be discussed next day) and the remembrance of the incident lasted for a long time between Nagen and Guru Maharaj as an amusing factor !![To be continued]…….
[Translated by Rajarsi Basak, a student of class Ten and corrected by Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram Ashram.]
[At that time (December 25, 1983) there was only one fragile bicycle in the Banagram Ashram which was used by Trishanda (Swami Parameshwarananda Maharaj). Trishanda used to go out from ashram almost every morning by that bicycle and at the end of the day i.e in the evening or even later, he would return to the Banagram ashram via Mukherjee’s house. But before going out in every morning, he must meet (consult) Guru Maharaj. If there was a programme of sitting of Guru Maharaj outside, Trishanda would usually take the responsibility of the programme and took Guru Maharaj with him.
I also saw that in the most places(any other villages or towns outside the ashram), as long as the sitting of Guruji was going on, Trishanda would still stand at the front of the door, as an ideal body-guard of Guru Maharaj. I also noticed that Murari Da (Swami Niskamananda Maharaj)- at the Banagram Ashram, sometimes( if he had time off from work,) might have come to hear Guruji’s sitting – but he also would stand quietly in one corner. I have never seen these two men to hear Guru Maharaj’s sitting by sitting down-anywhere !
However, there was not more than one bicycle in the ashram at that time. And why there was no more bicycle? It was because the bicycle were run for 7/8 months in a year then, and the remaining four/five months, it had to be kept on the loft. Because when it started raining in the rainy season, the road was too muddy at that time!! And the mud of Banagram was absolutely thick and was so sticky ! If by any chance the mud got on one’s feet, It didn’t want to get up from feet anymore ! If anyone came to the ashram during the rainy season, he had to take off his shoes and roll his clothes or pants and he had to step his feet carefully at the road after Vandul( The road from Jabuidanga to Vandul was paved at that time and Vandul to Banagram was muddy.) to come to Banagram at that time. And before reaching the ashram, the first thing we had to do was to go down to the pond and clean the mud of the feet by rubbing with hand for a long time ! But surprisingly, when one went to bed at night, he/she almost noticed that the corners of his/her toenails were covered with mud ! Dear readers! Then you could understand that how sticky, the mud was !
One incident was common to many disciples at that time___ they missed the bus at Vandul, just for cleaning the mud of the feet in a pond near the bus-stand ! So one had to walk to Jabuidanga again !
Still, it was a pleasure to go to the ‘Banagram Ashram’! The food was not very good there, the sleeping space was not upto the mark, the sleeping area was crowded (15 to 20 people would sleep together within a big mosquito net)- inspite of all this inconvenience —-there was joy ! what an incredible joy ! What an unearthly enjoyment !! It was because__ there was Paramananda himself in the gross body then !!
After writing these words, I am not willing to write anything more !! If anyone remembers that face(of Paramananda) – can he concentrate on any worldly matter?? All conflicts, all arrogance, all quarrels – all these calm down, as if everything heals, as if everything becomes silent! So I want to remain silent !
But still I have to write something about Guruji’s lesson or preaching and that’s why I’m writing ! Guruji himself gave me ‘the pen’_ that’s why I’m writing !
Anyway, what I was telling to you was that__ at that time there wasn’t more than one bicycle at Banagram Ashram because there was no economic prosperity then . There were also more some difficulties like that ! But one or two more bycicles were donated by the devotees within a short period. However, if someone from the village (Banagram) called Guru Maharaj in case of any sudden danger or any intense necessity, Guruji would ride on the bicycle himself and went to the village. It was a strange sight to see Him riding on a bicycle ! After lifting the saffron cloth a little and then with the pressure of his feet on the paddle twice, he used to ride on the bicycle !
I also saw Guru Maharaj cycling in Korui village (Mama Maharaj_ Swami Keshbananda Maharaj’s country house) once ! He was cycling with Shantanu, the eldest son of that house and was going around the houses of other devotees of the village one by one.
In fact__ whatever the situation was, He adjusted to that situation! Whatever the time was, He was punctual to it! Whatever a person was, He adapted to him!
He had no problem with us all the time! In fact, We used to create a distance, with our own various difficulties, weaknesses etc. and then we would think that Guru Maharaj was a different person, He was a person of the spiritual world __ etc.etc.
But he was a simple man_and not only simple but He was the simplest man of the world ! He was a man of broad and open mind, He was the most precious man of the world !! For those who have not met with Guru Maharaj in this life, I would like to say that – If anyone ever gets close to “Bhagaban”(incarnated God himself) in his life or in the life after this life – he/she should not keep any unnecessary distance, he/she should not make him a different and distant person to cover his/her weakness!! He/she should always keep himself/herself close to Him or he/she should always be close to Him. ! It will not be a problem for Him, it’s the problem of that man_who gets the chance, but can not come closer to Him !
Bhagaban(incarnated God himself) is so simple ! He is the mother, the father, the friend, the absolute loving aspect__and everything !!
However, let’s come back to our previous discussions. I was talking to Nagen about Guru Maharaj. Nagen said that then Guru Maharaj would take him wherever He went locally. In the village of Tentulia, the song master (with whom Guru Maharaj had some incidents and who used to teach the ashram-boys songs ) used to organize an annual programme. Guruji had an invitation to join there. He took Nagen with Him as usual. Nagen used to call Guru Maharaj “Baba”(father). However, everyone in Nagen’s house or almost everyone in Banagram called Guru Maharaj “Thakur” or “Babathakur”. Everyone in N’kaka’s house (Mukherjee’s house) used to call Guru Maharaj ‘Babathakur’ and used to address him as “Thakur”.
However, Guruji had come to the village of Tentulia a little earlier, but when Nagen arrived there in the evening, they went to the singing stage together. After greetings and refreshment were over, the ‘master’ put Guruji on the stage and of course Nagen was next to him. This time, one by one, the local artists started singing. Younger- older, anyone could sing – there was no such binding. Guruji also encouraged everyone by clapping for their songs. But some amusing incident happened there(which will be discussed next day) and the remembrance of the incident lasted for a long time between Nagen and Guru Maharaj as an amusing factor !![To be continued]…….
[Translated by Rajarsi Basak, a student of class Ten and corrected by Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram Ashram.]