Tulasi Vanam

Born into a family in Northern Kerala, my parents had moved to a city from our ancestral village. Grew up listening to and reading about communist fights against Janmis (zamindars) and the police force that exploited people. In a state where govts switch between CPI and Congress, our political heroes were chief ministers like K.Karunakaran, E.K.Nayanar, Achyutha Menon, etc. Never knew more about Adi Shankara other than what is taught in textbooks. Knew more about Russian and communist culture, even though i was taken to temples by my parents. Going to temples was a regular feature till I joined college.

During my college days, communism became more familiar as college union and presence of SFI played a big role. Although I did not personally read Stalin or Lenin or even local communist writers, the belief that communism is something that saved us from the evils of caste was reinforced. And looking up to Russia with admiration grew more. Participated in protests against non communist govt’s also. Going to temples was a long forgotten thing now. Looked down up on heritage and traditions and temples. Chicken, fish and beef was a regular diet.

Once college was over, moved out to Bangalore for further studies and there, started a new phase away from commie influence. Modernity and capitalism started taking root slowly. Like most IT aspirants, USA and UK became dreamlands where one should go and make a living. And escape from the madness that was India. Once course was over, managed to find a job in an IT corporation based in UK. Worked in India for a couple more years and then made my way to UK. Temples were now a long way away from me.

Life in UK was great. It was a different world and like most people, I got lost in the conveniences and luxury and grandeur. The money, the society, the accessories, the quality of life was gripping. Career grew pretty well as the boom came and time became far more important than anything in the world. Meat eating became more frequent with parties and dinners with friends and what not. Time was money was a firm belief that got entrenched. Years moved on and a big house and cars and career advancement happened.

However, after a lot of years, the novelty started wearing off slowly. As pace of life slowed down, got more time to spare and I started learning more about Bharat through social media and books and blogs and started differentiating it from the experience of India while growing up. Started admiring Hindu heroes like Rana Pratap and Shivaji and seeing home country from a different light altogether. Learnt about how the British looted India and how the brown sahebs were continuing the slavery in a different form now. Subhash Chandra Bose and his life story influenced me a lot. Started visiting temples a whole lot more now and started joining small satsanghs in my local Hindu community. Krishna became by ishta and I started reading Bhagavad Geeta.

Then, by chance, during one of the satsanghs in the local Hindu community, I met a couple who were students of Shankaracharya of Puri. Me being from the land of Adi Shankaracharya got us talking more and they shared some of the teachings of Guruji. Started following the twitter and Youtube channels of Govardhan math and started listening to the satsanghs online. Hindi was difficult to understand, but was helped along by the couple. I was shocked to learn about how big a sin eating beef is for a Hindu. I wanted to do prayashchit for it. I was encouraged by the couple to go visit Govardhan Math.

In one of their visits to India and Puri, I was able to join in and as luck would have it, I got mantra deeksha. I couldn’t believe that getting deeksha was so easy. It was like divine interference and a blessing. There was no looking back after that. I even came to understand that doing Gauseva would help me repent for the sin accrued by beef-eating and took help from someone for guidance.

Listening to his satsanghs and doing daily japa have transformed my life. I have taken to vegetarianism and am a big believer in Hindu traditions and also Hindu Rashtra. I firmly believe that there is so much in our traditions and if we return back to our roots, all our issues will disappear and divine guidance will lead us in the right direction.

Now, I don’t start my day without lighting a lamp and offering bhog to Bhagwan. And thanks to Tulasi Vanam, I am enjoying more of Gurudev’s teaching with the english translations, and am able to share with many in my circle. I feel very happy I came across this opportunity to share my story.

– Story by Anonymous devotee

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