One morning, as I sat on the steps of the Gangees in Banares to enjoy the view, I noticed a man down the stairs in front of me with a shaved head, sitting cross-legged, his back straight, meditating. He was wearing a dhoti, the traditional cloth tucked around the hips. The next day I went there again. He was in the exact same position, facing the river. The next day it was a bit later and I saw him finish his morning ritual. He came up the stairs, walked toward me and he said:
“Namaskar, we almost know each other now. My name is Suresh.”
I introduced myself as well. He sat next to me. He was from the local University, a sociology professor. He had grown up in Delhi and had graduated from the BVB High School (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan), established by K.M. Munshi right after the Independence to provide education not only in English Language and the sciences, but also in Indian history, traditions and culture. Suresh spoke beautiful high register Hindi. His had completed his undergraduate studies in the Hindi College and had received his master’s degree in sociology from the School of Economics at Delhi University.
Suresh was meditating over a mantra given to him by his guru, his spiritual teacher Baba Bhagawan Ram49. He became his follower when he was really young. He embraced the main principles of detachment from the material world, love toward all human beings and sympathy toward the sick and the weak. He met his guru when he was a little boy and was immediately captivated by him. Several times a year he visited him or his guru came to stay with his family when he was in Delhi.
“Those were the happiest days of my life,” he said. He continued, “I moved to Banares to be sort of closer to the place from which Baba ji started his journey. He was born in a village called Gundi in Bihar on September 12, 1937 to a family that was childless for a long time. From early on he liked to be alone and to chant bhajans, devotional songs, when he was by himself in the room. He even used to spend time alone in the grove near his house. When he was five, his father passed away. When he was seven, he refused to come back home anymore. He was initiated in the Vaishnava tradition and made trips by foot to many holy places. After a long period of pilgrimage he came to Banares and entered an aghori ashram. Baba became initiated at the Kinaram Sthal. For several years he walked night and day through forests and plains, with a loin cloth on his body with no shelter, blanket or food, surviving on what nature offered him – wild fruits, roots, seeds and leaves. He visited a number of major temples and performed the required rituals in them.”
Suresh and I went to a restaurant right on top of the banks. He claimed it had a great view of the river. We wanted to have some chai and samosa and he continued the story of Baba ji:
“You know, the aghoris50 belong to a Shaiva tradition. They seek paths for liberating the soul, housed in the human body, from its limitations through severe discipline and practices – many walk naked, except for their sadhna period when they usually wear a black cloak; they meditate over death in the cremation places and cover their bodies with ashes from the pyres; they use human skulls as pots to drink water and to collect food from people. Ordinary people are frightened by them and consider them ruthless. However, they are actually Shiva’s devotees. They view him as a representation of the ultimate ascetic and they follow his examples as described in the ancient scriptures. They are not ashamed to walk naked because these are artificial rules created by society and because of them people become weak and dependent. All the animals live without such conventions and limitations, right? The aghoris reveal the illusory nature of social taboos and reject many Hindu stereotypes and dichotomies, such as purifying and polluting actions, high and low caste, etc. They remind themselves through their practices about the transitory nature of the body and the absoluteness of the soul, about the need to overcome the duality life and death.”
Suresh invited me for a walk along the river:
“Baba ji entered the aghori ashram and studied all the practices and methods of meditation until he received the blessing of his guru. Then he set off to travel as a sadhu. He further explored a variety of techniques for concentration and for control over the senses. Stories about his severe penance and about miracles he was able to make people around him experience, made him popular. He was just sixteen years of age at the time. Some aghori ascetics, the householder aughars, would return home afterwards. He didn’t, he devoted himself to the poor and the sick. He became famous very quickly. People came to him for advice and for help. In 1961 he founded an organization called Shri Sarveshwari Samuh, through which he was able to build hospitals for those afflicted with leprosy, also an ashram and a school for orphans. He started a serious campaign against caste discrimination, against the dowry tradition and for educating the poor. He had followers who were influenced by his teachings. They volunteered their time, money and energy to carry on his ideas. Many of them were doctors, engineers, and teachers. Until the end of his life among us, he established a large network of centers and volunteers across India as well as abroad, providing support for the innocent victims of social injustice. He became the most distinguished aghori and, in a way, he reformed the tradition; he redeemed its reputation in the eyes of the society. He was viewed as a reincarnation of young Shiva.”
“What was the special gift that he had to give him this status?”
“Well, he never talked about any of his miracles. But people did. About how he changed their life or how he cured their sickness.”
“How did your family get to know him?”
“My father graduated in political science and he was sent to Daltonganj in Bihar as an administrative manager. The next day after he moved, the local raja personally visited him and offered him his services. My father was totally overwhelmed by this royal attention. He was just flummoxed! He asked what the reason was for this visit and how he deserved it. Then the raja showed him a letter he had received from a well-known guru – Baba Bhagawan Ram. My father, however, had only heard about him, but had never met Sarkar Baba, as we also called him, and was still puzzled. In the letter Baba ji insisted that the raja extend all possible assistance to this new fellow in town and later on my father was treated with great courtesy and respect.”
“But how did Baba ji find your father and why?”
“After a couple of months a personal letter came from Baba ji straight to our house, in which he was inviting my father to visit him in Lucknow during a religious festival. So my father left to meet him. When he reached the place where Baba ji was staying he saw a long line curving around the neighboring buildings. Hundreds of people had come for a glimpse of the famous teacher. My father stood there for only fifteen or twenty minutes when a young man came to him, took him by the hand and led him directly into the room where Baba ji was receiving everyone personally. The very second my father saw his face, he recognized him. He remembered a dream he had had a year ago, in which this same young person, wearing the same lungi tied around his waste with no shirt on top, with these same flower garlands around his neck was sitting in this same position with his long arms over his crossed legs and said, ‘I have been waiting for you for so long.’ And when he bent down to touch his feet to greet him Baba ji uttered these same words – ‘I have been waiting for you for so long.’ Then he said, ‘Sit next to me. We have plenty to talk about.’ So my father stayed with him the whole day listening to his conversations with the visitors, witnessing his compassion and love for each and every one of them. This is how he became Baba ji’s disciple. My mother as well. Then my brothers and I.”
“Do you worship him the way you do God?”
“Yes, we follow the principles of life he taught. He is our spiritual teacher equal to God. But he wants us, his disciples, to surpass him and become even better than him. This is the difference between him and the gods. I remember when I was young I was so fascinated by him. Being around him was all I wanted to do. I was ecstatic when my parents would take us to the ashram in Banares when he was staying there. I was always looking forward to his visits to our house.”
“Where in Bihar?”
“Well, Baba ji advised my father to take the exams for government office, which changed our lives greatly because he grew in his career tremendously and he had some of the most prestigious jobs as a consequence. We moved to Delhi, we had a nice big house and a car; my brothers and I went to private schools; we went on vacations to special places. My father was quite well connected and he used his network to support Baba ji’s efforts. I decided to devote my life to him and his organization.”
“So you are not married?”
“No, of course not. There is so much I am planning to do. I teach in the ashram every morning, then go to the university and teach there, then I have meetings related to our charity work. I am also raising funds to collect materials about Baba ji’s life and publish his biography.”
“Is he still alive?”
“No. Ten years ago I happened to be sitting next to Baba ji when he left his body. This was in New York. He considered himself a social worker and realized he had many supporters fully committed to his goals. So, he knew that what he started out was going to be continued. His soul is still with us. If you need support and guidance he is still available to you. What he used to say is true, ‘Only with his presence a teacher brings peace to the mind.’”
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49 See for more Ram, Aughar Harihar. Oasis of Stillness. Aghor Publication. 1977.
50 See for more Parry, Jonathan P. “Sacrificial Death and the Necrophagous Ascetic.” Maurice Bloch and Jonathan Parry, eds. Death and the Regeneration of Life. New York: Cambridge University Press. 1982. 74-111 and Parry, Jonathan P. “Aghori Ascetics of Banares.” Richard Burghart and Audrey Cantlie, eds. Indian Religion. New York: St. Martin’s Press. 1985. 51-78