Om Suryay Namah

 Om Suryay Namah

The 47th business district in Manhattan, New York, is known as the jewellers district, for the gold, diamond and precious stone businesses that operate here. It is dominated by the Jewish community, Gujaratis (mostly in the diamond trade), and Rajasthanis, who manage the coloured stone business. One such businessman is Ashok Sancheti, who was also the president of the Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association, a trade body of the 47th street business district. I knew Mr Sancheti well because of his business, and his philanthropy and community work. He remains a big supporter of Jaipur Foot USA. 

When my mother passed away in 2012, I began wearing the gold chain that she used to have around her neck. I liked wearing it because through it, I felt the warmth of her presence. When I moved to the US, the airport security procedures (body scanners and frisking) forced me to take it off and keep it at home. 

One Friday, I woke up particularly missing my mother’s presence, and felt like putting the chain back on. I asked my wife if we had an ‘Om’ shaped pendant to add to the chain. We didn’t, she confirmed, but could get one made when we next travelled to India. I filed away the thought.

On the following Sunday, I was invited to Mr Sancheti’s granddaughter’s first birthday celebrations. As he is both well-to-do and admired by the community, it was a big affair, held in a banquet hall in New Jersey. I made it a point to attend. The setting was impressive, with many tables in a large hall and elaborate catering. The hall also had a stage where some performances were held. The arrangements were quite similar to that of  a desi wedding. 

As we all took our seats, there was a sudden hushed silence. The reason was a gentleman in silken robes, who was being accompanied to the stage by the Sancheti family. I was informed that the gentleman was Guruvadanji—a renowned guru, who was close to the Sancheti family. I remembered Mr Sancheti mentioning him to me and recalled that Guruvadanji was his friend, philosopher and guide.

Guruvadanji, who appeared to be from north India, is based in an ashram in Tirupati. Amazingly, he is proficient in several languages including south Indian languages. Mr Sancheti spoke about how his guru had positively influenced his life. He narrated an anecdote about the birth of his granddaughter. He had hoped that she would be born by natural delivery, but then got a call from the hospital saying that his daughter-in-law was being moved to the OT for a cesarean section. Mr Sancheti called Guruvadanji, who told him not to worry. When he reached the hospital, he found that the attending doctor had been replaced by another one. The new doctor, after examining the would-be mother, felt it was a fit case for a natural delivery. Mr Sancheti’s granddaughter was born the natural way. He then went on to narrate several other anecdotes about Guruvadanji’s remarkable clairvoyance.  

Guruvadanji then took the stage. His speech expounded on the power of chanting, particularly the syllable Om and the Gayatri mantra. I was a bit startled by the coincidence, given the recent conversation with my wife about the Om pendant. Soon, the formal function ended and we were invited to start lunch. As I was heading to the lunch buffet, Mr Sancheti took me aside and told me that Guruvadanji wanted to meet me. 

As I approached him, I could feel the warmth of his amiable nature. He held my hand, smiled, and said that he’d heard about me, and that the people he had met were happy with me. It’s always a good feeling to know that you are appreciated, so I bowed respectfully and thanked him for his kind words.

Guruvadanji then asked me which day of the week was my favourite. Having no favourites as such, I said “Sunday”, just because it happened to be a Sunday that day. Guruvadanji held my right hand, took something out of his pocket, placed it in my palm and closed my hand. I couldn’t see or sense what it was. Then, with one finger, he drew the Om symbol on the back of my clenched fist and asked me to open my hand. To my utter surprise and disbelief, when I did, I found a pendant shaped like the sun, with an Om symbol in the middle of it. “May you always shine like the Sun”, he said.

My mother’s chain found the pendant it needed, and I have been wearing it ever since, feeling both the warmth of her presence and Guruvadanji’s blessings. Om Suryay Namah. 

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