a Hanuman Sadhvi from Austria
- kapiljourno
- Apr 17, 2018
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 18, 2018
Story by: kapil kumar
Siya Ram - Padharo - (you are welcome) are the first words you listen from her and you are hooked to her. A beautiful dreadlocked sadhu speaking such beautiful hindi - because when you meet Mataji you can make out that she was born to Western parents but the way she welcomes you makes you feel honoured on a long legacy of the Sadhus in India. With those words we were welcomed with open heart in her ashram.
The summers were harsh - baba Bramachari Narmadashankar was in Delhi. He asked me if we can pay a small visit to a Sadhvi Chandra Das - near Jewar in Uttar Pradesh. After having morning tea and some bread we left Delhi - using the Yamuna Express Way we moved towards Jewar a place in Uttar Pradesh. From Jewar Toll we took a road to Jehangirpuri on the Khurja Highway. The road were decently well built but when we took a turn to reach the Siddha Hanuman temple of Baba Balak Das - the roads disappeared and our jeep was like moving at snails pace because the pot holes were too big for even the jeep to handle. But we had no choice but to keep moving towards the ashram. Baba Naramadashankar had already told me about Chandra Das that she hails from his former country Austria. And throughout the journey I kept imagining that how can someone from such a cold country can live in such harsh conditions.
After an hour of pot hole driving we finally reached the gates of an ashram with a red attire wearing dreadlocked sadhvi waiting for us. As she saw baba Narmadashankar -"Siya Ram - Guru Maharaj - Narmade Har - Padharo ".....
Her face couldn't hide the happiness she felt after seeing baba Narmadashankar - as if shiva has entered into her ashram.... she was more than thrilled to welcome him inside -....
After a 10 meter walk her Guru Balak Das Maharaj - a barefooted - well built - karma yogi sadhu was standing to welcome us.... As he saw baba Naramdashankar - he touched the ground with his hands and baba did the same at the same time - both said "OM NAMO NARAYANA".....which means I bow to the SOUL inside you Mahatma.
Chandra Das - is a name give to a sadhu and never to a sadhvi. So, it happened this time when she came back from Austria - I asked her how did you get this name - to which she replied "My snacker - or previous birth works" that I was travelling in Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas where I found my first Guru - baba Atama Das. He belonged to the ancient TYAGI sampraday. Tyagi means who gives away everything - every possession - every want. At that time Guru Atama Das was living in a shed which could barely stop the cold winds or harsh rains but he never complained. He gave Mataji her name Chandra Das - a boyish name so that she can fight the world while she served Hanuman ji .
All she know now is to serve Hanumanji & serve food to everyone that comes to the ashram. As we went to meet her the first thing she said "Bhojan taiyar hai - pehle bhajan paa lo - siya ram ". Before we could say anything two thalis were placed before us - and to our surprise she prepared the food. Here I must tel that Chandra Das hails from a good family in Austria - she could have the best of the Western life but she chose hardships which she calls her sanskars. She loves living in the wild, with wild animals, without any luxuries and just the basics of life.
I got a call from Baba Naramdashankar and he requested me to pick Chandra Das from Delhi Airport as she will be landing late in the night. It was an opportunity to spend sometime with this enlighten soul. We reached airport at 12 am and it was jam packed with cars so I asked my brother Tony to find her out. Before he could look for her someone packed his back "Siya Ram Mahatma". Tony was zapped because he never met her before and she recognised him so easily. So we took her and came to our guest house. We offered her a cup of coffee.... and asked for leave as we thought she would rest now. In the morning i got a call from Baba Narmadashankar that go a little late as she slept just now. We delayed our visit and as we reached the Guest House she was on her harmonium singing Ramcharit Manas to Gurudev Baba Neem Karoli ji Maharaj.
When she stopped after 20 minutes I asked her Did you sleep?
all she said WHEN GURUDEV WANTS TO LISTEN - HOW CAN A STUDENT SLEEP - SIYA RAM
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