Sep 22
Bauuuu!
If Guruji wants any work done, He likes it done yesterday… Bau likes it done the day before. That’s how he came to the planet 40 years ago, a month before he was due 
His sense of urgency coupled with a style of having-all-the-time-in-the-world and topped (rather cherry whipped creamed) with a magnificent sense of vision, you end with one of the liveliest combinations on the planet.
When asked about the secret of his sense of Humor, he said, “My mom Aban has of habit of singing and cracking bad jokes when she is in pain. And that’s what she did when she was in labour and I was about to come into the world, so all those impressions must have stayed”. They have actually multiplied abundantly.
As a kid, Aban aunty says he was ‘reasonably well behaved’ and would never do mischief that would hurt anyone. Aban Aunty recollects how when he was being taught in school what a doctor or a nurse or a shopkeeper is, he was asked what is a Carpenter. Pat came the reply, one who paints cars… There started the trend of the Q n A sessions which are today world famous all over the universe.
He is one of the finest story tellers I know of and of course the most prolific story makers I know of. Stories simply happen around bau. A story goes how this little dog was chased by some other dogs and Bau whistled and he just came running to him and jumped into his lap. Bau got him home and along with his sister Perviz gave him a shampoo, a bath and through combined connivance got the rest to accept him as part of the family. He became Bobby, one of the cutest dogs I had the pleasure of meeting. Along with everyone else in Batliwala household, Bobby also turned utterly vegetarian (by choice!) and a fervent Satsang addict (with Shiva songs as his favorites).
Bau himself never used to like non-veg (meat). And he used to loathe, abhor and detest eggs which are a fairly staple diet in a parsi house. Maybe some remnant Buddhist genes made him fight for fish (pomfrets and prawns only) with perviz on many a family weddings. That too, he would like the gravy much more than the fish…
Bau n Perviz
Aban aunty tells me how, he at 6, by fluke he got onto a live radio show by playing in a guitar band. Two broken guitars later he turned his attention to piano. Though they could not afford one that time, his yes-consciousness was so strong, they bought a second hand piano which he wanted with the exact money Yezdi uncle could keep aside for it.
He also collected money by giving tuitions and delivering tiffin boxes to office goers in town side Mumbai. His went to one of the best Piano teachers in his colony and she loved his spontaneity with the music he played for her, and very soon he became one of her most favourite students. Even though she passed away, Bau speaks of Mehru aunty with such respect and affection while teaching me piano…
Out of his innate sincerity, he would ask uncomfortable questions to his teachers and when they would complain to the parents about him being cheeky and uncontrollable, his equally cheeky parents retorted, “Why do you think we have sent him to you?!”.
When Yezdi uncle would wrestle with him, pin in down and ask him who he belongs to expecting and encouraging him to say, ‘I belong to daddy’, Khurshed would always say, “I belong to everyone”. He simply could never say that he belonged only to his dad.
The only person in the world his nephews are scared of is Khurshed mamu. One raised eyebrow or a finger and they will stop in mid howl and tears will instantaneously vaporize. His reputation precedes him. Stories of his Rudra rupa are far too many. Not all of them are false But nowadays people are missing that on his courses and Bau blames it on aging. The only sign of aging on Bau is his silver white Gandalfish hair.
He dropped out of a prestigious coaching class (Agrawal Classes. which was very difficult to get into) just because they were teaching him to learn stuff by heart. When asked for a illegal donation for his admission in college Khurshed simply walked off. When he went to apply for his driving license, he was refused since he did not look 18 (same story now, he doesn’t look 40). So he gave a little money and got a wrong birth certificate made and tried to expose that person by going to a reporter friend of Aban aunty’s.
Bau’s stories during IIT are legendary. You got to be on a dozen courses of his to have a fair sampling of them. And though people may have heard a story 100 times, yet his spontaneity and style of telling makes it seem just as thrilling or funny as if hearing it for the first.
This is how I saw him (and Him) first… What a perfect introduction he was for the Guru – wise and witty, dynamic and cool (Bau once got a compliment from American teenagers he took a session for, “This dude is awesome, infact he is beyond cool”)…
Guruji says learn team work from the Japanese, Precision from the Germans, Presentation and Marketing from the Americans, Frankness and Warmth from the Africans, Etiquette and Manners from the British and Human and Spiritual Values from the Indians. Doesn’t that make Bau Japanese, German, American, African, British and an Indian all rolled in one?!
One may add French and Italian too, given his penchant for cheese, olive oil and his cool looks. He holds the YES!+ or the Art of Living team together with such love and personal attention and quality time (not to mention food), that we are left with no choice but to blossom and carry forward the tradition.
Given Bau’s talents, someone expressed he is one of the most under marketed personalities in the world, and that he should be on every radio or television channel possible… And I am sure, with a little prodding or praying from our side, it will happen…
Bau has an eye for beauty and detail, a taste for the ultimate and the exotic, an ear for the subtlest and the melodic… Most things around him have a graceful understated elegance.
Guruji is the One who has made me cry the maximum (such helpless and abundant tears of gratitude), and through Bau, he has made me laugh the most. Four glorious decades of this being on the planet, about half of them serving everyone artfully, stomachfully and gracefully – What a wonderful treat it is to have Bau in our lives!!!
Thank you G.
Jai Gurudev!
love
dinesh
ps This post goes live at 6:15 am, at the precise time he is supposed to be 40… Lets celebrate Bau’s birthday week by sharing stories and anecdotes about him…
pps Btw, This is the 401st post on our blog and i had the honour of writing it in time for Bau’s 40th Birthday!
ppss Bau wanted to make it a 3 part series, but i firmly said it should be one long post!
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Sep 21
Q. Currently I am reading “ The Power of now “ by Eckhard Tolle… Not sure if you have read this book. It’s the same as what Guruji says about the Mind and about the Present Moment. I have never felt the urge more stronger to be on this path and with Guruji and in knowledge. But at the same time I feel all this listening to knowledge and reading seems to be intellectual for me. In one of the talks Guruji said Understanding is of 3 levels… Intellectual, Experiential, Existential understanding… The last is where we should strive to be. Currently knowledge for me is oscillating between Intellectual and Experiential to an extent when I apply it with awareness. But am I deceiving myself? Or am I just letting it stay in intellectual level. I wish to remain in Experiential and move to the existence level. During my sleep suddenly I am disturbed and woken up I can feel and see many shapes, colors like flying in the air. And I see myself telling observe everything without my own pushing for it.
Is this all an illusion? Should I be paying attention to these or just let them be… Or am I getting sucked into too much of dumping knowledge into my head??
All I want is and am striving for is… to live in the moment as Guruji says with full awareness and be joyful and spread that energy around to others…
Am I doing something wrong? Or whats happening?
A. When you are Guruji’s devotee and you are doing Sadhana, Seva and some Satsang, you need to only know this much, that you and your growth is utterly totally being taken care of…
Don’t belittle the intellectual exercise of listening and reading Knowledge, when this is done with devotion and consistency, and a strong Sankalpa is attached to it that you want to live in the moment with full awareness..and be joyful and spread that energy around to others… then at the right moments in life, this Knowledge will unfold for you an experiential reality quite unlike any that you could possibly have had if you had not done the intellectual exercise.
Experiences such as the colours, sounds etc are simply that … experiences. Don’t doubt them, don’t breathe any interpretation into them. Move through them and surrender even the most pleasant ones to Guruji and as you so beautifully put it, live in the present moment!
You are not doing anything wrong. You are a perfectionist, and so you tend to constantly judge yourself and you try to measure up to others around you, as well as your preconceived notions of how you should be… Don’t.
Guruji loves you because you are you. You focus on being that. Let Him focus on making your sankalpa happen…
Finally, reading books about “spirituality” by other authors may create concepts … Reading and listening to Guruji will only create Silence.
Q. Jai Gurudev Bau! I have been reading about Mt. Kailash and it’s relation to four religions : Hinduism, Buddhism, Janism and Bön. It is believed to be the ultimate destination for all the souls and is considered the spiritual center of the world. It is also said to be the center of the world. I want to know the origin of Mt. Kailash & Lake Mansarovar. They are very significant in Hinduism and i want to know more about it. It would be very helpful bau, if you could send me the links to sites having information on Mt. Kailash. Thank You Bau.
A. Recently the Ultimate Destination has been shifted to 21st Km, Kanakapura Road in Bangalore. I am surprised you didn’t know about this!
Do come and visit
Q. How to be free from the pride that comes from having knowledge/being wise ?
A. If you have any such pride, you neither have Knowledge, nor are you wise … so don’t worry about it
Q. I grow in admiration when i see you and some others who operate with a great deal of self-respect. Then i think – ”Is it because these people hold so and so positions? May be i don’t command that kind of respect because i don’t think i deserve it.” Please clear my doubts.
A. Any respect and love people have for me is because of who I am and not because of what position i hold … People will either respect and love the person or the position he holds … rarely both (like in the case of (ex) President Kalam) … better they love and respect you for being you rather than respect that chair you are sitting on
Q. I can’t be at the Ashram for some silly reasons I keep giving myself… Is there some way I can still see whats happening there?
A. Yes, there is. We have provisions for a live web cast during some of the days. Click for details and to subscribe.
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
Sep 19
A Diet for Navaratri
Nav means nine and also means new, ratri is night, the time for rest and rejuvenation … so nine days and nights to relax and become New… Nine nights of the Mother Divine.
Many people ask me what kind of a diet they should follow during the 9 days of Navaratri … Well, this is more or less whats served on the Ashram in Bangalore, and what one of the ayurvedic docs here recommended…
Days 1-3 : Only fresh fruits for all meals with juices … no sugar at all, drink lots and lots of water … Keep as much silence as possible
Days 4-7 : Add grains, have rice, khichidi with some veggies in it in the nights and nice clear and/or brothy soups for lunch with fresh fruits and juices, remember the water and no sugar
Day 8 and 9 : Feast!!!! over eat … stuff yourself to the brim and then eat more … whatever you want to eat (best is to come to ashram and let us feed you) … of course it should be only veggie stuff
Day 10 : Recover … Go for Vijay Yatra … Make lots of noise
From day 5 or 6 vigorous dancing and singing in the evenings till last day
This time of the year is extremely auspicious for Meditation and Satsang … Spend more time meditating than you normally would.
Enjoy Navaratri!!
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
Sep 14
E Tv is featuring 19 new episodes that they recorded earlier with me and dinesh … be sure to watch them and post how you liked them … here is the schedule
There is Vikram and Kashi too in the mix!
|
Channel Name |
Telecast Time (Monday to Saturday) |
|
ETV- Bangla |
09.30a.m |
|
ETV-M.P. |
10.30a.m |
|
ETV-U.P. |
10.30a.m |
|
ETV-Bihar |
10.30a.m |
|
ETV-Rajasthan |
09.30a.m |
|
ETV-2 (Telugu) |
11.30p.m |
|
ETV-Oriya |
10.30a.m |
|
ETV-Gujarati |
08.00a.m |
|
ETV-Marathi |
09.30a.m |
|
ETV-Urdu |
10.30a.m |
|
ETV-Kannada |
11:30p.m |
Episode-1 (telecast date 12-09-09)
Guruji on imp. of humanism and compassion
Byte of Student Niharika Kakdesharing her experience in Art Of Living.
Nadisodhan-by Dinesh Kashikar
Profile feature on Bawa & Dinesh
Episode– 2 (telecast date 19-09-09)
Guruji on Yes +
Experience of art of living Students(Kanisk, Abhilasha, Mohit Lalwani)
Youth Programs of AOL
Dinesh Ghodke on life is short but eternal
Episode– 3 (telecast date 26-09-09)
Bawa & Dinesh on Love
Episode– 4 (telecast date 03-10-09)
Guruji on youth culture & values (2.56 mm.)
Sanjay Mazumdar – Gausala story (6:45 mins)
Bawa & Dinesh on healthy Food & Environment
Episode– 5 (telecast date 10-10-09)
Guruji on success
Bawa & Dinesh on success
Episode–6 (telecast date 17-10-09)
Guruji on youth leadership & youth participation
Radhika Chandle and her experience in Art of Living.
Vikram Hazra on youth empowerment (11.26 mins)
Episode– 07 (telecast date 24-10-09)
Guruji on importance of guide
Prajakti Desmukh – Her experiences with the Art of Living
Bawa & Dinesh on Guruji’s Knowledge Sheets.
Episode–8 (telecast date 31-10-09)
Living in harmony -Bawa & Dinesh on Life style
Episode–09 (telecast date 07-11-09)
Guruji on individual’s quest for spirituality
Students bytes (Twinkle Sethi & Shravanth)
Vikram Hazra (The promise of spirituality)
Shalini Singh byte (How art of living brings the positive change in you)
Bawa & Dinesh on Anger
Episode– 10 (telecast date 14-11-09)
Handling Failures.
Guruji on Success & Failure
Bawa & Dinesh on handling failures
Jitendra Bansiwal (law student, Jabalpur) –Anxiety problems
Episode– 11 (telecast date 21-11-09)
Guruji on youth culture & values
Bawa & Dinesh on Life Sutras
Episode– 12 (telecast date 28-11-09)
Guruji on healthy Food Habits & Spiritual Practices
Bawa & Dinesh on Controlling Anger
Feature on Kusum Mussadi - Her experiences with the Art of Living
Episode– 13 (telecast date 05-12-09)
Understanding Traditions-I
Guruji on Indian heritage & culture
Bawa & Dinesh on Indian culture & rituals
Episode– 14 (telecast date 12-12-09)
Bytes of students(Ratul Arora, Harshit, Pranab)
Dinesh Kashiker demonstration of relaxation techniques
Bytes of (Justin & Jack Johansson)
Episode– 15 (telecast date 19-12-09)
Understanding Traditions-II
Guruji on youth, Indian heritage & culture
Bawa & Dinesh on Ancient Scriptures
Bawa & Dinesh on nature of Guru
Bawa & Dinesh on sadhana, seva & satsang
Episode– 16 (telecast date 26-12-09)
Guruji “nurture our roots & broaden our vision” (2.46 mm.)
Bawa & Dinesh on commitment
Bawa & Dinesh on (aim & fantasy)/(creativity)
Experience in Art of Living -Sunithi Damani — the professional billiards player
Episode– 17 (telecast date 02-1-10)
Bawa & Dinesh on Astrology & Vaastu Sastra
Bawa & Dinesh on Astrology & Vaastu Sastra
Profile of Saurav Ghosh, Table Tennis champion, His experiences in the Art of Living
Episode– 18 (telecast date 09-1-10)
Guruji on dreams & practical wisdom
Bawa & Dinesh on Reality/Fantasy/ Dream/Goal
Shridhar Mahuli byte (Benefited from Art of Living )
Vikram Hazra on Satsang
Dinesh Kashiker – on relaxation techniques
Episode– 19 (telecast date 16-1-10)
Guruji on Tabacco & prevention
Vikram Hazra on culture of meditation
Vikram Hazra on civic sense/citizenship
Dinesh Kashikar on ‘Vaastrika’ & ‘Nadisodhan’
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
ps cant get the table to work … sooooo for now it looks ugly … sorry about that
pps All the programs on all the channels are mostly in English with a little bit of a sprinkle of Hindi
ppss do write to E Tv and tell them if you enjoyed the shows
Sep 11
Running after Guruji
A lil tid bit from yesternight’s Satsang …
Q. Guruji when i run after you, is it Bhakti (Devotion) or just a lack of self respect?
A. A little bit of running is alright.
Then you sit down, relax and go deep within… Then I will start running after you!
Not only that, the whole world will run after you…
For more please head over to Guruji’s Wisdom Blog. Usually updated almost everyday about whatever He said during Satsang each night…
The first ever YES!+ Course on Skype is scheduled to start from 15th Spetember in Poona…
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
Sep 10
Orion Telescopes
Am doing an Ayurveda detox … extreme yuckiness feeling right now … but have done it before so know i will feel wonderful by tomorrow … meanwhile here is a cool ad for telescopes
See you all later …
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
Sep 9
A DSN
We had a fantastic DSN over the weekend… Now i usually don’t post about courses we teach but this one was different
We taught the entire course from our room on the Ashram … using Skype!
Though there were a few lost connections, and the video freezing and stuff … the course (if i may say so myself) was fabulous!
JD and Rajeev were the technicians at the Ashram and Virat, Vasudha and the Goregaon team from Mumbai made it possible at their end… Click to read about the first ever Skype DSN
btw, the first ever YES!+ course to be taught on Skype starts in a few days in Poona …tentatively on the 14th or 15th of Spetember
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
Sep 7
Churchill was Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was also awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He has surely played pivotal roles in the various trials and tribulations of Britain… but i remember him for his superb sense of humour
3 incidents:
He was asked to give an after dinner speech on sex. But was requested to keep it short.
He stood up and said, ” Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure!”
and sat down
Sir Winston Churchill
Another time he was drunk, and a lady aghast at his condition, blurted out to him, “Sir, you are drunk!”
“Yes” he slurred, “but in the morning I will be sober, you m’lady are ugly!”
In open parliament, one of the opposition leaders, walks up to him, runs his hand over his shiny bald head and says, “This is so smooth… exactly like my wife’s bottom”
The house erupts into laughter… Churchill meanwhile rubs his own hand on his head, turns to the other and says, “You are right! It is!!!”
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
