THE SAINT FROM HIMALAYAS

He had attempted some competitive examinations but could not succeed in getting a job so far. PC was worried and getting disheartened. He had an excellent academic career but no job in sight.

He was now waiting for the results of the PCS examination, a coveted government service in those days. He had not much hope. The vacancies were few and contenders in thousands.

This was the pre-independence forties of India in the British Raj. Good jobs were very few. In the PCS, one started the career as deputy collector, a position of a good salary, much status and power in pre-independence days.

" Go to NeemKaroliBaba," a friend suggested, " He may help you know your future. He is a Trikaldarshi (it means one who knows the past, the present and the future) ."

This was in Nainital, a lake town nestled in the Himalayas. Neem Karoli baba was a revered saint. His ashram, then, was at a walking distance from the town in Hanumangarhi (He established his famous KAINCHI ashram on Nainital-Almora road subsequently).

PC was removing his shoes to enter the hall where people were seated on a carpet before the saint when Neemkaroli baba noticed him.

" Aao deputy collector saheb aao ( come in, our deputy collector )." accosted the baba affectionately.

He came in, touched baba's feet and sat down before the baba in the crowd of bhaktas (devotees).

" Baba, will I be able to get any job ?" he asked, "I have another examination coming up the next month.I am losing hope now."

" No more exams." baba chided him affectionately, "you are already a deputy collector now."

The results of PCS exam. were published in the newspapers after a few days and he had been selected !

This is just one of the countless stories that surround this wonder saint of Himalayas. For a long time he lived in Nainital and then moved on to Kainchi, a few miles from Nainital. He was revered as the incarnation of the hindu God Hanuman in his life time. My maternal grand-father was a regular visitor at his ashram and from him in my childhood I came to know about this holy man who shunned limelight and talked little unlike the institution-builder saints of today who seek out the media and like to be constantly photographed. My grandfather had personal experience of awesome divine powers of this saint.

Here is a link to know more about him:

http://www.dlshq.org/saints/neemkaroli.htm