Varanasi's deputy transport commissioner takes time out to travel across the country and abroad on Saturdays and Sundays to deliver pint-sized doses of spirituality, which are being lapped up by thousands With incessant inflation, corruption and a general sense of losing his way threatening the wellbeing of the common man, a bureaucrat from Uttar Pradesh has stepped up to the plate to offer hope and happiness through inner peace and meditation. <table style="width: 173px; height: 50px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="173" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2011/aug/Swami.jpg" border="5" /></td></tr> <tr> <td> Swami Ram Kripal Ji, a 1983-batch IAS officer, says he met his guru, Swami Sudarshanacharya Ji Maharaj at Faridabad in 1996 a meeting which changed his life</td></tr></tbody></table> Swami Ram Kripal Ji (45), a 1983-batch IAS officer and the deputy transport commissioner of Varanasi, takes time out for his fast-multiplying flock every Saturday and Sunday. "It all began as an inner quest to know about the existence of God and, from an atheist, I began believing that when our mind is still, Godliness is attained. Our body is a temple and the breath we take is the prayer," said the swami. "The 21st-century man has forgotten to smile and has been burdened with too many responsibilities in this materialistic world. u00a0 That doesn't mean, however, that they should take sanyas and not work for themselves. They should meditate, relax and be happy in order to spread joy in the world," he added. Such words have got the baba a considerable following, with thousands flocking to get a pint-sized dose of spirituality from him in cities in India and even in the US and Dubai. The awakening Talking about his spiritual journey, the swami said that he met his guru, Swami Sudarshana-charya Ji Maharaj at Faridabad in 1996 a meeting which changed his life. "I realised that, after meditation, you get closer to your soul and you get the feeling that you truly exist. You are in harmony with the energies around you and you experience the ultimate inner joy," he said. The Weekend Baba then began his movement of bringing a smile on everybody's faces and he did it in the only time available to him the weekends. u00a0 On Saturday and Sunday, the baba takes off for different places to spread his message of self-realisation and harmony with cosmic forces. The baba's organisation conducts three kinds of meditation camps the Sanjeevani Workshop for people across age groups, the Man Medha Kriya for students so that they can attain inner peace before hitting puberty and the Jhuggi Jhopadi Shiksha Sewa Mission, which encourages meditation in schools. Mumbai ahoy Talking about his plans for the city, the baba said, "We are now shifting to Mumbai and will set up a university in Navi Mumbai for children without sufficient means and those who are more vulnerable to being set adrift." His school in Ghaziabad has more than 400 students coming from poor economic backgrounds and his organisation runs seven other schools in places like Bulundshar, Unnao and Kota. u00a0 The baba, though, says this isn't public service; it is self-service by him to stay happy and have inner joy. Asked how long he intended to keep his job as the deputy transport commissioner, the baba said he would quit as soon as he had set up the requisite infrastructure for the transport department to function smoothly. "It might happen anytime soon," he signed off. On corruption Offering a solution to the country's multiple scams, the bureaucrat-cum-baba said, "Although there is too much corruption, it can be eliminated by making people aware of their inner selves. They need to meditate and attain contentment through joy and doing well for other human beings. Stringent laws and rules are of no use unless everyone follows them in harmony and without any selfish motive."

Varanasi's deputy transport commissioner takes time out to travel across the country and abroad on Saturdays and Sundays to deliver pint-sized doses of spirituality, which are being lapped up by thousands

Weekend Baba

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / Weekend Baba

Weekend Baba

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast