Saturday, July 17, 2010

……and the Yatra was cancelled!

I planned the Yatra and decided to leave on 1st March 2010. But there were two reasons to cancel the yatra. One of our young friend died on bike on 25th Feb. and one astrologer suggested my brother to stop the Yatra. He told my family members that there is a accidental death in my Kundali in next coming month. My parents, brothers started calling me and requested to stop the Yatra. They never believed on astrology, but he was a famous astrologer. One day they called me and I heard mothers crying sound on mobile. I felt very bad; I understood her love and thought what the use of the service, if our parents are not happy? I wanted to make them happy. They took promise from me that I will not go for the Yatra. I declared that I am going to cancel the Yatra. All they became very happy, but I was disturbed. My mind was telling me that it is my test and I have to pass it.


One day a thought came in my mind if you are not happy, how you can give happiness to others? If you want to become happy do what comes from inside. Do your own duties, follow your Swadharma. I did not slept for two days, I was just thinking about the Yatra. Finally I understood that my family loves me, but they are opposing because of the astrologer and superstition. I decided to move and I left for the Yatra without informing them. I called them on 10th March and told about the Yatra, my father said, ok, go! Serve the nation, you will be safe, my blessings are with you.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Greatest source of self confidence- Hanuman chalisa

Chanting Hanuman Chalisa with understanding and meditating on Lord Hanuman gives unbelievable positive energy and confidence. Lord Hanuman is a symbol of Power, strength, and success. My source of self confidence, inner power and secret of success is Hanuman chalisa. Swami Mitrananda taught us that, “As you think so you becomes”.


There is a simple formula if we meditate upon power we becomes power. If one meditates on Hanuman’s power, strength, he becomes strong and become able to overcome any kinds of situations. I wanted to experience this, so I chanted Hanuman chalisa for 108 times. I experienced the effects, without anything, I did this Yatra successfully. So many times I met with danger people, Gunda’s, Maowadis, I traveled through most sensitive areas of the country. I stayed alone in jungles in the night but nothing happened to me. I experienced the power, strength and confidence within myself.

Some people could not understand this, even I never believed on such things but I have experienced it.

Nothing will happen if we are doing it blindly, there should be faith, understanding, and clarity in mind.

....and finally i was caught by Maowadi in Manipur

It was 17th may 2010. I was in Manipur and the strike was going on in all over the state. It was highly sensitive area, and I was aware about it. Mr. Tiwary, an army officer informed me about the Maowadi group and how they troubles people. He also suggested not stopping anywhere, and covering the mouth with napkin.


I was driving little fast; one can drive at the speed of twenty on highway no-150 in Manipur. I was very alert. it was a jungle and no one was on the road. One youngster with rifle and a little sword stopped my bike, took the bike’s key and asked detail information about me. I gave all the details, he asked for two thousand rupees as a road tax. I said I can’t give because not having money. I have only seventy rupees and I can’t give it, because it will be required in next journey. I went with him and sat for sometime.

Then I requested him to meet their leader. He took me there, I went and sat on the chair, the leader came, he was around thirty, a young person. I said Hello and introduced myself. I said that, Sir you are well educated so only you can understand me. He became very happy after listening good things about him. He asked me why you came in our nation?. “Tu Idhar kyo aaya”.I replied that I wanted to study the villages and culture of the country, so came for the study. It is really nice and beautiful area. He checked my bag; saw the camera, laptop etc.

After few minutes he asked me don’t you have fear? How you can sit freely with us. Other people fears when they come here. I said excuse me sir, if you allow I can answer your question. He said, yes friend you can speak freely. I said Sir they don’t fear you, they fear the death. They fear the weapons which are in your hand. They were having rifles, AK 47, jambiya, Sword, and small knives. He thought for sometime and said yes, you are right. Everyone fears death. You are different, you are really courageous, because you have crossed Manipur state in this situation, I appreciate your courage and the way of speaking. Then he introduced about him without name, he was a graduate from Delhi University. He was a nice person, but he could not have got proper guidance on proper time. Today I experienced that there are good qualities in every human being. I also experienced that if we have pure vision and dedication to the service we can overcome any situations.

When I left the place the leader assured me, now no one will trouble you in this area.

Role of spiritual organizations in development of the nation.

From ancient time spirituality played a major role in developing the nation. Presently there are so many organizations working for national welfare. Chinmaya Mission is serving the society through different projects, like CORD, YEP. Chinmaya Organisation For Rural Development is serving in rural areas of Himachal Pradesh and north Bharat. They have transformed thousands of people and changed villages. I met to Dr. Kshama Mhetre (Didi), she believes on human transformation. So she made them self sufficient, helped people to realize their potential and showed the path of development. I visited few villages in Himachal where CORD is serving, interacted with people. Villagers have different groups like Kisan club, Mahila Mandal, Yuvati Samuha, Yuva group, Balveer etc. they comes together within a week for meeting, volunteers from CORD helps them for the coordination and guides for new projects. There are schools, good roads and basic facilities in every villages.


Youth Empowerment Program is another project initiated by Swami Mitrananda. Chinmaya Mission trains youngsters, inspires them to serve the nation and helps them during the service period. From last four years around two hundred qualified youngsters are serving to the nation in different parts of the country. This course includes three months value based management, leadership training program and ten months selfless service to the nation. I met with around fifteen Yuvaveers who are serving to the nation in different parts of the country. They are doing amazing work and serving to the thousands of people in the nation

M.A.D.(Making A Difference) Dr. Ashok Belkhode

I came to know about this person when I was in Nanded, Maharashtra. Some one told me that there is a MBBS, MD Doctor who is serving to the villagers. People told so many good things about him. I wanted to meet him, but thought he is very great person, how he will meet me without an appointment. I went to Kinwat and visited his hospital. When I saw the hospital, I thought to meet him for few minutes. When I entered in his cabin he was checking a patient. When he came to know that I am traveling on bike across the nation, he said you are MAD. I am also a MAD because I travelled whole Bharat on bicycle. My master was world famous MAD who travelled twice on bycycle to connect the Bharat, his name is Baba Amte.


Dr. Ashok Belkhode was a coordinator of the cycle yatra organised by Baba Amte to connect the Bharat. He talked with me nicely for an hour. Then he asked to stay in his home in the night. I was very happy to stay with a great person. He called all his friends at 10.30 pm. He said one MAD person came in our city please come lets have a nice disscussion with him. We had discussion for one and half hour.

Dr. Ashok Belkhode is serving to hundreds of villages and making awareness about health and education. He is implementing lots of projects for villagers. His hospital is always open for all villagers with minimum charges or free of cost. There is also a reading hall and library in the hospital.

Dr. Ashok teached basic health related things to students so they can serve in villages. Those who are failed in tenth exam can get admission to the course, Dr. Ashok and his team trains them and they serves in villages.

Alfa byte- it’s a family

The group of people stays together with love and respect and understands each other is called family. I visited Alfa Byte computer institute in Indapur on first day of the Yatra. I met to Tushar Ranjankar, president of the institute. We had nice interaction for some time. I interacted with students of the institute. I asked a question to a student, What is your opinion about this institute? He just replied,”it is not only an institute, it is a family”. I liked the answer very much. I stayed there for a day. Really it is a family.


There are no workers, sweepers or watchman. Students manages all the things. They wakes up early in the morning, cleans the whole area, and starts their day after doing Yogasan and Suryanamskar. They stays together, they loves and respects each other, they learns together and teaches each other. They manage the institute within less expenses so maximum poor and village students can take benefits of the computer education within less fees. Tushar Ranjankar wants to give computer education to maximum students who can not afford high fees in other computer institute. He is a past student of Student Welfare Association, Pune. He implemented all the good things in Alfa byte, what he learned in SWA. There is ‘Earn and learn’ scheme for the students. He arranges different activities like group discussion, personality development programs, guest lectures etc. Tushar Ranjankar invites great personalities in the institute to interact with students, so students can feel confident and get inspiration from them.

Students of the institute says that, “ Tushar sir is our teacher, guide, mentor, and role model. He is just like a elder brother in our family.

Tushar is well educted, he could have got job in good company, he could have opened computer institute in Pune or any other city, but he says, it was my dream to teach poor students in villages, when I came back after completing my education in 1995, I realised that computer education is the need of village students. So I started teaching with one computer and now we have a nice institute with defferent courses and special departments.

11th March 2010. First day of the Yatra

It was a memorable day for me. I woke up early in the morning went to Shanti Mandir, Dr. Samprasad Vinod Blessed me and said, enjoy the Yatra, don’t fear, god will bless you. We gathered at Shri Babasaheb Purandare’s home. He put kumkum tilak on my forehead, presented shawl, coconut and talked about ten minutes. He said, I am very happy to know that a young person from Pune is travelling allover Bharat. In the ancient time Sant Namdeo, Sant Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Shivaji Maharaj travelled all over nation to share the knowledge, and to build a strong nation. This youngster is travelling to get and share the knowledge; it is very good that you are travelling on bike, because it suits to this generation.


We sung Vande Mataram together and started the Yatra. Dr. Samprasad Vinod, Vinay Deshmukh, Hemant Joshi were present. Sunil Mane, Siddhesh Bangar, Mahendra Munjal, Hanumant Khengre, Ganesh Hursale, Mangesh Bendkhale, Alok Medhi came to wish me. My brother Dnyaneshwar and Narayan were standing in the corner. They looked little nervous. I could not talk with my brothers and family members.When I started bike, Babasaheb asked about helmet, I said I am going to purchase it. Sunil Mane and Mangesh followed me and we purchased a helmet, had breakfast. I left Pune around 11 am. Alok Medhi requested to visit his petrol pump near Saswad. His father talked very nicely, blessed me, gave some fruits and filled petrol of 930 rupees. I started from Saswad and stopped at Indapur at 4.30 pm. I stayed at Alfa byte on the first day, interviewed Tushar Ranjankar, who is the Chairman of Alfa byte institute. Here I had two sessions with youngsters; and talked with around hundred youngsters about the nation.

Shri Hemant Joshi- he loved the concept of serving the nation!

I met to specific person before starting the Yatra. Most of them opposed me, some of them were positive, few gave assurance to help the Yatra and there was only one person who said, it is a great concept, we should support it. I met to Shri Hemant Joshi sir at his home on 6th march 2010. He is a great person; he helps poor people by distributing new cloths and never tells anyone. He likes social work and has vision. He knew me, because of Yog and other social projects. When I told him about the Yatra and asked his guidance. He said do it, find a village where we can serve. He called me at his office on next day. He gave me a cheque and said, this is my small help for the project. He called few people and asked to support the Yatra. Within one hour he managed eighty percent expenses of the Yatra. He is the only person who talked very less, he just said I want to contribute in this noble cause.

……and the Yatra was cancelled!

I planned the Yatra and decided to leave on 1st March 2010. But there were two reasons to cancel the yatra. One of our young friend died on bike on 25th Feb. and one astrologer suggested my brother to stop the Yatra. He told my family members that there is a accidental death in my Kundali in next coming month. My parents, brothers started calling me and requested to stop the Yatra. They never believed on astrology, but he was a famous astrologer. One day they called me and I heard mothers crying sound on mobile. I felt very bad; I understood her love and thought what the use of the service, if our parents are not happy? I wanted to make them happy. They took promise from me that I will not go for the Yatra. I declared that I am going to cancel the Yatra. All they became very happy, but I was disturbed. My mind was telling me that it is my test and I have to pass it.


One day a thought came in my mind if you are not happy, how you can give happiness to others? If you want to become happy do what comes from inside. Do your own duties, follow your Swadharma. I did not slept for two days, I was just thinking about the Yatra. Finally I understood that my family loves me, but they are opposing because of the astrologer and superstition. I decided to move and I left for the Yatra without informing them. I called them on 10th March and told about the Yatra, my father said, ok, go! Serve the nation, you will be safe, my blessings are with you.

Opposition, Insults (Uphasa) and …...?.

Before starting the Yatra I had strong opposition from my family and friends. They gave their hundred percent to cancel the Yatra, and they became successful. There was a time I decided to cancel the Yatra, and I declared that, I am going to cancel the Yatra. I will not go if they don’t want it. My family members and some friends became very happy, they believed on me that I will not go for the Yatra. They kept watch on me for few days.


Without informing anyone I started the Yatra. My brothers and friends came to know about it just before one day when news published in Lokmat newspaper. Now they were not having chance to stop me. Some people said that, weather is too hot; your health is not good why are you taking such an adventure? When I started some of them said, ok, go! We know that you will come back within five to ten days. Because it is not a joke to drive continuously, Bharat is not small as Pune city. Now opposition was turned into insults. I was aware about it. Swami Vivekananda said that every great venture goes through three phases, Opposition, Insults, and welcome. I don’t know whether they will welcome or not!

Only few person admired me

Dr Samprasad Vinod, Swami Mitrananda, Hemant Joshi, Babasaheb Purandare.


I spoke with so many people, friends before leaving to the Yatra. Most of them opposed me, some of them laughed at me and some neglected me. But there are some great person who liked the concept and only two masters who admired and said it is great thought, go and experience it. They guided me, supported the thought and blessed me.

Swami Mitrananda is Acharya and President of Chinmaya Mission Chennai, and Dr. Samprasad Vinod is renowned personality in the field of Yog.

There are only few people who can understand higher thoughts.

Do you believe yourself?

I was planning the Yatra, sometime I thought that whether I will able to do it or not. One day I wanted to take decision whether I should go for this Yatra or not, because I was sick in the month of January, I was not allowed to drive any two wheelers because of an accident which caused for knee paining, I was not having money, no bike, and no camera.


I took a coin and decided that if ‘head’ then I will do this venture and if ‘tail’ then I will cancel the Yatra. I prayed to God and did toss, unluckily it was negative. I did thrice but it was negative for three times continuously. I don’t know was it luck or what?. I became little nervous and slept for some time. When I woke up I saw a photograph of Swami Chinmayananda and one thought came in my mind, “Do you believe yourself or the coin?”

I decided to go for the Yatra and never looked back!
I have completed the Yatra on bike within 108 days.

We should not give up

One day I went with my friend on bike. When we came back he realized that bike’s key is not there. It was a single key without kitchen, so failed somewhere. The bike was taken from another friend and it was supposed to return after one hour. There was not key maker in that area. So we decided to find the key. I walked on the road for around half kilometer and came back. Time was around 8 pm, there was darkness on the road, and traffic was also there.


My friend Santhosh Cheta came after half an hour with the key. He showed the key to me and said, “Pundlik We should not give up”. This incidence was something different, it was very effective. Whenever I faced problems before starting the Yatra I reminded this incidence, we should not give up!

What made the Yatra successful?

It was my dream to visit the Bharat on bike. But it was just a dream, because I was not having anything to complete it. No money, no bike, not having good health. Without anything the Yatra became successful, I have completed hundred and eight days on bike and visited twenty eight states of our country. I have covered twenty one thousand kilometers on bike. I stayed at temples, college and school grounds, jungles, with Adivasi’s, police stations, army camps, footpaths etc. I never had fear in my mind, I was never afraid, I was never thought to go back, I became successful, but it was not my success. There are thousands of known and unknown people who prayed for my success. But when one of my friend and reporter asked me that what was the secret of the success? When I started thinking on this question got following points. Willpower, strong desire to serve the nation, selfless service, pure vision, dedication, clarity in mind, self confidence, blessings of my masters etc.