Mohanji Home for Seniors – Part 2

Posted on by Mohanji Testimonials

By Madhusudan Rajagopalan, India

This is a story from the book – Guru Leela 5

The Construction Phase

During the Bhoomi puja trip, Mohanji gave clear instructions on how he wanted the structure to be, what facilities to include, how to honour the Siddhas (elevated Masters) and how to enable continuous worship of Mt Arunachala. Our team, led by Mamuji (Mr Narinder Rohmetra, a retired Chief Engineer from Jammu, long-time senior member and pillar of the Mohanji family), started work.

Within a few weeks, the blueprint for the building was ready. A funding proposal document was also prepared in parallel. During the Mohanji Global Summit in Sri Lanka in February 2020, a short presentation on this project immediately led to an outpouring of financial support from various participants. Sometime in March, we began the process of looking for local vendors and contractors and raising more funds to allow us to start the project.

The Covid pandemic hit India very soon, and the entire country went into a hard lockdown. For months, no movement was possible. However, Master’s grace cannot be held back by mere physical lockdowns, nor can funds circulation. Our fundraising pitch brought forward members from the Mohanji family with generous donations, and by July 2020, we had garnered enough funds for phase 1 of the project!

By late August 2020, the lockdown began easing, and our priority was to drill a borewell to secure water for the plot. Tiruvannamalai is very dry, with the summers being exceedingly hot. Hence, having a reliable water source within our plot was of prime importance. Kishore, who had taken over as the project manager, did the homework to select the right contractors. The water diviners selected two spots for the borewell.

As per their assessment, the ideal location was very close to one of the audumbur saplings planted by Mooji and Mohanji. Further, our Vaastu expert also did not approve of that location for the water source. Hence, we decided to avoid that spot. The water diviner then suggested another area closer to the front side of the plot, saying this spot was also good but not his ideal location for water. With this fixed, the drilling work started on 20th September 2020.

A few hours later, Kishore called me, sounding a bit worried. They had reached a depth of 300ft with no sign of water. We had been told that a nearby plot had struck water at sub-100 feet. However, we did not give up and continued drilling. Eventually, they struck water at 440ft depth and went down to 560ft depth, assuring a steady supply of water to the site.

A few minutes before that, Ananth, who was in Mohanji’s home in Bangalore, had relayed this information to Mohanji, who had just walked in front of the altar, stood for a few seconds and moved on. Within 10 minutes of that, water was struck. Mohanji just smiled and said, “It is all grace!” Soon after, a motor was installed, and we had a functional water source for the centre. In this manner, a beautiful solution emerged that respected the sacred plant and Vaastu principles, yet the centre’s water needs would be met, even from a sub-optimal water source.

The next priority was to obtain the necessary approvals for construction. This process can be tricky as various departments are involved, and getting accurate information is often the biggest challenge. Initially, we were told the process could take 3-6 months and would involve multiple rounds of visits to various government departments. While exploring this issue with other contacts, we were led to a person via Ramana (the caretaker of the old-age shelter) who promised to get the whole process done within 30-45 days for a small fraction of the estimated expenses.

A few days later, we learnt that the Government had officially announced that all plan permits up to 10,000 square feet could be approved by local bodies (e.g. gram panchayat). What seemed like a 3-6 month process and a potentially large expense was reduced to a short timeframe and a marginal expense with the local village panchayat. As it turned out, our plan approval came within 30 days. Our temporary electricity connection was set up, so before Diwali in November 2020, the lights came on at our site, and we were ready for construction.

Meanwhile, Mamuji and Kishore worked hard to shortlist contractors and find the best team for the job. This was challenging since the Covid lockdown had severely affected labour availability and costs. Nonetheless, Mamuji, true to his cost-saving instincts, drove a hard bargain that got us the best possible deal with the chosen contractor. Through Shaju, a fellow Mohanji family member at FICCI (India’s largest industry association), we also negotiated with a cement major to give us preferential rates (almost 20% discount) for our cement supplies, given the non-profit nature of the organisation (Ammucare) and the project objectives.

We also obtained competitive rates for iron rods and thus saved a substantial sum in the two biggest cost items. Our construction work officially began in mid-December 2020 – much later than we would have liked, but quite quickly, considering the effect of the Covid lockdowns across Tamil Nadu and the country. Once construction started, work continued steadily (except for the 2nd lockdown in early 2021) with hardly any stoppage for funds or any other reason.

Our original plan was to complete phase 1 (just the ground floor) and leave the rest for later. However, during construction, the plans changed to complete the first floor as well as we amazingly received donations to support this progress as well. Kishore took a strategic and brave decision to relocate (with family) to Tiruvannamalai for the project’s duration, which helped us keep a firm grip and fast pace on the project. As a result, the project reached a near-completion stage of the ground and first floor by late July 2021.

During this entire construction phase, as observers of how things actually moved, we can only marvel at how the whole process was smoothened by grace. Be it the timely availability of funds, material resources, and cost savings of the right order, the right people or the proper approvals, every aspect started off with some obstacles that dissolved within a few days. If there was only one or two of them, one could have attributed it to sheer luck. The number of such instances leads us to the only conclusion that is explainable – this project is sacred, and divine forces beyond our comprehension are powering it. Otherwise, to see the construction of such a scale complete within seven months during the Covid pandemic is nothing but impossible!

The Commencement Ceremony and thereafter: Miracles galore

While construction was still going on, we had not yet set a final date for completing Phase 1. One day in late July 2021, Mohanji called and asked us to fix a launch date soon. He was still in Europe; however, he wanted the progress to accelerate. He said that we had made a promise to the seniors and needed to deliver on it, and further delays would not be good. He also mentioned that this place would be home to not just the elders but that many Siddhas of Arunachala would visit and bless the centre.

Considering that the project was visualised in late 2018, it had been almost 3 years, so we understood the reason for Mohanji’s request. This reminder from Mohanji gave fresh wings to the work progress. We finalised the date as Krishna Janmashtami, also the death anniversary of Ammu (Mohanji’s daughter who died in a tragic road accident in 2000 and was the inspiration for the setup of Ammucare, as well as Mohanji’s journey into the world of spirituality and humanitarian work).

When this date was set, we had less than four weeks and plenty of work to complete. Mamuji was concerned about the deadline since he knew the finishing work on such a project always took far longer than one estimated, quite different from all the structural work that had been completed already. Nonetheless, with Kishore on-site and with inspiration from Mohanji, the team accelerated work.

The original plan was to conduct a big inauguration. We made a list of dignitaries in Tiruvannamalai to invite them and seek their blessings for the project’s launch. However, we eventually pared the program down as it became clear that the building would not be complete. Our focus changed from aesthetics to the bare essentials required to make the centre liveable for our seniors. Hence, the emphasis went on a working kitchen, clean toilets, beds and basic furniture, staff for the centre and such aspects.

Besides the construction, we had also run into a challenge with the staffing. The original plan was for the entire old age shelter to shift to this home. However, as we approached the finish line, Ramana – the shelter caretaker – spoke to us and requested that he would like to continue operating his centre. During the Covid pandemic, thanks to generous donors, his position of managing the centre had become a bit better, and the threat of eviction by the municipality also seemed to be at bay. He offered to support us with his expertise – with people as well as sending elderly people to our home so that both centres could operate in parallel.

When we heard this, our first response was that of surprise since this, in a way, challenged the entire premise of building this home. Upon reflection, we realised that this was a blessing in disguise. The old-age shelter’s situation had been the catalyst for launching this noble project. Now that it was ready for operations, perhaps this was the Masters’ way of providing more support for the elderly. So we decided to honour Ramana’s request and proceed with our plans as before. Mohanji had decided to set up this home to serve the seniors, and we would stay true to that purpose. We quickly identified staff to serve at the centre, including some resources from Ramana’s shelter and prepared ourselves for full-fledged operations.

For the launch ceremonies, the astrologers suggested the 29th and 30th of Aug 2021, coinciding with Krishna Janmashtami. We also renamed the function to a Commencement Ceremony to signify that activities would commence from 1st September, i.e. some seniors would actually move in and start living in the Mohanji Home for Seniors.

The pujas were to be officiated by our Mohanji family members – Vasudevan Namboodiripad (from Palakkad), aided by our Kerala lead volunteer, Devadas. They brought the essentials for the pujas and conducted 3 different pujas – a Navagraha homa, a Ganapathi homa, and a Bhagavathi seva over 29th and 30th Aug. The pujas were conducted with great austerity. We placed a life-size photo frame of Mohanji at the reception so that he would literally welcome everyone into the home. Within a day, the change of the vibrations in the centre was palpable, almost like Mohanji and the Siddhas of Arunachala were blessing the project for success, considering the noble service that was to start at the home.

I was privileged to be there throughout these pujas and observed how smoothly things fell into place. Till a few weeks back, work was happening, but without a fixed deadline as such. But as soon as Mohanji drove the focus to a set date, everything began to fit together – another example of how Mohanji’s aagnya shakti (commanding power) moves mountains.

Further, we had a series of wonderful experiences on the days of the pujas. Whenever we conduct a puja/ homa, there is a sacred intention (sankalpa), and our main wish is that our offerings are accepted. For the Mohanji Home for Seniors, our main sankalpa was for the project to be successful so that we may serve many seniors with purity and compassion. On those days, we had four separate incidents that gave us clear, unmistakable signs that the deities and Masters were happy with the pujas in specific and the project in general.

 1) On 29th August, the morning ceremony was a Ganapati homa (fire ritual to Lord Ganesha). The ceremony lasted for over an hour. When it was over, the priest distributed the prasad (consecrated offering) – a special dish made with puffed rice, sesame, coconut shavings and sweetened with jaggery. As soon as we began giving this out, a black dog appeared at the back door (the door that faces Mt Arunachala), looking intently at us. Usually, dogs don’t like sweet offerings, but not this one. He lapped it all up and even went for seconds and thirds till he had more than his fill of the prasad. Black dogs are usually associated with Bhairava, a form of Lord Shiva, and this was a fulfilling thought for us that Lord Arunachaleshwara himself had accepted our offerings. 

 2) That afternoon, our whole group had been invited to lunch at Yogi Ramsuratkumar ashram by Ma Devaki, who always treats us with great affection and love. As I mentioned earlier, we started our fieldwork on this project by taking Yogiji’s (and Ma Devaki’s) blessings. Hence, it only seemed appropriate that we offer our gratitude at Yogiji’s feet at the time of commencement. On this day, before proceeding for lunch, I went to their office to offer a donation to the ashram – yet another learning from Mohanji: offer gratitude and support at every possible opportunity.

While giving us the donation receipt, the lady at the counter also handed over the thick pictorial book produced for Yogiji’s centenary in 2019 (this book also had an article by Mohanji, so it was extra special for us). This was a pleasant surprise and a blessing to receive this book now so that it can be kept in the Mohanji Home for Seniors library. A yellow butterfly fluttered past the manager as soon as I said this. He immediately pointed out that Yogiji had made his presence felt (Yogiji had declared that he would show his presence as a butterfly every now and then). In this case, the location (behind the counter glass cubicle, far away from the outside door) and the timing (just a second after our conversation) left no doubt that this was a sign indeed from the great Master! 

 3) In the evening, the ceremony at the Mohanji Home was Bhagawathi Seva, or worship of the Divine Mother. After the puja was over, prasad was distributed to all. This time, the prasad was a payasam (a gooey sweet rice dish with an overload of jaggery and sugar). Almost on cue, a white dog appeared at the back door and happily lapped up a few leaf platefuls of the prasad. A white dog is associated with Goddess Lakshmi, a form of the Divine Mother, making us feel happy that the day’s proceedings were successful. 

 4) We received a call from Kishore’s home at this point. A great Avadhoota saint had called Revathy (Kishore’s wife and a Mohanji Acharya) and said he would come to their house to have payasam (a sweet dish). This saint is an ardent worshipper of Divine Mother and is well aware of Mohanji and his work across the world. On this day, as the Bhagawathi Seva was completed, his asking for the same payasam at Revathy’s house as prasad was a confirmation that the Divine Mother herself had accepted our offering.

We requested the saint to also visit the home and bless the project. Being an Avadhoota, he did not commit, despite our fervent requests. However, the next day, he called and said he would visit in the afternoon. This was perfect timing as his visit was on 31st August, just a day before the seniors were to actually start living in the home. His visit, in a way, rounded off the series of blessings for the project to take off successfully.

The Mohanji Home for Seniors started operating on 1st September as planned, with 5 sadhus moving in. But interestingly, over time, we began to realise that the home was an abode not just for the elders who we could see but several others whom our eyes could not see. For example, the staff regularly noticed that the food offered to the Lord is consumed, and only part of it is visible the next day, despite the kitchen being completely closed! A few months since commencement, a routine has been established, and the seniors spend their days in an atmosphere of peace, love and affection. Our staff lovingly serves them freshly cooked meals, their clothes and hygiene are well tended to, and doctors check on their health regularly. 

Aaratis are performed regularly to Mohanji and Mount Arunachala. Festivals are celebrated in great style, and every attempt is made to ensure that the seniors feel at home and part of the extended Mohanji family. Mohanji visited the home, along with his parents, and provided additional guidance to the team to enhance the quality of our services. He also inspired our team to accelerate the construction work to complete the first and second floors in their entirety and consider the building complete in all respects. That is now our focus, and we hope to reach that milestone soon.

Conclusion

As I write this in February 2022, I can only marvel at how smoothly this entire project has taken shape. I have had the privilege of being involved in it from the early stages and literally had a front-row seat to see Mohanji’s grace and vision play out seemingly invisibly. When we string together the various incidents and reflect on what has been achieved and what instead could have been, we begin to appreciate the gravitas of this project. On behalf of everyone involved with this project – volunteers, donors, and project managers – I can only say how grateful we are for the opportunity to be a part of such a historical project.

As I started the day today, I saw Mohanji’s quote for the day on the table calendar: “At the end of the day, it is just grace and blessings which make a difference in regular life. Gratitude opens doors for grace to flow.” Truer words could not have been spoken, and I am smiling at how Mohanji sends the right message yet again!

Mohanji Home for Seniors – Part 1

|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||

Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 6th April 2023

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Mohanji Testimonials team

Mohanji Home for Seniors – Part 1

Posted on by Mohanji Editorial Team

By Madhusudan Rajagopalan, India

This is a story from the book – Guru Leela 5

The Mohanji Home for Seniors in Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu, India) started operations on 1st September 2021. This has been a special project in many ways – the first physical space in India that went ‘live’, the noble cause of serving underprivileged, elderly people and the sacred location of Tiruvannamalai – home to the holy mountain Arunachala and several Siddhas and Masters. A substantial project like this has several nuances on how grace enabled progress every step of the way. This story is an attempt to take you through that journey. The journey of how Mohanji’s vision unfolded. And the journeys of multiple volunteers who were a part of this story and witnessed it unfold before them, wondering how things actually transpired.

How the project was born

The seeds of this project were laid in October 2018 during a retreat with Mohanji in Tiruvannamalai. There was a seva activity during the retreat where Mohanji led a group to an old-age shelter that provided shelter to around 40-50 elderly sadhus. This shelter was in a makeshift hall – a dormitory with beds on both sides in a cramped space. The roof was held up with tin sheets which made it exceedingly hot during the summer. 

However, the caretaker, Ramana, managed this setup with great dedication, tending to the seniors with much love and sincerity to keep them comfortable. We had known about this shelter earlier, having visited it during a trip in December 2017, following which Mohanji had organised for Ammucare Charitable Trust to support them with groceries and supplies from time to time. During this visit, our group learnt that the centre was facing a threat of eviction by the local municipality. 

Some of these elders were unwell, and some had been abandoned by their families – a tragic tale that plays out at several sacred locations in India: families bring elderly members on a pilgrimage and then abandon them there for various reasons! In fact, when our group interacted with some of the seniors, they even mistook them for their long-lost family members! This experience really moved Mohanji and our group members. It became clear that the status quo would not suffice for much longer. 

Upon their return to the hotel, Pravin Thakkar (Pravinbhai), one of the retreat participants, mentioned to Mohanji that he would like to support an initiative to resolve this problem permanently. Immediately, Mohanji swung into action and initiated an effort to look for an alternative space for the sadhus. The first attempt was to look for a rental house that could accommodate the whole group of elders. But nobody wanted to let out their premises to such a group. That left us with only the option of buying land and building our own centre to house this group. 

When Mohanji mentioned this plan to Ramana, his first response was, “Mohanji, many people have come here and promised us things. Please don’t make promises to us that don’t get executed.” Mohanji assured him that this was not a vain promise and immediately activated our group to look for a suitable piece of land. Pravinbhai told Mohanji that he deeply resonated with this cause and volunteered to support this initiative – both financially and to galvanise additional support through his network of contacts. 

The search for the right land

Once Mohanji made this decision, the wheels were set in motion. Mohanji’s specifications were clear as always – around 10-12 cents (100 cents of land equals 1 acre) of land, a clear view of Mt. Arunachala, a clean title of the land, and ideally, something that was between the Girivalam road (the road that is used for circumambulation of Arunachala mountain) and the mountain so that prayers could be offered to the mountain regularly. 

Ananth Sankaran, a member of our group, was given the responsibility of coordinating this effort. Having visited this centre with Mohanji earlier, Ananth was familiar with Ramana and had some local friends and contacts there. Ananth was based in Australia, so he started calling local real estate agents to scout for the right places. This process began in October 2018. Real estate scouting is always fraught with risks, and finding genuine parties and clean land is often challenging. This is even tougher when one doesn’t have local people on the ground to visit and verify facts. When Mohanji told me about this project initially, my role was to oversee the activities and support where required. I was based in Mumbai and spoke with Ananth regularly for updates. Soon, 2-3 months had passed, but no concrete progress had been made. 

One day in early 2019, Mohanji called me and asked for an update. I told him where we stood – “We are speaking with people, and we are trying. So many challenges, hard to do this etc.” He listened patiently and had only one thing to say at the end “Move quickly before Pravinbhai changes his mind about supporting this project. How long do you expect him to wait?” That question really shook me. In our heads, we were (supposedly) genuinely trying and facing obstacles. But the larger picture here was that the cause of supporting seniors was too important to let it languish. And if an opportunity was given, the opportunity came with a limited window. This was also a subtle lesson that every person supporting a cause is ‘sent’ by the Tradition, and not accepting the support promptly is tantamount to blocking grace and the gifts of the Tradition. What I didn’t know at that time was Pravinbhai was possibly getting frustrated at the delays and wondering if the project would even take off. In a way, Mohanji’s gentle warning put the project back on course!

This reality check led to a shift of gears. Ananth and I spoke, and we agreed that it would be more efficient for me to coordinate locally. By early 2019, my professional situation had also shifted, and I was dedicating more time to Mohanji Foundation activities, so it became easier for me to focus on this project. But the months of January and February 2019 were busy with the Mohanji Global Summit and the Kumbh Mela with Mohanji programs, so more time passed by. In early March, Mohanji called me to Bangalore for a few days to discuss some projects and move things forward. After a couple of days there, I was to return to Mumbai. But I had this sudden thought, ‘Why not visit Tiruvannamalai and do some land scouting in person?’ I quickly asked Mohanji for his guidance, and he responded in two words “Shubhasya Sheegram” (loosely translated to ‘doing something quickly is auspicious’). This was the signal we needed, and we set about organising our trip immediately. There were a couple of other people also staying in Mohanji’s home then, and all of us decided to take the overnight bus to Tiruvannamalai that night itself. 

We had to plan arrangements for our stay in Tiruvannamalai and figure out which lands we would visit. As if on cue, all our arrangements worked out almost instantly. Bus tickets were booked, flight tickets rebooked, and bags packed and ready to go within an hour. Through a relative’s reference, we arranged rooms for our stay at the Yogi Ramsuratkumar ashram. I made some more phone calls to our broker contacts, and we had a few land visits organised during our trip. 

The next morning, in Tiruvannamalai, we started the day by visiting Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s samadhi. I had visited Yogiji’s samadhi twice before with Mohanji, and I always felt a special connection to this place. So when this trip fell into place, I was particular about seeking his blessings for our project. I also sought Ma Devaki (the spiritual head of the ashram and someone who had served Yogiji for many years before his maha samadhi) to consult her for guidance. Ma Devaki and Mohanji shared a special bond, having met many times earlier. I explained our project requirements and asked her if she could give us any leads or introduce us to someone trustworthy that could help us further. Just then, someone walked past Ma Devaki, and she asked him this question about lands suitable for us, and the person immediately referred us to somebody looking to sell his land. 

Yogi Ramsuratkumar

I called the landowner (let’s call him Mr G), who explained his long-standing connection to Yogiji, more about his land and why he wished to sell it now. Ma Devaki told me that Ma Vijayalakshmi (another lady who had served Yogiji for several years) wanted to join us for this land visit, so our visit was in the ashram car. Though Ma Vijayalakshmi decided that the land was not suitable for her, being quite far from the ashram, it definitely felt like Yogi Ramsuratkumar was orchestrating the visit and taking care of our comfort. 

After seeing nearly ten different options in 2 days, we now had 3-4 serious options that could be evaluated further. It almost seemed like the Masters were waiting for us to take a few steps so that they could ease our path. Mohanji often says, “If you flap your wings, I will be the wind beneath your wings.” The unsaid part here is that first, one must flap one’s wings! 

I updated Pravinbhai and promised to keep him abreast of progress. I started communicating with the landowner Mr G to discuss title documents, price and other details. At this stage, this land looked the most feasible in terms of budget and availability. However, it was not exactly in line with Mohanji’s directives (Mt Arunachala was visible from the land, but it was quite far from the Girivalam). I told Mohanji about the options, and he just advised me to keep moving forward; interestingly, he did not give concrete answers on which land to pick, nor did he rule anything out. 

A few weeks later, in early April, I made another trip to Tiruvannamalai. This time, I met a lawyer to study the documents of Mr G’s land more closely. I also met some of the landowners of lands shortlisted in the earlier trip. This process ruled out some of the options, and we were back to not having any concrete options. Given that I was based in Mumbai, frequent trips to Tiruvannamalai were not easy, so we roped in Kishore Mundanad into the project. Kishore was based in Chennai and the main coordinator for all seva activities in Tiruvannamalai. So he would visit every other week, and over a couple of trips, he identified some options that seemed to be more feasible for our requirements. One of these plots seemed quite suitable for us, even if a bit expensive and beyond our initial budget estimates. Kishore and I agreed that this would be the appropriate range for land costs, and he started discussing further details with the owner. 

A couple of months passed, and further discussions led us to understand that the owner was now developing this land commercially, so the option we liked was no longer available. However, the landowner liked our cause and wanted to support us, so he mentioned the possibility of another land he was working on. He had not shown this to us earlier as he was still trying to acquire it, and there were some disputes within the seller’s family at that stage. However, just as the other option fell through, this came back into the reckoning and the path cleared for this land. Kishore began talking specifics with the landowner as we felt that this could well be the land for us. I updated Mr G that we were not going ahead with his land as we wanted something closer to the Girivalam.

Soon we were in July 2019. I had the opportunity to attend the Guru Purnima event with Mohanji in Bangalore. Immediately after this auspicious occasion, I left for Tiruvannamalai to see the latest land options and meet the owners. As soon as we saw the options, we knew which land had to be finalised. It was a beautiful serene spot between the Girivalam and Mt Arunachala. It was 10 cents of land (the minimum that Mohanji had specified) and had a clear view of the mountain – it almost felt like one could walk from the land and touch the mountain in a few minutes. We met the owner that afternoon, agreed on terms and shook hands with him to finalise our land for the project. 

The interesting angle here was that this land was also brought to us by an agent who was a Yogi Ramsuratkumar follower, so Yogiji’s invisible hand was felt at every stage. The owner was an active member of the Brahmakumaris movement; in fact, the land opposite ours was being developed for Brahmakumaris. So it seemed like a grand collaboration for a noble cause. And later, the owner remarked to Kishore – “Normally, I would never agree to such a deal as I did with you guys. I am not sure what happened to me. I just couldn’t say no to what you were asking.” But we knew – it was Mohanji’s grace working to power the project forward! 

I updated Pravinbhai about this, and he was excited about our progress. He started mobilising financial support, and within a few weeks, we had arranged the entire sum required, even though this was higher than our original budget! We rapidly finalised all the legal details of the agreement payment milestones and scheduled an auspicious date for the land registration. Finally, the agreement to buy the land was executed on 29th November 2019 by Mohanji. 

Bhoomi Puja Ceremony

Once the land was acquired, the next big milestone was to inaugurate the project. Mohanji wanted us to move quickly on this, and we started looking for auspicious dates in Jan 2020. The chosen date was 29th January 2020, the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami. After some deliberations, the name “Mohanji Home for Seniors” was finalised. Mohanji was keen that the inauguration be done not by him but by seniors who could appreciate this project’s virtues. So the chief guests were Dr PK Namboodiri and Sridevi Namboodiri (Mohanji’s parents), Snehajyothi Amma (an elderly lady in Tiruvannamalai whose mother was instrumental in taking Ramana Maharishi’s teachings to Germany) and Mr TR Gopalakrishnan (TRG) from Chennai.

TRG was a retired senior shipping executive and had a deep bond with Mohanji, like a father-son relationship. Mohanji was very keen on TRG coming for this function, but TRG resisted, citing his old age (87 years) and various excuses. Eventually, it took strong, personal convincing from Mohanji to make TRG participate in the function. The reason for this insistence became evident much later when TRG passed away in June 2021. This project and its progress literally kept him going till his last breath and provided great fulfilment and completion, easing his onward journey. In that sense, Mohanji was fulfilling his duty by giving TRG that experience and allowing him to benefit from the grace that comes from serving the elderly.

Based on Mohanji’s guidance, we got a foundation stone ready to honour all the above names and installed it just in time for the function. Priests were organised, invitations went out to our community, and the preparations fell into place. The week of this function happened to be among the busiest periods in Tiruvannamalai, so accommodation was a challenge. With some help from our friends, we managed to find accommodation in a new hotel. This led to another interesting ‘coincidence’ – Mooji Baba, a world-renowned spiritual Master, happened to be staying in the same hotel. The day after we arrived, Mohanji and Mooji ran into each other in the reception lobby. Their deep bond from before led to an immediate outpouring of love and affection from both sides and ended with Mohanji inviting Mooji Baba to the Bhoomi puja function. Mooji immediately agreed, despite the short notice and his busy schedule.

On the day of the function, everything went like clockwork. The pujas were conducted flawlessly, a large group of supporters came together to celebrate the occasion, and soon the chief guests unveiled the foundation stone to launch the project. Mohanji arrived with Mooji Baba, and both Masters addressed the audience to explain the value of serving selflessly and spreading kindness. At Mohanji’s request, Mooji Baba planted two audumbar saplings at the site and gave his blessings for the project’s success. Each audience member also put their intentions onto a brick and handed it over to the priests for consecration. Subsequently, bricks blessed by Ma Devaki at Yogi Ramsuratkumar ashram and Devi Amma, a great Siddha saint from Bangalore, were also added to this set. These blessed bricks currently adorn a wall of the reception area of the Mohanji Home for Seniors.

The Bhoomi puja ceremony was a big milestone and served to highlight several aspects of how Mohanji operates. Soon after the land registration, he wanted speed and got us to organise this function quickly without wasting any time. We didn’t fully understand why at that point, but it became clear when the Covid pandemic hit India in mid-March, and lockdowns brought the movement to a standstill. If we had missed that window, the project might have languished for much longer, denying several needy elders the opportunity to stay at the Home. He also wanted to stay in the background and put the spotlight squarely on the chief guests inaugurating the function. In this way, he honoured the elderly in a very sophisticated fashion and allowed them to experience the completion of long-standing latent desires.

In fact, Sneha Jyothi Amma told Mohanji, “Many Masters and spiritual people come to Tiruvannamalai and give talks. But with you, I see that you don’t talk too much. You only talk about what you actually do. This is why I like you!” Mohanji inviting Mooji Baba was a beautiful lesson in humility. Though this was his project, something that he had visualised and driven, he was completely open to sharing and even ceding the stage to Mooji Baba. This demonstrated his commitment to the cause – the more Masters that can bless a project, the better it was for the sadhus who would live there. And lastly, he handled the whole trip to Tiruvannamalai with a painful, swollen foot and mostly limping. Again, he showed that for him, purpose comes first, and nothing, not even severe bodily discomfort, can stop him from moving forward. I took those lessons as a big inspiration from Mohanji, and this set the stage for the next phase of the project – construction.

To be continued….

|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||

Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 30th March 2023

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