The Story of Sarita

By Biljana Vozarevic

A Girl at Kodari Border, on the way back from Kailash

There was a girl, about 12 years old, working as a porter. Her name was Sarita. She was a young Nepalese girl with an innocent look.

On our way to Kailas, as we arrived to cross the friendship bridge, this girl came to Sumit and Mohanji and requested to carry their bags as a porter. Looking at the small size of the girl, Sumit was reluctant. The girl keep pushing/begging and finally Mohanji told Sumit to give her a bag. This was her tiny earning. She would not beg. She would rather work and earn. In order to satisfy her and give themselves an opportunity to give her some money, Sumit gave her a small bag to carry across the border. While leaving, at the other end, she hugged and requested to meet us on our way back. Mohanji asked her how she would know at what time we would come back to the same point. She replied that she would wait. Mohanji told Sumit to give her good remuneration much more than her expectation for such an errand. Sumit did that. She came into the bus where Mohanji was sitting, held his hand, touched his feet and expressed her joy at seeing him. And he told others to take care of Mohanji.

On our return to the border, she was waiting when our bus arrived, along with her friends. Her friends told us that she had been counting days of Mohanji’s return. She kept telling everyone that he is her father.When Mohanji came out of the bus, she approached Mohanji and he hugged her compassionately, soothing, fondling her head. She pressed her face on his chest and started crying.

Torrents of tears were rolling down her face. He was soothing her tenderly and lovingly. She was so attached to Mohanji that she didn’t want to let him go. Even when he entered into the vehicle that would transport him to the helipad, she would not let him close the door and cried bitterly. Mohanji asked Sumit to give her his and Sumit’s contact numbers and also asked him to inquire the possibilities of educating her and protecting her.

This was the language of love. It needs no words. She felt 100% unconditional, fatherly love. Without teachers or preachers what real love is. She had not been educated to respect a guru. Her heart felt it and melted while she was disappearing into that hug, ignoring people around. Such pure openness, without blockages, prejudices or conditioning. She didn’t even know that she was actually blessed. Only Mohanji knows what was going on in her and what baggage he took from her. If we played with words, we could say that she carried other people’s baggage and Mohanji took her own heavy “baggage” from her letting her go blessed and relieved.

Mohanji left in the first vehicle. She was standing in one corner and crying. Sumit approached her and asked what she was praying. She said that she was praying that Mohanji does not go and stays in Kodari. Sumit immediately knew that Mohanji was not able to leave because of her prayers, which he re-confirmed after checking with the tour operator. Many sorties have happened and Mohanji was still at the Helipad. He understood the call of the seeker and the reciprocation of the Guru. He went to her and told her not to pray that Mohanji should not go from here, instead to pray that she meets him soon again. She started praying so and Mohanji left Kodari in the next helicopter.

All these may sound stranger than fiction. But, this is an honest narration of a true incident which played out in front of our own very eyes. We see only the tip of ice bergs and judge situations using our limited awareness. There is much more to life than what meets the eye. We hope Mohanji is able to adopt this small girl and bring her up to her highest potential.