On June 23rd of this year, I posted this on facebook, for helping me find hoardings in Mumbai :
This was the link that detailed the request:
Lots of people responded and I received proposals, but they were all pricey. None of them were free.
Around this time, Amit Jhunjhunwala introduced me to a friend of his who owned a prominent Hoarding Company in Mumbai.
I was a bit lazy in contacting the friend (I dunno why). Amit kept insisting that I call him.
When I finally did speak to the person, I was not ecstatic. The person was a bit blunt and told me, “Alok, your event is in November – why are you calling me now??”
I signed off.
The months went by, and despite Kaveeta Kaul (The Mumbai head of Ananda Sangha – the organiser of the event) requesting that I activate hoardings, I kept quiet.
As Babaji would have it, around September, I attended a very private spiritual saint’s meeting (near my house), and lo and behold, I met Mr. Hoarding there!
We spoke, and he was quite nice. But when I asked him for the hoardings, he said “Alok, the event is in November, why are you asking me now?”
I resigned myself to reminding him sometime in October.
A few weeks ago, as the event’s date began to come near, I called him up again.
There was no reply. He did not call me back.
I tried sms’ing and called a few more times but there was no interest.
I then GAVE UP.
I gave up because it was clear to me, that this was a noble cause, and if the person was not interested, he was not interested. I was not going to force him into giving us hoardings ‘for free’.
Kaveeta kept reminding me for doing something. I kept ignoring her.
This week on Monday, just as the Diwali holidays began, my family and I traveled to Goa for a short break.
Kaveeta was getting quite frantic about the hoardings and I was feeling guilty and helpless.
All of a sudden, I was inspired to ask Akancha (who is the head of events at The Rodinhoods) to ‘help’.
I gave her all the details and contacts & told her that Mr. Hoardings was busy and non responsive.
We also both agreed that requesting free hoardings in the city of Mumbai during Diwali week sounded like the DUMBEST idea in the world…
I just left it at that and requested her to do her best…
***
This morning ( barely 5 days later) , I woke up to see these pictures:
Om Babaji Om.
How and when this happened is a story that Akancha needs to tell.
All I can say is this:
– When good things need to happen, they happen.
– GOOD intent always brings the BEST out of people – irrespective of who & what they are in their real life.
– Sometimes, you become the channel for others to deliver. Just being the channel is a blessing. As Daya Taylor (my spiritual guide) often tells me, (quoting Yoganandji) – “Alok, the instrument that blesses is also blessed…”
(This quote needs correction by Daya).
I THANK Babaji for being there always for his believers.
And yes, PLEASE COME for the event, today!!
OM
*****
