I boarded Gitanjali express train from Jamshedpur Station in the evening; I was having reservation in AC-II coach with confirmed reservation for a lower berth whereas I was very keen to have an upper berth. Two men and one woman passengers were sitting on the lower berths facing each other and they were travelling from Howrah, the station of origin.
Before I could request one of the passengers to switch the seat the lady sitting besides the window seat looked at me with a smiling face and said: “Would you mind taking upper berth please; I would like to stay at the lower-berth, if it’s alright with you?” I was more than happy to honour her request, which was quite obvious. Therefore, I immediately shifted my soft luggage on the upper berth and settled down at the lower seat along with other co-passengers and I started reading my book.
The pantry-service-boy started serving dinner to the passengers after 8.00 o’clock sharp but I was not feeling hungry as yet; therefore, I immediately made a request to the delivery boy to serve my dinner after ten p.m. He simply took back my food-tray. After listening to my instructions, the other co-passengers also made a similar request and told the pantry boy to bring their food around ten p.m. and we all started laughing looking at each other.
The person sitting next to me was around fifty years of age, very fair complexioned and had tall and bulky physique. He was wearing brown colour Salwar-kameek, black colour Peshawari sandals and was carrying small white towel, which he kept on his right arm and he used to rub his face every fifteen minutes with his small towel as a habit and I realized he was actually sweating profusely.
He started his conversation with Urdu mixed Hindi language and asked me where I am heading for. I told him that I was going for interview at Nagpur and would return the next day evening. In order to continue our conversation further, I also enquired about his destination. He was waiting for an opportunity to communicate with me. Therefore he started answering my questions in details. He told me about his family, business and Nagpur city without any hitch or hesitation as if he knew me since ages. His was known as Salim Bhai Fruitwala (a reputed and respected fruit-merchant from Calcutta). He used to take Bananas and Oranges fruits gardens on lease during seasonal spell. In this trip, he was supposed to go to Nasik first and arrange the shipment of Bananas to Calcutta market and later will come down to Nagpur and do the supervision-work on his Orange gardens for few days and at the end of the month will return home. He was having three daughters and one son and all of them were studying in Calcutta.
I was visiting Nagpur for the first time to attend an interview. I asked Salim Bhai about the importance and distinctiveness of Nagpur city. He told me with great excitement about Taj-Baba ji Ki Mazar at Taj-Bagh in Nagpur and he spoke with lots of gratitude, reverence and respect about Baba ji. All the good things which had happened in his life so far were all due to the blessings of Baba ji; right from the birth of his only son after three daughters and his flourishing fruit-business; and the second most famous thing were Oranges of Nagpur city.
I asked him very hesitantly, whether I would be allowed to pay my respects at Baba ji’s Mazar because of my Punjabi background? He instantly told me not to worry at all about any thing because: “Lord’s doors are open for every one all the time”. He requested me to pay a visit at His Mazar and all my prayers will be answered by Him without any doubt and delay. Moreover, all the Saints and Religious gurus do not belong to any particular religion, cast and creed; their blessings and grace are meant for humanity as a whole and each and every living soul of this universe. Although Salim Bhai was not very educated person but his thoughts were very clear about humanity and religion.
I got off at seven a.m. in the morning at Nagpur Station and straight away rushed to the Hotel. After freshening-up and complimentary breakfast, I left for MIDC-Kalmeshwar Industrial Area, which was approximately 30 KM away from my hotel. I was to meet with the Vice President-HR of a very reputed Cold-rolled, Galvanized & Colour-coated sheets manufacturing plant of an internationally reputed group, for the post of Manager (Marketing). I hired a taxi-car for full day and negotiated the taxi-fare with the cab-driver and explained to him my visit plan in brief and at the end I wanted him to drop me at the station where I had to board Bombay-Howrah Gitanjali express train at eight p.m. night.
I reached my first destination in the afternoon. I was told at the reception to wait till two o-clocks due to lunch break. They were three senior executive in the first round of interview, two in the second round and one person in the third and final round. At the end, VP-HR told me to collect my travel expenses and if I were selected I will be intimated by them within next seven days.
I left the office with mixed thoughts and very heavy steps because I was not certain whether I have been selected or rejected by them and slowly walked towards my cab. I requested the cab-driver to proceed towards Taj-bagh, within an hour we reached at Taj Baba ji’s Mazar. After parking the car, the driver requested me to buy offerings, which includes: red roses, packet of incense sticks and sweets.
Suddenly, I saw the cab driver proceeding towards an open-water-pond; he washed his face, hands and legs. Thereafter he took out a small cap from his pocket and covered his head. I also followed suit and then walked towards the main entrance of the Mazar. There was a pin drop silence inside; very calm, peaceful and quiet environment enveloped the entire area of Baba ji’s Mazar.
There was a big queue at the entrance and after fifteen minutes our turn came. The head priest accepted our offerings and in return gave us His blessings & sweets. We sat down there for half an hour and offered our prayers along with hundreds of other disciples. We left the Mazar around six p.m. in the evening.
At the Nagpur station, as agreed, I paid the cab-driver his dues. He took his money and later returned one hundred rupee note with gratitude. I asked him the reason of refund, he very politely replied with folded hands: “Sahib, my name is Mustafa bhai, I am born and brought up in Nagpur and passed over this place umpteen number of times since birth but I could pay a visit to this Mazar only today, I also got the blessings of Baba ji today because of you”. He became very emotional and suddenly hugged me with both his hands and his eyes were filled with tears.
On the third day of my return from Nagpur, when I came home from office in the evening, my wife handed me over one envelops which came through courier in the morning. I was stunned, shocked & surprised to open the same. It was an appointment letter (of Nagpur based Company) for the post of Manager (Marketing) for Colour Coated Sheet Division; based at Nagpur along with an excellent emoluments pay-package.
I did not join at Nagpur because I was not released by my Jamshedpur employer then. 2I years have passed since that incident but the fond memories of Salim Bhai and Mustafa Bhai are still alive in my mind simply because all of us were blessed by Baba ji, Amen!
With Prayers
Gurcharan
