Teachers' Day: Ode To My Master

The whole way from the station to my residence was full of affirmation as his auto sped along the morbid city. With five sisters, father no more, aging mother all dependent on him, Raj Mishra will give them education and make them stand firmly in this unequal world (he never said unequal). Always smiling, his friends are in navy and government jobs and he is betrothed to his auto. Flaunting the diverse talents of his sisters, Raj is energy personified. No smoking, no drinking and no lecherous ways he reminded me of our culture (sanskar is the word he used), our intrinsic wellness despite his everyday life amidst muck, danger, poverty & filth. You are the lotus sutra of Osho. You are the living Zen.

He is popular, (greeted by fellow drivers every three yards), proud of his extremely sociable being and yet so untouched, unflustered, un-vicious and content. Enlightened, he has realised the foolishness of greed. He is 3 years senior to my child, called me uncle and kept on sharing his beliefs. In my almost five decades of life, I have never encountered “pragmatic positivity” so closely from so unexpected a quarter. I realised the utter pettiness of stereotypes.
He was talking, I was listening and suddenly I asked him about the fare. How small I was? His repartee, “money is not everything in life” was a lethal blow. The shy, handsome, son of God, is my master. I am reborn. 

On 15th Nov 2017, I met my Master. Raj Mishra, the best auto driver in the world, a monk who lives in this world and sparkles much above the small, insecure, coward and yet arrogant we.
I bow to you Master!! 
Hope to see you again soon.