"Joyful Journey" - (By Gopika)

It was Dasara holidays time during second year in college. For the first time felt I had to visit Nannagaru in his home town Jinnur. I had to travel from Chidambaram to Chennai and from Chennai to Palkol. I didn't know where exactly Jinnur was, with the help of friends I booked tickets and managed to travel to Palakol. I took an auto and went to Jinnur which was a 10 minutes drive by auto. I dint inform anyone about my arrival, I didn't know what time I would reach there either. By the time I stopped at Guruji's place, Guruji was eagerly waiting for my arrival, for there was nothing he did not know.

As soon as I stepped in he said - "You are late by 1 hour. I was waiting for you."

I didn't book my return tickets. I knew only today, tomorrow would be taken care of. Nannagaru asked me to rest at nights in a devotees house opposite his house and asked me to stay with him whole day. That was the only conversation we had in 5 days. Whole day I would sit beside him just watching him, reading news paper, oiling his head, having food and reading books before going to sleep. It was as if he forgot my existence and in fact I forgot mine!!

Many a times when I would be overwhelmed by love and reverence I would gently touch his feet and tears would roll down. I felt, do I need anything apart from his presence? He was so divine and serene. At times he would just do nothing & gaze into nothing. By keep observing him, he made me thoughtless and silent. I was with the timeless and didn't know how were days passing, when one fine day afternoon railway station master came to visit Nannagaru.

Nannagaru gladly received him by saying - 'I was waiting for your arrival. We need to book a ticket for Gopika for tomorrow. She has to go to Chennai. From there she will board a bus to Chidambaram. The station master nodded and said he would pick me up the next day'

Tears flowed for I didn't know four days flew by and I had to leave. That evening after his food during sunset, he came to the backyard of the house and started gazing endlessly into the sky. I kept watching him, he was so powerfully peaceful. Navaratri days in Nanna's presence was like spending my time in the lap of divine Mother.

Time had come for my departure. After spending five days with him, he finally spoke again 'Gopi, you are a blessed child' and looked straight into my eyes with tremendous compassion. 'Grace will follow you.'he said.

I took leave of him in silence, touched his feet and walked away looking back many times before his presence disappeared physically but to be continued..with me & Always!!!!