My Thailand Diaries–Part 1
As Paul Tillich says, “Loneliness express the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone”. I couldn’t have agreed more. 28th March when the final bell in the corridors of Vidhan Bhavan rang, I knew I was done…. Done with everything… Done with reporting, done with everyday chores…I needed a break! I just wanted to be FAR; Yes!! far from everything…Far from what was happening in Maharashtra, far from bureaucratic transfers, far from the cabinet reshuffle, far from getting OFF THE RECORD news, far from family, far from even my everyday self. Obviously such behaviour had its own reasons… Last 3 months particularly were very hectic for me- from the gruelling & boring Budget session that lasted for almost 50 days to the coffee shop business & visiting doctors for health checkups, all of this had drained me–I was done, both physically & mentally… And to add salt to the wound, the crazy Mumbai traffic everyday & weather had made it worse. Every week some or the other family member was falling ill due to this dubious weather … I just wanted to get out…getting out meant in literal sense to do something unusual to get my sanity back…someone said join Yoga..& I was like dude, I’m 35…still time for that phase…I also knew the show will go on, the world won’t stop if for 8 days I didn’t report….And yes what’s great if I missed the chaos of our country, state & family for next 8 days….The answer came from within–Vikrant you need a Vacation! The decision was made instantly…What next then?
Have couple of extremely close friends who are in tourism business, so asking them for a backpack tour was obviously the next thing. I actually din’t even mind tagging along to that group tours where you are made to do 100 sight seeing in 6 days…Believe me I was that worked up…I just needed someone to take me out…I had to travel abroad… The reason I wanted a trip abroad is if you calculate, you spend Rs. 50,000 (plus minus 10%) more if you travel abroad more than travelling in India, but in that you get to see the world, different people & different culture. Yes, travelling in India NOW is also as expensive affair as compared travelling to any country in the far east.
So one of them responded. It was a six days trip to Thailand. …As soon as I got this message from my friend, I knew I won’t even be allowed outside Santacruz by the family, if I mentioned travelling o Thailand alone. Although modern, but whenever a man takes a trip to Thailand solo, family’s every sentiment & character are at stake! But I being Me, I had made up my mind to face the consequences, come what may. Thailand, it had to be. Convinced family, my wife surprisingly din’t break a sweat when I mentioned this. I’m sure I must be good with Trust issues, for her to not event taunt me for travelling to the paradise for men. My son’s being 11 & 7, never understood the deep concern my 59 year old father had for me for travelling alone to Bangkok, but the thought of getting bag full of clothes & shoes & everything a BATH could buy, and few swears (a typical Indian thing-wherein if you promise not to do somethings by putting your hand on God, or else Demon will eat you, if you break it) I was ALLOWED!
Now a bit about my friends accompanying me…Dilip is in travel business-He looks intelligent, and has a heart of gold….even though in business which requires him to be an extrovert, our Dilip Babu behaves like a virgin at times…he is like our Sharad Pawar. Not even Pratibha Tai (his wife) knows what going on in his mind…Very calm, quiet, but yet is brilliant at what he does…Dilip is the same…He runs magnificent & a very big & successful travel agency from Lokhandwala, Andheri. Our one more friend Jay was accompanying us too. Jay is a typical babu from Kolkata (Marwari) living in Mumbai since years now. Fun guy, but yes, got to know him better during our stay. One thing I din’t understand why Jay’s wife made video calls to him every night only after 1030? And our Jay babu would be all pink when he spoke to his wife till she use to hang up…True Love, my guess…hahaha…But I must tell you with all honesty, we all boys behaved ourselves in Thailand…including Jay too who would finish his pint in flat 6 minutes even during our classes… At the end of the day it was JAY’s show at Thailand…will get into it bit later on…
Anyways, the journey of 3 boys had began. Best part was when we were in the overcrowded bus proceeding towards our aircraft. All I could see were MEN and yes married couples –who were surely flying for the first time for their honeymoon to Thailand. The other MEN the only hungry expression they had, “यार हम कब थाईलैंड पहुंचेंगे? “…After all they were travelling to “Bang cock”….sorry Bangkok right?
Readers, now comes the real surprise. As soon as we had boarded the flight, Dilip chose to speak….I had a faint idea that he was heading some group for touring the whole of Thailand….But than the mysterious Dilip spoke and in literal sense I couldn’t feel sensation for next 10 minutes he & Jay spoke…It took 3 pegs of JD’s on the Dreamliner for me to come to my senses… As learnt, we were only travelling to a place called Hua-Hin …it is a 3 hour drive from Bangkok airport & some Mahesh Toshniwal would be conducting REJOICE classes not only for us but 60 other people (Jains & Marwari’s) from Kolkata & Vadodara…& make no mistake– the classes would begin at 6am and end at 2am in the morning…20 hours of spirituality & rejoice for the next 6 days….God…Was I travelling to Thailand or Tibet? Was I better remembering Minister Vidya Thakur & Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and gathering news in my town? Why God Why? I think my wife had surely cursed me, even if she did not say a word on my face…
But friends, in the second part of the blog will explain you all how this certain MAHESH TOSHNIWAL changed my life…He is no BABA like our own Bhaiyyu Maharaj or no Ramdev BABA…He is no Narendra Maharaj from Nanij who sweats the whole day in the heat and removes PeDHA from his armpit for his followers…..Mahesh Toshniwal is modern day Maharaj for me…He has cured cancer and made people rich whosoever has paid attention to the man who can stand and talk for 18 hours non-stop….The 60 Marwari’s who ate Jain food all 3 times in the resort where we were put up were all multi millionaires and 90% of them were following Toshniwalji for years….So Toshniwal ain’t no fake…He has character and he is solid! In my next part shall mention about his MAJIC….My recommendations for all bureaucrats—google this man and attend his classes which he conducts ONE DAY basis in your choice of city in India….Your life will change….
