William Dalrymple was born in Scotland and is a renowned author of a no. of highly acclaimed best sellers including "Nine Lives".When he was travelling to Kedarnath he fell into conversation with an ash smeared and completely naked Sadhu probably in the year 2008. He had always assumed that most of the Holy man he had seen in India were from traditional village backgrounds But soon it was apparent that Ajay Kumar Jha was in fact
a far more cosmopolitan figure than he had expected. Ajay and he walked together along the steep ridge of a mountain. When Dalrymple asked him to tell his story after some initial hesitation, he agreed.
'I have been a Sanyasi only for four and half years' "Before that I was a Sales Manager with Kelvinator, a Bombay consumer electricals company. I had done my M B A at Patna University and was considered a high flyer by my employers. But one day I just decided I could not spend the rest of my life marketing fans and frodges. So I just left. I wrote a letter to my boss and to my parents, gave away my belongings to the poor, and took a train to Benares. There I threw away my old suit,rubbed ash on my body and found a monastery'.
It was a very sudden decision , said Ajay. I have never regretted it for a minute,even when I have not eaten for several days and am at my most hungry. Of course at first it was very difficult, he said. But then every thing worthwhile in life takes time.
I was used to all the comforts: my father was a politician and a very rich man by the standards of our country But I never wanted to live a worldly life like him'.
When you walk on the hills your minds become clear, he said
'All your worries disappear. Look ! I carry only a blanket and a water bottle. I have no possessions, so I have no worries
He smiled: "Once you learn to restrain your desires," he said 'any thing becomes possible'
William Darymple says, The sort of world where a committed, naked naga Sadhu could also be an MBA was something I was to become used to in the course of my travels for the book 'Nine Lives"
Can any body give clue about this great renunciator of Bihar who must have his roots in Mithila?
a far more cosmopolitan figure than he had expected. Ajay and he walked together along the steep ridge of a mountain. When Dalrymple asked him to tell his story after some initial hesitation, he agreed.
'I have been a Sanyasi only for four and half years' "Before that I was a Sales Manager with Kelvinator, a Bombay consumer electricals company. I had done my M B A at Patna University and was considered a high flyer by my employers. But one day I just decided I could not spend the rest of my life marketing fans and frodges. So I just left. I wrote a letter to my boss and to my parents, gave away my belongings to the poor, and took a train to Benares. There I threw away my old suit,rubbed ash on my body and found a monastery'.
It was a very sudden decision , said Ajay. I have never regretted it for a minute,even when I have not eaten for several days and am at my most hungry. Of course at first it was very difficult, he said. But then every thing worthwhile in life takes time.
I was used to all the comforts: my father was a politician and a very rich man by the standards of our country But I never wanted to live a worldly life like him'.
When you walk on the hills your minds become clear, he said
'All your worries disappear. Look ! I carry only a blanket and a water bottle. I have no possessions, so I have no worries
He smiled: "Once you learn to restrain your desires," he said 'any thing becomes possible'
William Darymple says, The sort of world where a committed, naked naga Sadhu could also be an MBA was something I was to become used to in the course of my travels for the book 'Nine Lives"
Can any body give clue about this great renunciator of Bihar who must have his roots in Mithila?
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