Sandeep Meets Ramesh Balsekar

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandeep,

 

I understand you met Ramesh.

 

Did you meet him while you were

still seeking, or out of curiosity?

 

Just.

 

Q: Did you have a tete a tete, or a group

encounter?

 

Both.

 

Q: Could you describe the circumstances.

 

Somebody told somebody and someone asked me about Ramesh. Had not

even heard the name or that he lived in Mumbai, a city where I also

normally reside.

 

By chance got hold of his telephone number and address, and one fine

morning was moved to go over.

 

Q: Does he live in luxury?

 

As you are aware he was a banker and retired at quite a high post.

 

I also suspect he hails from a rich family.

For his apartment is located in an area of Mumbai, which is one of

the costliest, real-estate price-wise.

 

And since the entire building of some 5 floors belongs to the

Baleskar family (Ramesh occupies the top floor and rest by his

extended family),.....things are quite hunky dory, it would appear.

 

The apartment is neatly done up.

 

I remember laughing out loud in the midst of all these western

seekers, all walking about in profound silence, after a group session

with Ramesh, when I espied a stock broker's share certificate issued

in Ramesh's name.

 

The dude plays the stock market, though whether he is a successful

punter, I have no clue.

 

Q: What were your impressions?

 

Articulate, getting on the years, a good sense of humour, and if you

go to his satangh, more than once, ...repetitive.

For me, he triggered the seeking of the parallels in the field of

fundamental Science, which is today rapidly approaching the quality

of mysticism or whatever you wish to call the hoopla.

 

For the first time, a seemingly certified sage had even heard of

Bell's Theorem of Non-Locality and had the ability to discuss it's

parallels to the spiritual stuff.

 

Big on Consciousness, as the final word, ................till in one

meeting, .........moi idly posed that

 

Consciousness was as much a

conceptual conjecture as any other concept.

 

Obtained a smile from Ramesh and glares from the adoring disciples.

 

At the end of each session, there is singing by a lady and then

everybody joins in massacring the pronunciations.

 

These songs are Tukaram, Jnaneshwar, Dado bhajans, which are very

nice.

 

In short not any ado or fanfare, very householder environ (suddenly

the hissing sound of the pressure cooker in the kitchen, when some

Advaitic give and take happening)

No diksha given, at least the few times I wandered over.

 

Ramesh evidently has no problem getting photographed with a seeker

departing back to the West or wherever.

 

Everybody at the end touches his feet in the Indian manner of giving

respect, before leaving.

 

I placed my head at his feet and then left.

Have not been back for quite some time.

It's actually a pain, for you have to climb 5 floors by the stairs,

the lift is from the days of Buddha and can take the weight of only

person at a time.

 

And in the morning, there is a mad rush by the seekers to rush up

these 5 floors and grab all the chairs and cushions in a tiny room

where Ramesh holds his satsanghs.

 

Now while I am supposed to have no problem squatting on the floor,

an expanding waistline poses some issues.

 

Nobody touches ONE of the chair seats, as it is supposed to be the

hot-seat, where only the person with profound questions is supposed

to sit and then ask Ramesh.

 

You are supposed to tell one of the organizers about this, in the

morning so that the seat gets reserved for you.

Catching on the potential in that situation

 

...........the few times I

went, I would ask for the hot-seat, leisurely await for that one

weight lift to take me slowly up floor floors and take the hot-seat.

 

And doze off.

 

And when Ramesh would look at me, I would say 'No questions, I just

cannot squat on the floor " .

 

Ramesh laughed so much that he nearly chocked on his tea, which he

was sipping at that moment.

 

If looks at me from the audience could kill,........

Next time, the organizer was suspicious, till I told him the pure

 

Advaitic question, I just needed to get

 

Ramesh's answer, ....moi on

hot seat,......Ramesh looks at me and says, " how's the back " .

I told the organizer, " See, that was the real answer " .

 

Last I heard the organizer was referring to

Advaita Vedanta text to

see how his beloved Ramesh's answer " how's the back " can be fitted

into non-duality equation.