Gurudev Ke Saath

Author(s): Gurdial Mallikji, Pratap J Tolia, Sumitra P Toliya
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 37

my dream and also my cultural and spiritual background of Jain Philosophical principles and my associations with Great Jain Monks, Scholars and other Luminary Saints like Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Gurudeo Tagore's disciple Acharya Gurdial Mallikji, Great Jain Scholar Dr. Pandit Sukhlalji, Great Gujarati Poet Umashankar Joshi, etc.,
Rev. Acharya Kshiti Mohan Sen was now and then inquiring of my settling down and when he came to know that I was uneasy by seeing a Non-Veg kitchen also, though separate, on the pious land of Santiniketan, he told me with tears in his eyes. "I also do not like, can't bear such unhealthy things on this soil of Santiniketan.... How Heaven-like it was when Gurudeo was alive here and how it is turning now....! It has become now the Central Government University and with it several ills and vices have entered..... I helplessly lament for these all since I can't do anything for stopping the same.....". Later on even after the arrangements for my early-eatings before the Sunset at the Vidyabhavan Hostel's Vegeterian Kitchen, when Rev. Kshiti Babu came to know about my seriousness of leaving Santiniketan if the Non. Veg. messes could not be closed, he lamented "Had there been Gurudeo here, he would have rather closed down such Non. Veg. Kitchens, would have served Rosogollas with his abundant love and not have allowed aspiring students like you to go back from here....." With these words he virutally wept like a child, I was moved, postponed my going away for the time being. Tried to wait for the betterment. My kind Hindi Professor Dr. Shiv Nathji also prevented me from leaving, since, according to him, arrangements for my meals before the Sunset were made and he used to say that, "Because of the people like you staying here, the atmosphere of University-type-Santiniketan will improve" and I stayed for some time more.
Arrangements of strict Vegetarian food and Before Sunset Meals were all nicely done, but that odour of Non-veg. kitchen and its existence on the pious soil of Santiniketan compelled me to unwillingly quit it as a student, since I was not capable enough though supported by several like-minded colleagues and above wellwishing professors, to stop this ill. Personally I succeeded in making all arrangements for me and other students like me, but collectively I failed to stop the Non-Vegetarian Kitchen over there, which, I gather, still exists as a blot on that pious land of peace and non-violence, SANTI NIKETAN.....! What a contrast, What a painful paradox......!!
During my short Shantiniketan stay full of learnings and acquiring as much knowledge as I could, apart from the above uneasy times, I remember some humorous moments with my student friends over there from Bengal, who used to care for me and worryingly and humourously ask me, "APONI RATRI BHOJON KOREN NA, CHAY KHABEN NA, CIGARETTE KHABEN NA, TO AR KHABEN KI? KI KORE ROHIBO PAREN...... JIBIBIO PAREN?" (How will you be able to survive when you don't eat at night and don't consume tea, etc., ?") And I used to jokingly reply to them, "Dekhen, Ami Diner Soorjer Sakshir Shobay Khaben : Phol-Fruits, Chabol-Roti, Doodh-Mishti Shobay..... Tar por Ami Rosogolla Khaben.... Tomar eta dirty Kondo-mool, Chay-Cigarette, Mans-Masha (fish) Khabar Chij Acche ki?" (See, in the witness of the Sun, during the day time I eat everything worthy like fruits, milk, curds, rice, chapatis and thereafter even your sweet Rosogollas.... Tell me whether these things of yours like Tea-Cigarettes and Mutton-Fish are ever worth consuming ?') .
And I well remember, with such of my insisting replies and practical following of the principles, a number of Bengali, Assamese and other Non-Vegetarian students also joined with me and had taken to