It was an out of the blue invitation from Venu ( Moto G photography fame ) through whatsapp. I was attending the digital 101 training and had just had a very awkward situation with my ‘sweet’ manager. I was totally p_ssed off and was not at all in a mood to meet ANYONE. I thought this would be another meeting, where I could get to see his latest clicks, which I enjoy so much, if it was just another day. But today was different and definitely I was not in a mood for aesthetic appreciation. But something in me, told otherwise, something in me, told me that, I must somehow make time for this and hence I decided to meet him. We met at at the 6th floor cafeteria and I had learned from fb that he had traveled to North India. I asked him about that and he started talking about his visit to Ayodhya – the birth place of Rama
He then told me about Kashi and I wondered if it was in West Bengal. I vaguely remember some important place of spiritual importance in West Bengal, but could not remember the exact names. He told me that in West Bengal, one of the Shakti peetas exist and one more in Nashik ( Nashik meaning nose in Sanskrit – the place where Sati’s nose fell ) He then started explaining stories and sub stories from Mahabharatha, how bhaktha is greater than God – that God is forced to subdue the Bhaktha – just like how Krishna was riding Arjuna’s chariot. How Arjuna was confident to say that he will kill the enemy, before sunset, because he knew from his heart that Krishna will take care of it. Another imporant thing he told me was that – Shiva is a person who gives boons without thinking too much about its consequenes. He told me about the Om kara as well as the rudra mantras, to invoke Shiva
He told me the story in Ramayana about Wali and sugreeva. When I heard that story, I felt that sugreeva, could be the early neo neanderthal who have not fully meta morphed into humans
He then went on to explain about ashtavadhanam and how it tests a person’s mental capabilities. He even suggested that I listen to ‘Shatavadhani – R Ganesh’. One thing I have realized is that, you should not judge a book by its cover. Venu has surpassed all my expectations about a 21st century Indian youth