Ageh Bharti remembers meeting J. Krishnamurti in Mumbai
I took sannyas from Osho in Pune, in January 1971. Osho was still living in Woodland, Mumbai, but had come to Pune, where he was speaking on chapter 3 of the Geeta.
In those days, the number of sannyasins was quite small. So when Osho was speaking, we used to sit on the stage around him, in a half circle. It looked beautiful: Osho all in bright white surrounded by us wearing orange. At the end of the discourse, there was kirtan. We sannyasins stepped down from the podium, danced and sang, turning the audience into a singing and dancing – and drunken – sea.
After completing the trip to Pune, my friend and I returned to Mumbai. N. P. Shrivastava was from Jabalpur. He too had taken sannyas in Pune and had become Swami Akshay Saraswati.
In Mumbai we went to Woodland first and then to several other places, until it became as late as 10.30 pm. Akshay Saraswati was also working with the Railways like me, but as a Wireless Operator. Naturally, he was acquainted with Wireless operators from all around the country…
We decided to avoid going to see any relatives in the city, eat dinner instead at a restaurant, and then spend the night in the Wireless office. It was on the fifth floor at Bombay VT, as Mumbai’s main railway station was called then.
When we arrived there, his friends were surprised to see us in orange clothes and wearing malas. Akshay told them that we had taken sannyas from Osho.
One of them mentioned that J. Krishnamurti was also in town. I had heard his name for the first time from Osho. Osho had said that Krishnamurti was enlightened and, if we came across him, to touch his feet.
I started talking to this man and asked him if I could have J.K.’s phone number. He said that people who knew him well were right in VT, on the third floor. He went downstairs and brought up the number for me.
I rang and a woman replied. I told her that we were two disciples of Osho, that we had no problems, no questions to ask, just wanted two minutes with him, a ‘darshan’. She said that J.K. was not well and was not meeting anybody in person.
I asked her to send my request to him; if he declined to meet, we wouldn’t feel bad. She asked me to hold on the phone.
She returned after a few minutes and told us that we could come and see him in the morning at 8 o’clock, just for two minutes. I thanked her and hung up, forgetting to ask her for the address.
We decided to get the address in the morning. We would however miss Osho’s interview by Western editors, but did not mind. We have heard our Master hundreds of times and will hear him again, we said to ourselves.
The whole night we could not fall asleep, thinking that in the morning we would meet another Buddha. We took a bath right there and were ready by 5 o’clock. I rang J.K.’s number at 7 o’clock to get the address.
It was another woman who picked up the phone. She said that J.K. was not meeting anybody. I told her that I had received an appointment the previous evening. “Okay, let me check.”
She asked J.K. and told us to come right then and there. We hired a taxi and in no time arrived at the address. We entered the bungalow, dressed in orange and with Osho’s mala of course, and a woman asked us to sit on a chair for a few minutes. I told her that we could remain standing.
Meanwhile Krishnaji appeared. Akshay was going to touch his feet but J.K. lovingly held both his hands in his. And when some space had cleared, I quickly bowed down to his feet.
Krishnaji looked at me and asked lovingly, “Where are you working, Sir?” I told him that I was working as a locomotive pilot with the Railways.
He then asked, “Between which stations, Sir?” I replied, “Between Jabalpur, Itarsi and Satna, Sir.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
“And you, Sir,” addressing Akshay. Akshay told J.K. that he was working as a wireless operator, also for the Railways.
J.K. said to him, “Good”, and shook his head a little to hint a goodbye.
We left dancing, and jumped in our taxi that took us to Woodland on Peddar Road. We arrived at Osho’s flat even before the press talk had begun.
Every year after that I went to listen to two talks by J.K. before driving up to Pune, where I would listen to Osho for 8 or 10 days, and then return home to Jabalpur.
A few years later, in 1974, I wrote a letter to J. Krishnamurti, asking if it would be possible to sit near him, just for five minutes, even while he was with his caretakers. Again I had no questions, no problems to discuss. I would sit still and, after five minutes, silently get up and leave. In response to that request I received this typed letter:
KRISHNAMURTI FOUNDATION INDIA
RISHI VALLEY-517352
Chittoor District
Andhra Pradesh, India
30th December 1974
Swami Ageh Bharti
Z-217/C, Upper Lines
Jabalpur
Dear Swami Ageh Bharti,
I have just received your letter of the 23rd. Krishnaji has also seen your letter.
He will be in Bombay from 13th of January till the end of the month. There will be four public talks on 18th, 19th, 25th, and 26th January. A copy of the programme is enclosed. If you happen to come to Bombay, it may be possible for you to see Krishnaji for ten minutes.
With regards,
Yours sincerely
Sd
(Dr S. Balasundram)
Due to some problems at home, I could not go and see J. Krishnamurti in time, but went a week later. In Mumbai I found out that J.K. had already left to follow his schedule, so I went straight to Pune.
The reason why I wrote all this is because… All my friends said that Osho is the most beautiful man. But for me, Jiddu Krishnamurti always appeared to be the most beautiful. Until this happened…
Before Buddha Auditorium was built, Osho was talking in Chuang Tzu. I entered the hall and after I sat down, it crossed my mind that unfortunately this time I had missed J.K., and had missed out on seeing his beauty.
After a short while Osho arrived. He took his seat and, as he always did, crossed one leg over the other while leaving the other in its chappal.
My eyes fell on the sole of the foot of the crossed leg which was in the air – and saw such beauty I had never seen in my entire life.
My eyes remained fixed on that unbelievably miraculous Beauty for the whole 90 minutes of the discourse, tears flowing non-stop.
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