Manas baba

By Dr Rimpy 

19 May 2023

Manas Baba…

I was wandering at my favourite place in Allahabad, a bookstore which was the love affair of its owner. I am talking about times much earlier than crosswords and other fancy stores. It was the time when bookstores were owned by ones who could be seen immersed in books at the cash counter.

I was looking at the section dedicated to spirituality and religion when a beautiful face caught my attention. She looked lovely in her simple salwar kameez and possessed the face and innocence of a child. If one could ignore her white hairs, she could contest a young college girl. From her overall appearance I could guess she would be around my mother’s age. But this fact couldn’t deter me from approaching her. I needed an excuse to talk to her. I checked the pockets of my pant and found an eclairs toffee in it. I went to her and offered her that toffee saying “I wanted to speak to you and this is the only thing I have to offer right now. My name is Ashish and its lovely to meet you.” She laughed heartedly and invited me to her house saying I should meet her husband. Her name was Manjulika das and she was a professor at Allahabad University. Her husband Professor Manas Mukul Das was a retired English Professor from Allahabad University.

Manas baba and Manjulika ma became important milestones of my life. I have spent a golden time of my life with them. It was the time of my life when I was not willing to go ahead in my medical profession and my parents were desperately trying to put my life on track. Manas baba used to teach J krishnamurti in University and his clarity in life was tremendous. His father was a passionate doctor and he himself had been home-schooled in early years of his life. But he loved books from early on and he had a beautiful library in his house.I loved to listen to him and used to ask lot of questions. To me baba was the one who had paved my way to Krishnamurti foundation.

Manas baba has a beautiful house in Allahabad which he is really proud of. He has passionately designed his house with the help of a German Architect. Baba tells proudly that no cement has been used in entire house and they used ‘chuna-surkhi’ to join bricks so that the whole house will become a single unit after few years. It would also keep the house cool in summer months. He specially designed a fire-place, a library and took out multiple sitting places in the entire house along with terrace. The kitchen opens into back-space where he kept a lotus-pond. The fire place was enthusiastically used in winter months and a small courtyard like space was opened in living room where sunlight filtered in through a duct. Baba had placed a Nataraj figure in that courtyard space. One could see his delight when he explained the concepts of his house n number of times to all the visitors. His was the first house in my life which I saw was ‘open to all’.

I started visiting their house regularly. I would often help in cooking lunch before Manjulika ma arrived from University. She would be delighted when she found me in kitchen. The house was always buzzing with visitors, most of them students. Baba and Ma never had any children of their own, but they adopted a grown-up man Akash, as their son. I soon befriended Akash who was quite good at playing flute.

Manas baba was like a sun, which gives its heat and warmth impartially to whoever approaches it. Baba encouraged me to pursue whatever interests me in life. I found his approach very simple and straightforward. The best part was if he was not certain of any question I asked him, he was clear in saying “I don’t know” after a thoughtful expression.

My parents got furious when they found that I was visiting some people regularly who were encouraging my idiosyncrasies. One day they both came to baba’s house with the plea that their son had gone hayward and needed to be brought back on track. My mother was particularly jealous and interested to see Manjulika ma, who had supposedly taken away her son. The son(me) fondly said he had found a mother in Manjulika ma. Baba and ma were at their normal ‘cool-selves’ when they spoke to my parents. My mother asked ma “what would you do if your son refused to go ahead in career as Ashish?” And she patiently replied with a smile “I will let him to be whatever he wants”. My mother was taken aback by this answer. My parents returned disappointed and I continued to be with Baba and Ma as life permitted.

As I write this Manjulika ma had passed away during covid. I came to know this via Facebook. Baba had given a beautiful eulogy online and I couldn’t help but wonder at this tricky game of life and death. Baba is also not keeping well nowadays. He was in hospital when I last visited him two months back. I spoke to him and his mind is as sharp as ever. Even after years of gap, I wanted to ask him questions, which he replied with utmost patience and clarity. His body is fading away with each passing day and I wonder if I will be able to gift him this book if ever it happens to get published.