Om is to date the biggest enigma of my life. Even fifteen years later I do not know his real identity. He came like a meteor and vanished without leaving a trace.
One day my phone rang and an unknown caller was on the other side. Those were the days of landline telephone without any caller ID display. So, I didn’t know who was calling. I liked the voice though. He knew my name and when I asked him who he was he wanted me to guess. I thought one of my cousins were playing a prank on me. I started guessing names randomly but obviously, he was none of them.
That day we didn’t speak much and he asked me to keep guessing and he would call the next day to check if I was able to guess correctly. Throughout the day and even at night I kept wondering who he was. The next day he called as promised. He was punctual. He asked me if I had been able to guess who he was. I again started taking random names. He started laughing. He then said that he knows a lot about me whereas I was not even able to guess who he was.
His calls became frequent. However, he was not like other guys who would have got flirty. On the contrary, this guy was highly religious and knew religious texts like the back of his hand. Every day he started talking about religious texts and their meanings.
I would confess that as a young girl I would have appreciated a little amount of flirting, however, this guy was a completely different person. At certain times I even felt that he was some alien or ghost. Our conversation turned spiritual and philosophical each day. He taught me ‘Om’ chanting. I started chanting ‘Om’ each night before falling asleep. He also taught me the Mahamrityunjay Mantra.
I was never a religious person but he had an impact on me and thus I started chanting the Mahamrityunjay Mantra. I started feeling calmer. One day he said that he had come into my life to guide me out of my grief ( I was grieving my mom’s death) and show me the path of happiness. He also said that I should never nag him about his true identity because the day I would come to know about his identity he would stop corresponding. Finally, he asked me to consider him as my first Guru. He then added that one day I would find my true faith because it is not we who choose our faith rather faith chooses us. I assured him that I would never try to know his true identity but at least can I know his name. He replied that I should know him as ‘Om’ the mantra that changed my life. He never called after that day.
Trina Looks Back 
At first I thought it was a stalker or something. But the story turned out completely different. Now I am intrigued…. Who was he? I am guessing may be one of your cousins wanting to help you cope with your grief?
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Oh my, this could have ended in a not so good situation, but it seems that fate and karma was on your side. Whew
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Your memory bubbles seem to have such gems hidden in them Balaka – what an incredible story this is! Re-inforces the faith in the almighty that when we need something or someone to restore our faith; someone does come along!
O is for the magnum opus #atozchallenge
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This is really intriguing Balaka. He came like a saviour when you needed one the most. Quite romantic if I may say:) Your life’s pages are damn interesting as they unfold and we meet so many people who have influenced you and been a part of our journey
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You seem to have crossed paths with very interesting people in this journey of life!
O Joy!
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Gosh that’s freaky Trina. Did you really talk to a stranger and accept him as your Guru?
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No I never accepted him as my Guru, but I did love talking to him.
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Is it real or fantasy, Balaka?? Wow, a mysterious caller who turns out to be a spiritual guru!! Do such people exist in reality?? What a life…what an eventful life you have had!!! Thanks again for this gem!! OM….!!!
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This is real..You know what, while writing these posts I realised for the first time that what a blessed life I had, yet all my life I kept cribbing just like your character Tara. I always looked at what I didn’t have and never looked at what I have. It is only while writing these posts I realise that I was indeed the ‘chosen one’.
P.S. This is more of a note to self 😛
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Ha ha, good that you realise that now. Better late than never. And just like you, Tara will realise it too one day. Till then please bear with her 😉 Also, your posts make me revisit my childhood and take notes of the people who touched my life in some way. May be I will chronicle it too like you. You are truly inspirational, Balaka! 🙂
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Even Deepa Karthik feels that her next A-Z would be on nostalgia. I am looking forward to reading your memoir next year dear. I am humbled to know that you find me inspiring. Love and hugs for this beautiful comment.
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To you too, Balaka! Hope, Deepa and I can do justice to our childhood as you have so beautifully done.
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I am sure both of you would do far better than me. You both are amazing writers. I will keep rooting for both of you.
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Thank you so much! You are my mentor, Balaka! Have learned so much from you reading your stories everyday!
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and now I am looking like a tomato..because your words made me blush so much 😀
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Ha ha! 🙂
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Fascinating and intriguing, story. I believe, we are destined to meet certain people, they pass through our lives for a reason.
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Yes, they do Shilpa.
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this is giving me goosebumps. i am like seeing karthik calling karthik feel.
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I could never watch that movie only because it was so similar to my encounter with Om.
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Whoa! Balaka, that’s some story, man!!! Thankfully, for you, he was a nice person, who taught you so much!
Not related to this post completely, but years ago, when we had the landline phone, I took a call one afternoon from a man who began asking me how I was. I too thought it was my cousin, so I took his name and asked him to shut up and let me go sleep. And, from that day on, that man would call any time of the day! He was a pervert who would talk such trash into the phone, I developed a phobia for the phone! We had to register a police case against him. I don’t remember when he stopped calling – I think once my SIL shouted at him and told him we had informed the police about him. Yes, that’s when he stopped…that creep!
You were lucky, my dear!
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Shilpa even I used to get creepy calls..I guess all of us did in those days..they used to take benefit of the fact that nobody would be able to trace them. It stopped after number display came into the picture..the creeps stopped calling. Thankfully Om was nothing like that..he had an amazing voice and always talked about religious stuff.
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Geez… this is one hell of a story!! Enigma or freaky, not sure what to call itt!! But the bottom line is, he seems a nice person and this positiveness can stay with you for life.
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Stranger knowing everything and you in the blind spot. That must have been a difficult situation to trade, Balaka. Thankfully he turned out to be angel of sorts.
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Another catching story Balaka! Hope you are going to publish these A2Z stories as e-book at least? It will be a lovely collection I foresee.
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Awww!!! Thank you dear
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Damn. Intriguing. Suspenseful and somehow suspicious. I am afraid this was a more of a Karthik calling Karthik situation than anything else. You have been talking to yourself all this time.
That would make a good story.
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Good idea Arjun
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Wow! this proves the saying that people come into our life for a reason. Good, he helped you to come out of the grief. That’s more important.
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Woah, your memoirs are filled with such interesting gems Balaka. I hope you are planning to get these stories published as a book. I know it’s not easy, but no harm in giving it a shot. These are great ‘slice of life’ real stories, so some publisher somewhere might be willing to take a chance on you.
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Oh… I had goosebumps while reading your post, Balaka! Glad that you had met Om in your life at the right moment. May you be blessed with all his abundance. I have linked your post to my O post here – https://mysweetnothings.in/om-chanting-mindfulness-4-newbies/. Do have a read.
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Will surely read. Thank you so much for linking up. Hugs
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That’s quite an experience Balaka. Wow! I am glad he wasn’t a stalker.
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Life is strange, so are the people . When we narrate a true story, everyone won’t believe it.
Loved it.
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