Divine Call

I was on a flight to Ahmedabad during April 2014 when a dignified and friendly lady occupied the seat next to me. ‘Are you from Ahmedabad?’ she asked me.

‘Oh, no. I am just visiting Visnagar for a week’, I replied.

She had very beautiful and expressive eyes, so I asked, ‘Are you a dancer?’ She told no, but she seemed amused. It turned out that she was a high official working in Gandhi Nagar. We had a friendly conversation and just while leaving the aircraft, she gave me her visiting card and told, ‘If you need any help at all, please contact me. There is an Ayyappa temple near my place.’ I thought that the temple must be adjacent to her house.

Last year May my father left his body. During the previous month I had visited him for a week and spent the time exclusively with him, chanting mantras, doing meditation etc., I was his favorite daughter and we had a great time together. After his demise I used to get messages from him. He told he will come back into my life. Then another time he told me that he will give a definite sign while entering our lives again.

Coming back to April 2014, our festival Vishu was on 15^th. It was Hanuman Jayanti also on that day. Early morning we got the news of arrival of our grand child. I wanted to visit a temple. Suddenly I remembered the offer to visit the Ayyappa temple in Gandhi Nagar. I contacted the lady and she told it was ok to visit, even though she was having a hectic schedule.

My husband and I reached her office by 6 pm after about an hour’s drive to find that she was busy in a meeting. But she had informed her assistant about our arrival and she sent us in a vehicle to the Ayyappa temple. It was about 20 minutes drive. We reached the temple and as I entered, there was a huge pillar, on which it was written, ‘In the loving memory of Gopinathan Nair’. I got goose bumps on seeing it because my father’s name was Gopinathan. Even my husband was shocked to see it. I couldn't think of a clearer sign than this!

We came back to the office, she was still busy in the meeting and we had to return without meeting her. She served a very important role in my life, even though I couldn't meet her before leaving.