English

Guruji is the "light divine" that came on earth to bless and enlighten humanity. On 7th July
1954, the sun rose in Dugri village at Malerkotla, Punjab (India), to herald the birth of Guruji
in a hamlet. Guruji spent the early stages of his life around Dugri, went to school and college
and finally graduated with a Masters degree each in economics and political science. He had
a spark of spirituality in him right from childhood--say those who knew him then.
It did not take long for the spark to get fully lit; the shower of Guruji's blessings began to fall
on the earth to lessen the sufferings of hundreds of thousands of people. Guruji sat at various
places including Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Panchkula and New Delhi--and satsangs1 began
happening. It was here that people came from all over India and other parts of the world to
seek his blessings. The tea and langar prasad (blessed food) served at Guruji's satsang had

his special divine blessings. The devotees experienced his grace in various forms: incurable
diseases were healed and the entire matrix of problems ranging from legal to financial to
emotional were solved. Some members of the sangat also had divine darshans (visions) of
deities. There was nothing impossible for Guruji, for he wrote fate, and could re-write it.
Guruji's doors were open to the high and low, poor and rich, and people of all religious
affiliations. From the most ordinary of men to the most powerful of politicians, businessmen,
bureaucrats, armed service personnel, doctors, and professionals, everyone came to seek his
blessings. All were equally in need of him and Guruji blessed all alike. Those sitting close to
him, touching his feet, benefitted as much as those seeking his blessing in their prayers
anywhere in the world. What mattered most was complete surrender and unconditional faith
reposed in him. Guruji was a giver, he never expected or took anything from anyone.
"Kalyan karta", Guruji would say and "Blessings always" is what the devotee would get. He
once explained that his "Blessings always" were not for this life alone, but ended with
nirvana.
Guruji never delivered any sermons or prescribed any rituals, yet his message was received
by the devotee in ways known only to the devotee. This "connection" with him was not only
elevating and energizing but also a deeply transforming one. It lifted the devotees life to a
level where joy, fulfillment and peace came easy. Guruji's form exuded a divine fragrance,
similar to roses. Even today, his fragrance is felt as proof of his presence by his devotees.
Guruji took mahasamadhi2 on 31st May 2007. He left no successor : for the "light divine"
there is none. His emphasis was that the devotee always get connected "directly" with him ,
and more so, through the medium of prayers and meditation. Guruji has a temple, popularly
known as Bade Mandir located at Bhatti mines in South Delhi. Today, when Guruji is no
more in his mortal guise, his blessings are working the same wonders, with his grace falling
equally on those who never met him in their lifetime.
1

Satsang: the company of the "highest truth", the company of a Guru; an assembly of persons
who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the truth
2
Mahasamadhi: the act of consciously and intentionally leaving one's body at the time of
death

Guruji: Our Father, Saviour and Shiva

In this day and age, we are indeed lucky to be in the benign presence of Guruji. He is not in
the gaudy public eye, but in the hearts of many of those to whom He is known simply and
purely as Guruji.
Guruji delivers no pravachans or sermons. He holds no rod of discipline. He makes no tall
claims; He markets nothing. He is the embodiment of compassion, of the easily-pleased Lord
Ashutosh. No wonder people come in hundreds to seek His blessings so that they can be
cured of pain and sufferings.
And He heals. He heals with a mere look, showering His blessings through eyes filled with
the ocean of love for all those who are troubled.
Any devotee can testify to Guruji's saving grace, which steers him away from troubled

waters, in any and every hour of need. And hundreds of thousands who have come to Him troubled by disease or mental strife, discouraged by the world - have not only found the
divine healing touch but also the way out of suffering, the way to beat the strain of modern,
material life.
Those who have gone to Him in their hour of grave peril have found succor without their
having to ask for it. Stories are legion of Guruji's miraculous cures. Satsangs (literally, the
company of truth; loosely, a fellowship in which devotional songs are listened to and
experiences in faith recounted) are replete with spellbinding talks of diseases spirited away,
bothersome bosses held at bay, just promotions finally obtained, and even weather made to
obey Guruji's dictates. Through satsangs Guruji allows people to share their experiences so
that others too can take full benefit of Guruji's being.
While many preachers in this world help a person progress on the path of salvation, Guruji is
into action. His is an entirely practical approach that leaves no room for doubt. He takes the
burden of His devotees upon Himself. Their problems become His and He spirits them away.
Like a loving father, He stands guard over the faithful, He brings smiles into not only the
devotee's face, but also into the lives of those whom the devotee holds dear. Thus, for those in
His sharan, miracles are a norm, with every devotee being in a position to claim having
experienced life-altering instances that can only be called miracles. Yet, nothing under
Guruji's protective umbrella is by chance, everything is by His choice alone. And His choice,
revealed through His hukm (order), assuredly drives you towards the brightest destiny
possible, one that is often beyond the limits of the devotee's imagination itself.
To have Guruji's darshan is to be blessed forever. To take refuge in Him is to touch the hem
of Immortality, which grants you the courage to laugh off worries and diseases. To be led by
His guidance is like being in a fort, protected against all odds, unscathed by the bad times. To
be granted to follow Him is to touch the wellspring of life itself, of love, of
sweet sanity; it is to walk the humble road of service and devotion.

The Grace of a Guru

By Rashme Sehgal
September 2007
A devotee looks back on the exceptional love, acceptance, and protection exuded by
Guruji Nirmal, a Delhi based preceptor to some of the most powerful people in the land
Guruji Nirmal had a following that included Sharad Pawar, Amar Singh, Murli Manohar
Joshi, a host of other politicians, and members of Delhis whos who. Yet, he remained one of
the most private and little known of spiritual preceptors in the capital. He had no ashram,
having built only a small Shiv Mandir where devotees gathered for his birthday, Baisakhi,
and Shivratri. Other times, we met at a devotees house in Mehrauli.
Well-built and burly, with strong features and a shaved head, he was a handsome man, with
great personal charm. He was remarkably inclusive and open. He allowed devotees to cluster

around him, touch his feet and knees, or even drop a kiss on his head, as one American was
fond of doing.
His demise in the end of May this year has left many of us orphaned, but it also compels us to
record for posterity his unique nature, and come to terms with his mystique.
Little is known about his early life, save that he was born to a humble farmers family in
Dugri, a village in Melerkotla district in the Punjab. He moved to Delhi almost a decade ago.
Devotees talk of miracles he performed while still in school, such as, for instance, filling an
empty inkstand with ink by touching it. Despite being an excellent student both in school and
in college, he chose to follow the spiritual path.
I often ask myself what is the legacy Guruji left behind, and how did he transform our lives in
such a comprehensive and meaningful manner?
The Man
Guruji gave no discourses; he wrote no books; he was not interested in creating an
organisation to perpetuate his name. His persona epitomised goodness, kindness, and a
benevolent love that permeated the hearts of his devotees. A spiritual powerhouse, his radiant
presence in his evening sangats helped transform the lives of those who attended it.
Gurujis sangat met four times a week on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. It
culminated in everyone partaking in the bhandara, which Guruji always referred to as prasad.
This comprised of rotis, dal, sabzi, and something sweet. For the most time, Guruji spent the
entire evening sitting in silence with the Gurbani playing in the background. His devotees
professionals, senior bureaucrats, politicians, the rich and middle class sat around him, also
in silence. Occasionally, he would break the silence by allowing a devotee to come up and sit
next to him, and Guruji would then quietly exchange a few words with him. He knew exactly
what to say to whom, usually in chaste Punjabi. A puckish sense of humour marked these
exchanges.
As a routine, when he met his devotees in the earlier part of the evening, he would be wearing
a bright-coloured shirt and black trousers with walking shoes, and would be sitting, legs
crossed, on a sideboard kept just outside the kitchen. Dressed in this way, with his head
shaved bald, he looked almost like a rock star. But later in the evening when he came to sit on
his special chair, he wore a colourful, brightly embroidered choga with special appliqu work
done around the neck, sleeves and hem.
The Sangat
He personified the spirit of Punjabiyat. It was reflected in his conversation, the shabads that
were played through the evening, and the Patiala shoes which he carried off with such
aplomb. Some of his favourite expressions were, aish karo (enjoy yourself) tera kalyan kar
dita(I have blessed you) and practical hone chaida he (one should be practical). Once he
had said, tera kalyan kar dita it meant that whatever the devotee had sought would be
fulfilled.
I began attending his sangat from February 2005. The first thing that struck me were the
pains he took to make his devotees feel at ease. It was as though he was trying to emphasise
that a life of prayer and devotion was not different from our everyday life. Rather, it should

be considered an integral part of it, and the message of the sangat must be allowed to
permeate every aspect of ones daily routine.
Occasionally, he would elaborate on how the essential message of all religions was devotion
to God and mankind. He once asked a close devotee, General C. Kapoor and his wife, at 1.30
am in the morning, what they knew about religion.
I know nothing about religion; religion has very little role in the army, Gen Kapoor replied.
Guruji kept quiet. A few minutes later he went into a trance, and began quoting extensively
from several religious scriptures, including from the Bible, Quran, Granth Sahib, and the
Bhagavad Gita.
When he came out of the trance, he asked Kapoor, Did you understand the meaning of those
verses?
No, Guruji, I understood nothing at all, Kapoor declared.
Guruji said succintly, The message of all religions is the same remember God at all times.
If you can help someone, do so, but if you cannot, dont harm him either. Also, dont ever get
so involved in the materialistic world that you do not have time to remember God.The
Grace
A great healer, he cured a large number of his people. This was one more way of helping
them understand the power of prayer. Sometimes, he would allow his devotees who had been
cured to speak about how they or their close relatives had emerged from near-death
experiences. These were precious exchanges, and helped reinforce just how generous and allknowing Guruji was. A retired army colonel recounted how Guruji had helped cure his son.
My son was born deaf, and ever since I could remember, my wife and I were taking him
from one ENT specialist to another, but no one could cure him. Finally, one of my friends
suggested that we take him to Guruji who advised me to start putting some badam rogan
(almond oil) in his ears, which we did for many months. One morning, his ear was covered
with a fungal infection. I spoke to Guruji and told him what had happened. He advised me to
take him to an ENT specialist, which we did. The minute the doctor began removing the
fungal growth, the boy felt giddy, fainted, and fell to the ground. The same thing happened
the next morning. He said he fainted because he found the sound of his ear being cleaned
very loud. When he returned home, he heard the words of his mother talking to him. These
were the first words he had heard in the 16 years of his life.
At another time, a Patiala-based college lecturer recounted how some relatives had tried to
poison her in order to inherit her property. The poison was so strong that my skin turned
black, and I became bloated and obese. Since I was not getting better, a friend of mine
suggested I visit Guruji. When I arrived at his darbar, I sat in one corner. Guruji did not say
anything to me except that I must attend the sangat for one month at a stretch, and not leave
before eating the langar. I did as he told me, and strangely enough, one month later, I began
to feel better. I shed the extra weight I had put on, but my skin remained dark.
One evening, out of the blue, Guruji asked her what cream she was using in order to become
fair.

Bring the bottle of cream you are using when you visit here the next time, Guruji told her.
She did as she was told. Guruji then asked her to apply the same cream on his feet. To her
delight, she found herself returning to her original complexion. A guru gives you his
strength, he gives you his love, and most important, he gives you his protection, she told the
sangat.
The Protection
The cures Guruji offered were simple, almost like homespun remedies. Cover a wound with
paan ka patta, buy channa and gur and offer it at a Hanuman temple, wear an OM pendant
that was blessed by him. However simple these remedies may appear, the fact that he had
blessed the devotee and had prescribed them seemed to make all the difference, because
patients who had tried every other treatment and failed, would invariably get cured by him.
Pray, and give time to God to effect a cure, he would sometimes tell his devotees. Healing
and curing must be preceded by a change of attitude. This attitudinal change comes about
when we understand that there is a moral world that rules this planet, and that this moral
order is interwoven with the laws of nature. Nothing that happens on this earth happens in a
random manner.
Guruji would listen to these anecdotes with a smile on his face. It was not as though he was
taking any personal credit for these experiences. He always said that whatever happened did
so because of the grace of God.
A young girl spoke about how she had developed a very painful kind of skin cancer, and the
doctors had given her only a few days to live.
Again, she was told to visit Guruji consecutively for an entire month, and to partake in the
langar which he considered to be prasad. She did so, and her body began to heal. On getting
cured, she grew so confident of her relationship with the Guru that she stopped lighting the
jyot in her temple. One day, she tried lighting the jyot. Despite several attempts, it did not
light. Frustrated, she threw the matchstick down, and began to cry.
Guruji has abandoned me, she cried.
When she came out of her bath, she found that the jyot had lit of its own accord. It was then
that I realised that the Guru never forsakes you; though we may forsake him, she affirms.
At a personal level, I started attending Gurujis sangat a little before my husband, Anil, was
found suffering from cancer. Guruji was visiting the house of photographer Rahgu Rai and
his wife, Meeta Rai. When I came to seek Gurujis blessings, he indicated to me that I should
start attending the sangat. He obviously knew that I was going to go through a difficult time
and he would help me through this period.
His words proved prophetic because this turned out to be the most turbulent time in my life.
Not once did Guruji tell me that Anil would be cured though I knew he had cured several
cancer patients. He just extended his love, and made sure that my husband did not have to
suffer physically. Rather, it was a period when the whole family came together to help him
through this difficult time.

The Gurus Gift

When I would visit Guruji during this crisis period, I would keep asking myself the question,
Who is a guru and why does he have so much importance in our life?
The answers to this question came slowly to me. It dawned on me then that a guru is someone
who helps us understand our essential reality. The guru is not bound by a physical body, and
therefore he is always more than a mere physical teacher. The guru is the vital force that
creates and sustains and infuses the whole universe. The guru-principle or guru tattva is the
universal power of consciousness that gives rise to and supports the universe.
I also came to realise that a guru and his disciple share a unique relationship grounded in a
powerful union of love. Often, one hears a devotee say he has fallen in love with the guru.
This basically means that he has discovered a boundless fountain of love in his heart, and the
guru-disciple relationship allows him to express that love unconditionally. The guru is one
who can awaken the transformative spiritual energy that resides deep within our own being.
A guru operates from a space of complete freedom. It is for this reason that Guruji would tell
his devotees, Nobody is close to me and nobody is far away. Nobody is old for me and no
one is new.
Gurujis advise was sought at many levels. Devotees consulted him when their children had
to be married, for their business and job-related problems, if they were facing domestic
problems there was no issue in which he was not consulted. He gave advise or an upaya
that would provide a solution, and his advise invariably turned out to be correct.
A guru makes you become more compatible with your own limited self. But he also makes
you realise that devotees need to bond with one another to ensure the spirit of the sangat can
come alive.
Today, it is on this sangat that we must now lean in order to survive the sudden loss of this
great guru. Guruji liked people to live in families. Human beings need families to sustain
them, he used to say. He called his sangat his family. A family is truly happy when its
members sit together, and chant the name of God. His words ring true through our hearts as
we thank this wonderful being who helped us through the vicissitudes of our life.