ABHINAV RAI: A WORLDLY ASSOCIATION WITH THE OCCULT By Mihir Srivastava

Abhinav Rai is a young man of 32 years who surfs on the choppy waters of destiny with a certain disdain. Son of an army officer, he had a traditional upbringing at varied locations in the country. Twelve years ago, while pursuing his graduation from Bangalore, he came to visit the Kumbh Mela held at then Allahabad, now Prayagraj. While loitering around, had a chance encounter with a Naga Sadhu that changed his life.

They took an instant liking for each other, and stayed together for a few days. An association started, not just between the two of them, but also the Juna Akhara (is one of the largest and oldest monastic orders renowned for rigorous spiritual practices, its Naga or naked Sadhus are famous for asceticism and martial prowess.)

In all these years, Abhinav has achieved something quite remarkable. While staying worldly, temporal with usual inclinations of a young man, he could become an insider of a monastic order that is perceived as not friendly to the outsiders. Many of the Naga Sadhus, now his friends, want him to come into the fold and be like them. He’s happy the way it is, for he’s enriched by the two distinct worlds simultaneously. There’s no hypocrisy for nothing is hidden. In his case, sailing on two boats is not destabilising, rather enjoying, enriching, makes him an interesting person.

A buddy of his teachers, he harbours these two distinct sentiments—that of a teacher and a friend—seamlessly together. Having said that, his adulation comes from a position of strength, and not servitude. He can be categorically himself, and about others without mincing words. All his friends know that he is intuitive in his actions and pronouncements.

Blessed with indefatigable energy, at the core, he’s a doer. And because of his personal charm and force of conviction, he gets things done for himself and others. He is useful to all he’s associated with and he doesn’t mind being used for a greater purpose that’s beyond him. There’s a lot of positivity in him that’s hard to miss.

I first met him at the photo-exhibition on the Naga Sadhu—Bhasmang: The Way of the Naga Sadhus—by Bandeep Singh, a dear friend, who happens to be India's one of the most celebrated photographers. Abhinav opened doors for him and he in turn demystified the mystics by way of his pictures. Abhinav has been the force behind many creative endeavours, but mostly in the backdrop.

What I really like about him is his deep friendship, is actually a strong connection with the Naga Sadhus and also other accomplished people outside of the cult, is laced with love and appreciation, also gratitude and admiration. He’s trustworthy and treats them as a Guru—or a teacher—for there’s a lot to learn from them, and get enriched in the process. He bestows them with respect, and adulation. A buddy of his teachers, he harbours these two distinct sentiments—that of a teacher and a friend—seamlessly together.

Having said that, his adulation comes from a position of strength, and not servitude. He can be categorically himself, and about others without mincing words. All his friends know that he is intuitive in his actions and pronouncements. They are not deliberate, but stem from deeper consciousness with no logical reason.

Abhinav shared his categorical view about me that was communicated as a fact. We agreed that to define a person by way of an identity is limiting his or her genius. Existence, the life force, soul have limitless possibilities. He is a good example. He’s open to life, and life never fails to surprise him.

I like the fact that he is on the move at all times, a Sadhu friend calls him, he drives overnight to be with him the next morning; a friend needs him, he is there. He drives across cities like we commute for work, he holds sway over people he cares about, and people who care for him miss him, his presence is therapeutic to them.

Soon after he made friends with the Naga Sadhu, he decided to shift to Rishikesh and ran a travel agency. He made the occult accessible to impressionable nirvana seekers from India and abroad, and did well for many years. Complications start when an outsider starts to do well, he saw how people manipulated the legal system to deal with rivalries, and destroy peoples’ good reputation. He pursued law, and just finished his law degree.

And that his insatiable energy will never let him sit ideal, he has to try new things to keep himself engaged. A few years ago, he started farming on his ancestral property from both mother and father sides in Gazipur and Rohtas—the rice bowl of Bihar. Earlier farms were rented out to tillers, now Abhinav does it on his own, grows wheat and paddy.

Farming is one of the toughest professions, and Abhinav essentially is a city lad. But he loves tilling the soil, and is rewarded with good reaps, and is open to uncertainties that’s part and parcel of being a farmer, much like life in general. After a hard day of work, he enjoys taking a shower in the gushing cold water of the borewell. Farming is ibadat or worship for him. Annadata—the giver of food—is God. Farmers, who grow food, are, therefore, closer to God. And the golden hue of the paddy ripe for harvest has a divine glow—I see that in his eyes too.

Growing up as an army kid, he was disciplined, and mother being religious was introduced to the mythologies and the occult that stems from deep Hindu philosophy. He is an accomplished golfer, swimmer, and modelled as well, and is learning photography. He does a lot of things, and does it well. He learns by doing. And you learn well when you focus on how it is done, rather than why it is done. And his open approach to life has enriched it experientially. He’s a good example of life’s a great journey, and a craving for a destination is destabilising.

I met him a couple of times to do this profile, and I know he’s destined to do big things in worldly terms (now I’m ventilating an opinion as a matter of fact), and life will give him greater roles and bigger fields to play. And that he will be a beacon of light, that’s what his bright future entails.

So, I suggested to him that I will write a profile on him. He smiled, there was joy in that smile. He was open to the idea but had his doubts. "I will put you across to interesting sadhus and many of my influential friends," he offered as a gesture of appreciation. Then paused for a bit to ask with a puzzled look on his face. “What is there to write about me?” I hope this article has answered his question.