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Part 1 of 5
ADITYA GAIT serves in a rural clinic rather than in an upwardly mobile specialist hospital that focuses on damage control and not the root cause, reports Narayani Ganesh
Part 2 of 5
Iwill be wearing yellow. And I will be driving a red Honda,” Aditya Gait said when I called his number on landing at Pune airport. And there he was, wearing a chrome yellow kurta-pyjama, smiling brightly, stepping out of — yes, the chilli red Honda car that he’s borrowed from a devotee. I notice a copy of Autobiograpy Of A Yogi on the dashboard.
On the road to Ananda City Centre in Pune, we talk and I learn that Aditya studied medicine in Pune, where his father was posted as an Army doctor. He started working at St Stephens Hospital, Delhi, intending to specialise in surgery. With his keen interest in the environment, he participated in the hospital’s efforts to revamp its water systems. “After a week of working on this, I realised that no one has the time…. I was sitting in front of doctors and nurses who had no idea of the gravity of the situation…some would check the time on their watch; others would yawn or would rush through so as to be done with the task at hand.
Part 3 of 5
“By then I had read Autobiography Of A Yogi. One day, I listened to Swami Kriyananda talk about communities, growing your own food, running your own dairy farm and so on. I was really interested. It sounded like a simpler life. And I had a revelation. I too wished to be part of a community like that!” Aditya was convinced that community living is the solution to many of our problems.
“Just read the newspapers or watch news on TV — all reporting on corruption and clamouring for change. But why not start with the community? I think community life is the solution, where everyone is in sync with Nature, with their brethren and with themselves. You know, when I was at St Stephens, there was a proposal to start a new paediatric asthma ward to take care of children with asthma. That got me thinking. Most children in cities get asthma or their asthma gets aggravated on account of pollution. Why not initiate steps to curb pollution and address the cause rather than focusing on what happens after harm is done? Why not clean the air?
Part 4 of 5
“M K Gandhi in the 1940s said, ‘I don’t like cities — the sheer number of faces! How can I trust people who I don’t know?’ Community life can help build a far more loving, caring society.”
The 32-acre Ananda Sangha Ashram at Pune, located near Wakunde Village houses about 15-20 residents currently, all following the path revealed by Paramhansa Yogananda. “You know, all my class fellows from college are now highly qualified specialist doctors. But when I meet them, they say, “Aditya, you are perhaps the only one among us who is truly happy.” Aditya spent five days in the Ananda Sangha Ashram in Pune. Swami Kriyananda asked him, “What do you think of a rural clinic?” Those words were music to Aditya’s ears; all his dreams would come true — of practising medicine as well as being of service to those who need his services the most. “Without hesitation, I said ‘Yes’ to Swamiji and so began a new way of life,” says Aditya. He points out that community life is in sync with the environment; you are enabled to follow your path to God, you share teachings, meditate, and serve people. “And I run the clinic,” he says.
Part 5 of 5
“You are wearing yellow; does that denote you are a Brahmachari,” I ask him. Aditya replies in the affirmative. But wasn’t he too young to be celibate? “Well,” says Aditya. “I became brahmachari in 2010 as a 28-year-old. Since I am so service-oriented, I thought as a single, unattached person, I can do much more service. Devotion impelled me to become a brahmachari. To give up your earthly family only means you now take entire earth to be your family,” says the young missionary.
Six days in a week, Aditya works at the Apollo Hospital at Lavasa, 23 km away from the ashram. He is always available when they need extra hands and so ends up doing a lot of overtime. He is also always on call at the rural clinic he runs and villagers are very familiar with him and call him up for any kind of medical advice or emergency.
“Each of us finds happiness in different ways. Monkhood and service suits me,” says Aditya, giving me a wide grin as we pull into the Ananda Centre in Pune.
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