In the photograph, Ms Asha Anand and Milkman Mr Lalji Upadhyaya

One fine day my good respected friend Dr Anand called me and told me: Shakun, I would like you to come for this month's 'MRA Initiatives of Change' Meeting. This Saturday we shall meet a 'gentleman'who has been delivering Milk on a bycicle for the last 30 years...What is so unique is the fact that the man is so serene and content. We are going to have an informal evening and ask him the raaz (secret) of his joy!

When I saw Lalji (7th of November 2009) he looked more like a 'Swami' and as he belted out couplet after couplet from the Ramayan, I just thought that the 'speaker' had changed at the last moment...but I was wrong, He was Lalji Upadhyaya.

We asked him the secret of his contentment. He felt he had enough to live for and so he would not compromise his honesty (By mixing water with milk or whatever else was dishonest) He had full faith in the Lord. Once when his bycicle was stolen, He complained to Hanumanji, rather than complain to those who may be 'robbers' themselves...A friend who had attended the meeting said 'Is'nt it good to be ambitious? Ambani and Gates were ambitious and brought up the economy...Another gentleman who attended said: 'It is creditable that living in the place of Dreams, Bombay...Lalji could continue to live in a contented manner...His son who is succesful by material means offered Lalji a car. Lalji refused.Someone asked, What if you became old and crippled? He said then maybe I will accept it. Who knows? Live in the moment and do your best and leave the rest! That is what Krishna says in the Bhagvad Geeta...In the 12th verse of the 12th Chapter Krishna says: Better than rituals is Knowledge, better that knowledge is meditation, better than meditation is renunciation of fuits of action...Peace immediately follows!

Early in Life Lalji learned:
It is important not to measure personal success and sense of well being through material possessions.
Success is about the sense of independance; it is not about seeing the world but seing the light.
Imagination is everything. If we can imagine a future, we can create it,If we can create the future, others will live in it. That is the essence of success.
and
You should leave your newspaper and your toilet, the way you expect to find it. This lesson is about showing consideration to others.

Happy New Year!