Darshan After Twenty Years

Purnanand Tewari and his brother went to Nainital with some papers concerned with the litigation of their land. Purnanand had to return to Kainchi to get one more document, but his brother fell sick. This required Purnanand to remain in Nainital taking care of him until evening.

By that time there were no buses back to Kainchi, so leaving his brother in Nainital, Purnanand began to walk to Gathia(a stop on the way back to Kainchi). The darkness of night had fallen, and he still had several miles to go.

There was only one shop at Gathia, and when he reached there, Tewari asked the owner if he could stay overnight. Choudhry, the owner refused, but said that if a truck stopped, he would ask the driver to pick him up along the road. Purnanand set out into the darkness again, carrying a small torch.

Along the way he came to a frightening culvert known as Kufia Danth. A steel chain hung from a tree there, and it was said that an ascetic had tied a ghost to it. Though Tewari was a young man of about twenty-one years, he was scared of ghosts.

As he got closer, he saw a bulky man in the dim torchlight sitting on the parapet in that lonely place. The man called out loudly, "Who is there? What's your name? Where do you live?" Tewari got frightened.

He thought that it was a ghost, but he believed that there was no point in running away from an evil spirit. He went closer and saw that the man was Baba Nibkarori. Tewari had heard of Baba's fame and had seen him earlier that same day in the house of an overseer in Nainital. Purnanand still cherished a desire in his heart to touch Baba's feet, for he had hesitated to do so that morning. At that solitary place he thought that perhaps Baba was giving him the opportunity.

Tewari said his name and that Kainchi was the name of his village. Baba said, "Your brother has fallen sick. Don't worry, he will be alright." Tewari was amazed and remained standing respectfully with folded hands. Baba continued, "Now go. You will get a lift on the way, litigation is on. Do not worry, you won't lose in court. It is suffering due to karma. The case will drag on for a long time."

When Tewari asked Baba why he was there, Baba said, "I have come here to avoid evil spirits. There are many evil spirits in Nainital." Tewari then asked, "Baba, when will I have your darshan again?" He replied, "After twenty years. Now go. You will get a lift."

Tewari bowed, touched his feet, and went on his way. He thought that Baba said "after twenty years" because he did not want to give him darshan anymore. He hardly walked five hundred yards when a truck driver approached from behind and offered him a ride. This event took place in 1942.

On 25 May 1962, Baba stopped in Kainchi on his return from Ranikhet. Purnanand was sleeping in his house when Baba sent a laborer to go and get him. The laborer told Tewari that a bania(businessman) had come to meet him. he came out and saw that Baba Nibkarori was waiting for him. Baba kept his word and fulfilled the promise he made to him twenty years earlier.