INDIVIDUAL TRANSFORMATION:

Industrial Harmony - The Brahma Kumari Way

Hailing from a royal family of Kutchchi Saraswat Brahmans in Kutch and studying at the S.N.D.T. College in Mumbai, 15-year-old Nalini Joshi was independent and outspoken by nature and quite modern for her age. Her mother got to know about the Brahma Kumari Institution, which at that time had only one branch at Sion opposite the Gandhi market, and she coming from a family of rajgurus (religious scholars) and astrologers, was naturally very religious-minded. One day Nalini’s mother took her to this Institute. Nalini saw a young 18-year-old Punjabi girl dressed in white, a Brahma Kumari. A deluge of thoughts crowded the young girl’s mind. That Punjabi girl was so young and attractive and did not wish to get married! She was doing so much work and taking care of elders!

Nalini’s mother wanted her to visit the Brahma Kumaris often. Reluctantly, she agreed on one condition, that nobody should start preaching to her, that she would do as she liked. Her mother took her to Mateshwari at Mt. Abu. Nalini’s first impression of Mateshwari was that she looked beautiful. Clad in white sari, with long, open hair, a nice face, big eyes she landed up staring at her, got conscious about it, but couldn’t help it. When she asked young Nalini the purpose of her life, she replied, “khana, pina aur mauj karna.” Mateshwari pointed to a sparrow flying towards its nest to feed its baby. Mateshwari asked, “What is the difference between you and the sparrow?” Pat came the reply: “Intelligence makes all the difference.” Mateshwari retorted: “Don’t you think you should be different? You should do something in life, become something in life, not just for yourself but for society at large?” 

Nalini’s mind opened up, like a butterfly emerging from the caterpillar. She understood that there is much more to life than khana, pina aur mauj karna. Mateshwari started explaining to her the evils of mankind such as lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego … How important it is to make a world of peace. To be pure, clean and holy. That even gods and goddesses were human beings who imbibed in them some ideals and achieved an illumined state of conscious-ness only by their karma, their seva. Mateshwari’s words struck Nalini deeply. She made up her mind to surrender herself totally to the Brahma Kumaris. She chose the path of divinity and Nalini Joshi became Brahma Kumari Nalini Didi.

Rashna Ardesher meets Brahma Kumari Nalini Didi and Brahma Kumar Nikunj Sejpal who help her understand the Brahma Kumaris and their contribution to Godrej and to society at large.