Touched by Her Love, Guided by Her Example
- by Diya Kothari
Pujya Tai Ma, for me, was the perfect embodiment of unconditional love, forgiveness and peace. She was a pure soul who was an inspiration to the entire world with her selfless dedication to improving the lives of those in need. Whilst it is hard to believe that Tai Ma is now not physically present with us, her legacy will live on through all of us and, especially, through the work of Shri Chandana Vidyapeeth Jain (SCVP) school run by Veerayatan.
I have known Tai Ma for about 17 years of my life and I have held her in high regard since the age of about 6. My first memory of her was watching Never Before, a film about Tai Ma’s inspirational drive to help others. I was in awe of Tai Ma’s purity and selfless acts of kindness in that film that whilst other kids watched cartoons, I would come home after school every day and rewatch the film. An example from the film I remember was during the Kutch earthquake. Tai Ma without thinking twice decided to go there and help – Veerayatan set up schools and facilities for the children impacted by the disaster. We have been lucky to have had the opportunity to go to Kutch and volunteer in the school there - a life-changing experience we hold very close to our hearts. This would not have been possible without Tai Ma’s vision.
The first time I met Tai Ma in person was in Veerayatan Rajgir in India in 2011 where we spent every morning and evening with her. I remember just being in her presence and I felt so safe. Everything suddenly felt so peaceful with my mind free from worries, anxiety and judgements. Even without speaking to her, I could just feel an aura of pure love and bliss, and I feel so lucky and grateful that I experienced that.
My next memory of Tai Ma was when she blessed us with a visit to the UK in 2017. We went to the airport to pay our respects and say goodbye when Tai Ma was returning to India. I remember someone had made some food for her, specifically dhokla (one of my favourites!), to eat before she got on the plane and I vividly remember her insisting I eat some first. Even though it was a tiny portion of food only meant for Tai Ma, she fed me some dhokla with her own hands with so much love. I remember feeling so touched by her love and selflessness in that moment and now I am determined to try and implement even 1% of that level of selflessness in my life.
I remember joining Pratikraman online conducted in India by Tai Ma during Paryushan in lockdown and again just feeling her presence and hearing her beautiful voice online, gave me so much hope and strength during the lockdown period.
Recently I was lucky enough to have met Tai Ma a few months ago in Palitana for her 90th birthday celebrations. Even though she was not in the best of health, she always had a smile on her face and treated everyone with the utmost respect. I remember she told me (in Gujarati of course!) to do good work and work hard when it was time to work and to rest well when it was time to rest, which meant a lot to me - a burnt-out medical student straight after finals. In her presence it was impossible to feel stressed, she just made everything look and feel so much better.
Without Tai Ma’s guidance, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I think part of the reason I became a doctor was because from childhood I have always enjoyed volunteering and helping out where I can, a value instilled in me by Tai Ma. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to meet Tai Ma and experience her divinity first hand. I will miss her dearly but will carry on her legacy by continuing to do lots of seva and remembering her positive ‘everything is possible’ attitude in hard times. Her compassion was limitless and I hope she is at peace as she continues her spiritual journey towards moksha.