What can compel an Air Force pilot and a father of two to turn to spirituality? For Swami Sachidananda Bharathi, it was an air crash in 1982.
Bharathi said he was flying from Delhi to Kochi when the aircraft caught fire and went out of control. "Instead of going up in flames or crashing, it dived into a nearby lake," said Bharathi, the pilot-turned-peace-activist who is now in the city. "I and 14 passengers were rescued after 10 minutes.
"It was a miraculous escape. I realised that there was some divine power that was driving our destiny."
Born in a Christian family at Kerala’s Idiki district, and named N V John, Bharathi then turned to spiritualism. He began interacting with religious gurus and reading scriptures. "After interacting with Hindu, Christian, Sikh and Muslim gurus for several years, I finally decided to tread an independent path. A religion is known from its saints, and I became aware of the intrinsic qualities of each religion from the gurus."
Squadron Leader John got married in 1979, and later became a father of two. But he renounced his family in 1996 and took up sanyas in 2001. In 2003, he finally decided to change his name to Swami Sachidananda Bharathi.
Now 60, he can be mistaken for a swami in his saffron robe, but Bharathi disagreed. "This attire should be related to sanyasis, people who have denounced worldly pleasures and ties for the benefit of people. But unfortunately, it has become a symbol for Hindu religion."
Out on a year-long tour of India, Bharathi wishes to unite Indians for a second freedom struggle. He said, "Although we have achieved political freedom, we have not attained social, moral or economic freedom."
The aim of his tour, called ‘Desh Vandana’ (salute the nation), is to promote values of sacrifice and service. "I am trying to promote the concept of skipping a meal every week and feeding a hungry child," he explained. "Skipping a meal will instill the attitude of sacrifice and feeding one person will help us serve the needy."
Bharathi has another purpose, too: Involving the youth in the "national regeneration movement", which he initiated 10 years ago. "I was always attracted to patriotism, and that’s the reason why I joined the Air Force. But now I feel Indians should rediscover and preserve the eternal values that has enabled the country to survive for centuries."
The movement attempts to revive ideas of Gandhi and Vivekananda, he said.
"Bengal has always been a hotbed of major movements like the Brahmo Samaj. So I have similar expectations from the youths here."
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