Accountants And Shiva Temples In Kumbakonam

I came in late last night to Kumbakonam, to address the elected leaders of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.  About a million CA students pass through their institution every year.  Our rich interaction set off a field for a ripples, and the Q&A went on for so long that they had to cut it off. 

At one point, one person asked a curious question: "I'm so busy with work, that I have almost no time for my wife and kids.  I can be kind to others, but I regret that I don't have a connection with my son.  Will kindness help change my relationship to my family?"  I responded with the story of Saavji-bhai (one of the biggest diamond merchants in the world) and how his relationship with his son transformed through small acts of service.

My main take-away for the council was: "You've built a road on which you're sharing content about financial accounting.  Can you use that road to transport other kinds of content?"  Ultimately, their response was, "You tell us how, and we'll do it."  For one, all their students are getting the Indian version of the Smile Decks -- and Sheetal-ben is working on a plan to engage their community.

Later on, walking around Kumbakonam, one quickly learns the town is known for its filter coffee :) and Shiva temples.  It's considered a very sacred town.



As I was leaving, I also met Steve -- the owner of the space where I was staying.  He used to fail in school, which prompted him to give up on "regular intelligence" and focus more on "divine intelligence".  That led him to start hotel projects that would uplift the local economy -- since he had a rule of not buying anything outside of a 15 kilometer radius!  All around, you could see sacred relics and ancient art (each with their story!) that were not just expensive but impossible to find.  To almost every question about its origins, his response was: "I don't find it. It finds me."  Quite literally, people come and give him things -- including collector's items worth millions.  Everyone has some excuse or another, but he says that the real reason is karma. :)

While walking through his property, he points to the deer garden.  "See those deer? They're all rescued after car accidents."  He had a story like that for every corner.  It was a labor of love.  As I was leaving, he kindly gave me his book, that is also a gift for everyone who visits the President of India, and said, "We'll meet again."  It would be pointless to ask him specifics -- because he didn't seem like the kind of guy who kept a calendar. :) 

On the way to my next destination, Coimbatore, I called up my parents in the US.

My mom tells me, "Kombakonam?"

"Yes. You've heard of it," I answered.

"Yes, that's where Mota had his spiritual awakening." (Mota is the spiritual teacher of my grandfather, who married my parents, and is considered to be awakened by many in India.)

"Really? Kombakonam?"

"Yes."

As Steve would say, maybe my trip was pre-ordained. :)         

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