SPACE AND MY LIFE (A Layman’s Choice of Understanding)

The author Samir is a Geologist. The basic job of a geologist is “Search” – search for the history of evolution of Earth with its rocks and minerals, oceans and climate, for the history of life on Earth and so on. The word “Search” got embossed in the mind of the author. While continuing search for minerals in India and abroad, during the last 50 years, he did not know when his mind got inclined to those eminent persons who started searching for the Creator of the Universe through deep meditations and to those scientists who were/are involved in searching for the different episodes of the Universe. God, Space and Universe are very tempting words where you can keep your mind for hours, either in meditation, or, on cups of teas, while fighting and debating with your friends. The sailing of the author for 73 years, like a leaf floating on the river, has gathered many memories and experiences, as teaching from the life. There were many critical situations, when he has felt that there is someone to extend His helping hands to protect him. The book narrates the impact of the changing Time-Space scenario in his life and the touch of “Helping Hands” in the journey of his life along with his ideas and some logical feelings regarding God, Space, Time, Universe and Life. There must be some logical conclusion honoring the observations of the enlightened saints and of the scientists. SPACE is a 5-letter word. But its significance in infinite. There is endless Space beyond the known/imagined Universe. The expanding Universe occupies a part. And there is Space in our mind – thinking and dreaming, travelling endless Space. And there is Space in our mind for accommodation of desires of different natures, good or bad, positive or negative. The book discusses all these issues. The circumstances abruptly brought changes in the space in the author’s life. There was ample space in the childhood life of the author for ‘go easy’ living. But there was a different plan by God, creating an unexpected Time – Space environment for the author’s family. With the partition of Bengal, the author along with his parents and other members of the family came to West Bengal from East Bengal (present Bangla Desh) as displaced persons, bare handed leaving their spacious house, vast stretches of cultivated land, firm house, mango orchards, tanks full of fish and their beloved farmers. Then started a long period of patience and hard work for all of them, in order to arrange for a decent modest living and education for the demanding members. You all heard the proverb, ‘Man proposes God disposes’. Though God cannot be involved in such politics, the particular Time-Space relation plays the trick. The author has rightly expressed, “ it just happens. Call it accidental. Call it Fate. It is not under the control of any person/group of persons/institute. It is a play of Space-Time game. And you become a puppet. … Ignoring the period of sufferings and forgetting it is an elixir of life”. In 1965 the author joined Geological Survey of India as a Geologist (GSI). His father would be retiring in January, 1968. What a mercy from God! The author briefly narrated some events of the Joint Scientific Expedition in Great Nicobar of 1966, involving so much hardship, real adventures tracking through dense forests and sailing through rough seas, drinking water problems and solution, identification of edible herbs, protection from pythons, a miracle saving of one member from a life-taking accident. The author was transferred to Odisha Circle of GSI in Bhubaneswar in September, 1967. The first assignment was for systematic geological mapping around Ampanighat (‘Ampani’ means small tiger, i.e., leopard) and around Karlapat (‘Karla’ means big tiger). That time a man-eater (tiger) was reported from the region. The author’s team of two persons hired a local shikari (hunter). They met the collector and he agreed to send the report, if any, of the movement of the man-eater. Once, seeing a spring, they rushed to the place. The shikari stopped them and pointed to some pockmarks (footprints), where slowly the side water was pouring, he whispered, ‘just now a tiger has left the place, may be due to our noise”. The author narrated all these events to show that if the mind is composed, one can enjoy the stay in every situation. You can enjoy the changing beauties of the different places, if you try to love the places and the people living there. On promotion to the post of Director, GSI in 1991 the author was posted to Raipur in Chhattisgarh region of the then Madhya Pradesh state. This transfer disrupted the planned life of the author. Here also he felt the hands of God (and of his Guru – you cannot separate the wish of God from the wish of True Saints) on his head. How the stay in Raipur ultimately became a boon to his career has been narrated. He retired from GSI in February, 2002. But his career as a geologist did not stop there. He rightly believes, all these happened because of a planning by God, which was initiated with his undesired posting to Raipur. This has been narrated under chapter on ‘Fortunate to Receive Special Blessing from Thakur Baba (a great enlightened saint)’. The author also discusses certain basic human qualities like “They only live who live for others/Love thy neighbor as thyself”, values of Prayer as has been experienced by the author, Gratitude as it should be. Human life in essential is a game of balance. The duties and general activities are of many types and the full inclination to one side may neglect the other side. That is why the question comes of keeping the balance. There are many chapters of balancing in life. The author has expressed his ideas on it advising us, “Dear friends, do not spend the early life on whims. Have a proper balance to have sustained pleasure till you retire from the present life.” You would like the content of the book which comes from the heart of the author.