Born a Muslim & Leading Life of Yogi: Why This Kerala-based Social Reformer Deserved Padma Bhushan

Spiritual leader Sri M reconciles in his extraordinary personality apparently contradictory facets. Essentially a yogi, Shri M, who will be conferred the Padma Bhushan for his spiritual mission, is also a householder and a social reformer.

He has established the Satsang Foundation and runs a school at Madanappally. He is a successful author who travels extensively addressing seekers and explaining the wisdom of ancient India. Indian spirituality for him empowers every individual regardless of caste and creed “by deconditioning the mind so that it gets access to almost infinite energy and unlimited wisdom, leading to true and lasting happiness”.

Sri M combines in his words and deeds spirituality with everyday life. His essential message, delivered with characteristic ease and disarming simplicity, yokes mental and spiritual growth of the individual with social commitment.

Born in Trivandrum, Kerala, as Mumtaz Ali into a middle class Muslim family, he had strange experiences and spiritual inclination right from his early years.

Following an inexplicable meeting with a sage in his courtyard who recognised the spiritual potential and promise of the boy, his spiritual pursuits took a new meaning and sense of purpose.

It was his habit as a young adult to meet mystics and enlightened persons in and around the city. The inner urge to know the truth of existence and the mystery of mysticism became so overpowering that by the age of 19, he could no longer stay put at home.

He left for the Himalayas. With no guidance or any preconceived plan, he roamed the holy spots in the hills. At the Vyas cave beyond Badrinath, the seeker met his guru, Maheshwarnath Babaji.

Since then, his life was a one-pointed voyage into self-discovery, guided by his enlightened guru. That extraordinary life spent in the Himalayas as a disciple is what has been chronicled in his autobiography titled, ‘Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master: A Yogi’s Autobiography.’

The success and popularity of the autobiography is not surprising as Sri M has been quite forthright in sharing the spiritual pursuits in the Himalayas and its dismaying secrets which seem ‘irrational’ by the accepted norms of rational thought.

In this enchanted landscape, the reader comes across yogis of unimaginable powers and unfamiliar dimensions. But with the testimonial of no less a yogi, Sri M’s book familiarised the readers with the invisible world where our senses cannot reach and the depths and expanse our limited minds cannot fathom.

He went on to write a few more books, including a commentary on Isa Upanishad and a latest book ‘On Meditation’. He also authored a novel, ‘Shunya’. His unpretentious and lucid style of writing resonates instantly with readers.

The highlight of his spiritual mission was the ‘Walk of Hope’ that he embarked on January 12, 2015, (Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary) and concluded on April 29, 2016, in Jammu.

During the 16 months of trek, Sri M covered 7,500km by foot along with hundreds of volunteers and spirited supporters. Named the Manava Ekta Mission, the team traversed through the varied landscape of 11 states in the country and Sri M could emotionally bring together people of different faiths, socio-economic status and villagers and city dwellers.

In every town where he stayed, he spoke about the true meaning of spirituality and the essential oneness of all creation. Differences of all kinds are superficial while ‘Unity’ is real as everything emanates from that ‘One’ which is the ‘Truth’.

In our troubled times when differences tend to be highlighted, a yogi cannot but talk about the meaninglessness of differences. ‘Ekam sat, viprah bahudha vadanthi’ is eternal wisdom. A yogi who has experienced the pulsating oneness and the cosmic unity of all creation, cannot but be a preacher and practitioner of non-dualism. That is what Sri M has been trying to do in his writings, talks and action.

For the true yogi, spirituality is not divorced from day-to-day existence. In fact, spirituality is all about finding the extraordinary dimension in the ordinary. When social forces try to trivialise the noble, the challenge of ennobling the trivial is indeed a great task we should be grateful about.

By conferring the Padma Bhushan on this man, the nation has tried to acknowledge its debt and gratitude. Sri M, in his uncomplicated style, has been trying to tell us that God resides in simplicity and innocence.

(The author is a former chief secretary of Kerala. Views are personal.)