OM JOHARI – FRIEND, PHILOSOPHER AND GUIDE

I do not remember the date. But one day in 1972 or 1973, as I was sitting in my home in Beaver, Pennsylvania, I received a call from my brother Ashok in Chicago: “Manubhai, Bhaisaheb is in downtown Pittsburgh at the Hilton Hotel. Please go meet him, bring him to our home and take good care of him.”

I asked, “Who is Bhaisaheb?”

“Oh, he is a great scientist. He is presenting a paper at an international conference on Electron Microscopy in Pittsburgh. But more than a scientist, I respect him like my big brother. I cannot describe the love with which he and his wife Anuji have taken care of me in Chicago. Although he is such a big, world-renowned scientist, he is very unassuming. You may have some difficulty recognizing him.”

I called Dr. Johari at the hotel phone number and he assured me that he would meet me downstairs in the hotel lobby in thirty minutes. I arrived at the hotel lobby and started looking for somebody who would be, considering his great stature, dressed in a suit and moving around with some airs on him. After about 10-15 minutes of futile search for such a person, I decided to call him at his room. But no one picked up the phone. Finally, I went to the front desk, told them why I was there and asked if I can leave message for Dr. Johari with them. They directed my attention to a person wearing what as we Gujaratis call a white “zabbha and lengha” and seating cross-legged near a pillar with a big book in his lap. I immediately went there, did my pranam and asked him if he was Dr. Johari. He got up and warmly greeted me and started talking with me. As he got up, I noticed that the big book he was reading was Ram Charit Manas or Tulsi Ramayana!

That was my first encounter with Om Johari or Bhai Sahab as we called him. After that I met him many times. I came to know from Ashok of his legendary music parties. These music parties were extremely enjoyable. But he required strict discipline. Everyone was required to come on time; you came late only to be asked to go home and you would not get invitation to attend his party again. These music programs were so good that to be invited to Dr. Johari’s music party was considered almost a “status symbol”!

Bhai Sahab was a highly spiritual person. But contrary to most “spiritual” persons, spirituality was woven in his life. He lived by his principles. He always spoke the blunt truth. Some people could not accept that speech. But he was a very loving person, very humble and always ready to serve.

His experimentation on himself to control his diabetes was a great inspiration to me and helped me a lot. He even visited Columbus, Ohio where I live and addressed three public meetings on the subject.

Ever since Osho came to U.S.A., I was reading all reports about his activities in U.S. press and had dismissed him as one of a plethora of “holy” men who visit America from time to time and return with a lot of money and goodies to India. Bhai Sahab encouraged me to read his books and listen to his lecture-cassettes. I became an admirer and student of Osho. I will ever be grateful to Bhai Sahab for making me understand what a great mystic Osho was. Bhai Sahab was a rare human being. I will miss him.