Shivani Calling Murari Lal

Saturdays With Shivani

When I wrote Tuesdays with Rhiti, a friend of mine asked me, “Where do you find such interesting people?” I told her I go hunting for them. She laughed at first but wanted to know more and that got me thinking why and how do I do it.

One of my memories of my childhood is an inscription that read—There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t yet met. Then there was the iconic movie, Anand where Rajesh Khanna’s character keeps looking for a certain Murari Lal. His theory— we are all transmitters emanating vibrations and when our vibrations match up with someone, we should reach out.

I am that character; forever in search of my Murari Lals. The inscription and the movie are not the reason for my search but it should give you the idea of the kind of person I am. I don’t remember consciously adopting it but I’ve been sending out vibes ever since I can remember. For me there is no greater pleasure than meeting new people and speaking to them. I am attracted towards passionate people and I thrive on interesting conversations. Meeting them and interacting with them is my way of plugging in and recharging myself. It’s my chi, the invisible energy pathways, that run through my body. If I had any doubt about that, the pandemic and the lockdown has dispelled it.

I know it is a lot of investment in terms of time and energy and there is always a risk of heartbreak. I have had my share of them. My mother tried to protect me from them, my sister shook her head every time I went through the grief but I cannot help myself. I have overcome the fear of getting hurt by allowing it to happen. I give myself time and I allow myself to heal before I put myself out there again. I sometimes spot that spark in my little nephew and when my sister worries for him, I tell her to let him be. He will build his defences on the way but don’t block his expression.

To answer as to why do I do it, how else do I connect with people? I need to hear their stories, their struggles and their triumphs. It is a genuine need and the people I have reached out to know what I am talking down.

How do I do it? I prefer face to face conversations and I can strike conversations with anyone; the taxi driver, the sales person behind the counter in a cake shop, the lovely crochet lady in a pop-up store. My vibes have attracted a tribe that I often lean on and reach out to. Since my circumstances and geography changed, I have learnt to rely on social media as well but my quest for Murari Lals continues unabated. I know it works well for me and I am ready to pay the price for it.

My prayer for ourselves today is that may we all be able to reach out to our Murari Lals and enrich our lives with our shared experiences, laughter and tears. Sending love and light to you all, have a great weekend.

–Dr. Shivani Salil