A Conversation with Deepak Raj Bandhari

Deepak has been on tour with Maharaji in India since the beginning of March

How many events have there been so far?
Thus far, 18 events have taken place in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, as well as in the capital city of New Delhi, and more than 880,000 people have come to hear Maharaji. Out of these, almost 800,000 were hearing him for the first time.

What is new and different about this tour?
Maharaji is going to places where people have never seen him before. Many of these events take place in rural settings. People from surrounding villages come to hear him. They come on foot, on bicycles, or an entire village will come in trailers pulled by farm tractors. The response is nothing short of phenomenal. In one state where we went, there are 8,000 students in the entire state, and they came with 200,000 guests.

How do you find the equipment to stage events in rural settings?
Outside New Delhi and Mumbai, it is not possible to rent the equipment necessary to stage a large event to high standards. We travel with three tractor-trailers that contain all the equipment needed, including a stage, a sound system, and video recording equipment. We also carry a state-of-the-art, 300 sq. ft. daylight projection screen, which allows people to see Maharaji from far away. When there is an audience of 200,000 or 300,000, many people are seated far from the stage, and having such a large screen is the only way to see Maharaji.

In many of these places, the accommodations must be very primitive.
In quite a few places, there are no hotels. Maharaji and the traveling crew stay either in tents in the wheat fields near the event location or in trailers, depending on what is available.

What is the impact of these events?
Six months ago, Maharaji did a tour of India, and since then, in all the locations where he went, except one where no translation was available during the event, the growth has hovered around 100%. This shows that with the proper preparation, when Maharaji holds an event, the number of people with a long-term interest in his message doubles in these areas. This surge in interest in his message is unprecedented.

Has Maharaji been addressing any specific themes on this tour?
He has been emphasizing that he can help people find peace in a practical way. At the same time, he has been encouraging people to make sure that what he offers is what they really want, and if not, to look elsewhere and come to him only if they do not find the peace they are looking for.

He has also been emphasizing that what he offers is not just words, but an experience: a practical way people can feel peace within for themselves.

And he has been saying that, while we all have our plans for how our life could unfold, we need to find peace within in order to be truly successful.

Have you heard some feedback from people hearing him for the first time?
It has been amazing. Many people say they have been waiting all their lives to hear a message like this. I have heard people say they have always known somewhere deep inside that what he says is true, but have never heard it expressed by anyone. I see how hearing Maharaji unleashes a lot of hope in people that the peace they have been looking for can finally become a reality.

What is next?
Maharaji will be holding two events in Rajasthan, a few hours south of Delhi. At least 200,000 people are expected to attend.

Thank you.

Discover more about Prem Rawat, his message of hope and peace, and the humanitarian activities of The Prem Rawat Foundation