Reshma Thakkar grew up in a religious household in the US but didn’t have an understanding of the philosophy behind those religious beliefs. She recounts to Shrabasti Mallik how a trip to the Kumbh Mela gave meaning to her life
American born Reshma Khattar grew up in an environment where Western sensibilities came together with Indian beliefs. She spent most of her life doing things that were meant to be done but never did she spend one moment to think about the serious things in life - things that form the base of our Indian philosophy. The object if our being, what we are here on the planet and where our ultimate destination is.
As time went by Khattar realised that these were questions she needed to get answers to. Thus, began her journey to India, a land that was her own and one that not only gave her all that she needed to know but also gave her a new sense of freedom.
Why did you decide to take up this journey to IndiaIJ
I just felt like there was no purpose or meaning behind what I was doing. I was working really hard to reach a certain level of success. When I got there, I realised that success wasn’t going to bring me happiness. I was trying to understand as to what was the reason that I’m here on this planet - to do what and what was I going to be working towards for the next 30- 40 years of my life. Moreover, my family is from India and I come to India fairly often. I feel very connected here and I just wanted to leave everything behind and I bought myself a one-way ticket, came to India, and then just stayed here for a few months.
You come to India in search of your BeliefIJ
I had a lot of questions about my faith, about Hinduism as a whole, and also just about how I have that strong a faith in something. I grew up in a religious household but I didn’t have a solid understanding of the philosophy behind my religious beliefs. Even though it was told to me, I never took the time to really dive in and understand it, and when I had questions, I felt afraid to ask those questions because I felt like it meant that I didn’t actually believe in it. So going to the Kumbh Mela, I felt like I had come a full circle to the understanding that, yes, this is a philosophy that I do believe in and it really strengthened my own faith in my own tradition, and really taking that open broad view and perspective of accepting and loving everybody regardless of what it is that you believe.
Why did you choose to visit the Kumbh MelaIJ
I heard that it was happening and I had been hearing about it throughout my life but not really gone to the Kumbh Mela because nobody in my family’s ever gone to. So it was just this internal tug that I felt, somehow I knew that I needed to go. It’s funny; I have no, like, solid reason. It really was just a feeling I needed to go.
Did this visit to India change your lifeIJ How would you describe itIJ
I have become a more open and broad-minded person; I also feel a sense of freedom to pursue my own life, to do what I feel like. I think in our culture there is a very specific way that we’re expected to live our lives, especially as women. It gave me a different perspective on how to manage relationships with family and other people. So it was really amazing. Now I feel more connected to myself and God. I am more connected to peace and freedom. I can do what I feel like.
What made you agree to be a part of this seriesIJ
I was a very successful woman, living in Chicago. Suddenly, I felt like I was working without any meaning or living without any purpose having no knowledge about my end goal. I thought that success and financial abundance would bring me happiness, but it is only later that I realised that this wasn’t really true. So I found myself tangled in multiple questions and from there I decided to leave everything behind and travel to the ‘Kumbh Mela’.
What are the experiences that you had hereIJ
There were lots of things but the pivotal moment for me was a conversation which I had with an elderly man who made me realise the importance of being patient. We had a long chat about Mother Ganga and people’s faith in her. It was a very peaceful feeling because she helped me answer some very difficult questions that I was stuck on.
Belief airs every Monday at 9 PM on Discovery Channel.