How Hanuman Chalisa Gave Me Strength and Wisdom: My Journey to Kainchi Dham and Neem Karoli Baba

A Journey Back in Time

During my engineering days, I had a small routine that gave me peace. Every evening, after lectures and endless assignments, I would sit quietly and recite the Hanuman Chalisa. It wasn’t just about prayer—it was a sense of companionship, a way to lighten the unbearable load of academics and expectations.

But as the years rolled on, life caught me in its tide. The burden of engineering failures, the constant comparison with successful peers, and later the chaos of building a career—all of it slowly pulled me away from those moments of connection. I stopped reciting it. I stopped visiting temples. In the name of “growing up,” I had unknowingly let go of something that gave me inner strength.

Losing and Finding Myself Again

The pandemic years shook everything. Like many, I lost a lot—financially, emotionally, mentally. It felt like someone had pressed the reset button of life, but not in a pleasant way. After years of running, I was suddenly forced to stop.

Strangely, that pause gave me space. Slowly, I rebuilt my career. Slowly, I regained balance. And somewhere in the middle of this rebuilding, a casual phone call changed the course of my journey.

One evening, while speaking with a close friend, our conversation drifted towards Sadhguru, Osho, and the different paths people take for spiritual growth. Out of nowhere, he said,

“Why don’t you try reading the Hanuman Chalisa again?”

I shrugged at first. It had been years. But that night, almost instinctively, I opened a copy and began reading—slowly, carefully, pronouncing each word with reverence. Something stirred inside.

Building the Habit Again

What began hesitantly soon became a daily practice. I started with once a day. Then sometimes thrice. And on certain days, even seven times.

It wasn’t forced—it felt natural, like returning home after being away for too long. On the rare days I missed reciting, there was an odd sense of guilt, as if I had skipped meeting an old friend.

And it was in those moments that I truly understood how Hanuman Chalisa gave me strength and wisdom. My challenges didn’t vanish overnight, but my way of facing them transformed. Stressful work situations felt lighter, decision-making felt clearer, and deep within, I felt anchored in courage. Hanuman wasn’t just a deity anymore—he became my Isht Dev, the divine force I felt closest to.

My Journey to Kainchi Dham and Neem Karoli Baba

In November 2022, when travel restrictions had eased, my family—my wife Vaishali, our little son Jiaan, and a few relatives—planned a trip to Nainital. Like any other tourist, we strolled down Mall Road, enjoyed the lake, and explored the markets.

That’s when someone suggested visiting Kainchi Dham. At that time, I had never even heard of Neem Karoli Baba, let alone understood his significance. With no expectations, we drove down.

The moment I stepped inside the ashram, something shifted. The silence, the energy, the simplicity—it all felt otherworldly. Later, I picked up the book Miracle of Love - by Ram Dass and began reading about Neem Karoli Baba’s life and the countless miracles people experienced around him. I must have watched over a hundred videos about him in the months that followed.

It struck me deeply—as if Baba had called me, not just for that moment, but to remind me of something far greater. Maybe he knew of my struggles across lifetimes. Maybe he was guiding me back to devotion, back to strength.

Strength, Wisdom, and Grace

Today, when I reflect on it all—the engineering struggles, the career breakdowns, the pandemic chaos—I see a clear thread weaving everything together. Reciting the Hanuman Chalisa gave me more than discipline; it gave me resilience. It gave me wisdom to navigate difficult situations and strength to rise after every fall.

The journey also connected me to Neem Karoli Baba in ways words can’t fully explain. It felt as if one practice—the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa—opened the doorway to another spiritual bond, deeper and everlasting.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Spirituality often comes to us in unexpected ways. For me, it came through the words of a friend, through the rhythm of verses I once knew, and through a temple I hadn’t planned to visit.

How Hanuman Chalisa gave me strength and wisdom isn’t just a story of prayer—it’s a story of rediscovering faith, courage, and clarity when life seemed directionless.

A Whisper That Echoes

Should I ever write the full story of Neem Karoli Baba’s influence or the miracles around Kainchi Dham, I’d need far more than 2,000 words. His grace, his simplicity, and the devotion he embodied deserve their own narrative. For now, this space is for Hanuman—and the quiet transformation that grew from him.