All the roads are packed for a few miles outside Noida, where an event with Maharaji is about to take place. People are everywhere, some wearing kurtas and dhotis, some in bright shirts, some with turbans, women in beautiful saris of every color. A local resident asks, “Who is coming?” and is told, “Maharaji, the Ambassador of Peace.”

The venue for the event is in a remote rural area a few miles from the Delhi-Noida road. There are no shops, nowhere to find anything to eat or drink. Yet everywhere, crowds of people are gathering, almost like a huge fair. People from different cities and villages, near and far, who have traveled there by train, bus, car, truck, jeep, tractor, trolley, and bicycle are packed together, but the feeling is one of exhilaration.

As Mr. Udaybhan, who came from Sarita Vihar by bicycle, explained, “I have been listening to Maharaji for seven years. Whenever I come to see him, I feel peace and tranquility in my heart.”

Mahesh, one of the volunteers who helped to organize the event, said, “Helping with this event was a wonderful opportunity for me. This has been an amazing experience in my life. I hope to be able to enjoy this kind of moment again and again.”

The event was organized and managed largely by volunteers who were interested in helping make it possible for Maharaji to speak in the Delhi area. Some had worked hard for a month to clear the open field where the event was held. Others helped by setting up the huge tent that provided shelter for the audience. Still others contributed financially.

While people were settling into their seats, a variety of music, slides and videos set the tone for Maharaji’s arrival. Just after 4:00 in the afternoon, Maharaji came on stage wearing a white kurta and dhoti and was greeted by a warm welcome, the audience clapping and calling out “Jai-jai,” a Hindi shout of joy.

Maharaji encouraged the audience to “know that life within you—know it. Not with your concepts. Not with your imagination. Put aside your imagination, put aside your concepts, and go within and know. Not just believe, but know, and experience it…. Come with your heart. It's about the heart, and the heart is what recognizes the words of the heart.”

Watch this event