Sw Deva Nishakar
(Michael Stewart aka Kalimba aka Sw Deva Kalimba)
High guys! My legal name is Michael Stewart, and as a hippie I was renamed Kalimba, (after the african musical instrument that I played - and still play!).
When I was called to Poona, (by the I Ching reading I did in Nimbin in 1979, which was #18 "Decay - Work on what has been spoiled" - It is time to cross the great water, and see the great man! Pretty explicit, dontcha reckon?)
Bhagwan gave me the Sannyas name of Sw Deva Kalimba - meaning 'devine musical instrument; how about that for a second cosmic coincidence, ay? Dee Kay (D.K.)(decay!) Awesome!
Anyhoo, I stayed in Poona for three months, starting off staying at the big hotel (The Rex, was it?) a couple of blocks away, then went back to Oz to finalize my affairs, so I could stay for good!
I stayed in the Sunderban Hotel, right next door to the ashram,(so close that I could hear them tuning up for Music Group, with the lovely Anita, if I happened to be running late!) and worked/worshiped in "Vrindavan", under Ma Deeksha, first in 'cups and bowls', and then in the kitchen itself, preparing veggies.
One day, feeling very insecure, I sent a letter to Bhagwan, in the form of a poem. "Beloved Bhagwan, if you can, please hear my cry from Vrindivan! D'you know, I only have one fear, that you don't even know I'm here? Beloved master, set me free, and tell a little joke for me!". I have to confess that I was not in Buddha Hall when he replied, but heard it on tape with other workers next day, and I cried and cried with joy! He read the poem, then said "Deva Kalimba! Here is the joke for you. A wealthy man died, leaving a small fortune to be distributed amongst his family. They all gathered in the solicitor's office, for the reading of the will, which went as follows. 'To my loving wife, I leave the family home and contents etc etc", and finished up with "and to my brother-in-law Louie, who never did a stroke of work, lived with us all his adult life, always smoked the best cigars (MY cigars), and told everyone that he was afraid that I would not mention him in my will 'Hello, Louie!' 'Hello, Kalimba!' enough for today!" I mean, how awesome is that! Thank you, my beloved Master!
I bought a bamboo hut, down by the river, and never intended to leave! However, something came up to upset my applecart. I have a feeling it might have been a letter from my grandma, appraising me of a planned visit from my mum and stepfather, who lived South Africa! Amazing, ay? They could't be bothered to visit before, but when they thought I had joined a religious 'cult'! (I love what Bhagwan used to say, on the subject of the difference between a 'religion' and a 'cult'! "When the Master is alive, it is a religion! When the Master dies, it becomes a cult!" Anyway, the news seemed to indicate that it would be incumbent upon me to return to "the West". I sent a question to Bhagwan, to which his reply was something like "it is okay to go back; do not be attached! You must learn to be happy there as well as here....!", so I hopped on a plane.
When my parents had returned home, I went back to Nimbin, but felt drawn to the Sydney commune of Satprakash, run by the lovable (and completely crazy!) Sw Deva Indivar. Those were high times, with Swamis Viren and Siddhen, Mas Rupama and Tamaso, among others, and I worshiped as the 'maitre D' at our wonderful restaurant in Taylor Square, "Zorba the Buddha". I was also a night guard (at last fulfilling my disappointed ambition in Poona!), until Indivar decided in his wisdom that sitting in a chair by the entrance could be construed as passive/aggressive, so he instructed us to sit inside! I opposed this as vehemently as I felt was appropriate, and when some passer-by spat on the picture of Bhagwan one night, went to complain to Indy, with a certain sense of self-righteousness, and feeling vindicated! He replied, in typically phlegmatic fashion - "So? If Bhagwan didn't like it, he'd probably spit back!" LOL!
Contact Details
- address
- Busselton WA 6280
- Australia
- phones
- Phone: +61 (0)8 9754-2817
- Mobile: 0400-640-494
- Skype:
- email Nishakar
- website
