Prayagraj: Sahaja Yogini Shailaja Mata, earlier known as Divyani, a former renowned basketball player in her heydays, who later became a sadhvi, is camping in Maha Kumbh along with fellow saints of Juna Akhara. Braving the chilling winds of Triveni, the holy confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Narmada, Sahaja Yogini Shailaja Mata as she is known in her new avatar now, gets candid about her journey from a successful sportswoman to a sadhvi.
She is among many ascetics camping on the sandy banks of the Sangam who once had successful professional careers. "The call of a life of an ascetic is more alluring than anything else. No earthly pleasure, name or fame can buy it. With the grace of God, I have realised it early," says Shailaja Mata.
Clad in saffron and wearing a red bindi with a rudraksha rosary around her heck, the ascetic explains how she found interest in spirituality and finally bid farewell to material life. "In the 1980s, I was a successful basketball player in Gujarat. I was the captain of the women's basketball team and had received many awards," the sadhvi says.
According to her, her life changed when she started doing yoga and meditation. “As soon as I understood the shades of yoga and mediation, I found peace in the real sense of the term. Without a second thought, I decided to take sanyas. I was initiated in front of Lord Dattatreya. Thereafter, I started preaching Sanatan Dharma,” she says. According to her, choosing the path of spirituality after renouncing the material life came naturally to her.
Born in Africa, Early life as a successful sportswoman
Shailaja Mata, who had made her mark as a reputed sportswoman at the national and international level, comes from a well to do family.
During her student days at Rajkot University, she was the general secretary of Juna Akhara Nirman Pravaastu and was the captain of the women's basketball team. She gradually found interest in spirituality in 1978 when she began Sahaj Siddha Yoga in Rajkot with her parents. She immersed herself in spiritual practice by meditating for 12 hours with her parents.
Under the guidance of her mentor, Shailaja started practising Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and Yoga Kriyas in Sahaj Siddhi Yoga. After her initiation years later, she started propagating Sanatan Dharma and yoga through ashrams in many countries including America, London, Russia and France.
Shailaja Mata says she was born in East Africa and returned to India with her father when she was in class 6. According to her, she was a basketball and badminton player of repute from the time she was in sixth class till graduation from Rajkot University.
"In 1975, I became the captain of the national women's basketball team. I've been living a life of ascetic for the past 40 years and understand that a life dedicated to others' welfare is the best one. I learnt it while doing yoga,” Shailaja Mata says.
She recalls friends calling her Devi, an abbreviation of Divyani. “I have done a BA in English Literature and ranked top in my college. I loved sports and used to experience a divine power inside me. Later, I felt the change in my life through yoga,” the sadhvi says.
'12-hour meditation transformed life'
She continues, “I was physically fit as my body was getting very strong, but real change came through 12 hours of meditation. After starting my long hours of meditation, I started focusing on God and knowledge instead of other material cravings. After about 3 years, I started feeling my kundli getting awakened. My family members did not oppose my decision to renounce material life”.
Her way of life also encouraged family members to follow her spiritual path. “I believe that if any person regularly meditates and chants mantras, follows human religion and has unwavering faith in Sanatan Dharma, then like the sadhaks, he or she will see a big change,” she says.
She says her 94-year-old mother, who is a devout spiritual practitioner is completely healthy. “My mother is engaged in remembering God. My family members supported me to embrace spirituality. I joined Juna Akhara in 1980 and started doing service. In 2013, I attended my first Kumbh in Prayagraj. After that, I took the responsibility of managing a temple on behalf of the Akhara. Twelve years down the line, I find nothing is more satisfying than service to God and those who are in need,” she signs off.
