A government officer had been regularly visiting Pondicherry on every February 21st to attend a spiritual function most sacred to his faith. In the same tradition birthdays are the most receptive days in one's life. It is believed the soul is born anew at a higher level on that day. About thirty years ago bus services were not as organised as they are today. For this man to be here on February 21st, he needed to take three days leave from his office. It was quite an issue for a gazetted officer in a government office, especially when his own immediate boss was in the same office. He was religiously visiting Pondicherry on February 21st every year.
His birthday fell on February 19th. Should he be in Pondicherry on February 19th too, he needed five days leave of absence, something inconceivable. Not knowing his own personal circumstances in the office or the distance he had to travel, someone raised the topic of his visiting Pondy on his birthday. He dismissed the suggestion out of hand. By the end of March, something unusual happened to him. He - a permanent gazetted officer - was ousted from his post, a thing the department never experienced. After 110 days, he was reinstated. During this period he thought of visiting Pondicherry on his birthday the following year. His mental resources were at an end. At Pondicherry he met the man who had raised that issue and who spoke his mind to the officer. He said, "I do see the impossibility of visiting here on Feb. 19th and 21st. Surely it is impossible to the mind, but not to the Spirit. Don't you know the formula, 'the Divine begins where man ends'? It is a never failing spiritual rule." The officer could accept the idea. Each time his mind raised a question, he succeeded in putting it off. Silence was there. He became quiet In February elections came and all the 110 gazetted officers of his institution were drafted. Holidays were declared. He was NOT drafted mysteriously! He came to Pondicherry for his birthday and stayed on for February 21st. Since then, year after year, he came for Feb. 19 and 21st.