I am Aditi. Baba fondly calls me “my little Zen master.” I don’t really understand it but he says, “Those who act without acting are Zen masters.” Navkshitij started because I am who I am, without me doing anything.

When I was small, Aai and Baba tried to teach me so many things but I was never really interested in learning A for Apple or 1,2,3,4,.. I loved it when Aai told me stories and when Baba taught me to swim. Of course, I yelled my lungs out when he first put me in the water but later I just loved swimming. Water is one place where I can move around without the fear of falling. You see, I kept falling and hurting myself as a child.

It still happens, but not as often.As a child, I remember Aai sitting for hours outside the toilet trying to give me toilet training. I didn’t like it: but I hated it even more when I soiled my clothes and Aai had to clean them. I remember, we had gone to Aaji’s house and stayed for two days. Those two days was the first time I did not wet the bed. On our way back, I tried to tell everyone, “Shu nai Shee nai!” At first, they did not understand what I was saying. But when they understood how proud I was of not having
soiled my clothes, they all hugged me. It made me so happy.

Now I am so proud that Tai takes me out with her friends to hotels. My Tai? She is my role model; I just love her. I love to go and receive prizes after a swimming competition, with everyone clapping for me. I like to go trekking and on trips with Aai, Baba and Tai. I am quite a showman. I like to take on challenges, especially for the way people applaud my efforts. Aai understood these things very well. She introduced all these things in the programs of Navkshitij, one after the other. There is always something interesting on the menu; I love eating. I enjoy having people around me—the hustle and bustle, laughter and constant action.

I love to stay at Navkshitij. I miss going home, especially now that Aai is not there.