Uttarakhand 215
order of the day. Due to these unfailing virtues, when he
was pitched against reputed debaters he always came out triump-
hant since he combined in his own words "wisdom with
knowledge, philosophy with science, prosperity with grace and
joy with beauty."
The saints and sermons of Uttarakhand
May it be in the political development of a kingdom or an
individual personality, the influence of contemporary saints is of
far reaching consequences. In the history of Uttarakhand, since
time immemorial sages have appeared and left their mark,
Jagadguru Sankracharya being the foremost. In the recent times
saints like Sombari Maharaj, Swami Shivanand and Swami Neem
Karori Maharaj have held considerable sway over the minds of
the people and still their memory lingers on in their mind and
people talk in hushed voices the tales of their miracles keeping
their massive impact on the minds of people. I would like to
advise readers when they sojourn a visit to Himalayas, they
must also visit the places associated with the miracles of these
saints, because these saints illustrated in practical life what the
Indian philosophy preached through scriptures.
Neem Karori Maharaj
Amongst the most wellknown saints of the Uttarakhand, Neem
Karori Maharaj has left innumerable tales of his miracles for
the benefit of his bewildered followers and admirers alike. No-
body knows fully well from where he came except for few facts
about his miracles at various places, like the one at Neem Karori
railway station at Farukhabad. It is related that suddenly he-
had a fancy for travelling by train; he got into a coach and sat
in the compartment. Sometime later, a ticket collector camie and
asked for ticket from the Babaji. Babaji kept quiet. The
annoyed ticket examiner halted the train at next railway
station and ordered Babaji to get down; Babaji obediently got
down and sat below a tree. He seemed absolutely unconcerned
of whatever had happened. The ticket examiner and the guard
blew the whistle and showed the flag, the engine was started
but it could not budge an inch. The engine driver tried again
and again with no consequence and ultimately good sense pre-