The Power of Faith

October 9, 2005, was a Sunday. I was serving as the officiating Commandant of my unit. We were en route to Jaisalmer when, about 10 km ahead of a village called Dechu, an oncoming car crashed into our vehicle at high speed. The impact was catastrophic—our vehicle was hurled into the air, rolling uncontrollably. Shaurya was thrown out, Madhuri and Ashita lost consciousness, and Jose, our driver, fell silent.

Amidst the chaos, I remained fully conscious—my mind and heart clung to a single refuge. I began chanting the name of Shri Hanuman with unwavering faith. And by His divine grace, we all survived.

A Muslim inspector who witnessed the accident was astounded. He had seen countless accidents, many less severe than ours, but rarely had he seen survivors emerge from such devastation. Shaken, he told me, "The Hand of Allah was upon you!"

Months later, destiny led me back to that very place as I took command of 20 Lancers. As I drove past the accident site, I stopped to share my story with my troops. Sitting on a camp stool, sipping tea, I recounted the miraculous survival.

One of the men then asked me to stand up and turn around. He pointed to a peculiar bush with an unusual flower and asked, "Sahib, do you see any other plant like this around?" I scanned the landscape—there was none. He continued, "This flower is the one we offer to Lord Hanuman in my village."

His words left me speechless. Was it mere coincidence? A miracle? Destiny? I do not know. But what I do know, with absolute certainty, is that on that fateful day, in the moment of peril, I called upon Hanumanji—and He was there. Even today, His blessings continue to protect us.

Such is the power of prayer, of unwavering faith, and of the divine grace of Shri Hanuman.