Last weekend, I embarked on a solo drive of around 1,400 km in my Alcazar, covering the route Bangalore – Salem – Sivakasi – Pondicherry – Thiruvannamalai – Bangalore, all within 42 hours! It was my first time on such a long drive alone. The Alcazar gives a mileage of about 12–14 km per liter, roughly Rs. 8–9 per km, and I paid approximately Rs. 2,000 in Fastag tolls. It’s an experience that makes you think about the costs and planning required for long trips.
Along the journey, I met beautiful souls, listened to my Satguru Bodhinatha’s upadesas, and enjoyed some spiritual podcasts from the Ranveer Show. By the grace of God and Guru, my family and I are students of the Himalayan Academy and disciples of Satguru Bodhinatha. We believe deeply in the saying, “When the disciple is ready, the Guru will appear.”It’s also said that when a disciple takes one step, the Guru takes nine steps to lift them higher.
The Fastag experience at each toll fascinated me! I’d drive up, wait a moment as the toll gate opened, and zip through. This took me back to 2006 when I drove a beloved WagonR. Back then, there was only one toll gate between Bangalore and Salem, with a fee of Rs. 25. It used to take around five hours to reach Salem. Sometimes, the tollgate person would not give the change or do some malpractice – creating Bad Money.
Toll gates have long been bottlenecks, especially during festivals and long weekends. All the time gained by driving quickly would get wasted waiting in long lines, surrounded by impatient drivers. Each vehicle had to stop, pay cash, and each transaction would take 20–30 seconds—time-consuming and chaotic!
The Indian government decided to make Fastag mandatory, and although implementing the rule took time, it has been fully effective for about a year. Now, vehicles drive up, the RFID is scanned, the toll fee is deducted, an SMS is sent, and we drive through seamlessly. It’s a smooth process that saves time and patience.
In 2024, there are four toll gates, one pays Rs ~250 and the drive takes about 3 to 3.5 hours. How much things have changed!
Reflecting on this, I began to compare the Fastag experience with some of life’s bottlenecks. We often encounter blockages in our personal growth, similar to the congestion at manual toll gates. These blockages are “Anger,” “Selfishness,” “Jealousy,” “Fear,” and “Lust.” To clear these obstacles, we need the sadhana, or disciplined spiritual practice, given by our Gurus. Sadhana cultivates self-discipline and self-control. With the Guru’s grace, life’s toll gates open effortlessly.
Are you ready?
