On the Dalai Lama’s 90th Birthday: How My Journey as a Meditation Teacher Began in His Hometown

Today, as the world comes together to honor the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a living embodiment of peace, compassion, and presence, I find myself pausing to reflect on a moment that changed the trajectory of my life.

It all started on a family trip to McLeod Ganj.

After an early morning visit to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s residence, we stepped out into a bustling street alive with color, calm, and the familiar clinking of Tibetan prayer bells, singing bowls, and fluttering prayer flags. The air felt spiritually charged, thick with something unexplainable.

I was simply walking, soaking it all in, when something pulled me toward a small roadside vendor.

There, nestled between other souvenirs, sat a singing bowl that seemed to call out to me.

The vendor noticed my gaze, picked it up with reverence, and placed it gently in my hands. I struck it lightly with the mallet, and something clicked. A deep, calming vibration resonated in my chest. I had never experienced anything quite like it.

Then, he rimmed the bowl and handed it back. I copied his movement, and the melody that emerged was divine. Even my husband was mesmerized. He tried, but the bowl didn’t sing for him the same way.

I took it as a sign.

This bowl wasn’t just a souvenir. It was a soul call.

From Mantelpiece to Mindful Practice

I brought the singing bowl home to Mumbai. It sat quietly on our mantelpiece, occasionally played when I felt called. Around the same time, I had casually started an Instagram page, @gmantra.in, where I shared gratitude quotes, affirmations, and simple mindful reminders.

One day, on a whim, I recorded a short reel of myself rimming the bowl and uploaded it.

Within minutes, my cousin Uma messaged me from London:

“Why don’t you facilitate sound baths? They’ll be so calming.”

Sound bath? I hadn’t even heard the term before. But something about it intrigued me.

It felt like the universe was conspiring to gently push me forward.

The Journey Unfolded

That was the nudge I needed.

I began exploring the world of sound meditation. I enrolled in certifications, learned from global teachers, and deepened my own practice. And soon, I began facilitating sessions, first for friends, then for groups, and eventually for corporate teams across industries.

Coming from a background in journalism and user experience design, followed by years in the corporate world, I knew firsthand the pressures and disconnection that professionals face daily. I also knew mindfulness could be the bridge.

Today, I offer meditation, mindfulness, and sound healing sessions that are simple, relatable, and deeply grounding, helping people return to themselves, even amidst boardrooms and deadlines.

Why I’m Sharing This Today

Because this isn’t just my story. It’s a reminder.

Those signs appear when we least expect them. That the universe whispers before it shouts. And that sometimes, our greatest callings begin in the most ordinary moments, like stumbling upon a bowl in a Himalayan town.

On His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, I bow in deep gratitude, not just to him, but to the land that birthed this path for me.

The home of the Dalai Lama was where my journey began. And today, as I continue guiding others into stillness and self-awareness, I carry a piece of that sacred beginning with me in every session.

🌸 If you’ve been waiting for a sign… maybe this is it.

Sometimes, the soul whispers through sound.