Hisar: Advocate Karan Singh Grewal, father of Abhay Singh who is gaining popularity as ‘IIT Waley Baba‘ in the ongoing Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday said his son’s decision to renounce domestic life stemmed from the conflict between him and his wife.
Grewal, a former president of the Jhajjar Bar Association, said his son was straightforward and truthful, and the reason he provided for leaving domestic life was genuine.
In a candid talk with Times of India, the 70-year-old said Abhay was deeply affected by domestic violence during his upbringing. He also mentioned that Abhay wrote a paper highlighting the need for laws addressing the challenges faced by children in such situations.
Grewal described his son, Abhay, as a deeply sensitive individual, someone who could discern even the slightest change in tone. “Perhaps that is why he perceived me as a harsh father,” he reflected.
While acknowledging that disagreements between spouses are common in every household, he emphasised how profoundly Abhay internalised these conflicts. “Couples should take a lesson from this and strive to minimise their disputes for the sake of their children’s well-being,” said Grewal.
He went on to describe both Abhay and his elder daughter as “pure souls” who never lied – a quality that gave him confidence in their character.
When asked if he would urge his son to return to domestic life, Grewal said: “He is my only son, and no parent would be happy with such a decision. But now, I can only pray that wherever he is, he remains happy and healthy.”
“Everything that I’ve earned and accumulated in my life is his. My hope lies in the fact that Abhay himself said in an interview that if he finds this path unsatisfactory, he will leave it as well,” Grewal added.
Abhay’s mother, Sheela Devi, also a lawyer, echoed Karan Singh’s sentiments. “Every parent wishes for their children to settle down and lead a stable family life. But now, all I can do is pray that he finds happiness, wherever he chooses to live,” she said.
Unconventional Journey
Abhay was born on March 3, 1990, in Sasrauli village of Jhajjar district. At the time of Abhay’s birth, he had a two-year-old elder sister with whom he shared a strong bond. She moved to Canada after marriage and now resides in the USA.
Grewal mentioned that up to Class XII Abhay studied in Jhajjar. After that, he prepared for IIT in Delhi and in his first attempt gained admission to IIT Mumbai in 2008 at the age of 18. After completing his BTech in 2014, Abhay pursued MTech in Designing at IIT Mumbai.
Around two years later, in 2017, Abhay’s sister got married and moved to Canada. Abhay started feeling lonely because his sister used to take great care of him. Following this, Abhay was examined by doctors, who advised that it was necessary for him to engage in some work to avoid depression from idleness. Consequently, Abhay worked in a company, but later went to Canada with his sister.
“He stayed with his sister for some time and then, after getting a job, started living in a separate house. After a few months of working there, a lockdown was imposed due to Covid-19, and Abhay could not meet his sister for many months. When there was relief from the lockdown, Abhay came to India. After staying here for some time, he went back to Canada for about six months and then returned to India,” recalled Grewal.
“In 2022, he went to Sadhguru’s Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and stayed there for about six months. He returned to Jhajjar and then stayed in Delhi for three months studying spirituality. Abhay then visited Dharamshala and also made trips to Rishikesh, but remained in touch with the family. About six months ago, when we repeatedly asked Abhay to come back home, he blocked the numbers of all the family members and could not be contacted,” Grewal added.
“When I saw the first video of Abhay as a baba, I was shocked. I saw many videos of Abhay in which he said ‘if I do not like this path, I will leave this too’. The only consolation is that Abhay will come home on his own one day. If we tell him, he will not come at all,” he said.
Grewal got emotional and said he loved his son a lot and recalled how he used to prepare Abhay’s cycle before he was off to school. “Abhay was very sensitive and was hurt by family fights. I did not realise that these fights have such an impact on children. That is why I appeal to everyone to end their fights, keeping their children in mind,” he said.
Path of spirituality
While interacting with the mediapersons in Prayagraj, Abhay Singh – the IIT Waley Baba – openly stated that he was upset with the fights between his parents.
He also mentioned his girlfriend while recalling his college and school days. Abhay said his family did not like what he wanted to do. He was not interested in the talk of marriage and always wanted to leave the home.
Abhay revealed that he had a girlfriend and they lived together for around four years, but things did not reach the stage of marriage. He said he did not want to get married, seeing the fights between his parents. I felt it was better to stay alone and be happy, said Abhay.
He also revealed that after coming from school he used to sleep and then wake up at 12 in the night. “Now, I am trying to understand spirituality through science and digging deeper. Everything is Shiva, Shiva is the truth, and Shiva is beautiful,” he said.
MSID:: 117373214 413 |
This post was originally published on here
