I am a former commercial film-maker who grew up in a Bengali family in Delhi. Considered a bright talent by my peers, I had an immensely successful career both in India and abroad. I had worked closely with several films and sports stars and had many a big brand as my client. However, the journey was not without its ups and downs. And my uncontrollable drinking habit unfortunately played a big role in it.
What began as a source of relaxation and entertainment, alcohol soon became my worst habit. It steadily consumed my life over the next 18 years. I became regular with the drink from the age of 24. For an inherently shy person, a drink or two helped me break the ice. Also, it added to the ‘cool’ quotient.
Gradually from a social drinker, I became a full-fledged alcoholic before I even knew it.
As alcohol took over my being, I started losing grip over my life. My clients walked out on me. My near and dear ones were disgusted with me. After a few drinks I would often turn into an unpredictable monster.
What did it take to get out of this life consuming addiction? Along with steady determination and will, a deep understanding as to why a man of my intellect was so completely helpless when it came to alcohol. It was a battle that I was determined to win. And I did.
I had my last drink on 11th of Nov’16.
As clichéd as it may sound but it was no less than a rebirth. I left Delhi and moved to a village in the Himalayan hills of Uttarakhand. It took time to get the wheels moving again. And the wheels did move: almost like a divine calling, I got introduced to Yoga.
To say that Yoga had a magical effect on me would be an understatement of massive proportions.
I discovered the power of these Yogic practices. I dedicated a good half a decade to learning, reading and practicing these Asanás and Pranayama with total commitment. I underwent a couple of courses that helped me with a deep understanding of the Physical- Vital- Mental and Emotional connect.
As I have been fortunate to emerge from the insane darkness of alcoholism to light, it is now my mission to help others who are struggling to come out of this labyrinth. I use a combination of counselling and mind-body techniques of Yogic Asanàs and meditation to help people overcome this problem. I killed my slavery to the bottle. And so can you.
