How would I define money? It's essential, important, but it's not everything. It is important to fulfil your desires in life. You need three proper meals in a day, and that even a little money can get you. As far as money goes, you'll never be satisfied. You need it to buy beautiful clothes, jewellery, cars, houses. The list goes on and on-good education in the best schools. See the world. God has given us all desires, not contentment. We all want to earn more and more money. Be in the maya chakkar, there are only a few who behave differently.

Is money a yardstick of your success? For people living in society, it is. We should have this, we should have that. Today, I have a house, I have money, and if I don't, they won't call me second time around for a party! You call people because they have a lot of money. It certainly is not fair, but that is how the world is.

Yes, money is an evil, which in turn makes people evil. Their minds change. They go mad as soon as money comes in. That is the power of money. When you are mad in the pursuit of money, you don't recognise a person for a person, or even recognise God. In that kind of scenario, money is evil. I don't like money. But I definitely respect it. I keep only that much as is necessary and use it in a proper manner. At the same time I try to fulfil my desires.

I do help people, but I don't let it go to my head. I'm not a very rich person or anything. So far, I'm known as Saraswati ki beti, and not Lakshmi ki beti!

Money doesn't stay in my hands. I spend it when I get it. I don't really want to talk about my extravagances. Desires never die, they never finish. I spend on my clothes, which is important in the society I move in. Then I indulge in shoes; I buy 10-15 pairs at a time. I go wild when I like something. I just buy it then. What will I do if I were to get a million dollars? I've got everything by the grace of God. If I get that amount of money, I'll distribute some of it for a good cause. I don't believe in gifts, so may be I'll just give it away to the children, the old and the sick. But I'd try to do it on a personal level rather than give it to an organisation.

Money is maya, an illusion. I'd associate money with security. Why do I opt for security? Because we should save the money for our bad times. It gives you peace of mind. It's when you don't have it that you realise the value of every penny, and the fact that you shouldn't blow it all up. You can't eat all the houses you buy! Then you run around trying to sell them!!

-As told to Punam Mohandas