CUBA - Brings Memories from Home !

CUBA- BRINGS MEMORIES FROM HOME !

ikriq krm ky vICuVy kir ikrpw mylhu rwm ]
kirath karam kae veeshhurrae kar kirapaa maelahu raam ||
By the actions we have committed, we are separated from You.
Please show Your Mercy, and unite us with Yourself, Lord.

cwir kuMt dh ids BRmy Qik Awey pRB kI swm ]
chaar ku(n)tt dheh dhis bhramae thhak aaeae prabh kee saam ||
We have grown weary of wandering to the four corners of the earth and in the ten directions.
We have come to Your Sanctuary, God.

Dynu duDY qy bwhrI ikqY n AwvY kwm ]
dhhaen dhudhhai thae baaharee kithai n aavai kaam ||
Without milk, a cow serves no purpose.

jl ibnu swK kumlwvqI aupjih nwhI dwm ]
jal bin saakh kumalaavathee oupajehi naahee dhaam ||
Without water, the crop withers, and it will not bring a good price.

hir nwh n imlIAY swjnY kq pweIAY ibsrwm ]
har naah n mileeai saajanai kath paaeeai bisaraam ||
If we do not meet the Lord, our Friend, how can we find our place of rest?

Bahadur Singh Ji

I was born in India. I still remember how my father Sardar Harnam Singh ji fondly remembered his life in Pakistan before partition. How much he had lost in materials and emotions was very obvious. I was a young boy when mail service was restored in India and Pakistan. My father was the first few to write letters to his friends in Pakistan. Lot of those letters were unanswered. He did receive a reply from one of his friend, Seth Murli Mal. A few years later he came to visit him when the rules were further relaxed. I remember how he use to greet my father - "Jode-Khjode; Takdaye-Khtakdaye; Mor Jodde…" as they hugged and alternate their heads on each other shoulders. (As my father explained it broadly means "Are you healthy? Are you really healthy? Are you happy? Are you really happy? Are your sons doing good? Are they really doing good? Is your wife good? Is your wife really good? -- It goes to include every member of the family."

bhuqu brs qpu kIAw kwsI ]
bahuth baras thap keeaa kaasee ||
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;

mrnu BieAw mghr kI bwsI ]3]
maran bhaeiaa magehar kee baasee ||3||
now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||

kwsI mghr sm bIcwrI ]
kaasee magehar sam beechaaree ||
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

ECI Bgiq kYsy auqris pwrI ]4]
oushhee bhagath kaisae outharas paaree ||4||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||

khu gur gj isv sBu ko jwnY ]
kahu gur gaj siv sabh ko jaanai ||
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

muAw kbIru rmq sRI rwmY ]5]15]
muaa kabeer ramath sree raamai ||5||15||
that Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||

The above Shabad by Kabir ji is an example that it does not matter where you live or die, but it matters how you lead your life. Kabir ji intentionally chooses a bad place to die so that he can prove that deeds are more important than the place of his death. There is no indication of any Guru requiring Sikhs to undertake any pilgrimage. There is no indication to glorify the Gurudwaras which had any relevance to the life of any Guru. There is no indication that any Guru ji glorified such places either. Go ahead, and research about Pilgrimage "Teerath" and you will find lot of Shabads about it. Guru Gobind Singh who wrote his "autobiography" has not mentioned about it. He writes:

qhI pRkws hmwrw BXo ]
thehee prakaas hamaaraa bhayo ||

ptnw shr ibKY Bv lXo ]
pattanaa sehar bikhai bhav layo ||

m~dR dys hm ko ly Awey ]
maadhr dhaes ham ko lae aaeae ||

BWiq BWiq dweIAin dulrwey ]2]
bhaanth bhaanth dhaaeean dhularaaeae ||2||

Guru Gobind Singh ji has told about his previous birth but has not shown the location of Hem Kunt Sahib. These Gurudwaras are man made and discovered by those in recent times. He has even warned:

jo hm ko prmysr aucirhYN ] qy sB nrk kMuf mih pirhYN ]
jo ham ko paramaesar oucharihai(n) || thae sabh narak ka(n)udd mehi parihai(n) ||
Those who call me the Supreme Being, They all shall fall into the pit of hell.

mo kO dws qvn kw jwno ] Xw mY Byd n rMc pCwno ] 32]mo ka dhaas thavan kaa jaano || yaa mai bhaedh n ra(n)ch pashhaano || 32|| Consider me as His (the Immortal Lord's) servant, Understand that there is not one iota of discrepancy in this statement,(32)

mY ho prm purK ko dwsw ] dyKn AwXo jgq qmwsw ]
mai ho param purakh ko dhaasaa || dhaekhan aayo jagath thamaasaa ||
I am servant to the Supreme Lord. And have come to witness the pageant of this world.

jo pRB jgiq khw so kihhoN ] imRq lok qy mon n rihhoN ] 33]
jo prabh jagath kehaa so kehiho(n) || mrith lok thae mon n rehiho(n) || 33||
Whatever I heard from the Lord of the world, I speak the same words.
I shall not suppress the divine truth for fear of mortal men.(33)

But our concept of life has changed our outlook. This has mostly perforated through other religions. We also get emotional. In present times people have taken to exploit our emotions and get us attached to those who we have seen in our life. They have built memorials, and if the person has left lot of money his home is usually converted to a museum. The concept of the pilgrimage is the same. I have personally known a person who instead of attending the mother-in-law's death actually visited Nankana Sahib in her memory.

Building historic sites can have lot of emotions attached to it. Tourism is a vast and prosperous industry. Amongst Sikhs, historic Gurudwaras have been thus glorified. We left lot of Gurudwaras in Pakistan. We all have attachment to the Gurudwaras where Sikhism was born- Nankana Sahib and other Gurudwaras in Pakistan. In recent times, Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon surfaced to build Nankana Sahib and other Gurudwaras. He had great zest for Nankana Sahib and other Gurudwaras. I met him during one of my relative's wedding. He said he had to walk across a puddle of water to reach the spot where Guru Nanak Dev ji was born. He said he was touched and wanted to bring these historic Gurudwaras to beauty and respect. He said when Muslims go on a pilgrimage there is a sign on the exit which reads -"Non Muslims-Last Exit" and we can't ignore the place where Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born.

Thus "Nankana Sahib Foundation" was established. Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon work towards "Nankana Sahib Foundation" was remarkable. I heard a rumor that Ganga Singh Dhillon's wife and then President Musharraf's wife were very good friends. Soon after its establishment India progressed talks and opened the doors for pilgrims to visit Nankana Sahib and a few other historic Gurudwaras. Both sides saw the money in Tourism industry. Sadly, Ganga Singh Dhillon passed away. I am not aware of the status at this time. I have not heard of any promotion of Nankana Sahib since the passing of Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon. Lot of his friends were also involved in the project. Sardar Bahadur Singh ji visited Nankana Sahib quite a few times. I think Nankana Sahib and other Gurudwaras in Pakistan should have been under Nankana Sahib Foundation, USA. The dedication of Sikhs living in the USA and other parts of the world and the money that we earn is untouched by corruption. Sadly, however those who could lead Nankana Sahib Foundation like Sardar Bahadur Singh, Sardar Amarjeet Singh Dhillon, younger brother of Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon, and others were not given the opportunity to lead. And like all good things those were started by Sikhs has been choked. It is sad that one seldom gets encouraged in Sikh religion. We play dirty politics. Whether we live in USA, or any part of the world, or India, our life is filthy with dirty politics. Sikhs can be a great community but politics has ruined the religion. Sardar Bahadur Singh ji puts forms on his body and walk during Vaisakhi and other celebrations. Even I had thought to serve as a Manager and do sewa. I had to take a small job and work nights. Bahadur Singh has lived most of his life in small apartments while those who did not do anything have enjoyed living in luxury homes. I have tried to contact Sardar Amajeet Singh Dhillon, but to no avail.

I definitely believe Bahadur Singh should be named President of Nankana Sahib Foundation and Sikh Awareness and SEWA International and allowed to lead.

I am very much attached to the Janam Sakhis of Guru Nanak Dev ji and other Gurus. All who visit Nankana Sahib and other Gurudwaras and take pilgrimage to the Tiraths to wash away the sins, or to seek peace, should remember the sacrifices and dreams of those who have tried to establish the Gurudwara Sahibs which were an evacuee property for a long time.

Sat Nam !