This is a story about the life of a young Kaur named Jind. She is just finishing up her morning nitnem before going to school. Although Jind might look like a regular girl, she is FAR from normal. Jind does so much paath, reciting of Naam, that she actually has the superpower to travel to other realms. Today is Jind’s first day at her new school and as she is getting ready, she sings:
Suntey puneet kahte pavit, satiguru rehia bharpure, binvant nanak gurcharan lage vaje anahat dhure. Wahiguru ji ka Khalsa Wahiguru ji ki Fateh
Her Mom hurries her along by telling Jind that they are running late, and Jind grabs her backpack and runs into the car. As the car pulls into the school building her mom reminds Jind that although she may be scared to remember, "Gur poore meri rakhlaee. Guru ji will always protect you."
Jind assures her Mom that she is a daughter of Guru Gobind Singh Ji so she has nothing to be afraid of As Jind gets out of the car both Mom and daughter say goodbye with Wahiguru ji ki Khalsa, Wahiguru ji ki Fateh
As Jind walks through the hallways, she notices that some people are staring at her dastaar, her turban. She can see the people around her whispering. Three mean-looking girls approach her.
She hears one of them say: "Looks like we’ve got a weird one this year! Hahaha"
Then another voice with: "Hey, new girl what’s that thing on your head?! Hahah"
And other chimes in with: "Do you have something hidden in there, towelhead?! Hahah"
The girls start touching her dastaar, laughing while trying to untie it. It becomes a little undone. Jind gets angry! and tells them to back off, but one of them says: "Why do you have that thing on your head weirdo?"
As the girls bully her, Jind feels so helpless. She wants to lash out at them. Part of her wants to cry. She thinks, "I hate this; I want them to disappear (sniff)…"But then she remembers what her mother told her, that Guru ji always protects her. And she prays:
"Oh Waheguru ji! Please transport me to a person or place that will give me strength and inspiration!"
By a great blessing her ability activates. As Jind finds herself in a realm full of light and music. she feels a sense of calm come over her,dazed, she looks up at a radiant Sikh woman and asks: "Who are you, and where am I? "
The woman replies, "We are in the realm of the shaheeds. A Shaheed is a martyr, someone who willingly dies for the truth. My name is Sharan Kaur. Like you, I am a daughter of Guru Gobind Singh. He told me that my story will help you. What’s wrong little sister? What happened?"
Jind starts to tell Bibi Sharan Kaur about what had happened, how she had just started at a new school and it was her first day, but she doesn't have anyone there that looks like hero, she continues to talk about the girls who taunted her and were undoing her dastaar and making fun of her, "I asked Waheguru to guide me, what is your story?"
Bibi Sharan Kaur looks deeply into Jind's eyes and starts talking. Jind can see the life of her new friend come alive as if it was on TV:
"I lived in a time of war. When I was 16 years old Guru Gobind Singh ji left Anandpur and the enemy army was determined to wipe us Sikhs from the earth and also to kill Guru Sahib.
"Guru ji, his elder sons Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh and a few dozen of the beloved Khalsa ended up in a nearby town. They were in a fort called Chamkour and the imperial army, with hundreds of thousands, surrounded them. It seemed like an island of peace in an ocean of fire. In groups of five the great Khalsa would ask for the blessing of being shaheed,
Just as the rain plunges into a lake, the Khalsa charged without hesitation... and merged into Akal Purkh."Their souls passed to the heavens as easily as a bird fly in the sky. My heart was overwhelmed with the beauty of it all, I wished so much to be like them, my only desire was to be in the fort with them. I made a promise to God that I would be just as fearless as them.
(echo: Oh, my father, Guru Gobind Singh ji, I can’t just sit on the side and watch. Please bless me with the same shaheedi as your sons…)
"I heard a gentle voice inside, it was the voice of my Guru saying he is proud of me, his beloved daughter. He said that I should be ready, and will join him very soon.
"I felt so big, like I was the queen of the world.
"Guru Pita, and only the few who were left, moved on to another location. The enemies never caught them!
"In the end the dozens of Khalsa perished in the battlefield and went to this realm of shaheeds. It was then that I knew what I could do. I could give their bodies a proper funeral pyre. It was dark and cold but I brought all the wood. It was hard work but Guru’s bani gave me strength. One by one I carried the bodies of my brothers and put them on top of the wood.
Jind was amazed at what she was hearing and exclaimed: "Wow, they must have been so heavy! You are so strong and incredible! But I have a question. If you lit the pyre... wouldn’t it create a huge fire. Wouldn’t the enemies see it and come back and catch you??"
Bibi Sharan Kaur replied gently: "Yes, I knew they would come back to kill me, but I had promised to be fearless, and the way I could serve was to honor my brothers as the heroes they were.
"You see Jind ji, we all know what is right in our hearts and even though the world doesn’t see it, our soul does. A life of cowardice is not worth much. But life, and even death, with courage... that is priceless.
"Yes", Jind echoed, "It’s not the life you live, it’s the courage you bring to it! "
Bibi Sharan Kaur continued her story:
I didn't care if I lived or died, I knew what was right. I lit the pyre and recited bani properly.
(echoing: jap ji sahib, ik onkar satnam, karta purkh...)
Though the Mughals perhaps didn’t see the beauty of souls being liberated, they did see the huge fire and they were infuriated that someone dared to pay respects to the Sikhs that had been killed, They decided to turn back and eliminate me.
(echoing: jai ghar kirat akhie karte ka hoi becharo…)
It didn’t take too long for them to close in on me...
(echoing: antarjami purakh bidate sardha man ki pure, nanak das ihai sukh mage moko kar santan ki dhure)
They were surprised when they seen me, that I was just a woman, and they were careless they came one by one to attack me thinking they could beat me easily. Guru gave me strength. I beat the next one and then several more attacked me at the same time and I eliminated them as well. I never forgot Guru for a moment. I can’t describe what it is like to be in an extreme situation while remembering Guru. Being inside of Guru ji’s power and blessing. I can only say that I knew in my bones it didn’t matter what happened. I felt I wasn’t alone; I was surrounded by light. Eventually I was overwhelmed and disarmed. They threw me in the fire as well. I fought till the end with everything I had. Then I found myself in this realm, Guru Sahib was already here, waiting for me with the most loving hug.
Jind Kaur was amazed with what Bibi Sharan Kaur had told her, "To the world it seemed like a tragedy but for you it was something totally different!" Bibi Sharan Kaur affirmed this and asked Jind how she felt after hearing her story.
Jind realizes that she feels really powerful now.
Bibi Sharan Kaur reminds her: "The power comes from Guru. Keep your connection with us by living in Sikhi."
Then Jind Kaur sees the sons of Guru Gobind Singh appear. Behind them are many more shaheeds.
The shaheeds start to speak to Jind: "We are there with you in your moments of sincere devotion and we will be with you in times of need, never hide, show the world who you are!"
Jind tells them that she doesn't think she will ever be afraid again and they tell her if she ever is that she only needs to sing the warrior songs to feel, once again as she does now, and they share the song with her.
Song of the Khalsa
Many speak of courage; speaking cannot give it.
It’s in the face of death that we must live it.When things are down and darkest, that’s when we stand tallest.
Until the last star falls, we won’t give an inch at all!Sons of the Khalsa remember those who died.
Stood their ground until their last breaths so we who live now might live free lives.
A princess is not royal by her birth or blood inside.
But if her family’s home is Anandpur Sahib, she’ll walk with such grace and strength, the world will bow in awe. Until the mountains fall, she’ll never give an inch at all.Daughters of the Khalsa, in your strength our future lies. Give our children fearless minds to see the world through the guru’s eyes.
When things are down and darkest, that’s when we stand tallest,
Until the last star falls, we won’t give an inch at all!
Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel steady as stone, give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul breath and bone
They all shout, "Akaaaalu!" and tell Jind Kaur it is time to go back to her life, she wonders if the warriors will come with her but Bibi Sharan Kaur points out, "You don't need warriors for this situation, you just need to be the warrior yourself." She further assures that she will be protected and victorious in bringing light to the world. That’s the meaning of our fateh: "Wahiguru ji ka Khalsa, Wahiguru ji ki Fateh"
Jind transports back to school in the middle of the teasing and bullying, right when a girl is saying, "Why do you have that thing on your head weirdo!" Again, Jind feels anger and sadness, but this time she also remembers that she has nothing to fear. She remembers her strength.
Jind tells the bullies in a strong voice, "Your words are like weapons. But I’m not afraid of your swords and arrows! Even if your words could kill me I won’t change who I am."
The bully is surprised by Jinds answer, she hadn't expected Jind to be so intense.
Jind feels more and more confident as the bullies recognize her strength and tells them, "I am the daughter of a spiritual king! This on my head, this is my crown. I don’t care if there are thousands of you opposing me, I will not give up. I am not going to try to fit in to be like everyone else, because I was born to stand out... But if you want to be friendly... then we will have no problem."
Now the girls start to look at Jind Kaur in awe. They see her pride and they realise that they can learn from Jind about why she wears her dastaar.
Jind kindly tells them that maybe their opinions have been formed by the movies, but the real truth is far from that, all her family wear dastaars and they are a family that works hard and helps the community when they are in need, "I wear it to remember that I am not just sweet, I am also strong. I am a warrior princess and I’m here to help others." Then she adds, "I wish that we all grow to be strong and sweet women who bring light to the world. I’ll be happy to get to know all of you... if you want."
The girls are impressed by what Jind says and who she is and ask her to sit with them at Lunch, Jind agrees, and they all walk away together with a new understanding.
~~~~~
We can always remember that Guru Gobind Singh is our father and Mata Sahib is our mother. When we connect with shaheeds like Bibi Sharan Kaur there is nothing in the entire world that can change us or scare us.
Bibi Sharan Kaur: "We are always ready in a time of need. We shaheeds are here to protect the Gurus beloveds. Stay strong with your love of Sikhi, we will be there for you."
Kushia de bulavai jaikaraiso fateh pave shaheedaa singhaa singhniaa de man nu pavai sat sri akal!