After spending 6 out of 12 months away from home over the last year, I’ve learned a lot about how to maintain stability in a rocking boat. Going to a new place not only meant a new schedule, new work environment, new sangat, and a new “home”, but also being away from my supports, my spiritual community and from the things that I enjoy in my free time. In such a different and changing environment, I held onto everything I learned about life balance and keeping my connection to Sikhi. For example I’d travel to go visit the Gurdwara on Sundays wherever I was, and I kept up doing my paath in the mornings, which helped me be at peace. Remembering that our real home is inside of our minds helps us remember that no matter how stormy the environment is outside, we can maintain our peace inside by continuing to work on the mind through reading, understanding and living by Gurbani. Despite my efforts there was the odd days that the boat tipped and I didn’t do my simran or I started focusing on work over my health. It reminded me that sometimes when we are faced in challenging circumstances, we go back to our old habits. My old ways of making work my distraction did seep in again from time to time, but I readjusted my course again. What tries to push me off my path today, I learn from and I get stronger so I do not waver again.
When I was thinking about trying to maintain your path in a changing environment I am reminded of our history. There were many times in our history when the Sikhs were in danger. Whole cities of Sikhs were murdered, and they used to travel in the jungles. It reminds me that we have survived and that we have even thrived despite times of turmoil. It got me thinking about looking back at some of our history, especially since it is around Vaisakhi and the time we celebrate the creation of the Khalsa with the Nagar Kirtan coming up in a couple of weeks.
Most of us know about atrocities committed under Mughal rule including the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, the Chaar Sahibzaade, and many other Sikhs. We are told this history in katha quite frequently at the Gurdwara Sahib. I think for the history in the 1700s and beyond though often times not discussed as much, and I have written quite a few posts about that history. During the rule of Zakaraiya Khan, he awarded anyone a blanket for cutting off a Sikh’s hair, ten rupees for whereabouts of a Sikh, fifty rupees for the scalp of a Sikh, and sentenced those who withheld information. The Sikhs sought shelter in the forests and continued to fight back as they could. Around this time, the shaheedis of Bhai Mani Singh and Bhai Taru Singh Ji occurred. In the Chotta Ghallughara (small holocaust) of 1746, 7000 Sikhs were killed and another 3000 were tortured and then executed. This was an estimated loss of a third of our Sikh population at the time. The remaining Sikhs hid in the Lakhi Jungle. Then during Mir Mannu’s rule as Governor of Lahore in 1748, hundreds of Sikhs including women and children were executed daily at present day Gurdwara Shahid Ganj. Each house was searched for Sikhs. Women and children were tortured. Then in the Vaddha Ghallughara (large holocaust), Amad Shah Durrani was responsible for the mass murder of and estimated 30, 000 Sikhs in one day. Following this was the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, Saka Nankana Sahib, Saka Panja Sahib, and the events of 1984, among others. During all the turbulent times, Sikhs continued to sing the hymns of God and this kept them strong. For example, when the Sikhs were living in the jungles in 1742 Bibi Sundari requested an Akhand paath to be read as she was dying from wounds inflicted in battle.
May we never forget these important events in our history because they remind us collectively of how resilient the Sikhs are despite the many attempts to completely eradicate our population. It is that much more significant, that we remember what we have been through when we celebrate the rise of the Khalsa at Vaisakhi. We can be inspired by our history and feel stronger as a community. We have been through difficult times and it is the strong connection to God that allows thriving in those conditions. It is possible for all of us to get our minds to that state as well. Our lives these days are much more stable- we have homes and do not live terrorized in the jungles trying to survive with little food and water. Yet we still do live with significant challenges and dangers. This is why it is continually important for us to use every opportunity to build our inner strength and achieve our purpose of meeting Waheguru in this lifetime.
The Nagar Kirtan is coming up on May 19that 10 am.
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