Happy New Year 2020!

Happy New Year 2020! I know it is technically just another day, but it is also a great chance for reflection. May this new year bless us with Naam. May we get rid of our egos and doubts, and let our mind realize that there is only One Creator, One being inside and outside, pervading everything that is. 

May we sing our Gurbani with love and devotion. May we continue to serve humanity (do sewa of Waheguru) through our care of ourselves and of others. May we take action when action is needed, and accept what we cannot change. Now is the time to learn what you have been waiting to do. If you want to learn how to read Gurmukhi, learn it. If you want to learn to understand the translations, learn it. If you want to learn larivaar, learn it! Continue to learn each day and be open to challenging your ways of thinking. May we dedicate some time each day to our spiritual practice, until our whole life itself is a spiritual practice. 

Now is the time to remove all old grudges and just let go to be at peace. Clear up old miscommunications if you can and open lines of dialogue. At the same time understand that one's own peace doesn't rely on others and we can be fine within ourselves. Gurbani has so many treasures within it. Most of the time we have no concept of what kind of life we are capable of living. We look around and see people engrossed in maya, and think that's all there is, but Gurbani tells us that there is so much more richness to life than maya can offer us. Nothing material or physical comes close to the life that is lived in Anand. We have been given a huge gift to live our lives as Sikhs, and to get Guru Ji's guidance, and sadhsangat to guide us and help us on our path. We must make sure to utilize all the help we can on our spiritual journey. Ask questions, discuss with others, and work at it. I'm so appreciative of the people in my life that I get to do that with- the exchange of spiritual knowledge and stories is important and inspiring. Even more important are the opportunities to get to sit together and sing Gurbani, do paath, or simran. 

The program at the Gurdwara Sahib tonight starts with Rehras at 5:30 then kirtan at 6 pm. Come celebrate the New Year with us if you are local, and celebrate with prayers wherever you are in the world! 

Hair Care

I get comments about my long hair about 3-5 times a day. I’ve found it can be a great way to convince little kids to eat their vegetables! Most of them think I'm Rapunzel. Usually I get asked about how long my hair is when its open (past my knees), how long I’ve grown it (my whole life), and then questions about hair care. I thought I would share some tips from taking care of my own hair for most of my life. Of course if one has concerns about their hair like hair falling out they should see a doctor as sometimes it may be genetics, but other times it may be causes like low levels of iron, thyroid problems, etc. The quality of our hair reflects our general health in many ways. In fact I remember learning we can test hairs for toxins etc. that the person has taken. I personally found my hair was falling out a lot when I started med school from all the stress. It grew back but it sure was hard to see it thinning out and I know what a panic that feels like!

One of the biggest things for me that make brushing my hair manageable is having gotten a soft hair brush. If its wet, I wait until it dries. Then, divide the hair in half on each side. Twist hair all the way up to the bottom. Then, starting at the bottom, start to brush the hair with the soft brush. If you start at the top the tangles just build up and it is painful. Move your way up the hair until you can brush right from the top. I find this deals with any tangles a little bit at a time and makes it manageable. Then I repeat with a regular hairbrush with hard bristles to get the tougher tangles out. I only need to do that once or twice a week because the soft brush is great. If it is your child's hair you are caring for, let them hold it while you take out the tangles because that helps too. Most grocery stores should have them. 

Washing: Yes it takes a lot of shampoo and conditioner to wash long hair, but you don’t need to do it that frequently. I find shampooing just dries out the hair. I get asked a lot which shampoo I use because I think for some people think it helps to grow the hair, when in fact there’s a lot of other factors in one’s general health and genetics. Its nice to use a shampoo that works for you. I used to use Herbal Essences but then when they changed the formula at some point I seemed to get an allergic reaction so I started using Head and Shoulders Almond Oil instead. Find whatever works for you. I tried a really natural shampoo for a while and really liked that too. 

I try to let my hair dry naturally if possible. Blow-drying damages it visibly so I only do it on the cool setting for a couple of minutes if I really need to in the winter. In the summer it usually dries in 2 hrs. Its nice when the wind blows and dries it all in the sunshine. In the winter it can take most of the day to dry, so I find other things to do while it is drying. After it is dry, I put the oil on. I know that in India people are used to oiling their hair prior to washing. I find the shampoo strips the hair of all that anyways and it ends up super dried out... If I didn’t oil my hair it ends up being fuzzy and all over the place. Many different types of oils work. My mom told me people varied the oils in India depending on the season. They would often use mustard oil (saron da tel). Here we might say that has too strong of a scent. They would also use coconut oil. I found that the problem is that in the winter in Canada, coconut oil solidifies in the cold. You end up with hair that is literally frozen when you go outside, so it makes more sense for summer months or warm climates. I use almond oil and just buy it from the grocery store. I think the “tel chasna” – massaging oil into the scalp is a tradition that has gone on for so many generations and is an important part of keeping the hair healthy. It also is a great bonding time between my mum and I as she still does this for me. When I was living alone, I really missed that because it was a great time to chat and it was relaxing as well. Most people are shocked that I don’t have any split ends. I think its just a matter of not constantly drying and frying the hair with hair products and straighteners etc. and massaging in the oil. You have to put extra oil into the ends of the hair. 

Upkeep: I keep my hair in a braid. Its almost always the same everyday unless I have time to do something special with it like different hair designs. I find that keeping it open leaves it to get caught in too many things, although I do occasionally wear it down. People always comment they never get to see it open, but it is messy and I save that for special occasions. I find keeping it in a bun for too long a little tiresome. Women who wear a turban have told me that the scalp gets used to this over time and you adjust. There are some jobs like in the police where you have to keep your hair up too, so keeping it in a keski works for that situation well. For surgeries, I used to put my hair into two braids, and then wrap them around each other to opposite sides, and tie them in the back and put the surgical cap on which worked well. It also is better to wear it up if there are any safety issues with having your hair down or in a braid. I find it is most comfortable to keep it in a braid, so I braid it in the morning and then rebraid it looser at bedtime so I can sleep. 

Occasionally people want to touch my hair, and I let them because they asked or they knew me (please don't touch strangers' hair without their permission). I was at a colleague's house for dinner one day and got his 3 daughters to do my hair and they had lots of fun. They were all very young and learned about being gentle and not tangling up hair ties. Speaking of tangling, my worst hair story is probably getting my hair stuck in a hairbrush when I was in elementary school. I think I was probably about 10 or 11. It was a round brush so I thought I could curl my hair, but it actually got trapped and I couldn't get it untangled. My dad had to individually pull out the bristles of the brush and break it in order to get my hair out. We still have a picture of me trying to smile while my eyes are all red from crying in the panic that my hair wouldn't come out! That leads me to the note of being really careful what you do with your long hair and not getting it all tangled up. I have quite a few funny hair stories actually, including spending my childhood trying to jump over my hair like the monkeys in Jungle Book jump over their tails during the song.  

Since I have been taking care of it forever, my hair doesn’t seem like too much work. I know a lot more people who spend more time and effort styling their hair each day. I got told at one point that I should cut my hair short because I got told it was the cause of my headaches. The healthcare professional I spoke to had no idea about the cultural sensitivity or how upsetting that was. I thought to myself how is it possible to get headaches from my hair if it has been there my whole life. For generations, people have worn their hair in turbans and have much heavier thicker hair than me, what about theirs? So I ignored her advice. Keeping my hair was so important I decided to just live with the headache. In the end it actually turned out she was wrong entirely and it was unrelated to my hair- the headaches resolved. I shared that story because I think as Sikhs we do get told that a lot but it is something to think about whether it is real or not. 

I don’t judge anyone for their choices of keeping their hair or not keeping their hair. I don't think it is right to force our children or anyone else, but it is good to encourage conscious choices and decisions. My parents kept my hair long growing up and then let me decide, and by then it was very much a part of my identity and I never cut it. We all have our own individual journeys and for me I love the long hair on my head. I recently saw a Kaur at our Gurdwara Sahib who wears a colored keski that matches the outfit she wears, she looks absolutely graceful and beautiful. At the same time I know people who have short hair who have the utmost devotion and spirituality. We have discussed in past posts that our Sikhi actually starts from the inside with practicing our thoughts and actions. The Khalsa roop has a very important role as well, but we cannot force that upon anyone. It comes out of love on the path and comes with its own responsibilities. 

I hope my hair care post was helpful in providing some tips for caring for your own hair. I was trying to find a relevant picture of my hair and will update the post when I find a good one! 

Sahibzaade

As the week continues we remember our Sahibzaade and Mata Gujri Ji. I just wanted to share a great resource. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Academy is posting the history in detail with pictures. If you scroll down on the facebook page (you don't need a facebook account to access it), you can see the history starting from Dec 21's post. I read this to our family tonight, it was great reading through in detail. It is far more specific than I have ever read, for example I wasn't aware of the role of Bibi Sharan Kaur. At the same time it is easy to read and breaks it up into chunks. See the link below. 

https://www.facebook.com/sggsacademy/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARAUTrY_MQF1RITc7hPCjUGxFJlELXVoiPSKMXTUpKrYYohvnIRF5jRx3IfnNL3hP-73IdFRhyWR7xtb

Four Sons and a Mother: Remembering Guru Ji's Family

Quilla Anandgarh (1/5 forts at Anadpur)

It’s the time of year that we remember the Chaar Sahibzaade, the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji: Sahibzada Ajit Singh, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh, and Sahibzada Fateh Singh as well as Mata Gujri Ji. This weekend we have an Akhand Paath to commemorate the older Sahibzaade, next weekend will be for the younger Sahibzaade and Mata Gujri Ji. 

This year for the first time we travelled to see Anandpur Sahib, Sarsa Nadi (the river where the family was separated), as well as the locations of the martyrdoms and Macchiware. I will add pictures of those through this post. 

Looking back at the history, it is important to reflect on what happened. The creation of the Khalsa united the Sikhs but the Rajput Hill Rajas became concerned as the basis of their power was a system of discrimination, which the Sikhs were against. The Raja of Bilaspur unsuccessfully tried to force Guru Ji to move from 1700-1704. These Rajput Chiefs then approached Aurangzeb, and with the help of his army and the Governor of Lahore, they laid siege on Anandpur fort in May 1705. The Sikhs stayed strong despite their limited resources. Finally, the Mughals grew tired and Aurganzeb made an oath on the Qur’an that the Sikhs could exit safely if they left Anandpur. After such a prolonged period with little food and ammunition, the Sikhs left in December 1705. The Hill Rajas and the Mughals broke their promise and went after the Sikhs. Anandpur Fort is actually unconquerable, it took this broken promise to bring the Sikhs out. 

On the night of December 5, 1705 Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his fellow Sikhs left Anandpur Sahib when it was raining heavily, and crossed the Sarsa river with the Mughal army pursuing them. Sahibzaade Ajit Singh (18) and Jujhar Singh (14) made it to the Fort of Chamkaur by December 6 with Guru Gobind Singh Ji and a group of 40 Sikhs. They suffered many casualties trying to cross the Sarsa, and many precious manuscripts of prayers were also lost in the river. On December 7, 1705 the enemy had surrounded Fort Chamkaur and the Sikhs had exhausted their ammunition and arrows. They were “a mere forty defying a hundred thousand,” in the words of Guru Ji. There were over 100,000 Moghul soldiers on foot and 700 mounted, pursuing the small group of 40 Sikhs. The Sikhs were left to fight with swords and spears only. At Chamkaur the Sikhs stayed in a mud two-story house. Very sadly, the original Chamkaur-de-Gari/Kachi Gari was demolished by the SGPC and replaced with a new Gurdwara Sahib.  Our original history has been lost just for the sake of modernization. See picture of the original Kachi Gari on the right (https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Garhi_Sahib)

Guru Ji sent out his sons to battle. Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh were martyred while leading other Sikhs into battle. Guru Ji writes in the Zafarnama (to Emperor Aurangzeb), “It matters little if a jackal through cunning and treachery succeeds in killing two lion’s cubs, for the lion himself lives to inflict retribution on you.” 37 Sikhs were martyred including 3/5 Panj Pyare. The remaining five Sikhs used their authority of Guruship and told guru Ji to escape at night, followed by three Sikhs. Guru Ji gave his clothing to Sangat Singh, and in the meantime escaped, as well as Bhai Dya Singh, Dharam Singh and Mani Singh. When the Mughals invaded the next day, Sangat Singh and Sant Singh were martyred. 

Gurdwara Thanda Burj
(cold tower where the Sahibzaade slept)

Meanwhile, on December 5^th Mata Gujri and the younger Sahibzaade Zorawar (age 9) Singh and Fateh Singh (age 7), and the cook Gangu were separated from Guru Ji. At that time it was winter and they were wandering through the jungles, so Gangu offered for them to stay in his home. Gangu was greedy and stole Mata Ji’s bag of coins. Mata Ji confronted him so he went to turn them in to the officials, who arrested the Sahibzade and Mata Gujri on December 8^th and confined them in Thanda Burj (Cold tower) at Sarhind (pronounced sar-handh). The tower was freezing at night and they were allowed nothing to eat or drink. They slept on the bare floor and listened to the stories of Mata Ji. She instilled confidence and courage. The governor of Murinda went to get the Sahibzaade to meet Nawab Wazir Khan and separated them from Mata Ji, telling them that their father and brothers had been killed but the Sahibzade refused to believe him. They greeted Nawab Wazir Khan with "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!" and refused to bow down to him. He purposefully made the door to the room small so they would have to crouch down to enter (and bow), but instead they put their feet through first. He tried to get them to convert to Islam by bribing them with many gifts and riches but the young Sahibzaade stayed strong, even when they faced death. Baba Zorawar Singh told the Nawab that he lied about Guru Ji's death and that they would not give up their faith. They stayed another night at the Thanda Burj due to Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan’s insistence that they should not be killed. 

Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib
(where the Sahibzaade were martyred)

The next day Nawab Wazir Khan ordered them to be bricked alive and when he hesitated due to Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan’s pleas, Diwan Suchchanand insisted that the children would grow up to be as their father was and they should not be spared. He is famously said to have used the example of a snake, "The offsprings of a cobra should be crushed." The brick wall was made as the Sahibzade recited Japji Sahib, but when the bricks reached their chests, the wall crumbled. Nawab Wazir Khan ordered them to be beheaded. Mata Gujri Ji passed away as well. Gurdwara Fategarh and Gurdwara Joti Sarup is now standing where Mata Ji and the small Sahibzaade were cremated. It is notable to say there has been some research done which I read on Sikhnet last year which also talks about the fact that the retelling of what happened is perhaps much milder than what actually happen to the younger Sahibzaade and they were actually tortured prior to being bricked alive.  

Tree under which Guru Ji
wrote the shabad

When Guru Ji learned of the death of his younger sons he told the Sikhs “I have sacrificed four sons for the survival of the thousands of my sons who are still alive.” He wrote the shabad, Mitry Pyare Nu Haal Murida Da Kahna while sitting under a tree at Machiwara forest.
"Tell the beloved friend (the Lord) the plight of his disciples. 

Without You, rich blankets are a disease and the comfort of the house is like living with snakes. 

Our water pitchers are like stakes of torture and our cups have edges like daggers. 

Your neglect is like the suffering of animals at the hands of butchers. 

Our Beloved Lord's straw bed is more pleasing to us than living in costly furnace-like mansions."

For a beautiful version of this shabad listen to this:

Guru Ji went to the house of Gulaba then visited Gani Khan and Nabi Khan’s home for two days and nights. The brothers were horse dealers and knew Guru Ji from Anandpur. They called him “Uch Da Peer”- the holy man of the old seat of Muslim Saints. Then Gani Khan, Nabi Khan, Bhai Dya Singh, Dharam Singh and Mani Singh carried out Guru Ji on a palanquin, disguised as their prophet so that Guru Ji could make a safe escape from the Mughals. He writes in the Zafarnama "What happened that you have killed four children (my sons), the coiled snake (in the form of my Khalsa) still remains. What manliness you have shown by extinguishing a few sparks (Sahibzadas). You have made the conflagration brighter and more furious." 

May we always remember the lives given so we could have the right to practice our religion today, and the bravery that these young Sahibzaade had in choosing the path that was right instead of what was easy. When we think about how this is possible that these Sahibzaade were able to make such a sacrifice, or that Guru Ji was able to cope with the loss of both of his parents and all of his sons. It is only through the understanding of what it means to be merged into God completely, that there is no separation, all is God. Their lives didn’t end or begin on this earth and they achieved mukhti; that they did what needed to be done.  

We remember the sahibzaade because their sacrifice means today’s freedom, and because their courage is our inspiration. Puneet Singh Nanda writes about qualities of the Sahibzaade that we can incorporate into our lives such as standing up against oppression, not giving up your path for worldly pleasures (they didn’t take the worldly goods offered as bribes), having faith, and learning that physical death is not to be feared if we can be jeevan mukht through our mind. 'Thoughtful Kaur' reminds us that an important part of remembering the Chaar Sahibzaade is remembering that as we are all Guru Ji’s children, we all have the potential to gain the amount of strength, courage, and faith that they had. We should be inspired by this story to read stories of our children as Mata Ji read to the Sahibzaade as it gave them strength, as well as to read Gurbani and build internal strength. 

Links to poems about the Sahibzaade are below. I read Je Chalo Ho Sarhand Nu today at the Gurdwara and will be trying to read throughout the week in the evenings as well as on Wednesday. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjdKr6KTSgw 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1iQhh3Ps0o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgLzn8ovDNg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpdK-6_jyNw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smMIdcndDbw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1aSTZIfGc&t=199s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7WZf7OLZMQ

I sang these and posted them on my youtube channel as well: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJVqGlOz5r_yLZk2KkcenQ 

References:

http://www.sikhspirit.com/khalsa/sahibzadas.htm

http://sikhism.about.com/od/Historic-Events/p/Battle-Of-Chamkaur-And-Martyrdom-Of-Elder-Sahibzadas-December-1705.htm

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Char_Sahibzade

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Supreme_sacrifice

http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/martyrs/sahibzade.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Mittar_Pyare_Nu

http://www.sikharchives.com/?p=11713

http://www.zafarnama.com/Download/zafarnama.pdf 

A History of the Sikhs Volume I 1469-1839, 2nd Edition by Khushwant Singh

https://thoughtfulkaur.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/chaar-sahibzaade-2/

http://sikhprofessionals.net/wahegurus-way/adopt-8-qualities-of-chaar-sahibzaades-in-your-daily-life/

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Second_battle_of_Chamkaur_Sahib 

http://worldgurudwara.com/ajit-singh-and-jujhar-singh-the-two-elder-sons-of-guru-gobind-singh-martyred-21-dec/ 

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Supreme_sacrifice

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4276

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4277

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4275

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4253

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Keshgarh_Sahib

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Forts_of_Anandpur_sahib

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_thanda_burj_sahib.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Thanda_Burj

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=3984

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_bhatta_sahib.html

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/takht_sri_keshgarh_sahib.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Bhatta_Sahib

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_manji_sahib_anandpur.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Katalgarh_Sahib

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_chaubara_sahib_machhiwara.html#gallery[gallery1]/3/

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Machhiwara

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4271

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Garhi_Sahib

Winter Driving Tips

I know a lot of our international students from India locally are driving in the winter for the first time so I thought I would share some winter driving advice.

My first and most important advice would be winter tires. Not only is it mandatory to have winter tires, but also safety-wise is necessary for places like Prince George where we get so much snow. If you are still selecting a vehicle or have a choice, do not choose a small vehicle as they are less safe in conditions like the ones we have here. When in an accident, it'll just get crushed. I’m so happy that I got an SUV with four-wheel drive because it makes it a lot easier to get around. Many people also don't realize that trucks need to be weighted properly otherwise they just slide around too because the back is too light. 

I got an ugly surprise when I went out to my car today after work and it was covered in a foot of snow. Always be prepared to spend time cleaning off your car properly in the mornings and don’t rush it. It takes time for the ice to be scraped off properly enough to see through the wipers, and its unsafe to drive without clearing off the windows (front, back and sides). Keep a scraper/brush and shovel inside your car. Also clean off the top of your car! I had some friends who were driving in the winter for the first time and didn’t realize you had to clean off the top. When they stopped at the red light at the intersection, the entire pile of snow blocked their windshield. Classic mistake! When parking, put your wipers up in the air so they don’t freeze to the windshield. 

Lights: Keep your lights on. I have a white vehicle which can be difficult to see in white-out conditions in the snow. The automatic lights sometimes don’t go on because it thinks its light out. So turn on your lights (but don’t leave them on when you turn off the car because that drains the battery. In my case I accidentally did that once and I couldn’t get into my car because it starts by a button and not a physical key.) While its important to have lights on, don’t put the high beams on because they flash in people’s eyes who are driving at you and they can’t see. When pre-heating your car it is dangerous to do inside the garage, even with the garage door open, make sure the car is in a well ventilated area. 

Important things when driving are to keep your distance in the winter, allow a lot more distance when stopping and in the car in front of you. I had three pedestrians run across the street today, make sure to drive slow and be prepared. I cannot emphasize enough how many accidents happen from distracted driving (texting, calling, etc.). Its dangerous and not worth your life, or someone else’s. imagine how terrible it would be to kill someone because you were texting and not looking at where you are going. It can wait. When turning, slow the vehicle and then turn. Don’t have your foot on the brakes as its turning. My dad taught me that when I was learning to drive. The car tends to go in a straight line if you skid, per the laws of physics. 

Snowtrucks usually clear off the snow at night. Keep a safe distance away as they might not see you. Recently we had this problem at the Gurdwara Sahib and the committee wanted everyone to know it is dangerous to walk or drive close to the big trucks because they cannot see you! If you park at the side of the road you will get snowed in and it takes forever for you to dig your way out. 

If your tires are spinning and you are stuck, drive slowly. Don't press hard on the gas or you will just get into a bigger mess. Keep a blanket and emergency supplies in your car in case you get stranded, especially if driving in the middle of nowhere like we do in some places without cell service up North.

In the cold: Lift off windshield wipers before you leave your car parked so they dont get stuck to the windshield. They can break off if the car keep trying to use them and they are stuck. Plug your car in. 

The worst driving conditions I drove in was a time when I was driving back from Fraser Lake to Prince George and it was heavy snow + fog + I didn't know which was the road was going. Everything was completely white and I couldn't see the cars in front of me. I was terrified and lucky I made it home safe. I could see on the map I was coming up to a bridge because there was water but I was so scared I was going to drive off the road as I didnt know which direction to go. So that brings me to my final point: avoid driving entirely if the conditions are ugly and dangerous, its not worth it. 

Expectations, Dukh Sukh

Some posters I made for my room
(yes my room is bright green)

Some days I spend battling within my own mind, one side saying that I need things to be my way, the other side battling that “I” don’t exist anyways and to accept “it is what it is.” I wanted to write this post just to remind us that we don’t always have things sorted. We don’t always have learnings that we can immediately incorporate into our lives, or be at peace with right away. Usually for myself I find it can take at minimum a week or two just to get out of that stage of discomfort that comes with something that challenges my existing way of living or thinking. Say you listen to something in katha, then you consider it, incorporate it into your life, and then finally sort of come to peace with it and live it. We cannot expect ourselves to change overnight. We have trained our brains to think a certain way our whole lives up until now, and that is shaped by environment, culture, and upbringing.  

Recently I saw an excellent katha Pauri 2 of Japji Sahib in English by Nanak Naam. On the board, Bhai Sahib writes “expectation minus reality = dukh/sukh (happiness and sadness)”. He explains that it is our own expectations that creates us a lot of pain because the more the reality deviates from our expectations, the more pain we have. In the end expectations are simply a thought that we hold onto. He uses some great analogies of someone showing up to a meeting late to explain this concept. The Guru Ji’s taught us instead to be content and neutral because God is the doer of all.  

Working through this katha, it has taken some days to wrap my mind it. The first was the awareness of the number of expectations that I have and how they are leading to dukh and sukh. Sometimes it can actually even take years to understand something new we learn from Gurbani or katha. Then it is a matter of incorporating that Gurbani into our daily lives, and that is an ongoing process. One example of this is that of miscommunication. This is a common Punjabi movie theme- longstanding family friends fight and hold a life-long grudge, becoming enemies. By the end of the movie they work it out and become friends again after years of lost friendship (mixed in with some dancing and a love story). In real life misunderstandings are very common: something wasn’t clarified, assumptions were made, we guess at others’ intentions and thoughts, etc. Yet when we incorporate this understanding of the above, we realize that this was not an issue of the other person. My own expectations are the ones causing me problems. When we get hurt, we get angry, then the rigidness of our egos is activated, and we are no longer open to engage in conversation to clarify the situation. We choose to anchor on “my” thoughts, assumption, and version of reality, and create a duality. We say this is about right and wrong. Yet when we understand the katha we realize from paath that God is One, and there is no duality. It is our own expectations causing a thorn in our side. That provides an entirely different understanding to these mix-ups, and practically on how to get through these types of problems in our daily life. Gurbani was meant to be useful to us on a day to day basis. When applied to my situation, I found it very helpful even just to start letting go of a fraction of my expectations. If it happens, fine, if it doesn't happen, also fine. 

It is important to just keep persisting and reminding ourselves daily as we read paath and do simran, that we are practicing actively. As we walk, take a shower, drive to work, that we practice. As we work we practice. New ways of thinking and incorporating Gurbani into our lives happens with practice. I highly recommend watching above English katha (and the entire Japji sahib series starting with the Mool Mantar) at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSiPgxJOz00

Here is a great set of daily affirmations in English:

·      This is You (Ik, One). I don’t exist. There is just One. This prayer is to the One already inside, who already knows all. The purpose of this life is the mind needs to merge into the realization of God. 

·      This body could die today. Nothing is mine. I have no promise of another breath. Destroy all expectations. Expectations – reality = dukh/sukh. 

·      Choose thoughts carefully each moment. Sing Gurbani with love and intention. 

·      God programs us to be the way we are. What we can control, we should change, what we cannot control should be accepted. We are doing what we know how to do.

·      There is no overall change, God is doing to God. There is no duality of good and bad. 

·      Be content that it is what it is. if it happens, fine, if it doesn’t happen, fine. I have no expectations. Remain neutral to the ups and downs of life. 

Rabab

In June 2018 I watched a facebook video of a midnight solstice kirtan, and one of the kirtanis was playing a rabab. Having known that Bhai Mardana played the rabab while Guru Nanak Dev Ji sang kirtan, I didn't even know that rababs still existed and were still played. One month later I bought a rabab online, and one year later I found a teacher in July of this year. I started learning with great eagerness, having been told by many that this was a difficult instrument to learn. Yet it pulled on my heartstrings more than the other instruments I had bought, and I thought why not try something challenging first and everything else will seem easier later. It turned out that it wasn't that difficult (most of my challenges came from having simultaneously injured my arm when I was just starting to learn). Certainly compared to a harmonium, one has to take extra time to learn a traditional instrument (tanti saaj), to tune it and to use the skill of movement of body and mind simultaneously; yet I purely enjoy the process of allowing my mind to relax as I get it tuned. There is a mood and anticipation that is set in those minutes. Furthermore, one sets the stage for the shabad, singing the raag and explaining the meaning. Sure this takes an extra few minutes, but we shouldn't lose this. If you watch professional kirtanis they take their time, getting the tabla tuned to "Sa" that the kirtani will use, then closing their eyes and singing a few lines to get us in the mindset of just relaxing and listening to the shabad. Even listening to the tuning of the table is relaxing. Somehow we have moved towards a "quickly do your shabad in a few minutes" mindset, instead of making time to enjoy the process. I've mentioned this before but Kirtan is not a performance, although we are physically sitting on a stage. Its the singing of the soul, its the expression of emotion, its the transformation of our minds to make the realization that God is within and all around, You, You, You.  If there's one thing my teacher passes on, it is that tanti saaj are not difficult, we shouldn't discourage people by saying they are hard... sure one needs dedication, but anything worth it does. 

Here's the first time I played on stage with my rabab. I was so nervous, having practicing so many times to memorize the shabad (I'm only looking down at the keys I'm playing) and despite the fact that I sing with the harmonium on stage every week, this was something different. Normally I don't like watching it back but my teacher encouraged me that it is good for learning and it was certainly true. I hope this is encouraging to anyone who wants to learn something new or to pick up an old instrument... now's the time. We have a few people to teach tabla and harmonium at our Gurdwara, and you can connect with teachers of other instruments from around Canada. The rabab has taught me a lot, but so has the last few months of trying to learn and unlearn other things. As I'm learning to expand my singing range, learn the rabab, re-learn yoga and exercise, to keep up my Gurmukhi and Punjabi, I am realizing I also have had a lot of unlearning to do: unlearning the things that we tell ourselves that build our egos, and to learn that all there is is You. That too is effort to destroy old patterns of thinking, but important work. If you haven't started watching I encourage you to see Nanak Naam's youtube videos on Mool Mantar as they are transformative and help us see beyond this image of "I." 

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMxPMO1p6hw

Historical Gurdwaras of India and Pakistan Yatra Part 16: Going Home

Day 21 

The last day of our yatra. We woke up 3 am and went to Harmandir Sahib, which was very busy for a Gurgaddi Divas. It was a crowded line but we we really enjoyed getting a chance to sit and enjoy the kirtan once we were instead. I cried when it was time to leave Harmandir Sahib because my mind had finally found some much needed peace and I didn’t want to let that go. It took my whole life to come here. Growing up from watching Lahore Lahore Aay to now visiting these Gurdwaras was a dream come true. We had to coordinate schedules and just by God’s grace it all worked out and my sister was able to pay for our trip. I didn’t know when or if I would ever get an opportunity to come back because there’s no guarantee of tomorrow, so I stood there watching the reflection of the water. I know God isn’t found in outside places, but it did transform and shape so much for my understanding of where I come from. I am realizing how much lonelier and spread out our lives are here in Canada, separated not only by physical space from our extended families but also the individualism of our society. Add to that the winter darkness and living inside our artificially lighted workplaces, starved of the richness of our culture and spirituality is in stark contrast of the brightness of the sun shining on a farmer’s face after a physical day of hard work. Yet the landscape of that India has also changed, that one that my parents froze in time in their memories from their childhood is gone too. 

Next we went to Jallianwala Bagh (see my post on Jallianwala Bagh). We got some Indian style pizzas from Pizza Hut at the Amritsar Mall next to the Hyatt. Then we travelled to the airport and had a 38 hour trip home. We brought three instruments home: Sitar, Taus and Dilruba.

8 months later I realize that this was the experience of a lifetime. Our trip began with our luggage being left behind by Air Canada and we didn’t get it back until the second to last day. From our driver’s roadrage incident, to celebrating my sister’s birthday at Harmandir Sahib, and accidentally getting mixed up for a local person from Pakistan by our security team, the intensity of the experience is unforgettable. I came home to 95 whatsapp messages, 256 emails and 46 facebook notifications and realized that I need to disconnect more. In sangat I was no more or less than everyone else, standing in line at Harmandir Sahib wanting a vision of my Guru Ji and I liked that feeling. One of the wonderful things about being in India was there weren’t mirrors and no one cared how you looked anyways, and I really just enjoyed for three weeks not to have to keep thinking about how I look. 

When we went to Patna, the poverty was striking. There were shacks and naked children on the side of the road. It was heartbreaking to see the children begging, they would put their fingers in the car door so as not to let us close it. In the back of our minds we knew someone was using these children for money, but it was hard to look them in the eye. I remember talking to one mother and her young daughter elsewhere in India. She kept talking and talking and following us for our money. I tried to explain to her that she must put her daughter in school, not to begging. Educated girls break the cycle of poverty. She took in that thought and falsely assured me should would put her back in school, but she didn’t seem to really understand. I told her we are at the Gurdwara, our Guru Jis taught us to work hard to earn our money- kirat karni and she needed to pass that on to her daughter. Even the locals told us not to give any money, telling us the families could earn them. It was a stark difference to the lack of begging that we saw in Pakistan. 

The other striking factor was the ritualism. Everywhere we went, it seemed that our Guru Ji’s teachings were simply taken as “miracle events” and people didn’t understand the underlying messages. While singing the aarti, which teaches us literally that the whole world is an offering to God, we saw the aarti being done where there was a circling around of the jot in front of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The contradiction was shocking to us. At Gurdwara Gou Ghat they told us for example “if you hug the thumms, your wish will be fulfilled.” The actual sakhi tells us that Guru Ji told us that the sangat would finish the construction of the building with those thumms in the future, but actually now those thumms have been preserved as is, put up on a pedestal as something that is wish-fulfilling and magical. It was disappointing to see that people were not seeing the messages behind the stories of the lives of the Guru Jis. The historical Gurdwaras mostly have someone to do seva who sits and tells the sakhi of the location, and then collects donations. The phrasing was similar from place to place, as people told us to do ardas for getting sons for example. It was hard to hold back my inner commentary that this was wrong on so many levels and they should stop encouraging people to do ardas for material things nonetheless going against the equality of women and men that is engrained in our teachings.

Practicalities

Some things to keep in mind when travelling in India is firstly to buy some camper’s toilet paper (has no roll and is small) from amazon or elsewhere because there is none in India (...and for women tampons are non-existent so bring any feminine hygiene stuff with you). Also you have to get used to squatting toilets, not the ones we have in Canada. Take all essentials on the plane with you in case your luggage gets lost because most likely you wont find what you are looking for at the store. We were trying to buy deodorant, sunscreen, toilet paper and a lot of these things either don’t exist or exist in a completely different form. In fact, the “sunscreen” section was terrifyingly mostly skin bleaching agents and there was only one true sunscreen I could find. Try to take someone local with you because that’s how we got by and didn’t get cheated on things like car rentals and prices. We had a lot of difficulty with figuring out where to go for customs and immigration at the Delhi airport and its incredibly frustrating. There are special rules for travel in India, ex. if you miss your flight you cannot leave unless there is an agent from that airline working (and that may not be for another 24 hrs), so one needs incredible patience at the airport. I would say travel through Amritsar as much as possible, but I know flights are limited like those to Hazur Sahib and Patna were only through Delhi. I have been told that train travel is unsafe. The room in the flights to Patna and Hazur sahib is small so travel very light if you plan on taking a flight, and rules for travel within India are not very firm. Although we were travelling with the same items each time, security kept taking out different items each time at their own discretion. Expect a lot of security; there is police presence at the Takhts and big Gurdwara Sahibs. There is security in hotels and malls similar to the airport, where there are separate lines for males and females to be patted down. When travelling to Pakistan I definitely recommend travelling with those who are experienced in the area once again, we had a great time with Mohanjit Ji as they coordinated all of our security as well. With them were also able to ensure our donations were going directly to important causes like reconstructing Gurdwaras, as well as going to buy things that we were donating and bringing those items directly. In terms of living arrangements, sarans are hit and miss in terms of amenities- hot water for a shower, garbage cans, AC, toilet paper, blankets, towels, etc. can be all missing. We tried to people who were local to book them for us but that didn’t work out and the online booking process is also not the best, so we ended up just showing up and looking for places. Hotels are worth checking out, but sarans are also a unique experience and can be excellent. It can get very hot and tiresome to travel on the hot pavement. Even in March it was burning hot some places. Cotton clothing is a must and try to stay covered. We bought special water bottles that filter the water (although we didn’t use them consistently) and I definitely recommend that. I also failed to recognize how badly I would react to the mosquito bites in Pakistan. My face swelled up badly and stayed that way for over a week. I was really quite ill for a large part of the trip starting with the pneumonia and fever the night before the trip, to GI illness from contaminated food and water, an infected cut on my toe, hitting my head, and a big rash I got on my face from the 40 degree weather. Basically, travelling with the limited medications that we left in our backpacks and being vaccinated is what saved me from having to go to the hospital. Be sure to pack medications and electrolytes! (and of course get travel insurance). Lastly, to ensure you don't have your stuff stolen don't put anything in an outside zipper, and if you can avoid having a purse all the better. 

That brings us to the end of my blogging about this yatra. If I counted right I think we visited 109 Gurdwara Sahibs in three weeks! I have enough stories to tell for years. I have enjoyed going through the history as I've gone back to revisit the pictures and places we visited while writing these posts. I will post some videos up on my youtube channel from our trip when I get a chance and will update the blog here. I have excitedly added going to Patiala, Hemkunt Sahib, Dubai and England Gurdwaras to my list of places to go. If you know of some Gurdwaras around the world that must be visited, mention them below! 

Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 550th Prakash Diwas

With the emergence of the true Guru Nanak, the mist cleared and the light scattered all around.

As if at the sun rise the stars disappeared and the darkness dispelled.

With the roar of the lion in the forest the flocks of escaping deer now cannot have endurance.

Wherever Baba put his feet, a religious place was erected and established.

All the siddh-places now have been renamed on the name of Nanak.

Every home has become a place of dharma where singing.

Baba liberated all four directions and nine divisions of earth.

Guru Nanak has emerged in this kaliyug, the dark age.

It is difficult to capture such a deep meaning of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s impact on this world in this post. If there is anything that could describe that feeling, it would be captured in singing Guru Ji’s own Bani and feeling it in our hearts. This 550^th anniversary is once in a lifetime. I think it is a time to reflect on what Sikhi has meant to our lives, how far we have come and where we are headed. I will share briefly some history and Sakhis of Guru Ji below. Guru Ji taught us the concepts of Naam Japna, Kirat Karni and Vand Shakna (remembrance of God, earn and honest living, and share what you earn). He communicated in simple language so everyone could understand, not just those who had a formal education. This was in contrast to the fact that at those times, Hindus were writing in Sanskrit and only those who were of a certain caste were allowed to learn to read the scriptures. Guru Ji taught a grist marag, that a person can live as a householder and work hard to earn your livings, while having a spiritual life at the same time. This is different than when Jogis at the time used to travel away in the mountains to meditate. Guru Ji wrote Japji Sahib, Asa Di Vaar, Baran Mah, Sidh Gosht, and Dakhni Onkaar, and was loved by both Hindus and Muslims for spreading a universal message. As you read through these Sakhis try to understand the meaning and purpose and how they apply to us today. 

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born to Hindu parents Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta in 1469 in Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib in Pakistan). Although Guru Ji was born April 15, the birth date is celebrated on the full moon in November. He had an older sister named Bibi Nanaki. At this location now sits Gurdwara Janam Asthan, also known as Nankana Sahib. Previously the town had been named “Talvandi Rai Bhoe” named after a Muslim Rajput whose descendant Rai Bular was a disciple of Guru Ji. Guru Ji spent 16 years here. Gurdwara Bal Leela was originally built by Rai Bular and is where Guru Nanak Dev Ji played with friends, and led them in meditation. Below left is Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib and right is Gurdwara Bal Leela. 

Guru Ji’s unique path became apparent at a young age when he learned at an unprecedented rate and impressed his teachers. The site of present-day Gurdwara Patti Sahib is where Guru Nanak Dev Ji was supposed to learn from Pandit Gopal Das. One day the Pandit asked Guru Ji why he wasn’t learning the way he wanted, Guru Ji said: “O respected Senior! (Let me) Learn to write the account in such a fashion, that when your life’s account is reviewed, it will bring Full Marks (of Truth – being debt free).” The Pandit told Mehta Kalu he could no longer teach Guru Ji, as Guru Ji would teach all of humankind. Guru Ji taught the pandit the spiritual meaning of each letter, which is now found in the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Ji also refused to tie the ceremonial thread, which is tied per Hindu tradition. Without this thread, the boy is considered of the lowest caste and is not allowed to read holy texts. Different threads are worn by different castes, whereas women are not allowed to wear one. It is supposed to also protect one against gods/goddesses. At the age of 9 Guru Ji questioned the priest as to why women were not allowed to get the janeau, and pointed out that the janeau is discriminatory and we should not divide people among castes. He pointed out that such a physical thread cannot help us achieve our purpose. 

At age 13, Mehta Kalu sent Guru Ji to graze cattle. One day while Guru Ji was meditating under a tree, the buffalo and cattle started grazing wherever and fed on the neighbour’s fields. The neighbour was angry and woke up Guru Ji. Guru Ji stated that God would bless the fields. The farmer went to get Rai Bular to show him, who sent his men to investigate but when they arrived the fields were all green again! This is the site of present day Gurdwara Kyara Sahib. One day while grazing the cattle and buffalo, Guru Ji again rested under a shady Mall tree and meditated. As the sun moved, it came over Guru Jis face. A cobra arrived and spread its hood over Guru Jis face, shading it from the son. Rai Bular saw this event and came over, then the snake disappeared to its pit. This is the site of present day Gurdwara Mall Ji Sahib and the tree has been preserved. 

When Guru Ji was 18, he was sent by his father to the city to make a profit with 20 rupees (a lot of money back then!). Mehta Kalu thought that maybe his son would be a successful businessman since cattle grazing hadn't worked out. Guru Ji left with Bhai Mardana (some sources say this was Bhai Bala), to Chooharkhaana, which has a large marketplace. As they were walking on the way, there was a village full of diseased and starving individuals. Guru Ji told Bhai Mardana that nothing would be more profitable than feeding and clothing them, and thus this is the true beginnings of langar. (The accounts from story books from when I was little said that it was a group of sadhus that was fed, but rather this version is actually is more consistent with Gurbani and is described by discover sikhism. It is also orally passed down from local Muslims). Bhai Mardana then went to the village and told Mehta Kalu, who was angry and went and found Guru Ji at the site of present day Gurdwara Tambu Sahib. Mehta Kalu slapped Guru Ji but Bebe Nananki intervened. This is the sight of present day Gurdwara Sacha Soudha. 

Later on Mehta Kalu sent Guru Ji to Sultanpur Lodhi to work. He spent 14 years here prior to travelling on the Udaasis. His brother-in-law Jai Ram found him a job as a modi at the Nawab’s modi khana (in charge of the supplies store). When weighing grain, Guru Ji got to the number 13 (tera also meaning Tera- Yours, I am Yours God) and Guru Ji started meditating Tera, Tera, Tera. The customers received so much they couldn’t even carry it out! Nawab Daulat Khan heard what happened and charged the Guru but when they investigated, the storage was all full, and there was a surplus of grain, rather than having any missing. These stones are preserved at Gurdwara Sri Hatt Sahib. Guru Ji then went on to marry Mata Sulakhani. Instead of marrying around a fire, Guru Ji wrote Ik Onkaar and they married around that paper (Shabad Guru). They went onto have two children at Sultanpur Lodhi, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. Guru Ji went on to meet Bhai Mardana, who was born from a Muslim family. He joined Guru Ji on his travels (Udaasis), and played the rabab as Guru Ji sang shabads. 

Guru Ji bathed daily in the Bein river. One day in 1499 Guru Ji disappeared into the river and returned out after 3 days at the location of Sant Ghat Sahib. When Guru Ji emerged, he said “Na Ko Hindu, Na Ko Musalmaan”- “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim”, meaning that everyone is the same according to God. Guru Ji was respected by all religions and travelled extensively spreading messages of honesty, equality between men and women, and speaking out against the caste system. 

Guru Ji went on 4 Udaasis. These were very long travels by foot. The first Udaasi was from 1500-1506 (widespread areas which would include what is present-day Pakistan, India and Bangladesh), the second from 1506-1513 (all the way from Pakistan, down to present-day Southern India and Sri Lanka), third from 1514 to 1518 (in present-day areas such as Tibet, Nepal and Myanmar), and last from 1518 to 1521 (present-day Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Afganistan, Istanbul, Syria, etc.). There are great maps and details here. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=991638adf2024fa8b3508be190e0db25 Certainly this teaches us we should keep up in our physical fitness, but also to do parchar and spread the word of God, as well as to have conversations with sangat of all backgrounds to learn from them and to share as well. When I was travelling through Pakistan I was imagining what amazing scenery Guru Ji must have walked through, from deserts to lush greenery. 

On his travels, Guru Ji met Bhai Lalo. Bhai Lalo lived in Saidpur (Eminabad) and was a carpenter. Malik Bhago was a rich man who invited Guru Ji to stay in his house, but Guru Ji declined and stayed with Bhai Lalo. This angered Malik Bhago who summoned Guru Ji a second time. He told Guru Ji that he was dishonoring the Kshatriyas by eating at the house of a carpenter. It was here that Guru Ji asked Bhai Lalo to bring a plate of food and Malik Bhago to bring a plate. When he squeezed the food of Bhai Lalo, it poured milk whereas that of Malik Bhago poured blood, showing him that he was earning his living dishonestly but getting it from the poor (“sucking the blood of the poor”). Bhai Lalo’s house was first a dharamsala then became a Gurdwara named after the Khuhi (well), Gurdwara Khuhi Bhai Lalao.  

Guru Nanak Dev Ji often emphasized that we should not be stuck in rituals but rather be true to their religion. For example, he observed people throwing the water from the Ganges towards the sun to reach their ancestors and he started throwing it in the opposite direction, claiming that if their water reached the ancestors then his should reach his fields in Punjab. 

At site of present day Gurdwara Guru Ki Ber, Guru Ji met a Muslim Fakir named Hamza Gaus, in Sialkot. He cast a spell on the city since someone did not follow through on their promise to give the Pir their first-born son. Guru Ji came and broke the spell with his shabad. He showed the Pir it was unjust for him to punish the whole city for the wrongdoing of one man. He showed the Pir that forgiveness is an important principle. 

Guru Ji travelled to Mecca. One well-known Sakhi from Guru Ji’s travels here is that Guru Ji fell asleep with his feet pointed towards Kaaba. A Qazi was enraged, and questioned why he had his feet turned this way. Guru Ji asked him to turn his feet to whichever direction God was not, as the Qazi moved his feet, he saw Kaaba in all directions! The Qazi realized that God was in all directions. This is recorded in Bhai Gurdaa Ji’s Vaaran (Var 1: 32).

In 1521 Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana arrived in Hasan Abdal and started doing kirtan which attracted many locals. This created jealousy in Wali Qandhari, who was used to having this attention from the locals and owned the only water supply. He purposefully cut off the supply so people would return to him. Guru Ji sent Bhai Mardana three times to ask Wali Qandhari for water for the villagers but Wali Qandhari rudely refused, and asked him to ask his Master (Guru Nanak). Guru Ji asked everyone to remember God, and asked the villagers to push away an embedded rock, when suddenly, a fountain of water sprang from it! Wali Qandhari’s fountain dried up, and he he became angry, throwing a giant rock down from the hill towards Guru Ji. Guru Ji stopped the rock with his hand, leaving the imprint. Seeing this, Wali became a follower of the Guru. This rock still stands and you can touch the imprint of Guru Ji at Gurdwara Panja Sahib. 

Babar’s army invaded Punjab in 1521 when Guru Nanak Dev Ji was in Eminabad (called Saidpur at the time). When the town was captured, Guru Ji was amongst those captured. At that time Guru Ji was staying at present-day Gurdwara Rori Sahib with Bhai Lalo, and lying on a hard surface of pebbles. After Guru Ji was held prisoner by Babar, he was forced to grind corn using a chakki (millsone). Guru Ji’s chakki ran on it’s own while he sang kirtan! The corn was to feed the Mughal troops. They told Babar, who came and asked for forgiveness. Guru Ji challenged Babar’s injust actions and told him that those who are cruel suffer. Babar then released Guru Ji and 11,111 other prisoners. This is the site of present day Gurdwara Chakki Sahib. 

Guru Ji stayed at Kartarpur for 18 years as a householder, cultivating the land with his parents, wife, and sons. Kartarpur became the first Sikh center. Guru Ji started langar here using locally grown food served by the sangat. Sarans were built, and Guru Ji sang Gurbani and delivered katha. This was also where Guru Ji appointed Bhai Lehna (Guru Angad Dev Ji) as his successor. Guru Ji merged with God at Kartarpur. After this, Hindus and Muslims argued about what should be done with Guru Ji’s body (cremation or burial). They decided that flowers would be placed on Guru Ji’s body, whoevers were found to be withered the next day would lose but when the sheet was removed, the body was missing and the flowers were all fresh. The communities divided the sheet, and the Muslims buried it while the Hindus cremated it. Thus per Hindu tradition there is a Samadh in the Gurdwara, and a grave as per Muslim tradition. Currently large celebrations are being held at Kartarpur. 

550 years of Sikhi! This is a time for us to unite and to celebrate, but also to reflect and problem-solve. Guru Ji guided people back to their purpose when they were lost in ritualism, kaam, krodh, lob, moh and hankaar. We should reconnect ourselves back to that purpose. It is hugely important for us to go back to our roots and learn starting from Ik Onkaar. Answer the questions within your mind through study of Gurbani. They are so many ways we can grow and connect through our Sikhi, and once you start on that path you fall in love and it will propel you forward. If you don’t know where to start, start reading the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, sit in sangat, discuss and meet with sangat, reflect, listen to kathas from Nanak Naam, Basics of Sikhi, Sikhnet, Mysimran.info and Prabh Milne Ka Chao; read a bit of history; start doing simran, incorporate Sikhi into your living life. You can really start from any of those places. It is vital that as you grow, you share your learnings with those around you and spread the message of Sikhi. Don’t hold it to yourself, the message was meant to be spread. When you discuss with others, you also realize where there may be more questions that arise and gaps in your knowledge. When I reflect on this year it has been a very special one for me, I started learning the rabab, travelled to Pakistan and India, incorporated a more regular routine into my daily life, and got further in my Sehaj Paath thus far. Wishing everyone Congratulations on Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 550^th Prakash Divas!  

ਸੁਣੀ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ ਦਾਤਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਗ ਮਾਹਿ ਪਠਾਇਆ || ਚਰਨ ਧੋਇ ਰਹਰਾਸਿ ਕਰਿ ਚਰਣਾਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਪੀਲਾਇਆ || ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪੂਰਨ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਅੰਦਰ ਇਕ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ || ਚਾਰੇ ਪੈਰ ਧਰਮ ਦੇ ਚਾਰਿ ਵਰਨ ਇਕ ਵਰਨੁ ਕਰਾਇਆ || ਰਾਣਾ ਰੰਕ ਬਰਾਬਰੀ ਪੈਰੀ ਪਵਣਾ ਜਗਿ ਵਰਤਾਇਆ | ਉਲਟਾ ਖੇਲੁ ਪਿਰੰਮ ਦਾ ਪੈਰਾਂ ਉਪਰਿ ਸੀਸ ਨਿਵਾਇਆ || ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਬਾਬੇ ਤਾਰਿਆ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਪੜ੍ਹਿ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ || ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਣਿ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਆਇਆ ||੨੩|| ਵਾਰ ੧ ||

The Provider Lord listened to the cries (of humanity), Guru Nanak descended into this world. 
Washing His feet and praising God, he got his Sikhs to drink the ambrosial nectar (of humility). 
In this Dark Age, he showed all gods to be just one. 
The four feet of Dharma, the four castes were converted into one. 
Equality of the King and beggar, he spread the custom of being humble. 
Reversed is the game of the beloved; the egotist high heads bowed to the feet. 
Baba Nanak rescued this Dark Age; read ‘satnam’ and recited the mantra. 
Guru Nanak came to redeem this Dark Age of Kaljug.  Bhai Gurdas - Vaar 1 pauri 23

References

http://www.theworldofgurunanak.com/guru-nanak-dev-ji.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Nanak

http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/gurus/nanak1.html

http://www.sikhs.org/guru1.htm

http://www.ibtimes.com/guru-nanaks-birthday-2014-3-things-you-need-know-about-sikh-holiday-1720042

www.searchsikhism.com 

Sikhmusic.com

desicomments.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak

https://www.eventshigh.com/detail/delhi/2b528793c6229cf59c9b8969c98c1bbd-prakash-purab-guru-nanak-dev 

Book: Illustrated Life Stories of Guru Sahibs’-- I do highly recommend this book for kids and adults!