Trip to Punjab
May
Itinerary
12th
May 2015 :
Dad and
Shailendra came to drop Reena and me at Singrauli. We had left home around 7:15 am for the train
(shaktipunj) was 1 ½ hour late. It arrived around 9:15 am on PF 2. We reached
Jabalpur home at about 4:30 pm.
13th
May 2015 :
Dad, Niksy,
Preety, Reena and me left for Jabalpur station at 2:00 pm. Dad was able to walk
from the from the auto stand till the coach comfortably. Train left in time.
Sweety and Piyu joined us from Katni. We
all took early dinner and tried to sleep.
Ity also
left her hostel in Lucknow with Vijayan around 8:00 pm took her dinner in
Caveln and boarded her train at 11:00 pm for New Delhi.
14th
May 2015 :
We reached
Nizammudin at 5:30 am. Took taxi and reached the hotel at New Delhi. Sudhir Bhaisaab joined us by 6:45 am. Both of us left for New Delhi station to
receive Ity. He bought the PF tickets
and we went to PF no. 10 on the basis of the lady at the enquiry counter and
what the sign boards were displaying while on PF 10 we saw from distance a
train entering towards PF no. 1. Sudhir
ji saw the train and said Ity’s train will also be of the same colour (yellow
coaches). When we checked online status
it should that the train had already arrived at 7:40 am. There was no announcement made in this regard
over PA system, we rushed towards PF 1 from PF 10. On reaching PF 1 we saw the
train getting in and it must have been 8:05 am.
How they were showing that the train had already arrived by 7:040 is
something we are still wondering. However we received Ity and went to the
hotel.
Sarika and
Tarun also joined us. We all got ready
and took breakfast. After Sarika, Tarun
and Sudheer Bhaisaab left all of us slept like logs for about 2 hours.
Left the
hotel for New Delhi station at 3:30 pm to board Shatabdi from Amritsar. This
time also Dad walked upto his coach.
The journey
in Shatabdi was pretty good and comfortable.
Till Beas
it was in time but in the last 40 mts. it got delayed. Instead of arriving at 11:10 pm it reached
Amritsar at 11:45 pm.
We took two
autos and reached Guru Arjun Dev Niwas at 12:15 am.
With the
kind help of Sardar Paramjeet Singhji we could manage to get two rooms in Arjun
Niwas itself, which is a very difficult job.
On reaching the threshold of Arjun Niwas Dad became unwell and he threw
up. Fortunately he did so outside the
Niwas near a drain. Within minutes there
was heavy thundering and rainfall because of which we didn’t have to clean. Dad becoming unwell at the threshold of Arjun
Niwas reminded us of Mom also throwing infront of Arjun Niwas booking counter
while sitting on the sofa way back in 2009.
We had to do the cleaning too. We
just wondered at the strange coincidence that how both Mom & Dad had to
throw at the same place and that too on arrival.
Though we
had, at least I had, thought of performing the seva of cleaning the utensils
but three days journey had drained out all our energy and we were compelled to
sleep.
15th
May 2015 :
Left Room
no. 74 & 3 and shifted to Room No. 85 because of loads and loads of
pilgrims arriving into the campus.
Shifting
from 2 rooms to 1 took away the first half of the day. Went for the darbar of Shri Harmandar Sahib.
The moment
one steps into the premises the feeling of divinity starts pouring faith.
Whosoever
one looks at he or she looks divine.
Sikhism had
followed few brave concepts right from the beginning which are very practical
in life. Sikhism doesn’t follow the
concept of fasting. Hence when one has
to go to meet the Guru we follow the concept of satisfy your bodily needs and
then meet the master. We call it
‘Pehlaan pangat phir sangat’. Pehlaan –
first ; pangat – line for eating the langar (food) ; phir-then and sangat – congregate.
There is no
point of going to the master or congregating with an empty stomach. It will be a futile exercise for our mind
will remain inclined towards the food.
Hence keeping this in mind we first went towards the langar halls to eat
the food.
Among the manmade
wonders of the world I strongly feel that what is happening or rather has been
happening for centuries at this place will take the top position. Feeding the pilgrims, non-stop , 24 hours, 7
days a week, 365 days of the year. And each
day (24 hours) feeding people from 1 to 2.5 lakh in number. The whole process is so swift and clean and
efficient that one finds it difficult to describe dedication of the volunteers,
taste of the food, the zeal and the spirit of service, endless lives, it’s just
out of the world.
Amazingly
the entire process of entering the langar hall, having the food served to you, eating it and coming out of the
hall takes not more than 30 minutes. The way ones spoons, bowls and plates are
taken away from the hands and sent into the assembly of waiting volunteers to
clean them leaves the visitors mesmerized with tears of appreciation rolling
the eyes of many.
All credit
of free kitchen service langar goes to Guru Nanak’s ‘Sacha Sauda (True
Transaction). He was given Rs. 20/- by
his father Kalu Ramji to go to the weekly hatt and do some profitable business.
Guru Nanak spent the whole amount in feeding the holy men he had come across on
his way as they had not eaten from many days.
As he felt that nothing can be more profitable in our lives than to feed
the hungry. Since then his followers,
the Sikhs, have not looked back as far as serving the poor and the needy is
concerned.
After
having our langar Reena, Ity, Niksy and we went for the darshan. Inspite of the
hot weather the arrangements were such that we didn’t feel the heat. Corridors were pretty cool and fortunately
lots of breeze was blowing. We sat for a
while in the corridor and took various photographs.
We reached
the main entrance (Deoddi) in front of the Akaal Takth at 2:05 pm and got into
the live to reach the Harmindar Sahib.
We crossed the line by 2:50 and got the opportunity of getting inside
the sanctum sanctorum. Could stay inside
for about 3-4 minutes and came out with fresh energy.
We came
out, took the round of the parikrama and crossed Beri Sahib and reached our
Room 85 at Arjun Niwas and took rest.
16th
May 2015 :
Today we
took Dad for the darshan of the sanctum sanctorum. Till the main entrance
(Deoddi) we took him on the wheel chair.
From there onwards he had to walk the last 84 steps upon the connecting
bridge between the parikarma and the Harmandir Sahib. One facility that is provided to such old
pilgrims or to those who are physically challenged is to take the right lane
from which the pilgrims normally return and is less crowded. It took us as little as 20 minutes to
complete the darshan as against around 70 minutes of yesterdays darshan.
Here
however I personal feel that some more compassion and care needs to be extended
to old people and those who are physically challenged by extending the wheel
chair facilities right upto the Darbar Sahib.
This would enable so many people to dare to travel to do the darshan.
After
encircling the entire parikrama and taking various photographs to went back to
the room and took some rest.
In the
evening once again we went inside to move around the parikarma and to take the
holy dip in the sarovar (water pool).
The moment we stepped out of the Arjun Niwas we were both surprised and
thrilled to see the crowd of pilgrims.
They were sleeping in every nook and corner of the campus including the
Manzi Sahib Gurudwara and the corridors.
Ity, Reena
and Preety were there with me. I took my
holy dip in the sarovar and then we moved towards the Akal Takth Saheb. We reached there around 11:45 pm. We saw the main gate closed and the sight of
Amrit Dhari Sikhs getting accumulated in front of the main gate of Harmandir
Sahib so beautiful and attractive that we couldn’t resist ourselves from
sitting there inspite of it being so late. At 12:20 am the Amrit Dhari Sikhs
started entering the Main Gate from the small door for cleaning the Sanctum Sanctorum
while group of other Sikhs were performing keertan at the threshold. It was a sight worth watching.
We returned
to our Room No. 85 at Arjun Niwas.
On knocking
the door neither Sweety nor Niksy opened the door but Dad did so.
18th
May 2015:
In the
early morning Preety, Reena and Dad got ready along with Sweety & Piyu and
went for the darshan. Dad took the holy
dip.
Around
11:00 am Reena and me too got ready and left for Jallandhar in a hired taxi (an
Indigo) to visit PIMS Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences where Sonu is
admitted after having met with an accident on the day of Holi on 5th
of March 2015.
As I had
conveyed to Charanjeet Chachaji about our arrival were able to meet almost
everyone in PIMS. Sonu’s situation is
very grim. His right leg has been
amputed at thigh level. Left leg is in
bad shape. Right hand has blood supply
but nerves have got severed due to which he doesn’t have sensation in it. His jaws
are in bad shape. Yet he has survived. All of us are trying to cheer him up and
encouraging him to look forward to his life. Chachaji, Chachiji, Vicky, Monia,
Vikcy’s son, Niketa and her husband all were there. Except Sonu and Chahanji we
all went to a nearby hotel to have food. After lunch we went back to Sonu and
took leave for return to Amritsar.
On our way
back we got the opportunity of once again visiting Govindwal Sahib. Visited the
house where Guru Amar Dasji lived. Where Guru Ram Dasji lived. Saw the room where Guru Arjun Devji was born.
Saw the remains of the tree around which Guru Arjun Devji used to play. Saw the
fire place where food was prepared.
Saw the
‘pallaki’ which was used by Guru Arjan
Devji for shifting of scriptures which were to be included in the holy GGSji.
It’s
amazing to note the kind of reverence which the Gurus have rendered to the
‘word’ through which the scriptures are expressed.
Didn’t feel
like leaving the place which has seen the presence of Guru Amar Dasji, Guru Ram
Dasji and Guru Arjun Devji.
From the
humble house of the Gurus went to the nearby famous Gurudwara of Govindwal
Sahib which is known for its langar hall and its Bauvili (Deep well).
During the
time of Guru Amar Dasji Emperor Akbar, who was his contemporary, had paid him a
visit. Akbar was asked to join the ‘pangat’ (line) for eating the langar before
meeting Guru Amar Das ji. People who had
accompanied the Emperor were taken aback to realize that they will have to sit
among the commoners. So they requested for enabling the Emperor to have his
meal along with Guru Amar Das ji presuming that he will be served in a special
way. But to their surprise they saw that
Guruji was served just as other common people were being served. The Emperor was aweyed at this arrangement
and felt happy to see that people from various castes and works of life were
being made to sit together and were being served with the same food. This was amazing because the society was
divided between casts so much so that a person from low caste couldn’t even
dare to cast his shadow or come in way of a person from the high caste.
Emperor Akbar
had offered thousands of acres of land surrounding the Gurudwara at Goindoal
for being used in langar service. Guruji
using his visionary powers declined to accept the offering and said that the
langar service will go on only on the basis of donations made by the pilgrims
and not by any other source. Moreover he
said adding so much property would lead to fights among the followers in the
days to come.
The campus of
Govindwal Gurudwara also has a famous water collection which can be reached by
climbing down 84 steps.
People
believe that each step represents 1 lakh species into which one gets incarnated
on the basis of his karma. People take a
dip in the holy pool in this baaxli and then recited Japji Sahib Paath written
by Guru Nanak on as many steps (one path on each step) as possible under the
belief that each step will clear off 1 lakh incarnations. There are few who stay there for days
together to complete the process on each of 84 steps in order to ensure that
they are blessed and their souls finally RIP.
Last visit
in 2009 I had managed 4 paaths and the time 1.
So 5 lakh in carnations I shall escape !.
In this
regard, however, I’m yet to come across anything said by any of the Sikh
Gurus. Even the present Guru of ours
GGSji doesn’t mention any such thing.
Hence I take it as something which is blindly being followed. No harm if people are getting attached to
baani in this way.
As soon as
Rahraas Sahib Paath started at Goindwal Sahib Reena and me got and left for
Amritsar.
We reached
the Gurudwara campus at 8:40 pm.
Went to the
room. Came to know that everyone took rest for the day. Dad was not taken out
the whole day.
18th
May 2015
After Dad
took the holy dip everyone got busy with breakfast. Later in the day Reena, Niksy and Ity also
went along with me. They went into the cubicle for taking the holy dip.
Evening was
spent in going around for little bit of shopping.
All of us
took a ride on e-rickshaw ate kulfi made by Radha Swamy’s followers.
In the
night time Reena & we went out. Ate
bread pakodas, booked two autos for taking us all to the Railway Station at
4:00 am.
All of us
did our packing and slept around midnight.
I was the first one to wake up at 2:55 am, others followed. We all got ready and managed to leave Arjun
Niwas sharp by 4:05 am. Reached the station in time and boarded Shatabdi. Enjoyed the journey loved to pass through the
luxurious, green fields of Punjab and Haryana.
Reached new Delhi at 11:45 am.
Got settled in the hotel. Sarika
and Awani joined us. We all took lunch
together Ity, Sarika and Awani left around 3:00 pm in a rickshaw towards Ajmeri
Gate where Tarun was waiting for them in his car for taking them home. Ity
would be going for bit of shopping in the evening and would be leaving for
Lucknow the next day by Shatadi at 6:10 am.
Dad, Sweety
& Piu left for H. Nizammudin by an auto.
Rest of us Reena, Treety, Nixy and we left the hotel at 3:30 pm in a
Scorpio. We first went to Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. As the time was less I didn’t go inside. Instead I wasted near the Main Gate. Reena, Nixy & Preety left their slippers
and went inside. I had told them to just
take Prasad and come off but due to misunderstanding Preety & Nixy rushed
in and Reena had to follow them in. I
was left standard out. But anyway I felt nice for enabling them to go in.
We reached
H. Nizamuddin by 4:00 pm. We saw Dad
sitting on the staircases along with Sweety & Piu.
While
sifting luggage to PF No. 3 Niksy got lost for a while but then after a short
turmoil period of 20 – 25 minutes during which tme the weather had also turned
hostile and scary we were able to find her.
We boarded the train at 4:40 pm.
The train was scheduled to leave by 4:50 pm but it left by 7:00 pm.
20th
May 2015:
In the
morning of 20th may 2015 we crossed Katni at around 10:00 am . Seeety & Piu got down. We all proceeded for Jabalpur. We reached safely home at Jabalpur around
noon. As we all were extremely tired we
all slept like logs inspite of the heat.
Ity also
reached her hostel at around 1:00 pm safely.
Our house
at Sainik Society needed some minor repairs. So got them done.
I left
Jabalpur on 24th afternoon by Intercity Express and reached her
hostel around 1:00 pm safely.
Our house
at Sainik Society needed some minor repairs.
So got them done.
I left
Jabalpur ion 24th afternoon by Inter City Express and reached the
comforts of home around midnight.
This time
the whole month of May has remained extremely hot. Temperature soared upto 47
C.
Pinky’s
presence at Nigahi proved to be a very pleasant one.
Reena
joined us on 29th night.
Vicky
arrived here on 31st morning.
Dad went to Shaktinagar to receive him.
Pinky, Vicky & Rana left for Jamshedpur.
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