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"A modelling......Page 4 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine Progress in spiritualism....Page 3 "Hukam Rajayee Guru Nanak jayanti special Chalna Nanak Likheya Naal” Sunny Dua Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus says that *everything happens by God’s Grace, so Rest assured that God knows better what is right or wrong for us. We should, therefore, accept His decisions without any grudge or question. Sree Nankaanaa Sahib tae hor Gurdvaareaan', Gur'dhaamaan' dae jinhaan' thon' Panth noon' vichhor-eaa geaa haee Khullhae darshan dee-daara tae sevaa san-mbhaal daa daan Khaalsa jee noon' bakhsho. (Almighty Lord! Our helper and protector ever, restore to us the right and privilege of unhindered and free service and access to Nankana Sahib and other centers of Sikh religion from which we have been separated). These last lines of Sikh Ardaas (Prayer) delivered twice a day in every Gurudwara around the globe since ages seeks access to Gurdwara Nankana Sabib (The birth Place An illuminated Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal, Pakistan. Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal, Pakistan. of first Sikh Guru Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji) in Pakistan besides other Gurdwaras that have been separated from the Sikh Religion. Startlingly, Sikhs are finding their prayers Nanak Dev Ji on it is treated as Nectar Devotees take dips in Sarovar (Holy Pond) and Sikh friends stand in queues on either side of Gurdwaras’ entrances in a hope that some heard every year enabling them to visit Pakistan and other Gurdwaras. About 140 listen to Kirtan which besides Sikhs is also recited by local Muslim Sufi Singers who of the descendents from India might recognise their great grandparents and tell them Gurdwaras of historical importance are presently located in Pakistan and Afghanistan claim to be devotees of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Three days each on Baisakhi and about their wellbeing. This rarely matures and most of the Pakistan people return which Sikh Sangat desires to visit freely. Gurpurab Panja Sahib remain centre of attraction for pilgrims as well as local admin- homes with a hope to return next year and repeat the procedure to find their lost Several of these Gurdwaras which in series depict the birth, childhood, early life and istration. The bazaars cater to pilgrims for whom soft drinks marked Pepsi and Coke in friends or village mates. death of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji are housed in Nankana Sahib, Lahore, District ‘Urdu’ besides local architecture that resembles any village or small town of this side of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji had conducted his missionary tours accompanied by Gujarat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Kasur (The village of Baba Bulle Punjab is like travelling in a time machine while remembering Pre-Partition era. Mardana and preached against caste distinctions ritualism, idol worship and the pseu- Shah), Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Okara, Narowal, Jhelum, Attock, Kartar Pur, Baluchistan, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji along with Bhai Mardana Ji had reached Hasan Abdal and do-religious beliefs that had no spiritual content. At the age of 12 when his father want- Quetta, North West Frontier Province, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Naushera, Sindh, recitation of Kirtan by them had irked local saint Hazrat Shah Wali Qandhari who used ed to teach him business, he exhausted all the money given to him by feeding poor and Karachi, Sukkur and Hasan Abdal. to meditate atop a nearby hill. Bhai Mardana was made to ascend the hill thrice to get claimed that he did a "True business". Guru's dictum that "riches cannot be gathered Now when on November 14, 2016 Monday, Sikhs around the globe will be celebrat- some water to quench their thirst but Wali Qandhari refused his request and was rude without sin and evil means," continues to be the basic moral tenet with the Sikh mys- ing 547th Gurpurab of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, a fortunate Jatha (Contingent) of to him. It was when Bhai Mardana had almost given up that Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji tics and the Sikh society. He proved this by eating in the house of a low caste artisan devotes will be in Nankana Sahib or Hasan Abdal celebrating the day with religious fer- put aside one rock making water spring up from where he quenched his thirst and instead of a rich landlord who used to suppress and exploit poor. vour and merriment finding themselves propitious enough to have visited birth place thanked the Guru Ji. The fountain of Shah Wali Qandhari had dried who in rage threw The Sikh Sangat during their pilgrimage prays in Gurdwaras but also enjoy going of their first Sikh Guru Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji or the place where his hand print on a a mountain rock towards the Guru Ji from the top of the hill. The Guru stopped the round the fort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh from where Lahore’s Shahdman Chowk and solid rock had been attracting millions of devotees since ages. hurled rock with his hand leaving his handprint in the rock. Ever since then Wali had Minar-e-Pakistan are clearly visible. Data Darbar, Badshahi Mosque, Hanuman This author had also visited the place and like every devotee found himself fortunate become a devotee of Guru Ji and the place was named Panja Sahib by Hari Singh Temple, Liberty Market, Anarkali Bazar, Lahore University and several old and torn Nalwa, the most famous general of the Kingdom of the Sikhs. enough to put his hand on Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s hand print in which anyone’s hand out streets named after legends of Pre-Partition era definitely stay on the itinerary of Right from Attari in Pakistan to Panja Sahib which is close to the Afghanistan bor- fits comfortably as if it’s his/her own handprint. A visit to Gurudwara Panja Sahib in pilgrims, several of whom become nostalgic on roaming around the streets named after Hasan Abdal says it all about the inviolability where Muslims and local administration der, pilgrims are made to visit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Gurdwara Bal Lilah, Gurdwara Patti Sahib, Gurdwara Tambu Sahib, Parkash Asthan Sri their forefathers, businessmen or those having social importance. The best thing that besides Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) controlled by happens is people to people contact during which several Pakistanis love to talk to pil- Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) of Pakistan maintains Sikh religious institutions, Guru Ram Das Ji, Lahore, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Lahore, Samadh Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Panja Sahib in a outdated train without any reser- grims, ask about their home towns, discuss India’s architecture and social setup, how places of worships and the well-being of the Pakistani Sikh community. Indian’s bargain, show keenness in India visit, click pictures with them, take selfies and Every Sikh dreams this pilgrimage but since most of the Gurdwaras are located in vation. Though Pakistan government has been time and again requested to arrange for offer pilgrims beverages and food as a gesture of their hospitality. neighbouring country Pakistan a lot many Dos and Don’ts must be adhered to before a new and comfortable train which could carry pilgrims with reserved tickets nothing Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent twenty five years of his life preaching from place to one sets on his journey. While we remember Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji who was born in has been done so far. It is at this point that pilgrims have to show their patience and not rush though things, be it arranging for accommodation or occupying berths in trains. place wherein he promoted new religion and his mystic system almost completely 1469 in Talwandi, a village in the Sheikhupura district, 65 kms West of Lahore we must Sikh Sangat of Gurdwara Panja Sahib way back on October 31, 1922 A.D had force reversed the trends, principles and practices of the then prevailing religions. He later also know that in present day state train or bus after crossing Wagah reaches Atari bor- stopped a train carrying arrested Singhs from Amritsar to Attak by lying on the tracks. cultivated his lands and also continued with his mission and preaching. His followers der in Pakistan. From there right on the Lahore-Islamabad track after passing through After change of staff at Rawalpindi when the train moved on, Sikhs from Gurdwara throughout the country were known as Nanak-Panthies or Sikhs and places where Sikh Sheikhupura, Kot Dilawar, Kamalabad, Dera Murmana, Malakwal, Faisalabad, Panja Sahib had desired to feed hungry inmates but were categorically told by Station congregation of his followers were held were called Dharamsalas. These were also the Wazirabad, Rawalpindi, Gujrawala, Taxila and Wah Cantt pilgrims reach Hassan Master that train won’t stop here. Bhai Karam Singh who wanted to feed Singhs told places for feeding the poor. Eventually, every Sikh home became a Dharamsala. Abdal in Attock district of Punjab, Pakistan. the officer, "Baba Nanak had stopped a mountain with one hand. Cannot his Sikhs stop A novel claims that Guru Nanak's body vanishing after his death, are also found in A few kilometres away from Hassan Abdal where Gurdwara Panja Sahib is located a train?" and lay on the track along with other Sikhs. The train did not stop and ran over later versions and these are similar to the miracle stories in Sufi literature about their GT Road meets Karakoram Highway near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which can be Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh crushing their bones.