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 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 heard every year enabling them to visit Pakistan and other Gurdwaras. About 140 Gurdwaras of historical importance are presently located in Pakistan and Afghanistan which Sikh Sangat desires to visit freely.
Several of these Gurdwaras which in series depict the birth, childhood, early life and death of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji are housed in Nankana Sahib, Lahore, District Gujarat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Kasur (The village of Baba Bulle Shah), Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Okara, Narowal, Jhelum, Attock, Kartar Pur, Baluchistan, Quetta, North West Frontier Province, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Naushera, Sindh, Karachi, Sukkur and Hasan Abdal.
Now when on November 14, 2016 Monday, Sikhs around the globe will be celebrating 547th Gurpurab of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, a fortunate Jatha (Contingent) of devotes will be in Nankana Sahib or Hasan Abdal celebrating the day with religious fervour and merriment finding themselves propitious enough to have visited birth place of their first Sikh Guru Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji or the place where his hand print on a solid rock had been attracting millions of devotees since ages.
This author had also visited the place and like every devotee found himself fortunate enough to put his hand on Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s hand print in which anyone’s hand fits comfortably as if it’s his/her own handprint. A visit to Gurudwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal says it all about the inviolability where Muslims and local administration besides Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) controlled by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) of Pakistan maintains Sikh religious institutions, places of worships and the well-being of the Pakistani Sikh community.
Every Sikh dreams this pilgrimage but since most of the Gurdwaras are located in neighbouring country Pakistan a lot many Dos and Don’ts must be adhered to before one sets on his journey. While we remember Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji who was born in 1469 in Talwandi, a village in the Sheikhupura district, 65 kms West of Lahore we must also know that in present day state train or bus after crossing Wagah reaches Atari border in Pakistan. From there right on the Lahore-Islamabad track after passing through Sheikhupura, Kot Dilawar, Kamalabad, Dera Murmana, Malakwal, Faisalabad, Wazirabad, Rawalpindi, Gujrawala, Taxila and Wah Cantt pilgrims reach Hassan Abdal in Attock district of Punjab, Pakistan.
A few kilometres away from Hassan Abdal where Gurdwara Panja Sahib is located GT Road meets Karakoram Highway near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which can be seen from top of hill where Shah Wali Qandhari used to live. He having seen his water fountain dried up had thrown a huge rock towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji which was stopped by the Guru Ji leaving his handprint on it. This pilgrimage leaves an indelible mark on the minds and hearts of people especially when Pakistan Rangers on horsebacks keep a vigil on train that crosses from Wagah to Atari. Then stay at the Gurdwara where devotees from Peshawar and some parts of Afghanistan organise Langar (Community meals), Nagar Kirtan (Religious Procession) and make all arrangements for pilgrims charges the atmosphere to heavenly.
The crystal clear water that flows from beneath the rock with hand print of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji on it is treated as Nectar Devotees take dips in Sarovar (Holy Pond) and listen to Kirtan which besides Sikhs is also recited by local Muslim Sufi Singers who claim to be devotees of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Three days each on Baisakhi and Gurpurab Panja Sahib remain centre of attraction for pilgrims as well as local administration. The bazaars cater to pilgrims for whom soft drinks marked Pepsi and Coke in ‘Urdu’ besides local architecture that resembles any village or small town of this side of Punjab is like travelling in a time machine while remembering Pre-Partition era.
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji along with Bhai Mardana Ji had reached Hasan Abdal and recitation of Kirtan by them had irked local saint Hazrat Shah Wali Qandhari who used to meditate atop a nearby hill. Bhai Mardana was made to ascend the hill thrice to get some water to quench their thirst but Wali Qandhari refused his request and was rude to him. It was when Bhai Mardana had almost given up that Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji put aside one rock making water spring up from where he quenched his thirst and thanked the Guru Ji. The fountain of Shah Wali Qandhari had dried who in rage threw a mountain rock towards the Guru Ji from the top of the hill. The Guru stopped the hurled rock with his hand leaving his handprint in the rock. Ever since then Wali had become a devotee of Guru Ji and the place was named Panja Sahib by Hari Singh Nalwa, the most famous general of the Kingdom of the Sikhs.
Right from Attari in Pakistan to Panja Sahib which is close to the Afghanistan border, pilgrims are made to visit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Gurdwara Bal Lilah, Gurdwara Patti Sahib, Gurdwara Tambu Sahib, Parkash Asthan Sri 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 reservation. Though Pakistan government has been time and again requested to arrange for a new and comfortable train which could carry pilgrims with reserved tickets nothing 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.
Sikh Sangat of Gurdwara Panja Sahib way back on October 31, 1922 A.D had force stopped a train carrying arrested Singhs from Amritsar to Attak by lying on the tracks. After change of staff at Rawalpindi when the train moved on, Sikhs from Gurdwara Panja Sahib had desired to feed hungry inmates but were categorically told by Station Master that train won’t stop here. Bhai Karam Singh who wanted to feed Singhs told the officer, “Baba Nanak had stopped a mountain with one hand. Cannot his Sikhs stop a train?” and lay on the track along with other Sikhs. The train did not stop and ran over Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh crushing their bones. The martyrdom of those two Sikhs finally forced the train to halt for one and a half hours after which Sikhs first served the Singhs in the train and then turned to the injured.
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji had learnt regional languages, Persian and Arabic. He was married in 1487 and was blessed with two sons. At Nankana Sahib where ETPB has constructed state of the art Sarai (Rest Houses) and maintained the main Gurdwara there runs a big bazaar right in front of main gate. Almost all the Gurdwaras where Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent his early days are located on either sides of this main market which can be accessed by rickshaw or a three-wheeler driven by a motorcycle. The most painful moment arrives when elderly Muslims holding Pre-Partition pictures of their Sikh friends stand in queues on either side of Gurdwaras’ entrances in a hope that some of the descendents from India might recognise their great grandparents and tell them about their wellbeing. This rarely matures and most of the Pakistan people return homes with a hope to return next year and repeat the procedure to find their lost friends or village mates.
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji had conducted his missionary tours accompanied by Mardana and preached against caste distinctions ritualism, idol worship and the pseudo-religious beliefs that had no spiritual content. At the age of 12 when his father wanted to teach him business, he exhausted all the money given to him by feeding poor and claimed that he did a “True business”. Guru’s dictum that “riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means,” continues to be the basic moral tenet with the Sikh mystics and the Sikh society. He proved this by eating in the house of a low caste artisan instead of a rich landlord who used to suppress and exploit poor.
The Sikh Sangat during their pilgrimage prays in Gurdwaras but also enjoy going round the fort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh from where Lahore’s Shahdman Chowk and Minar-e-Pakistan are clearly visible. Data Darbar, Badshahi Mosque, Hanuman Temple, Liberty Market, Anarkali Bazar, Lahore University and several old and torn out streets named after legends of Pre-Partition era definitely stay on the itinerary of pilgrims, several of whom become nostalgic on roaming around the streets named after their forefathers, businessmen or those having social importance. The best thing that happens is people to people contact during which several Pakistanis love to talk to pilgrims, ask about their home towns, discuss India’s architecture and social setup, how Indian’s bargain, show keenness in India visit, click pictures with them, take selfies and offer pilgrims beverages and food as a gesture of their hospitality.
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent twenty five years of his life preaching from place to place wherein he promoted new religion and his mystic system almost completely reversed the trends, principles and practices of the then prevailing religions. He later cultivated his lands and also continued with his mission and preaching. His followers throughout the country were known as Nanak-Panthies or Sikhs and places where Sikh congregation of his followers were held were called Dharamsalas. These were also the places for feeding the poor. Eventually, every Sikh home became a Dharamsala.
A novel claims that Guru Nanak’s body vanishing after his death, are also found in later versions and these are similar to the miracle stories in Sufi literature about their Pirs. The main Gurdwara at Hasan Abdal leaves pilgrims spellbound.
The interior of the Gurdwara has been done with coloured glass and marble pieces. The building is exactly pure Islamic construction having five pomegranate shaped domes, one big in center and four on the corners of the roof. It has glass windows on all four sides of the shrine. The use of many different material has made it an expensive project for construction but very attractive. Marble and glass are the most used material giving a shining look. His messages include: Submission to the will of God, there is one God, goodwill for all, speak truth, serve and pray, shun evils like Ego, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Lust, don’t discrimination and stop believing in superstitions.
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