Mehak Kaur Sodhi
Guru Nanak the founder of the Sikh religion was born to Kalyan Chand Mehta and Mata Tripta on 15 April 1469 AD in a small village called Rai Bhoe di Talwandi near Lahore. However, for the sake of convenience his birth anniversary is being observed on the occasion of the full moon in the month of Kartik(Oct-Nov). The first cry of the child was like the laughter of a wise grown up person joining a social gathering. Pundit Hardyal, the family’s Brahmin priest was asked to make the horoscope of the child . The pundit and the midwife (Daulatan) agreed that the child had an exceptional aura. The horoscope prepared by pundit Hardyal predicted that the Hindus and the Muslims alike would acknowledge Nanak as a philosopher-teacher and that he in turn would make no distinction between them.
Nanak was strongly opposed to the caste distinction which was very prominent at that time in the Indian culture. Nanak was of very firm belief that the grace of God may come to a scholar or to an illiterate, high or low, rich or poor. A missionary in the true sense, he traveled extensively and interfaced and interacted with people of different faiths preaching Universal brotherhood, purity, justice and goodness. He did not set out to impose a new set of doctrines but reverted back to the truths and wisdom forgotten by strife torn world. He set out to build a community of men and women devoted to God and filled with a sense of love equality, and mutual respect, since he believed that God’s language is love – for all creatures. He believed that without practicing truthful conduct, all pilgrimages, penances and alms -giving bring little merit. It is difficult to believe that God, who is both loving and powerful, would make any such discrimination amongst His people. Such discriminations are made by man to serve his own selfish purpose, said Guru Nanak.
He restored women to their rightful equal place in society and regarded them as man’s companion on the spiritual plane. Guru Nanak’s moral laws are written on the tablets of eternity. He turned people from violence to peace; converted tyrants into compassionate beings; and changed painful societies into blissful communities. People of all faiths listened to his message and gained from his wise and sacred words. During one of his early morning ablutions by the river, Nanak had his first mystic experience (communion with God) wherein he was taken in a vision to God’s presence. Guru Ji’s first statement after his prophetic communion with God was “There is no Hindu, nor there is Mussalman.” He also declared his clear and primary interest not in any metaphysical doctrine but only in man and his fate. It means love your neighbor as yourself.
Nanak’s travel in Jammu & Kashmir (References “Historical Sikh Shrines of Jammu and Kashmir” and ” Ladakh and Nanak Rinpoche by Commodore DS Sodhi)
Guru Nanak traveled extensively within the country and as far as Ceylon and Baghdad. Guru Nanak’s first travel has been recorded to east , the second to south , the third to north and finally the fourth to west including Mecca and Medina. Commodore Sodhi in his work after perusing the work of various historians and scholars has drawn a probable route of Guru Nanak in jammu and kashmir. The probable route to his appreciation emerges as entering Ladakh , travelling to Leh, Kargil (Skardu, Gilgit now in POK), Harimukat (Harmukh ganga near Gangbal lake), Srinagar (Hari parbat, shankracharya), Awantipur, Bij Behara, Ananat Nag, Mattan, Amarnath, Kishtawar (Gulab Garh Padder), Badherwa (Sidhan Di Bageechi), Chenani, Ramnagar, Lakes Surinsar and Mansar, Vaishnodevi (Garb Yoni), Jammu (Jamvant Guffa now called Peer Kho), Ma Kali Mandir Bahu Fort , Purmandal and Jasrota. The Bani recited by Guru Nanak at some of these revered shrines is an integral part of Shri Guru Granth Sahib. Beautiful Gurdwaras commemorating the visit of Guru Nanak to some of these places stand tall and are frequently visited by the pilgrims. It is heartening to know that the people of village Bakhta (Jasrota) donated the land (where Guru Nanak is supposed to have sat and given discourses and blessed the people) for construction of a Gurdwara to commemorate Nanak’s visit to that area.
Since the present-day tensions have developed uncontrollably across our borders, there is an urgent need to create bonds of mutual respect and love between all communities, and a firm resolve to avoid strife and disharmony. We have all to work towards attaining this goal in our personal and public lives. No one can accomplish these goals better and faster than the younger generation – of every religious persuasion and nationality – for Guru Nanak broke all barriers, social as well as geographical, to disseminate this spirit of universal brotherhood. In an era when the people of diverse faiths live in mortal fear of clash of cultures, and the so-called civilized nations compete in the clandestine manufacture of destructive weaponry, the rousing message of Guru Nanak for peaceful co-existence and mutual trust acquires a special urgency. Our Prime Minister in his recently aired ” Maan Ki Baat” said Guru Nanak’s teachings are the guiding principles not only for Indians but for the entire humanity,
Finally on the Birth anniversary of Guru Nanak let us pray and hope that the message of Guru Nanak “Let universal brotherhood be the highest aspiration of your religious order. He who grasps this truth realises that there is the one religion of all mankind” is understood by all of us and peace prevails within and across the Borders.
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