Gurpurab 2012

Today was Guru Nanak Jayanti – the birth anniversary of the founder of the Sikh religion. By a happy coincidence (and more appropriately) it also happened to be World Compassion Day – a day marked to celebrate universal brotherhood, fellow feeling, voluntary service (seva), love and forgiveness.
More than 500 years ago, Guru Nanak Dev had preached the very same values, but in different words: “Nirda▫i▫ā nahī jot ujālā” (You have no compassion, the Lord's light does not shine in you). On this auspicious day, let us invoke his teachings and rededicate ourselves to those noble thoughts. As they say, “Guru Nanak Dev-ji de prakash utsav di lakh lakh vadhayee sabhaanu!”
The prabhat pheri around Lokhandwala started out late this year and had taken a new route – thereby depriving many of us the opportunity to join the procession. Srichand Arora was quite disappointed as he has developed a sore heel and unlike previous years, could not travel the distance to catch up with the procession. Kishor Babani though, was lucky. He arrived from Bangkok last night and the first thing he and his wife did this morning was to seek the blessings of Wahe Guru at the prabhat pheri. Only thereafter did he show up at the Garden.
Ramila Mistry very graciously distributed roasted almonds (left pic) as prasad – a welcome treat on an auspicious occasion. And the other big news of the morning: Shekhawat has booked 20 tickets to Amritsar by Golden Temple Mail for the Himachal Tour next March-April. How he could mobilise so many people in less than a week is nothing short of a miracle. Of course, there’s Arora also – the silent presence operating tirelessly in the background. Hats off to these two remarkable gentlemen!
Harish Wadhwa:
Twanu sab-nu vee Guru Nanak Dev-ji de Prakash Utsav di lakh lakh vadhayeeyan. Rab twada bhala kare te jholi vich khushiyan bhar deve.