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Kartarpur means peace between Indian and
Pakistan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kartarpur/message/3870
(This article is dedicated to our dear Mr.
Tridevish Singh Maini who the other day was trying to explore my
connection with Kartarpur. Others may find it boring and might avoid
it.)
Guru Nanak the founder of Sikhism spent a major
part of his life preaching his concept. He traveled deep west up to
Iraq (perhaps
Turkey also), East up to Assam/Meghalya/Tripura, North up
to
Tibet and we have clear evidences of his going to
Sri lanka in South. But Kartarpur is the town (32.087129,
75.016612 see
www.maps.google.com) he founded with the assistance of Karoria the
revenue collector Duni Chand of Kalanaur where our beloved Guru stayed
for about 18 years and finally breathed his last.
Man can’t rightfully assess himself and some of
my close friends and critics have perhaps rightly remarked that my
love for Kartarpur Corridor is ‘skin deep’ or it is ‘mere
pakhand’. In a fit of sincerity, I admit them to be true
the remarks on me of a Dera Baba Nanak passerby (which I over heard
with guilt) are substantially correct, “look this man used to come
here on a broken scooter (tuttaa jiha scooter) and today he is
in a brand new car. Bahron paise aundey ney”
But it is definitely certain that I come from
the blessed land where Guru sahib spent so many years. My village
where I was born (year 1951) and brought up is Alawalpur near Pakiwan
/ Sarje Chakk, Mir Kachana, Roora, Shahpur Goraya about 9 km east of
Kartarpur in India. Since Kartarpur sahib dome is appreciably high, it
is visible from my house top. It was at least clearly visible till the
eucalyptus trees were planted along dhussi the raised embankment along
the border.
I don’t remember when I first had its darshan
but I do vividly remember the clear sky sometimes in the year 1964
when ashes of Baba Boorh Singh (my grand father’s brother) were to
be immersed in river
Ravi. I accompanied my uncle Major (havaldar) Malla Singh
and Hazara Singh. We traveled about 5 kms journey (obviously) on bare
feet! In those days elephant grass was not so common in the bela the
kind of forest land on border as it is these days. My uncles didn’t
mind even the
Pakistan territory and we went so close to Kartarpur sahib
that that the moment we reached the river, Kartarpur sahib there was
a magnificent building floating on the water. It was such a
scintillating scene ( I would say miraculous ) that I will remember
till the last day of my life. Viewing it chacha Hazara Singh got
emotional. He cursed the British that we had been departed from our
founder’s shrine.
In those good old days the villager’s source of
entertainment were few and the the festivals were a major source. At
Kartarpur they say the Massia the day of the moonless night festival
used to a big attraction. Uncle Kartar Singh’s bullocks won many a
laurels at Kartarpur the Well of our Master. Baba Sampooran Singh
became famous throughout the region because he could lift the well (I.e
entire infrastructure of well). Later Nihang Pooran Singh of Kakkeke
had interesting tales when he could still go to the shrine in the
night sky to pay his obeisance while on his cattle stealing spree from
the
Pakistan territory. There used to be praises for the Manji
Torh wala jatha (?) because that singer did keertan at such a high
pitch that it could be heard at village Kakkeke. There would be talk
of a Muslim follower of Kartarpur who would donate Karah Parsad of Rs.
100 every year. My mother who is 93 years is deeply devoted to
Kartarpur sahib and says my elder brother was born with the blessings
of Kartarpur sahib. She remembers the days when a railway line was
laid to Kartarpur from
Amritsar especially the construction of bridge on river.
What I feel today is that Kartarpur sahib was not
only the religious epicentre of the people around it and was perhaps
social and cultural centre too.
I left the village for my higher studies and
obviously I lost track of Kartarpur until 1980, when my younger sister
was married to Daljit Singh of Dera Baba Nanak and his farms were more
close to Kartarpur border. In the end of 1988, I was transferred to
Punjab and obviously visited Dera Baba Nanak on and off. I
would then curse the Sikh leaders for the abandonment of such an
important shrine as Kartarpur. We discussed among the friends of the
alternatives for Kartarpur. Some one suggested that the countries do
exchange territories. For me this was the solution because I knew
there were many chinks of
land of
Indian territory that were beyond
Ravi and thus inconvenient. I would read of a corridor in
Bangladesh territory. Perhaps it was called Teen Bigha. My
office junior Manjit Singh an amritdahri Sikh once remarked (in 1992)
“Sir, it appears you are going to create some problem for the
Sikhs.” His was the first remark that I later discovered almost
every Sikh leader felt that very way. I really feel sorry for that
kind of mind set.
A Pakistani Minister and Kartarpur
I had the proud privilege to accompany a Jatha
(troupe) of about 3000 Sikhs to Sikh shrines in
Pakistan that left
India by train on
April 11,1994. Sardar Manjit Singh Calcutta, Secretary SGPC
was the Jatha leader. The Jatha reached straightaway at Hasan Abdal (Panja
Sahib) at
4 a.m the next morning.
We learnt that a minister from Pakistan Federal
Govt was arriving at
8 am to welcome the Sikhs. Devotees were hardly ready
because there were a few bathrooms. Though I myself got ready at 8.
Accordingly Sardar Fateh Mohd. Hassani, Federal Minister of Minority
Affairs, Pakistan Govt ( Benazir Butto Govt) arrived well in time to
welcome us. He started addressing sangat the congregation at about
8-30.
The sangat was at that time busy doing their matha tek while the
Gurdwara Panja Sahib hall was very small. Since the sangat was still
arriving the whole scene became utterly chaotic and embarrassing for
the Sikhs. The truth is no body was listening to the Minister. No body
was taking any initiative to save the situation. The Minister was
despite continuing his address. I got up and approached
Calcutta sahib to ask the Sangat to sit down and listen our
Muslim Guest the minister. Mr. Calcutta was a bit rude to me, “what
the hell can I do?” I repeated my request that he ask the sangat to
sit down. He said he had got no sewadar around who can help it. Rudely
again he asked me if I was feeling so bad I could do it myself. I
lost no second and took the command and requested everybody to get
down. It took hardly 2 -3 minutes and now everybody was respectfully
sitting where ever they were standing. People stopped matha tek. It
was all calm and quite.
Sardar Hassani was a young minister from
Balochistan and his Urdu was not easily understandable to every one.
In his speech he emphasized that the Pakistan Govt was sincerely for
good relations with Sikhs. After his speech, was the ardas and then
the Gurdwara had arranged a tea party (langar) for Janab Hassani.
Leaders of the Sikh Jatha left the Gurdwara along with Pakistani
officials. But before the minister was out of the hall he looked at me
(sitting) left behind.
His PA returned to me and asked me to accompany
the minister. When I was in his company, the PA remarked to me, “Sardar
sahib! have you felt how the Sikhs were behaving in a stupid manner.
Obviously I felt very much offended. The minister heard his curt
remark but did not react. The PA started correcting himself, “I
mean…me.. look the Pakistan Govt is taking lot of steps to keep the
Jathas comfortable but the ‘innocent’ Sikhs were not appreciating
it and rather our minister was insulted.
I explained him that the Sikhs were not at fault.
If at fault was some one it was the management. I then spoke of the
crowd behaviour what I had learnt in my MA sociology course. I told
the PA how the crowd is like a ploughed field in which the farmer
leader can sow any seed and it germinates. I told him, look the
people were standing but when I requested them they dutifully obeyed
me. So the fault was not with the crowd. The PA unfortunately passed
another remark, “But we understand the Sikhs are an innocent lot who
is always exploited by the clever Hindus.” It was a second
embarrassment for us all.
I said, “Look PA sahib! We exactly think the
same of Muslims.” I never knew that the Minister was very carefully
listening to our dialogue while Mr. Calcutta was busy with the
Director and Sindhi Sikh leaders.
The minister then jumped in our discussion and
very politely asked me to tell how the Sikhs think that the Muslims
are a ‘stupid’ lot. He assured me he would not mind my reply what
ever blunt it was. Then I started explaining.
That we have close social relationship with
Hindus as compared to Muslims, though theologically our religion was
closer to Islam. I said that you should tell or show the visiting
Sikhs such things which brought the two people closer. The Minister
asked whether could I tell some examples. I said that for example the
Sikhs burn their dead ones like the Hindus do while the Muslims bury.
But your should remember that a pious grave of Guru Nanak exists. Lo
and behold! Every body among the
Pakistan troupe was thrilled. “Where is that grave?”
asked the minister. I said that is exactly my point. The minister
repeated, “Is it in
Pakistan?”
I said that is why we Sikhs think that the
Muslims are innocent. The minister then hurriedly said, “leave that
question and tell where that grave is.” I said it was very much in
Pakistan AND THAT
PAKISTAN HAS NEVER BOTHERED TO SHOW IT TO THE VISITING
SIKHS FOR THE LAST 47 YEARS. The Director of Evacuee Property Trust
Board (EPTB) was busy with
Calcutta sahib and minister sought his attention and asked
where that grave of Guru Nanak exists. The director had no knowledge
of it. I then explained the minister the whole thing about Kartarpur
sahib. They made formal official notes of the ‘grave’.
I came back and forgot every thing about the
Panja sahib episode.
In 1997 however some one told me that in Ajit
daily there was Dera Baba Nanak datelined news that
Pakistan could grant some kind of corridor to Kartarpur.
But till this date I have failed to see the news my self. A year ago
I spoke to Sohan Singh Khasanwali the then correspondent of Ajit but
he could not remember the source of such a news.
In 1998 however there was a detailed article on
Kartarpur sahib by Elias Ghuman of
Lahore. I regret I could not preserve that article. In the
year 2000 then appeared again a detailed article by Mr. Bhullar of
Bhai Mardana Yaadgari Keertan Durbar Society Ferozepur with a coloured
photo of Darbar sahib building. It also said that
Pakistan might consider granting free corridor to Kartarpur
sahib. I extensively used that photo in the later publications. In the
same year Mr. Varinder Walia of Tribune accompanied the Jatha and
published the news of Pakistani intention.
B.S.Goraya
Editor/Moderator:-
Punjab Monitor Magazine
www.punjabmonitor.com
www.kartarpur.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kartarpur/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inderpreet2000/
Servant:-
Sangat Langha Kartarpur
60, Diamond Avenue, Majitha Road, Amritsar
Tel: 0091-9417064262(Mobile) 0091-183-2421915(Landline)
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