Professor S.Trilok Singh had a chance to visit Pakistan, twice. Here he provides us the glimpses of what he believes was his memorable journey
|| PROF. S.TRILOK SINGH
Being Sikh we pray daily to Almighty for open visa and service in totality of those gurdwaras which are separated from Sikh Panth, namely Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, Rodi Sahib, Sachha Soda Sahib and Derra Sahib. Wether a Sikh is national of U.S.A. , Australia, Germany, France, Afganistan, India or any other country or from any corner of the world, everyone prays. Kashmir (J&K) also became victim of partition in 1947. 1/3 part of the state is under Pakistani control and 2/3 part under Indian control. India calls that part which is under Pakistan as Pak Occupied Kashmir (POK) and Pakistan calls the part which under Indian control as Indian Occupied Kashmir. Maharaja of J&K, late Dogra ruler namely Hari Singh who was given the right of accession by paramount power (British Govt.) had choosen to remain with India, even being 67% population of Muslims in J&K state. No doubt Pakistan was created on basis of “ TWO NATION THEORY ”. Whatsoever the fruits of partition were everybody of the Sub-Continent tasted it. Majority of Sikh community remained in eastern Punjab. The result was that the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev ji, i.e. Nankana Sahib and the above mentioned Gurdwaras remained in Pakistan.
Partition brought miseries to all communities, i.e. Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims. Muslims and Sikhs suffered heavy loss of life and property. The independent countries which emerged on the globe became worst enemies. They started playing in the Western hands. The world was divided in two blocks and the Cold War was there. The main issue “THE BONE OF CONTENTION” remained Kashmir which is a problem or issue to be solved peacefully. Both countries fought wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and Kargil War in 1999. But the problem remained as it is. To quote BBC when Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji became prime minister of India, one of a long pending demand of the community, i.e. “RAJ KAREGA KHALSA” has come true. So is the case with other such demands, i.e. “JINHAN GURDWAREYAN, GURDHAMAN TOH PANTH NU VICHODIA GAYA HAI, KULE DARSHAN DEEDAR THE SEVA SAMBHAL DA DAN KHALSA JI NU BAKSHO” this implies to the free visit to all the sacred gurdwaras around the globe which are important from the religious point of view. Every year thousands of Sikhs from India are allowed to visit the Holy Gurdwaras in Pakistan. We the Kashmiri Sikhs are also allowed to visit these gurdwara sahibs.
The Yatries from all over India assembled at Attari along with other formalities , Polio drops were fed in the mouths of all Yatries but only two hundred were able to have these, due to crowd, the concerned person left, it was easy for him if he could have taken the help of a few more people and chosen the train to feed them with the drops as the passengers were already seated in.
However after completion of formalities the train left for Wagha (Pakistan). Here the change of currency , check of luggage , passport, visa ,identification , allotment of rooms, railway ticket booking etc took place.
In the year 2012, I got visa for visit and along with a large number of Sikhs from the state visited these gurdwaras. I was fed up at Attari (India) and Wagha (Pakistan) due to long wait, i.e. from 700hrs to 1330hrs at Attari Border owing to security check, visa, passport and other documents etc. without water, and a meal. I was compelled to say that blessed is my Kashmir , our Haji’s are highly respected when they proceed to Jidah. Our hon’ble Chief Minister accompanies them upto the boarding terminal at airport, shakes hand with each Haji Sahab and wishes them goodbye. But we are insulted in here.
This year, I again got chance to visit these places. However this year a bit easy. We were in two buses, and left Jammu at 2130hrs reaching Amritsar at 200hrs. We entered Darbar Sahib complex and left it at 600hrs to reach Attari at 700hrs. The Yatries from all over India assembled at Attari along with other formalities , Polio drops were fed in the mouths of all Yatries but only two hundred were able to have these, due to crowd, the concerned person left, it was easy for him if he could have taken the help of a few more people and chosen the train to feed them with the drops as the passengers were already seated in. However after completion of formalities the train left for Wagha (Pakistan). Here the change of currency , check of luggage , passport, visa ,identification , allotment of rooms, railway ticket booking etc took place. After sorting all the formalities train left for Panja Sahib (Hassan Abdal). Pakistan govt. had made sufficient arrangements of security. At 2330hrs we reached Panja Sahib (Hassan Abdal, Karim Agency). From railway station to gurdwara sahib we were taken in deluxe buses, it was hardly 1.5 km distance, again filling of forms etc. were done and were taken to the rooms allotted.
After sorting all the formalities train left for Panja Sahib (Hassan Abdal). Pakistan govt. had made sufficient arrangements of security. At 2330hrs we reached Panja Sahib (Hassan Abdal, Karim Agency).
The gurdwara arrangements is under Waqaf Board. It is very nicely managed and monitored. The free kitchen (Guru Ka Langar) properly handled by Sikhs of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtoon Khan and Sindhi’s especially of Kher Pur Sakhar. We stayed there for three nights, i.e. 12th -14th April. Pakistan celebrated Baisakhi on 14th April 2016, the 317th year of ‘Khalsa Sajna’. Sikhs of Pakistan seem to be happy, they enjoy minority right and have reserved quota in govt. sevices. The Sikh girls of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtoon Khan , Swat, Manserra etc. were there. I asked a number of girls about what they are doing. ‘ We are students’ was the answer. One Sikh girl told me that she is from Swat and pursuing M.B.B.S. and her brother is also a doctor. ‘What is your name?’ I asked. She replied ‘Bisma Kumari’. ‘You will get specialized in any field?’ I asked. “ Insha Allah” was her reply. ‘Are you not afraid of being in minority’ I asked. ‘ No not at all, we are happy’ was her reply. On 14thApril the chairman of Waqaf Board addressed the people in Panja Sahib gurudwara hall, ‘ there are 20K Sikhs in Pakistan , they are citizens of Pakistan, the Sikhs of Panja Sahib were facing difficulty of Cremation Ground. ‘ I have allotted land on the banks of river, Sikh-Muslim has started from Guru Nanak Dev Ji, i.e. Guru Nanak ji and Bhai Mardana , Guru Arjan Dev ji and Mian Mir Lahori, Guru Gobind Singh and Pir Budu Shah, Gani Khana and Nabi Khan.” Were his precious stanza of speech.
On 15thApril we reached Nankana Sahib the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The gurdwara complex was nicely decorated and illuminated. Again checking , filling of forms etc. were completed, we approached our allotted rooms. Having a little dinner, we took rest in the allotted rooms. Next day we saw the other nearby gurdwara’s. Two gurdwaras 5th Patshahi and 6th Patshahi were opened and handed over to Sikhs. The chairman of Waqaf Board at that time appointed a Granthi and two sevadars. He also announced, ‘ Guru Nanak Dev International University to be setup in Lahore and this will be a unique university. There will be a chair of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Mian Mir, Bhai Mardana, Baba Fareed and well versed and veteran teachers will be appointed in the university’.
In 2012 the markets were open in Nankana Sahib to us, but now in 2016 the markets were completely shut owing to security reasons best known to the govt. In 2012 a young man came to us and requested, “are you from Indian Kashmir”. ‘ya’ was my reply. ‘Can you help me?’ he asked. I replied yes, ‘what is the problem?’ He said, ‘my grandfather, Gudha Baksh was living in Sopore village, his son Mohi-uh-din was studying in Multan Pakistan. Due to partition he remained there and got married. We are his two sons ,our father is no more, kindly see if we could find our relatives, so that we could have glimpse of our forefathers place and meet the relatives etc.’ I replied, ‘ my brother Sopore is now small London of Kashmir, how can we trace your kins with so less information. I’m sorry.’
From Nankana Sahib on 16thof April we were taken to Gurdwara Saccha Soda Sahib distt. Shekhupora Here Guru Nanak was sent by his father to purchase goods which will bring profits. Nanak ji spent entire amount of Rs. 20/- on feeding hungry saints, faquirs etc. On 18th April we came to Lahore, Deera Sahib. In Lahore there is famous minar (MINAR-E-LAHORE). On 26thof January Pt. Nehru declared complete independence for India, in 1933 Dr. Iqbal proposed a country or a part of sub-continent to be called Pakistan (Nation with Muslim Majority). In Lahore there is last resting place of Dr. S.M.Iqbal. Lahore has remained the capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who closed the doors to the Western invaders. From Lahore we went to a one day journey to Rodi Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib distt. Gujaranwala. In Kartarpur Sahib the founder of Sikh religion spent last years of his life and bestowed Guruship to Bhai Lehena Ji (Guru Angad Dev Ji). Besides preaching oneness of God, i.e. Monestic conception of God , “ EK OON KAR”. Stress on hard work , honest and pure life , universal brotherhood etc. Here he lived with his family and sustained them by farming. It was from Kartarpur that Guru ji left for heavenly adobe.
From railway station to gurdwara sahib we were taken in deluxe buses, it was hardly 1.5 km distance, again filling of forms etc. were done and were taken to the rooms allotted.
We also visited Gurdwara Rodi Sahib, where Guru Ji had a dialogue with a capitalist Malik Bhago , who had arranged a lunch on (BRAHMBHOJ) for saints, Brahmans and other learned pundits , Guru ji was also invited. Guru Ji refused the invitation and preferrred dry chappatis and vegetable from a carpenter’s (LALO) home, a hard worker and a honest man. When asked by capitalist Malik Bhago for refusing the invitation of Brahmbhoj and having meal at Lalo’s home Guru Ji replied, ‘ Lalo earns his livelihood by hard work and you are exploiting the labour their innocence. There is blood of poor workers in your meal (this shows dignity of labour is harmed and totally exploited. Exploitation of any kind whether on religious bases or misuse of power is equal to sucking blood out of poor and ignorant labours.
In Rodi Sahib some teachers and local staff were assigned the duty of helping Yataries in filling up the forms. Fortunately I met them. They asked me where I have come from. I replied, ‘from your BREATHING VEIN (SHAH-RAG)’. What are you doing? was their question. I replied, ‘ a retired teacher’. ‘Oh we are all teachers, pointing towards one person he is D.E.O.’ we embraced each other as if we had met after a lapse of long time. Here I murmured few words from Waris Shah’s Heer, ‘ heer akhdi v jogiya kon ruthde yaar mananda e esa koi na dekheya bhal thaki jeda gaya nu mod leaunda nii……..’ I requested them , ‘kindly teach the students rather help them to understand the good qualities of human being, as one identity.’ ‘ All human beings are one. We are sons and daughters of one almighty God. Be first human beings, ‘ learning to be- How this man will progress, how to help in developing his metal abilities, live and let live. Not narrow mindedness. I requested them to teach them with love, moral values – To know good, To do good and To have good. We embraced each other again and waived goodbye to each other.
In Lahore we hired an auto rickshaw from Fort to Chunna Mandi. It got punchered, its chain dropped and it starting moving backwards. Myself and other sardars started pushing it forward saying, ‘Ya Pir Dastgeer’. The locals were enjoying and laughing, asking ‘Sardar ji kidron aye ho?’ I replied, “Bhartiya Kashmir”. A common man has nothing to do with what’s happening on other side. If there is people to people contact I’m sure everything will be o.k. People love each other, they want to share development and adoption of new techniques for progress. People there asked me what message you will give to your countrymen. I replied, ‘the message of good will. Human beings are one. We are one India and Pakistan is two brothers, true friend’s message of good wishes leave enmity. Be friends, strong Pakistan is in the interest of India as our leaders and politicians say. Whenever there is any kind of ill will between the two countries we are the one’s most effected.
On 21st April we left Lahore for India. We were served with light packet lunch by Pakistan on Wagha Border and welcomed with lunch by S.G.P.C. Amritsar at Attari. We wished goodbye to Pakistan with waiving hands as some Pakistani children and elders were wishing us the same. I wish both countries to progress and there should be everlasting friendship between the two.
The Author hails from Gamraj Tral and can be contacted at : 9697973322
