KHARYAR ABODE OF BHAGWAN GOPI NATH JI

(A poem written by  national  hindi poet  Sumitranandan Pant in praise of saint Gopinath Ji )

                                       

                        ( The last journey  1968 )

                       ( Kangri used by the saint )

                                          

    ( Bhagwan Gopinath Ji 1898-1968 )

SAINT  BHAGWAN GOPINATH JI  ( 1898-1968) 

I was a school student and the year was perhaps 1967 or 1968. My father decided to visit his inlaws and sister and asked me to get ready. We went to Zaiankadal and then to Brai Kujan near Gadood Bagh park where my father 's sister lived in rented house after their shifting from Kishtwar . Pandit Dina Nath Sher ,my father 's brother in law was a Postmaster in Kishtwar . Once in Sher's house we came to know Amaji ( my father's sister ) had gone with a lady from Nehru family ( who lived near by ) to seek blessings from a saint. I vividly remember having asked my father if Pandit Jawahar Nehru also lived in Braikujan area . To this query he had said yes possibly to create a desire in me to join him. My father went to the market and purchased sugar candy ( Nabbad) and we also went to the saint living in a house at Gadood Bagh park near Brai kujan. We went upstairs and then entered a room where some fire was burning creating smoke . I also saw a large sized Kangri and an elderly Kashmiri Pandit in Pheran sitting before the fire puffing a Chillum. My father went near him and touched his feet . He pulled me by the arm and asked me to bow and touch the feet of the man . Suddenly my father said loudly "Ye Mahra chhu su"( he is the boy). The elderly person looked at me for a moment and continued puffing his Chillum but did not say anything. I saw Ama Ji( my father's sister ) smiling . We were given Kehwa tea and Kulcha by a lady who came up smilingly . When we came out I started weeping  and asking my father as to why he took me to the old man and what I  had done . I added that I had stood first in my class in the DAV school and Pandit Dina Nath Handoo my teacher loved me more than his child and instead of showing me the house of Jawahar Lal Nehru, a false complaint was lodged against me with an elderly person. My father had simply said that the person was greater than Jawahar  Lal Nehru. We did not talk on our journey back home and I wanted to lodge a protest with my mother about what I considered a 'false complaint'  . After some days , my father  put entire record straight to me . This is how my father introduced the great saint Bhagwan Gopi Nath Ji to me. He would frequently quote Allama Iqbal's couplet with reference to Bhagwan Gopi Nath Ji .Here goes the couplet :-

Na Takhto Taaj Me Naa Lashkaro Sipaah Me Hai

Jo Baat Marde Qalandhar Ki BaarGaah Me Hai.

 Bhagwan Ji was a saint rooted to pure Kashmiri traditions. His devotees have kept the traditions alive. I am happy to see complete elements of Reshi Culture of Kashmir in his Ashrams be it at Kharyar , Udhaywala or new Delhi.I don't need to say anything more about this towering spiritual personality of Kashmir. He loved simplicity . He was deep into Ishwar Sadhana, Yoga and Tapasya.A saint who kept his doors open to all,blessed all and loved all. 

I conclude this post with poetic lines of urdu poet Bashir Badr.....

Meri Subh Tere Hi naam se ,

Meri Shaam tere Kalaam se ,

Tere Ghar Ko Chhod Ke Jaongaa ,

Yeh Khayaal Dil Se Nikaal De.

Yeh Imaartein Yeh Wazartein ,

Yeh to Chaar Din Ki hai Chandini,

Mujhe Oos Faquir ki Shaan De ,

Ki Zamana jis Ki misaal de.

( Avtar Mota )