A VISIT TO FATEHGARH SAHIB IN PUNJAB ... MITTER PYAARE NU HAAL MUREEDAAN DA KEHNAA .....

                                                                             
                     

MITTER PYAARE NU --- HAAL MUREEDAAN DA KEHNAA 

A PRIVATE VISIT TO SIRHIND AND FATEHGARH SAHIB... ON 17.02.2013

I  drove from Jammu to Bassi Pathana ( Sirhind ) on 17.02.2013 to attend a marriage function  . Drove from  Jammu by Car  and returned at 11 PM covering a distance of about 740 Kms to and fro. Drove via Hoshiarpur , Ropar ,and Morinda . Driving on main highways in Punjab is a pleasure especially on roads built by ROHAN AND RAJDEEP TOLL WAYS LTD under public private partnership. Even if one has to pay heavy tolls at various places ,the roads are worth it . This applies to Hoshiarpur – Ropar Road as well.

I noticed that river sutlej is almost sucked into Punjab for irrigation and Power Generation . The blue waters of Sutlej canal flow majestically near Ropar town .

Tractor loads of Sugarcane from fields were being driven to sugar Mills. Yes the sugarcane crop was also being harvested. We were held up near Mukerian Sugar Mill. Some of the tractor drivers were waiting in a queue for their turn to enter the Mukerian Sugar Mill to offload the sugarcane stock since last two days. Sleeping and eating in makeshift shelters on the Road.

Lush green Wheat crop ,The sugarcane fields and the yellow Mustard flowers caught my attention during this long drive.

KINNU the poor man’s orange was everywhere in Punjab. Sold On Highways at Rs20 per Kg. One kg means five good sized juicy fruits. I bargained and got 5 Kgs for Rs75. I always find Kinnus More juicy and cheaper than oranges .

The Bajaj Tempo is still visible in some areas of rural Punjab . I remember these three wheeled vehicles plying in Jammu and later in Srinagar city during early seventies. Kashmiris would call it Gaggur ( RAT ) . It was a transport of choice in Jammu city at that point of time .Since the manufacture of this vehicle has been stopped by Bajaj Auto Ltd. , I do not know how spare parts etc. are being managed in Punjab .

FATEH GARH SAHIB OR THE LAND OF MARTYARDOM OF  GURU GOBIND SINGH JI’S FAMILY

Since Fatehgarh sahib Gurdwara was close by to the marriage venue, I decided to visit this place along with some friends from Punjab. Yes Fatehgarh sahib ,the place of Martyrdom of two minor sons of Guru Gobind singh Ji along with their pious Grand Mother Mata Gujri Devi ( married to Guru Tegh Bahudar Ji ).

“ Mitter Pyaaray nu ,

Haal Mureedaaan Da Kehnaa ..

Tudh Bin Roag Rajaaian dhaa oudhan

Naag Nivasaan Da Rehnaa …

Sool Sooraahi Khanjar Piyaala

Bing Kasaaiyaan Dhaa sehnaa……….

Yaarare Saanu sathar Changaa

Bhath Kheriaan Dhaa rehnaa ..

Mitter Pyaaray Nu ,

Haal Mureedaaan Dhaa Kehnaa…

………………………..Mitter Pyaaray nu ,

Haal Mureedaaan Da Kehnaa…………..

( Guru Gobind singh Ji )

Tell that adorable  Friend   ,

Tell him the predicament of his disciples .

“ Without You , these costly Blankets look like sickness,

And the in house comforts appear like snakes …………

The water filled pitchers torment
While the cups resemble sharp daggers.

Your neglect has been like the misery
inflicted by a butcher’s knife on poor animals ……………….

O Adorable Friend !

Your straw bed( Death bed ) is more comfort giving than living in these expensive houses ”

Tell that adorable  Friend ( Lord )  ,

Tell him the predicament of his disciples .

This is how this great warrior , saint and poet poured out his pain once he came to know about the killing of his pious mother Mata Gujri Devi and two innocent minor sons sahibzada Fateh Singh and Sahibzada Zorawar Singh ( 9 years and 7 Years ) by Wazir Khan Governor of Sirhind in December 1705.

It is worth mentioning that a strong protest was lodged with Mughal king by Sher Mohammed Khan, Nawab of Malerkotla against this inhuman act of Wazir khan adding that it was against the glorious tenets of Quran and Islam. Guru Gobind Singh ji on learning this kind and humanitarian approach profusely thanked the Nawab of Malerkotla and blessed him with his Hukamnama, Kirpan etc. In recognition of this act, During 1947 riots when Punjab was in flames, the State of Malerkotla did not witness a single incident of violence; it remained a lone island of peace in Punjab and the Muslim population of the town stayed back in India .

A magnificent Gurdwara has come up at the place where two sons and their Grand Mother were cremated . This Gurdwara is known as Fatehgarh sahib Gurdwara . just 10 Kms from Bassi Pathana if one goes from Hoshiarpur- Ropar - Morinda route . And close by to Sirhind town if one goes from the other route ie; Jalandhar – Ludhiana – Sirhind. We went by Ropar to attend the marriage function at Bassi Pathana near sirhind.

Other two sons of Guru Gobind singh namely ji  sahibzada Ajit singh and sahibzada Jhujar singh alongwith Pandit Kirpa Ram died in Dec 1699 AD fighting Mughal forces at Chamkaur sahib .

It is also worth mentioning  that Pandit Kirpa Ram Dutt son of Pandit Aru Ram Dutt resident of Mattan Kashmir was a kashmiri Brahmin who led the delegation of 500 kashmiri Pandits from Mattan Kashmir to Anandpur sahib Punjab to meet Guru Tegh Bahdur ji  during Mughal rule . So much was Pandit Kirpa Ram impressed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji that he along with some kashmiri Pandits stayed back at Anandpur sahib and imparted Knowledge of Sanskrit language and Vedas to Gurr Gobindh singh ji . He converted to Sikhism and remained with Guruji till his last breath.

Inn Putaran ke kaarnay -Waar Diye suut Chaar

Chhar Moovay Te Kyaa huvaa – Jeevit kayee hazaar.

( Guru Gobindh singh ji )

( For these sons ( His followers ) I sacrificed my own four sons,

What if four were sacrificed , at least thousands continue to live ..

Guru Gobind singh ji had profound knowledge of classical music both vocal and instrumental and also knew 9 languages including sanskrit , Persian , Khadi , Brij, Marathi and Punjabi. Qazi Peer Mohammed taught him Persian.This scholarly Qazi also remained a long companion of Guru Gobind Singh ji.

Guru ji would paint and sculpt as well. Sometimes he would play on Sitar or Mridang or Tabla but a siraanda ( A string based musical instrument ) was his favourite. His siraanda lies preserved in Rawalsar Gurdwara In Himachal Pradesh . As a poet he also wrote a poem praising Tegh ( jai Tegham ) sword . For him a sword was representation of Goddess Durga and Chandi .

“Jai Jag Kaaran srishti Ubharan

Mum Prati Paaran jai Tegham”

And what boon does he seek from his lord ?

Deho shiva vur mohe Aiho Shubh Karman se kabh hoon na taruun

( Guru Gobind singh )

( O shiva ! Grant me this boon  that I do not hesitate from performing Good deeds .)

And the shabd ( Hymn) that is so close to Human values goes as under ,

Sach Kahoon Sun Leho sabhai

Jin prem kiyo Tin Hi Prabh Paayo……………………..

( Guru Gobind singh )

( And shall I tell you the truth , Then listen ..

Only those who have loved could realize the Lord. )

I need to mention that the soul touching Shabd " Re Mun Aiso kar sanyaasa " from the movie NANAK NAAM JAHAAZ HAI sung by Asha Bhonsle is a composition of Guru Gobind singh ji only.  This shabd was a favourite of urdu poet   Sahir Ludhianavi. The words  made him serious and   moistened his eyes .

The deeds of this great saint and warrior have been praised eloquently by swami Vivekananda . Swami ji hails him as a great saint and social reformer who made serious attempt to unite and integrate India and free the society from the division of caste and race.

"Some are Hindus while others Muslim.

of the latter some are Shias and

others are Sunnis. Man's caste should be

considered as one" (Manas ke

jaat sabhai ekai pahchanbo ”)

(Guru Gobind singh from Akal Astuti)

Jo Hum Ko Parmeshwar Uchar Hai

Tay Sabh Narak Kund Mein Par Hai

Mai Hoon Param Purkh Ko Daasa

Dekhan Aayo Jagat Tamaasa…….

( From Vichittar Natak by Guru Gobind singh ji )

Those who address me as God

Shall fall into hell fire .

I am just a servant of that great Lord ,

fated to visit the earth to see this drama of existence .

( Autar Mota )

23^rd Feb. 2013 ime 11.30 PM … Good Night                                      

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.