This year, it is the 554th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Gurpurab celebrations begin with ‘Prabhat pheris’, the early morning processions, which began at the Gurudwara and culminated at the residence of Minipreet and Baljeet Singh (B 46). The three guiding principles of Guru Nanak Dev ji are: “Naam japana, kirat karna, vand chhakana”, which means to remember God, to work hard and honestly and to share with others.
As we sat listening to the kirtan on a chilly wintry morning, there arose a feverish fever of a collective mindfulness within the ‘sangat’ as we ruminated on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Just like gold ornaments of all shapes and sizes are amalgamated by a goldsmith into one nugget of gold, so was our collective consciousness channelled into a stream of oneness in those enchanting moments.
Guru Nanak saw human beings as an integral part of nature, not in conflict with it. He advocated living in harmony with Nature, and not dominating it. Unfortunately, the latter is exactly what is being done in the mindless pursuit of so-called development.
The kirtan was followed by a sumptuous ‘Langar’ which was served in steel crockery. The ‘sangat’ bonded over steaming chai, ‘chola kulcha’, jalebis and much more.
As I said my goodbyes, the host, Baljeet Singh, proudly told me that no disposable plastic crockery was being used. What was even more promising was that he gladly took the suggestion to deliver the floral waste to a site from where it is handed over for recycling. In doing so the family is truly living by the tenets of Sikhism, for one of the extracts from the ‘Gurbani’ says “Pavan guru Paanee pita’, Maataa dharat mahat” (Wind is the teacher, Water is the father, and Earth is the great mother)
