Today was my regular Sunday visit to the Gurudwara Nanak Pyau. But it was different in ways more than one. The whole experience as very unique...for me atleast
Those who are familiar with the ways and proceedings of any Gurudwara would know that before entering the sanctum one has to deposit his/her footwear with a person responsible for their upkeep. In return they give you a token that usually has a number. As usual, today also I collected the token and proceeded to pay my homage.
Later, while doing the parikrama of the sarowar, I took notice of the number; it was number 786. Inadvertently, a smile came across my face...
There I was, a devout Hindu, at a Sikh place of worship, holding a number considered relevant by the Muslims!
Myriad emotions surged within me...I wanted to tell the world that it did not matter where and how one chooses to connect with Him, the Omnipotent and the Omnipresent. He is One...he is Unity; it all depends on how one chooses to view things...
As William Blake once put...
" To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour..."
...it's all a matter of perception.
4 comments:
Yups! God has his great ways to tell us about his presence and that we are one! Hope people will understand that… I think they are beginning to, now, especially if you look at what happened in Malegaon: there were no communal riots by the grace of God….
Best wishes,
Rajesh
Doctoral Associate
Queens College, London (via e mail)
It feels good reading about your experience. I think that such things can take place only in the Indian territory as it houses so many religions/ideas/perceptions. This experience of yours holds greater significance as modern-day scenario is stiff with a lot of communal tension and confusion. There is one moral in your story and that is:
United we sustain divided we succumb.
Thanks for sharing what you believe.
Anu (via e mail)
Good observation.
Practically speaking (or should I say IMHO) 'God' is mostly a means of solacement. I believe almost every conscious mind gets it but s/he still wants to, not necessarily needs to, seek some one/thing who/which is fair/unbiased/true/loving/forgiving...
That is your 'God' and believe me I have no issues! Anything for the betterment of humankind!
Rajeev Kumar (via e mail)
Respected Ma'm,
I would share one of the many events that happened with me here. as it is very recent.
On the last day of our semester IV exam, we three friends, Anil, Chelian, Ashish sat down under the Bodhi Tree and planned what we would be doing in the coming days at our beloved LC-1. The success of farewell party to seniors had given us confidence that we can do some good work here. Among many, one was the presidential debate among the candidates for the post of president. Since that very day, we started mobilizing this idea, sharing with everybody, telling everybody that this kind of an event would be held. Some laughed, but many said well, some still doubted it to be a very foolish idea. But we kept on mobilizing and preparing for it. We began with Weekend sessions. After nomination date, around 9.30 pm we called on all the probable candidates. There were heated exchanges, why, how, when, what to be discussed in that debate. Venue would not be seminar hall; we shall erect a big tent in the parking area. What is the motto, you favour a particular candidate, and even some of the boys were indirectly threatened. It went on till 1030 pm. But in next two days we came out with a set of rules that to be followed during that session.
Chelian and I approached Prof. Ved with that set of rules, and expressed that we would like to organize this. She read the rules, and pointed out at one line asked “Who is this we? We had no answer.
After candidates’ stiff opposition now this. It was 1st Sep. 2007, only two days left.
We wrote an application and started a signature campaign among students, first day around 100 signed, on 2nd Sep, we had around 250 signatures. Somehow we managed to get around 300 signatures along with candidates’. We requested candidates to sign, as that was a precondition set by Prof. Ved for holding this debate. Somehow we managed to get. And the unexpected happened. The application along with signatures was lost.
That moment the following ideas visited through the mind,
Whether all our efforts would go in vain,
all the comments made by others on us, our intention,
our plan, our idea shall vanish. And also, this testing time, we worked for something good, and one “saying” is there that “you should not worry if you are right”. God helps in right things, Will this be the end? We would be called as backtrackers, when we would say that just because we had lost the application, we would not be able to conduct this. Everyone would say that you people had started with a bang and ended with/without even a sigh. So many things came to us. What/why is this saying here “If you are right, don’t worry.”. Is it meaningless.
We had faith. we kept the faith.
One would feel surprised. That application was found under the election campaign pamphlets thrown outside the office.
Buried under hundreds of pamphlets, crushed under the feet of many, that application was found.
We realized, it is not we, it is His will that this happen through us. That gave us a new strength, confidence. The saying proved itself. “If you are right, don’t worry.” Prof. Ved after reading that application for a minute remained in deep thought and said, I will conduct this now.
Rest is history. Not many know about this.
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