Many people must have observed Holy saints in penance and meditation. Many people would have indulged in a discussion about the divine powers of a Holy saint. But people must not have heard much about those saints who think about the society and take positive actions for improving the living conditions of the public in general.
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, a Braham Giani, did many things for the common man. He performed tasks keeping an eye on the benefit that would accrue to the common man in the coming years. He is remembered by the society for the works he had performed for the welfare and convenience of the public. The process started with his motivation and concluded with his blessings.
A devotee of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj working as a Subedar in the Army was posted in Jalandhar Cantt. He came to pay homage to Sant Baba ji quite often. One day he persuaded his senior officer Sardar Gurdhian Singh, who was of the rank of Colonel, to visit Nirmal Kutiya Johalan, with him.
Both started in a jeep towards Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. When the jeep turned from Hoshiarpur road towards village Pataran, it got stuck in the sandy road. It was taken out with great difficulty.
Colonel Gurdhian Singh said to his Subedar, “What kind of a sadhu is your Holy saint who is unable to get this approach road made?”
The Subedar replied, “Holy saints live in their own world. These works are minor for them. Whenever they want and from whom they want they are capable of getting the work done within moments.”
They reached Nirmal Kutiya Johalan while still carrying on with this discussion. Braham Giani Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was sitting as usual on a small mat made from bagasse. Sant Baba Gian Singh ji was attending on him. Both the Army officials paid their homage to Sant Baba ji.
Sant Baba ji recited the following verse from Sri Guru Granth Sahib:
They do not offer even a handful of water, while they slander the One who brought forth the Ganges. ||2|| (Page 332)
The Guru explains in this verse that an individual is so selfish that he does not serve anyone and is not even ready to serve a handful of water to a needy. He is though ready to condemn the great Lord, instead of thanking Him for all the water of the rivers like that of the Ganges which have been provided to the mankind.
When both the Army personnel sat on their respective mats, Sant Baba ji said to Sant Baba Gian Singh ji, “Santa! Get shovels and TASSLAS (A shallow iron pan). We have to work on the sandy road and level it. The sangat feels difficulty in reaching the Kutiya.”
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji said, “Satya Vachan Maharaj!”
Colonel Sahib was astonished to hear these words of Sant Baba ji. He could not understand how Sant ji Maharaj had come to know about the discussion he was having with the fellow army man about the sandy road. He asked for forgiveness from Sant Baba ji. He was though happy to have come to the right place from where he could get the correct spiritual guidance. He was thrilled on the DARSHAN of Sant Baba ji.
The leveling of the road started from that day. Sant Baba ji instructed that every individual passing the way should be politely requested to throw five buckets of mud on the main path. Sardar Manjit Singh grandson of Nambardar Didar Singh of village Johal was asked to maintain a register of the names of those who participated in this social cause.
It is relevant to mention here that the present metalled road, which can be observed now, was hitherto covered with hedges and bushes. The entire area was sandy. Many deep gorges and sand dunes covered the path. No government department was willing to take action for the construction of a road. It was an arduous task. People living in the nearby villages faced a lot of difficulty in reaching their homes, but nothing was being done about it. It was really commendable of Sant Baba ji to have taken the responsibility of leveling the path and then the construction of the road.