LEADING THE NAGAR KIRTAN (The prophecy of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji is proved correct)
The Sikh religion has a rich heritage. In the beginning of the twentieth century, there was a real drop in the Sikh religious preaching. This resulted in people going astray. The villagers especially were least concerned about following the faith and were forgetting about the Lord Almighty. The values attached to the Sikh faith, the discipline and the norms were not being imbibed in the young children due to lack of availability of knowledgeable preachers.
Sikhs who were sinners (Patit) were more in number than those who could be called ‘quality Sikhs’. Shaving of hair, considered a sin in the faith, became common or a fashion, for the children coming from decent background, living in India as well as abroad. Though some parents had renounced such children, yet there was no one to stop this menace from spreading. The fifth Master Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji has described this state in the following line.
Those who forget my Beloved Lord are dead and dying. ||1|| (Page 1268)
The Sikh gentry recognized this situation. Prominent Sikhs, federal Sardars collected together
at one platform to find a solution to the growing menace. A meeting was held in the
city of Jalandhar. The following resolutions were passed at the end of the meeting:
1. The preachers should deliver discourses to the general public about the rich Sikh
heritage.
2. Nagar Kirtans be taken out in cities as a part of the celebrations of birth anniversaries
of the First and Tenth Master.
3. The village folk should be persuaded to join the main stream of the faith.
It was also discussed in the meeting that the change could not be brought about by ordinary individuals following the faith. The movement would require the leadership of a Holy person, who had already attained a spiritual level and one who was respected by many followers. The personality of such a saint should be such that people could change just by looking at him. He could also be able to impress the youth through his speech.
The Nagar Kirtan should be taken out in the city under the guidance of such a Holy person. This would help in blocking the spread of the menace. One of the members said that he knew about such a Holy person. He suggested the name of Braham Giani Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, a saint attuned with the Divine.
The Maharaja of Kapurthala, who was present at the meeting asked, “Are you referring to Sant Baba Basant Singh ji of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan?”
The member said, “Yes.”
The Maharaja said that he agreed with the suggestion. He informed the other members that Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was a unique Sadhu, who was a disciplined Sikh and loved Sikhism. Some of the others had also heard the name of Sant Baba ji and it was unanimously agreed as follows:
“A team of five prominent Sikhs will prepare the background for the discussion and approach Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj at his abode. The team will request Sant Baba ji to lead the Nagar Kirtan during the coming celebrations of the anniversary of the birth of Guru Sahib. Every effort will be made for him to accept the invitation.”
The support of a Holy saint could only bring about a turnaround to the loss that had crept
into the Sikh faith.
I have only one tongue, and the Lord’s humble servant is filled with countless virtues; how can I sing his praises? The inaccessible, unapproachable and eternally
unchanging Lord is obtained in the Sanctuary of the Saints. ||3|| I am worthless, lowly, without friends or support, and full of sins; I long for the Shelter of the Saints. I am drowning in the deep, dark pit of household attachments
- please save me, Lord! ||4||7|| (Page 610)
After two days, a team of five prominent Sikhs came to the abode of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj to make the request. Sant Baba ji was informed about the discussion held in the meeting and the concern of all to save the community. The clauses of the final resolution were also read out.
After patiently listening to the team members, Sant Baba ji said, “The resolution passed is correct.” He then asked, “What is your order for me? I will obey any type of orders that can be of help to the cause in hand.”
The members informed Sant Baba ji that they had thought that there was only one way out for the Sikh heritage to be brought back on the rails. It was the question of leadership. An ordinary person could not influence the sinners and thus they had come to request Sant Baba ji to lead and guide them in explaining the right path to be taken for the success of the mission.
Sant Baba ji was informed, “It has been decided to take out a Nagar Kirtan in Jalandhar City on the coming anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji and Sant Baba ji should grace the occasion with his Holy presence. This is our humble request. Please lead us on this occasion.”
Sant Baba ji said, “If my presence can make a difference, then I will attend the Nagar Kirtan.” He suggested to the team, “It will be better if the Nagar Kirtan is preceded by an Akhand Path (continuous recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji). We should all collectively pray to Guru Sahib on the day of the Bhog of the Akhand Path, for the success of the purpose of Nagar Kirtan.”
The team agreed to the suggestion of Sant Baba ji and shouted slogans of ‘Bole So Nihal! Sat Sri Akal!’ They were happy that Sant Baba ji had agreed to their request and had decided to lead them in their sincere endeavour.
The Maharaja of Kapurthala requested that he be permitted to caparison the elephant on which the palanquin of Sri Guru Granth Sahib would be placed. Sant Baba ji was requested to be in attendance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and handle the CHAUR SAHIB. Sant Baba ji agreed to perform this task.
It was also agreed that on the occasion of the procession taken out on the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, a golden palanquin would be placed on the elephant and a silver one on the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib ji.
It was decided to start the Akhand Path at Doaba Khalsa High School, in Jalandhar. Bhai Kishan Singh ji (Rab ji) was an employee of the school. He was a devotee of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj of Jiyan and belonged to Marula, the parental village of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj. Sant Baba ji summoned Rab ji and informed him the decision of the Nagar Kirtan. Sant Baba ji gave instructions to Rab ji for the conduct of the Akhand Path with full Maryada.
Sant Baba ji said to him, “You should manage the community kitchen. Langar will be served to the sangat. Arrangements for serving at least one hundred bullocks should also be made. I will reach the school seven days in advance and oversee the arrangements.”
Rab ji replied, “Satya Vachan!” He however had not understood about the order of serving the bullocks.
Sant Baba ji reached the school as per his promise, seven days before the date of the Nagar Kirtan. His followers and preachers accompanied him. The news about his presence in the school soon spread far and wide through the word of mouth. His followers started reaching the school in their bullock carts and by other means of transport. All those collected there stayed at the school. On seeing the sangat and the bullocks, Rab ji realized the truth in the Holy words of Sant Baba ji.
Congregation was held in the school in the presence of Sant Baba ji, twice in a day. The sangat collected in the morning and evening. The groups of musicians sang Holy Hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and the preachers stressed on the opulent legacy of Sikhism. The life and sacrifice of the Gurus was narrated. The need for adopting the Sikh ways of life was explained, with examples. Many persons were inspired immediately and sought baptism. The staff of the school was also impressed, on listening to the preachers. They closely observed Sant Baba ji, his disciples and devotees who followed a disciplined life. The entire staff of the school came forward to accept the ambrosial nectar of the two edged sword. This was a small step forward but was important from point of view of moulding the minds of the students.
On the day of the procession, the preparations were started in the afternoon. The Maharaja of Kapurthala sent a royal caparisoned elephant. Sri Guru Granth Sahib was placed ceremoniously in the golden palanquin, atop the elephant. Sant Baba ji sat in attendance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and performed the service of respectfully waving the ‘Chaur Sahib’.
The procession was led by fully dressed up Panj Piaras (The five beloved of the Guru). Behind the Panj Piaras were five Sikhs carrying Nishan Sahib (A saffron colored triangular flag atop a mast) in their hands.
Two tipstaff members carrying silver tips in their hands walked in front of the elephant. Different groups of musicians sitting on the bullock carts were reciting Gurbani. The carts and other vehicles followed the elephant.
The procession passed through the various bazaars of the city. People on coming to know about the procession being led by a Holy saint on an elephant, came to see the elegant spectacle. People came from the villages and also from the areas in the city.
The atmosphere echoed with the sound of beating of drums, the musical hymns of Gurbani and the shouting of Sikh slogan ‘Bole so Nihal! Sat Sri Akal!’
It was a rare sight for the people. Sant Baba ji made a humble beginning for collecting the people of the Sikh faith encouraged them to join in different kinds of service and in return receive the blessings of the Satguru. His presence in the Nagar Kirtan brought the wheels of the faith back on the right track.
The custom of Nagar Kirtan was thus commenced by Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj in Jalandhar City. The Nagar Kirtan became a regular feature on the occasion of the celebrations of the birth anniversaries of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji and Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib ji.
The preaching and the emphasis on the initiation into the Khalsa became an important part during these celebrations. With the blessings of Sant Baba ji, the students of the school joined the stream of baptized Sikhs. These students remained disciplined in the Sikh Maryada and continued with their regular studies.
Many times all the students passing out from 10th class, accepted the nectar of the two edged sword. Sardar Amar Singh Dosanj (Head of the Akali Patrika publication), Sardar Shadi Singh and Sardar Gurbachan Singh, who later became prominent among Sikhs, were among the students who had accepted the nectar of the two edged sword.
Sant Baba ji performed the respectful waving of ‘Chaur Sahib’ for thirty years and led the procession on sixty occasions. The Sikh sangat of Jalandhar Cantonment also went to see the elegance of the Nagar Kirtan. The Sikhs posted in the Army, serving in MES and those living in Jalandhar Cantonment collected together and decided to send a team to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan to request Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj to lead such processions in the bazaar of Jalandhar Cantt. Sant Baba ji performed this duty in the processions in Jalandhar Cantt for many years.
After Sant Baba ji, the duty of waving the ‘Chaur Sahib’ during the Nagar Kirtans at Jalandhar City was continued by Sant Baba Gian Singh ji Maharaj and Sant Baba Harbhajan Singh ‘Virakat’ ji Maharaj, after the soul of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj merged with the Eternal Lord. This service is currently being performed by the present head of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan, on the request of the Sikh sangat of Jalandhar City.
After a gap of few years, the procession was started from the Gurdwara at Gobindgarh, instead of the Doaba School. Before the start of the daylong procession, those participating in it were served with tea and snacks.
Once Sant Baba Basant Singh ji instructed Sant Baba Gian Singh ji to attend the procession and perform the service of attending on Sri Guru Granth Sahib. When Sant Baba Gian Singh ji came back to the Kutiya after performing his duty, Sant Baba ji asked him, “Santa! Was the sangat served langar before the start of the procession?”
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji replied, “Maharaj ji! Only tea and snacks were served.”
Sant Baba ji kept quiet on hearing this. He later instructed, “Santa! The Kutiya arranges the tipstaffs, Nishan Sahib and swords for the Panj Piaras and others during the Nagar Kirtan. From now onwards, langar be prepared for the sangat, in the evening, a day before the procession. It is necessary to serve langar to those participating in the daylong procession. They come from far off places and have to perform their duties for the day without any break.”
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji said, “Maharaj! Your order will be obeyed.”
The preparation of the langar and serving it before the start of Nagar Kirtan was begun from the next Nagar Kirtan held in Jalandhar City. Daal and Parshadas were prepared during the evening preceding the Nagar Kirtan. This was taken along and served to the participating sangat at the Gurdwara at Gobindgarh
This practice continued for many years. Once the Jathedarni (leader) of the group of Sikh ladies of the Gurdwara observed the serving of the langar. She knew that their group had not prepared the langar. She enquired, “Who has brought this langar here?”
When she came to know that the langar had come from Nirmal Kutiya Johalan, she approached the committee members arranging the Nagar Kirtan and said to them, “Sant Baba ji of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan has specially been asked by you to lead the procession. Then why do you permit the langar to be brought from the Kutiya? We are feeling ashamed. From now onwards, we ladies will prepare langar for the sangat of Sant Baba ji.”
The members were unanimous in informing the lady that the permission for undertaking this work could only be given by Sant Baba ji and that it was not in their hands.
The Jathedarni was determined and collected some of the ladies of her group and reached Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. She requested Sant Baba ji for permitting them for the preparation of the langar for the sangat.
Sant Baba ji said, “There is no objection to your preparing the langar, provided it is prepared with love and devotion and chanting of the Name of the Lord.”
The ladies agreed to do so and shouted the Sikh slogans on getting the permission.
The tradition of the ladies coming to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan to seek the permission for preparing the langar for the sangat of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan still continues. They approach the present head of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan, a few days before the Nagar Kirtan. They perform the service with full reverence.
It will not be an over statement if it is said that because of the presence of a great saint of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan, the Nagar Kirtan at Jalandhar City is a rare sight and is attended in reverence by thousands of devoted Sikhs.(The prediction of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji that Sant Baba Basant Singh ji will be riding elephants came out to be true, with the start of Nagar Kirtans at Jalandhar City.)