Chandigarh
25 July 2018
DIVYA AZAD
After creating HISTORY on DIGITAL SPACE with “300 SAAL GURU DE NAAL”, a TWO TRACK ALBUM that has reverberated through the streets of 186 cities of INDIA bringing together 20 million people of different RELIGIONS, CASTES, CULTURES, of VARIED SOCIO-ECONOMIC backgrounds, speaking different Languages and having varied Faith partaking inONE WALK,SINGING ONE VERSE thread together by ONE VOICE that of DALER MEHNDI, the singer lends his voice for yet another milestone event this year.
“I am humbled at the opportunity to being called to sing a tribute song on the life of a Gursikh par excellence Bhai Ghanaiya Ji who is the epitome of sewa after Sri Guru Amardasji. Bhai Sahab’s indiscriminating selfless service on the battlefield and Guru Gobind Singh Patshahji’s response to his service is an incredible perspective of humanitarian service and guidance by Guru clearing the veils of mind’s dichotomy or dubidha. By singing this tribute, I feel I got a chance to be a small iota of a dust particle in the life of the magnanimous server that Bhai Sahab was. The Sikhs across the world are commemorating 300 years of his death and it is an honor to sing a tribute on the life of such a great Guru’s Sikh. As a child, I had heard these astonishing sakhis or stories about the sikh Gurus, sikh warriors, Sikhs and that that I will get the opportunity to sing for such milestone events in history is a blessing.” Daler Mehndi.
Bhai Ghanaiyaji revered as the epitome of Sewa is the GurSikh who’s selfless service during the time of war etched his name in the Sikh History. Over a few hundred years ago, much before the inception of the modern day Red Cross, there was a young man, son of a wealthy trader who became a sikh after meeting the 9th Nanak, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji and attained immense spiritual wealth under Guru Sahab’s guidance.
In the year of 1705 when the Battle of Anandpur was fought much after the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, Bhai Ghanaiya was found serving water with his mushak to all fallen soldiers in the battlefield both the Sikhs and the Mughals. The sikh soldiers complained sternly to Guru Gobind Singh ji about serving the foes.
Bhai Ghanaiya was called into Guru Sahab’s court to explain his actions. The Sikh’s explanation and the Guru’s response to that explanation is incredible, one that makes you proud to be a follower of such great a leader.
“Bhai Ghanaiya explained that he saw no friends or foes, he only saw the Divine shining within every wounded soldier and thus he ended up serving everyone and did not discriminate between the Mughals and the Sikhs. Guru Sahab smiled and asked Sikhs to give him ointments and bandages as well. He approved Bhai Sahab’s actions and asked him to further his mission with more zeal and love. The phenomenal Guru led his warrior Sikhs to win the battle and another Sikh to continue his spiritual ascension by healing and serving one and all without discriminating. This sakhi has had a very deep impact on my life since the time Bibi (my late mother)narrated it to me in my childhood.
