Nov 1-4 1984 were one of the most horrific days for Sikhs in India. Daas does not wants to look at the well known facts about this period which we all are aware of. The pictures of those who lost their family members in this genocide still asking for justice bring back those black days to life. What happened in 1984 should not have happened. But we all need to reflect upon the time and understand where we stood then and where we stand now.
One shabad that daas remembers from very young age that was discussed in the school as part of a subject on "Gurmat Kaav". This shabad explains the time when Babur plundered the towns and cities of India.
Raag aasaa mehalaa 1 asattapadheeaa ghar 3
ik oa(n)kaar sathigur prasaadh ||
Jin sir sohan patteeaa maa(n)gee paae sa(n)dhhoor ||
Sae sir kaathee mu(n)neeanih gal vich aavai dhhoorr ||
Mehalaa a(n)dhar hodheeaa hun behan n milanih hadhoor ||1||
Aadhaes baabaa aadhaes ||
Aadh purakh thaeraa a(n)th n paaeiaa kar kar dhaekhehi vaes ||1|| rehaao ||
Jadhahu seeaa veeaaheeaa laarrae sohan paas ||
Heeddolee charr aaeeaa dha(n)dh kha(n)dd keethae raas ||
ouparahu paanee vaareeai jhalae jhimakan paas ||2||
eik lakh lehanih behit(h)eeaa lakh lehanih kharreeaa ||
garee shhuhaarae khaa(n)dheeaa maananih saejarreeaa ||
thinh gal silakaa paaeeaa thuttanih mothasareeaa ||3||
dhhan joban dhue vairee hoeae jinhee rakhae ra(n)g laae ||
dhoothaa no furamaaeiaa lai chalae path gavaae ||
jae this bhaavai dhae vaddiaaee jae bhaavai dhaee sajaae ||4||
ago dhae jae chaetheeai thaa(n) kaaeith milai sajaae ||
saahaa(n) surath gavaaeeaa ra(n)g thamaasai chaae ||
baabaravaanee fir gee kueir n rottee khaae ||5||
eikanaa vakhath khuaaeeahi eikanhaa poojaa jaae ||
choukae vin hi(n)dhavaaneeaa kio ttikae kadtehi naae ||
raam n kabehoo chaethiou hun kehan n milai khudhaae ||6||
eik ghar aavehi aapanai eik mil mil pushhehi sukh ||
eikanhaa eaeho likhiaa behi behi rovehi dhukh ||
jo this bhaavai so thheeai naanak kiaa maanukh ||7||11||
When daas tries to reflect back this shabad brings back a lot of similarities. Sikhs who were known to be keepers of rehat, shastardhari and expert in warfare, infront of whom no one dared to touch anyone's wife or daughter, were raped, killed, burned alive. How come this all was allowed to happen. Was the situation of a majority of Sikh families not similar to the hindustanis at time of babar's invasion described in this shabad by Guru Nanak sahib? Gutted in the rehat less life of wine and dine, fashion, drugs, superstisious rituals are the pillars of majority of 'modern' sikhs these days. More than 25 years have passed. Have we learned any lessons? Are we any better in our rehat or are we going to continue being plundered by babars and jaabars? Please discuss.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥