Comments on: A Saint Who Lived Among Us

By: Ranjit Kaur

Ranjit Kaur — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:17:42 +0000

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

M reading ur stories it’s really good. U r really lucky u have exprecienced so much thing in ur life.I didn’t.I do Gurbani but only when m in trouble.U people r so gud really u inspired alot.Thanks

By: Sat Nirmal Kaur

Sat Nirmal Kaur — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 23:02:55 +0000

Sat Nam everyone - I am very happy to see comments being posted because now we have more stories documented about Bhai Sahib!

Thank you Prabhu Singh, for your support and your cherdi kala spirit. Partap Singh, thank you for sharing - I had never heard that story about Bhai Sahib performing your wedding. I am very touched by all of the comments.

Mata Mandir Kaur, I want to tell you that when I wrote this story, I had to hold back tears. But when I read your comments, that was it - they came flooding out. I guess I needed that.
Love and Blessings to you from Espanola
xoxoxoo snk

By: Mata Mandir Kaur

Mata Mandir Kaur — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:51:25 +0000

Sat Nirmal, I have a picture of Bhai Sahib in front of his tent at our summer camp in my guest room - always. I’m sure you’ve seen it. You have reminded me of him so many times and our love for and memories of him are part of what binds us together. Bhai Sahib used to call me “Panditnee” that summer, and he instilled his love of Gurbani and Gurdwara - I caught it! He also would make me teach classes in things that I had just barely learned from him. He helped to form me in my identity as a minister and teacher of Sikh Dharma. He spoke fluent Punjabi. He also told me over and over again, “Fikar naa Karo, Panditnee”. “Don’t worry”, in such an affectionate way that it actually worked, on ME, if you can believe it. I remember that after he washed his hands to go into the Gurdwara, he would grab the doorknob with his kurta to open the door so that they would be perfectly clean for the Guru. On the mornings that the running water was not available, he went to the river to bathe. Some would call him a fanatic, but he was on fire with love for the Guru and he wanted to spend every second serving, chanting, sharing that love with all of us. No ego, just spreading that joy! Bhai Sahib talked me out of my poverty consciousness to get me to go to India with him in 1975. He never even made it as far as DC, but his love delivered me to the Golden Temple, my True Home. I only knew Bhai Sahib for a few months, but the impact he had on my heart and my path will never be forgotten. Thank you for sharing your story. In our home, he will never be forgotten.
Blessings, Mata Mandir Kaur

By: Partap Singh Khalsa

Partap Singh Khalsa — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 12:30:49 +0000

In July 1975, Ravi Kaur and I were to get married outside the old “Gold House” in Espanola. The Siri Singh Sahib had performed all of the marriages of American Sikh couples and we had requested that he marry us as well, which he agreed to do. It was a beautiful summer’s morning in New Mexico on the day of our wedding, and as we approached the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, ragis were playing shabads and the Siri Singh Sahib was sitting off to one side near Bhai Sahib Dyal Singh. Ravi Kaur and I bowed together before the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and then sat down in front of the Guru waiting for the Siri Singh Sahib to then begin the Anand Karaj ceremony. Instead, he turned to Bhai Sahib Dyal Singh and simply said, “You do it.” After a second’s hesitation, Bhai Sahib who had never before performed a wedding ceremony, took over and flawlessly performed the Anand Karaj ceremony.
I have no recollection now of what Bhai Sahib Dyal Singh said during the ceremony itself. Indeed, I couldn’t have told you what he said the next day. Like a lot of us when we get married, I was totally focused on the simple act of circumambulating around the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and trying not to trip as I did so or fall over when I bowed before the Guru. As was the custom that the Siri Singh Sahib had established, the minister often queried the couple during the Anand Karaj ceremony as to whether they understood each of the vows they were taking during the four “rounds”. Bhai Sahib asked us both questions and we answered them, and apparently to his satisfaction as we completed the ceremony and were formally married.
Later, he came up to us and congratulated us on becoming married and thanked us for being the first couple that he married. Because of his untimely death, I think we may have been the only couple that he ever married.

By: Prabhu Singh

Prabhu Singh — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:01:57 +0000

Thanks for Sharing Sat Nirmal Kaur Ji.
That’s cool that he taught you aarti, I’ve heard you sing it at the bhog many times.
We are really ‘lucky’ to have the Guru in our lives.
Dhan Guru Pyaaray!
WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa, WaheGuru Ji Ki Fateh!