Sadhu Vaswani-Messiah of Compassion

To millions around the world, Sadhu Vaswani is a name synonymous with reverence for all life. Born on November 25, 1879 in Hyderabad, Sind to serve humanity, Sadhu Vaswani became the living embodiment of unsullied love that knew no bounds, a unique embracing love that included all mankind, animals and other creations. He cared deeply for the birds in the air and animals on earth and protected them whenever he could. More so, he realized the synthesis between the culture of the East and the West and the link between the ancient and new.

He founded the Sadhu Vaswani Mission in Hyderabad,Sindh and after partition of India in August 1947 settled down at Poona and gradually added many spiritual and educational institutes. Citing the activities of Sadhu Vaswani, Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, extolled ' The life of Vaswaniji is a saga of unassuming service, spiritual illumination and source of inspiration to all.' Thus he became one of the leading spiritual luminaries 0f India and a man of compassion and spirit.

He vehemently believed that all that all JIVAS-creatures are eternal and whosoever kills a creature for food or otherwise,hurts the Eternal Heart. In reverence to feelings of Dada Vaswani, November 25 each yearis observed as Meatless- Animal Rights Day.

Guru Nanak- Prophet of Harmony

November 21 this year commemorates the emergence of the Guru Nanak in turbulent India, 540 years hence in the year 1469.

Born to a grocer and apprenticed to the job at a tender age, he set about his task in a humble and philanthropic way and believing himself as a servant of Beloved God, asked nothing for himself but only opportunity to serve mankind. Later he traveled from place to place from Kashmir to Ceylon and also to Kabul and Mecca-Madina. During his travels in Punjab with his Muslim disciple,Mardana, he stayed for a while with a poor admirer, Bhai Lalu in Saeedpur, ruled by a Muslim Pathan tyrant with a Hindu minister, Malik Bhagu. The minister was hosting a Prayer meeting followed by a lavish dinner to which all were invited. Guru Nanak did not attend and his absence was sorely missed. In a rage, the minister sent armed emissaries to summon the ascetic. On his arrival the Guru smiled and asked Milak Bhagu the reason for his tirade. At this the minister thundered " How dare you neglect my function and abstain from lavish food?' To this the Guru replied ' I am a simple man used to simpler and sparse food but I shall partake if such is your desire'. Pleased Milak Bhagu ordered an elaborate layout while the Guru asked Lalu to bring whatsoever he had in stock. All Lalu could bring was a coarse roti. Now Guru Nanak took delicious looking victual of Milak Bhagu in one hand and a piece of Lalu's roti in the other and gently squeezed both hands. The spectators saw blood dripping from delicious food while Lalu's roti oozed milk. Now the Guru turned to the audience and enthused ' the blood is the result of ill gotten riches while the milk an example of honesty and and hard earned living.

By his companionship with Mardana Guru Nanak saw the value of Hindu Muslim comradeship, which alas! is a distant and irresolvable vision.

Rich has been the contribution of Sikhs to Indian history and great is the value of Guru Nanak's message for all those who will make India a force to reckon with in coming years.

Nakki Lake-An impowerished Beauty Spot.

With a belated but an active monsoon, the water woes of Abu have receded to a great extent. The original Upper Kodra Reservoir is full while its counterpart, the Lower Kodra Dam along side St.Mary's High School has overflowed.

However, sadly, the Glamor Point, the once enchanting Nakki Lake, presents an impoverished spectacle with its shrunken expanse of not too clean water. Nevertheless, it is suitable for boating that enthralls the gullible touch point visitors.

Summer Safari

Shortage of water in Mount Abu led to closure of all boarding schools for a month beginning May 15. For the first time in academic history of of the hill station, the boarders were exiled to the sweltering heat of the plains, the temperature crossing over 46 C, at times and the innocents were exposed to uncomfortable existence, acute inflation, scams, accidents, terrorism and so on.

The two schools of prestigious standing namely St. Mary's High School for boys and Sophia High School for girls, reopened on Monday the 14th June with a sunny morning. It being midway to the beginning of the monsoon, the clouds abscond and dryness persists, adding to the woes of suffering population, mostly the business community, that is financially hit on account of a poor summer seasonal as well as school business.

Peepali Poornima in Mount Abu

Today is Peepali Poornima-Full Moon day of the Indian month of Vaisakh. On this auspicious day, the tribals of Abu Hills gather in Mount Abu to immerse the ashes of their departed elders in the Nakki Lake. The tribals are termed as GIRASIYA as they are Gir Vasi-Residents of the Aravalli Hills. Bathing and shedding of the nails in the lake is customary and a sacred ritual on account of the firm belief of the colorful community that the Nakki Lake was excavated in ancient times by the sages with their finger nails-Nakh and so the name.

It is more a celebration.stoic and addiction to indolence and ease with an aura of nonchalance. While women adorn ethnic colorful clothes, the men, mostly in tribal garb and youngsters, now suitably modernized, as far as dress is concerned, sport western garb and together move about, profusely garlanded, brandishing spears and knick knacks, with song and dance, partaking of the delicacies on sale with due partiality to country liquor. After day long merry making in tipsy stupor and towards the evening, they reluctantly start the return journey to their respective abodes in the hills and plains.

Platonic Romance

Back to Holy Abu. To the south of Delwada Temples, a short distance away are the shrines of Kanya Kumari and Balam Rasiya. These bear an inscription of the year 1440 A.D. The folk lore is intriguing, romantic and tragic.

Kanya Kumari was the virgin daughter of a chieftain in Abu. Balam Rasiya, a sage in penance was enamored by her beauty and renouncing his afflictions, sought her hand in wedlock. The crafty mother, however, did not approve the match. But to honor the feelings of the saintly paramour, set him the impossible task of laying 12 different approach paths to Abu in a single night before the first crowing of a cock in the morning. Aided by spirituality, Balam Rasiya set to work zealously and had almost finished the project, but the scheming mother anticipating the loss of her comely daughter to a sage, feigned the crowing of the cock just as the work was about to be completed. Tricked, demoralized and frustrated, the ascetic in a rage, threw a magic spell that turned the mother and daughter into idols of stones. The idols, simply enshrined in a small temple, quite unpatronized but looked after by generations of priests, illustrate this fact and remind the interested and visiting onlookers of the romantic past.

Discipline Triggers Achievement

My uncle Manghan Singh, a Sindhi Sikh, was a Travelling Ticket Examiner in the North Western Railway and was posted at Larkana Station in Sindh before India became independent in 1947. The partition of the country displaced millions but after safe arrival in India, all British Government servants were absorbed in similar posts and Manghan Singh was posted at Abu Road station. His line of duty was on up trains up to Ahmedabad and down trains up to Ajmer. On duty, while his colleagues settled down with a game of cards as the train moved out of the station, Manghan Singh, chiseled to perfection by the British school of adventure,thrift and integrity and thus a hard core disciplinarian and savior of the Railway Exchequer and getting over the woes of emigration, went about his duty diligently. Moving from compartment to compartment, he abhorred ticket less travel and relentlessly booked offenders much to the chagrin of compulsive and habitual freebooters. Apart from hawkers, the main tormentors of the Ticket Examiners were the college students who commuted on the Ahmedabad route from Mehsana. The matter had been the hot topic of discussion among the T.T.Es but none had initiated the move to apprehend the violators.

One fine morning while on duty and waiting for the train to pull out of Mehsana station, Manghan Singh witnessed a mad scramble by a group of students to board a compartment. Hell-bent on a showdown, he followed the unruly crowd and set about the task of checking, leered at by ticket less travelers occupying the seats while the ticket holders stood by. As he motioned for the tickets to be produced every offender pointed to their ring leader who sat cross legged, with a stub of a ticket protruding from the strap of his chappal and belligernatly pointing to the same. Humiliated and appalled by gross lack of respect for elders, Manghan Singh quickly slapped the antagonist left and right, pulled him up by the scruff of his neck and dragging him to the exit, booted him and threw him out of the compartment, as the train started to move. The rest of the offenders seeing the plight of their leader had in the meanwhile scampered, making room for the ticket holders who quickly made themselves comfortable. A bit out of breath, Manghan Singh amazed all onlookers, by nonchalantly going about his duty.

With unpleasant incidents galore during his line of duty over the years which were best forgotten, Manghan Singh had reached the retirement age.Having attained the post of Head TTE, he was on the last lap of his duty from Ahmedabad to Abu Road where he was to be felicitated and escorted home by a distinguished gathering of Railway employees. As the train screeched to the stop at Mehsana station and he got down to stretch his legs, he was approached respectfully by an official who ploitely requested that the Honorable Member of Parliament, Shri Hasmukhbhai Patel desired his company in the first class compartment. Flattered and alarmed by the summons, he entered the compartment to see a distinguished looking individual awaiting his arrival. Seeing the Head TTE, the MP was up on his feet and with outstretched arms bade him sit by his side. In a split second, Manghan Singh placed his arrogant instigator of perhaps twenty five years hence and started to enunciate an apology, only to be cut short by the exuberance of the MP who loquaciously proceeded to regale his company about his thrashing at the hands of the Sardar Jee that had propelled him to be elected as Member of the Parliament. Amused by the unassuming admission, Manghan Singh guffawed and related the incident as his line of duty and now sincerely asked whether he could be of any service. The MP with a twinkle in his eye smiled solemnly and said " Yes Sir, I desire just another thrashing. Who knows, it may earn me the post of a Cabinet Minister".