Siri Singh Sahib Memorial Yatra
European Yatra in memory of the Siri Singh Sahib
Our days in Delhi started with sadhana in one of the larger hotel suites and early morning kirtan at Bangla Sahib. Many Europeans took ishnaans or strolled leisurely in the gentle rising sun on the parkarma. The next evening we were greeted by MPA students in Anandpur Sahib, as we poured tiredly out of the bus and unpacked in our simple, dormitory-style rooms. With the wonderful sadhana and the kirtan drifting in the window, everyone agreed they wouldn't trade any number of luxury hotels for this Niwas.
The next day we attended the ceremony for which everyone had really come: witnessing the ashes of our beloved teacher being released into the river at Kiratpur. Mahan Deva Singh from Hamburg also deposited the ashes of his dear departed Shiva Kaur, who served the European sangat for so many years. From Kiratpur, we were honoured with an invitation to the Siri Singh Sahib's house and Teaching Center in Anandpur Sahib, where we dined and heard many stories in this timeless, bucolic place.
The spirit was riding high in our bus as we departed Anandpur Sahib. The country road was quite a safari, with beautiful forest and bush, and hundreds of monkeys scattering at every turn. At last, here we were! The kirtan echoing across the compound, and the view of the shining Harimandir Sahib as we passed the first gateway - the feeling was indescribable. None of us lost time in unpacking, grabbing our shawls, and right into the wonderful, wonderful House of Guru Ram Das.
One morning in sadhana, the lights went out, as often happens in Amritsar. We continued on undisturbed, having just begun the 'Wahe Guru' meditation. Then the door opened and a couple of sevadars came in to change the light bulb and once the door was open, a score of other visitors peered in. We motioned them to come in and sit down, and many did. Pretty soon our little hall was packed with Europeans and Indians singing 'Wahe Guru', a cozy experience we'll all remember.
Our days in Amritsar were joyful and sunny, with everyone participating in their activities of choice, including morning seva and wet but glowing parkarma walkers taking 11 turns with ishnaans, led by Guru Kaur from London. Then it was our last morning as a group in Amritsar, and it was with some sentiment that we sang in what would also be our last sadhana all together on this trip. The words of 'Shabd Hazare' expressed a great deal of my feelings about leaving the House of Guru Ram Das and our yatra to see the releasing of the Siri Singh Sahib's ashes in Kiratpur.