Organising an Akhand Path was an activity mostly unbeknown to CATS. We were either too young, or too neutral religiously, or belonged to a completely non-Sikh background. It was a challenge indeed to do something which we had never attempted before, whereby we were not even entirely aware of all the rules, but could not afford to break any!
At first we were under the impression that all we were required to do was to pay a fixed amount to a Gurdwara, show our face at the beginning of the Path on Friday and then go back only for the completion of the Path on Sunday. However, it must have been a very wise soul who said, ‘man proposes and God disposes’! Additionally, only 3 CATS had paid towards the cost of the Path. We were broke.
On the appointed day, i.e. Friday the 14th of March, Jyoti who mediated with the Gurdwara authorities on behalf of CATS, reached the Gurdwara in Sec.46 early along with CAT Neelu. Around 8.20am I and my mother CAT Kulwant met with CAT Paramjeet, CAT Vishal and CAT Hemant in the parking of the Gurdwara. By the time Path commenced at 9am, CAT Pammi, CAT Gurpreet, CAT Manpreet, CAT Nirmal had joined in as well. I was surprised to see a couple of CATS paying over and above the requisite amount per CAT for the Path as dutch money. I actually asked if what they wanted to have the change back!
Despite the old tradition being that one of the family organizing the Path must always sit and listen to the Path during its’ whole duration, given the time constraints we all faced, we had planned to follow the contemporary ways by leaving the Bhai Ji to continue with the Path and return on the final day. After the Path had started, the eldest amongst us all that morning, CAT Kulwant got up and asked us all not to take the Path lightly which had been bestowed upon us by the Almighty. She said, ‘Tussin jo vi ker rahe ho, poori shardha naal karo.’ Silence befell the CATS. She was right. Something in me prompted me to say that perhaps one of us could stay behind, just a little longer. CAT Kulwant instantly agreed to listen to the path for a couple of hours.
Thereafter CAT Neelu invited us all around for a cuppa cha to her house, which was at a stone’s throw away from the Gurdwara. Over tea we discussed what we wanted to do with Kirtan, Langar etc. I asked what the rest of the CATS would like to do if we were left over with some excess funds given that a few CATS were paying more. CAT Neelu had her heart set to do something for the children. CAT Nirmal and CAT Paramjeet said anything for the needy. They suggested that perhaps we could even have the langar with the inmates of Orphanage and an Old Age Home.
As we were leaving, CAT Neelu volunteered to take over from CAT Kulwant and her sister Jyoti agreed to go thereafter. This meant that someone from CATS family would be there listening to the path till 2pm. This was encouraging. I spoke with CAT Pammi who said that she could come with her mother CAT Daljeet at 2pm till 5pm. CAT Mona agreed to sit from 5 till 7pm. We started wondering if we would be able to keep the chain of attendance going. We were not entirely sure but we decided to give it our best shot.
By the evening I had asked around and found that a local school run for the children of daily wagers and road side workers, needed funds to buy books and stationery for the new academic session starting in April. They needed Rs.10,000/- for classes 3-5 and Rs.20,000/- would take care of the whole of the primary school. I discussed with other CATS who agreed to support this cause with the excess funds. Given our current status of funds, I thought we should be able to raise Rs.10,000/-
If things were working out on the financial front, our chain of attendance was threatening to break off. CAT Pammi went back after 7pm to keep the chain going, but we had no one to take over from 11pm onwards. CAT Paramjeet had agreed to do the night duty but could not get away from his office. CAT Navpreet was in Delhi. I called a few other CATS with no luck. Additionally, I was reluctant to leave any of our female felines in the Gurdwara beyond 10pm. I was feeling physically drained and with no one volunteering. Desperately I called up CAT Pammi and said we have to accept that the chain will get broken and that she should go home as well.
However, admirable is the determination of CATS, Pammi, who takes pride in being called a ‘jugaaru’, got back to me within minutes saying that she will stick around for two boys from her social circle to come at 11.30pm till 5am the following morning. I could not help smiling to myself. God was working in strange ways. He made us despair before he provided a solution. Given this would have meant CAT Pammi sitting alone with her aunt till late, I called up CAT Rajpal to immediately reach the Gurdwara to relieve CAT Pammi and provide cover till midnight till the boys showed up. CAT Rajpal agreed, despite the fact that he had to leave for Delhi early morning.
CAT Gurinder was cynical about our determination and decided to go to the Gurdwara at 5am, just to check if someone is indeed sitting there listening to the Path. He was surprised to see two bleary eyed boys, who left after checking with him if he was next in line to sit for CATS. In the meantime, CAT Paramjeet had just enough time to have a shower before he reached the Gurdwara around 5.30am, after putting in a 20-hour day in the office. I along with CAT Kulwant reached just after 7am where I found CAT Rajpal and CAT Neelu for ‘Madh di Ardaas’.
Again we went around CAT Neelu’s to have a cuppa cha and make some decisions. We decided that since we were getting more than the requisite amount for the Path fund, we should cut all expenses out and contribute maximum amount towards buying books for the new academic session for the children in need. This meant, no Kirtan, no Langar.
We had barely walked out of her house after tea that I got a call from a fellow CAT who had had a flash of inspiration whilst listening to the path. As a result, a fair amount was offered towards our cause as a ‘Thank You’ note to the Almighty. We immediately went back to our base camp for the path; Neelu’s house! This additional sum meant that we could afford to have the Kirtan, a humble langar and still be able to buy the books atleast for the whole of class 3-5, if we made vigorous efforts to raise more funds. We decided to become more vocal and visible in order to raise funds.
In the meanwhile, CAT Kulwant once again kept the chain going the second morning, who was followed by Jyoti and CAT Neelu. On a mission, I went to Fortis Hospital where a few of our CATS hibernate. I literally took an envelope in my hand and went around asking Fortis CATS to generously put their green bills towards the books for needy children fund. Let’s just say it was a trip worthwhile. From Fortis I went straight to the Gurdwara to take over from CAT Neelu for 2pm to 4pm shift, when CAT Gurneet’s mother came to sit for a couple of hours, despite the fact that she was unwell.
Second evening was well shared and attended by our CAT Pammi, CAT Gurpreet, CAT Vasu, CAT Navpreet. Chain of attendance was kept alive by the same two boys taking over for the night shift. Our early bird CAT Gurneet took over at 5am. I went in at 6.30am and was joined in by CAT Purosottam and CAT Aarti at 7.15am. CAT Paramjeet showed up soon, armed with his camera. CAT Manpreet and CAT Gurpreet also came just after 8am who went to do ‘langar sewa’ along with CAT Gurneet. CAT Hemant also made it just before the Path finished with the Bhog at 8.30am. CAT Neelu and CAT Gurinder managed to mark their attendance half way through the recitation of the Bhog.
Bhog was over half an hour earlier than expected. We had another half an hour before Kirtan commenced and CATS were left with time to kill by scratching their paws. CAT Nirmal joined the resting gang with Navkavita. CAT Kulwant trotted in with CAT Mona, CAT AP, CAT Aman and CAT Amanat as our Ragi Sahib for the day, Dr Jagir Singh was pulling in the car park. We all shifted downstairs to the main Darbar Hall of the Gurdwara for the Kirtan.
What transpired thereafter was mesmerizing. Through the trials and tribulations which CATS faced in order to successfully complete the Akhand Path, to redeem ourselves of the promise we had made at Gurdwara Nanaksar during the Harike trek a fortnight previously, the most divine experience of the whole three days was the Kirtan performed by Dr Jagir Singh after the Bhog ceremony on the final day. The calm recitation of selected Bani from the Holy Guru Granth Sahib brought peace and tranquility in the whole congregation. No one wanted to move. There was not a soul untouched in the hall. I did not want to get up to take the videos for the benefit of the missing CATS. CAT Paramjeet was struggling to wean himself away from the kirtan to take some pictures. Wish you were there with us.
CAT Neerja R came with her bhabis, CAT Pammi with her daughter and mother, CAT DV Bhatia with our lovely CAT Nirmal Bhatia are ones I noticed after the kirtan was over. CAT Dharam with his wife and daughter came in later. Since CAT Hemant got late in getting the Desi Ghee Jalebis in time for the langar, CAT Paramjeet suggested that we distribute the boxes elsewhere since half the sangat had already left.
As the routine had become in three days, after the langar we went to our base camp, CAT Neelu’s house for a much needed cuppa. Over tea we reviewed the Path, realised that we would be short of Rs.10,000/- required to buy books for classes 3-5. We also decided that we will share the Jalebis packed in Bacardi boxes (yes Bacardi boxes!!), equally between Kusht Ashram (Leprosy Home beyond sec.31 railway track) and the Orphanage (Mother Teresa’s Missionary Home in sec.23).
We packed ourselves into 3 cars and went to the Kusht Ashram first. The keepers there took us into the Kitchen where quietly we handed over one box of Jalebis. On the way out their Pujari beseeched us to pay obeisance at the Shiv Mandir and Hanuman Mandir on the premises. It was humbling and liberating at the same time. It was only right that CATS pay respects at the temple after successfully completing the Akhand Path. I could not help smiling whilst bowing my head in front of benevolent Mary at the Orphanage. Almighty was at work again. There is indeed one God afterall.
Going to the Gurdwara umpteen times a day, for three consecutive days and taking my shoes off each time had indeed messed up my internal programming. Even I failed to fathom why had I taken my shoes off on the tarmac before sitting in the car bare-feet to leave for the Orphanage!
A tale I can tell the grandkittens perhaps….
- CAT Supreet
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