Rawalpindi Akhand Kirtani Samagam – 1929

After the smashing success of the first Rawalpindi Akhand Kirtani Samagam, the Nirbaan Kirtani Jatha (AKJ’s original name) along with Bau Mal Singh jee arrived at Rawalpindi. Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee was still in jail but a lot of other Gursikhs arrived at this Samagam to earn true spiritual profits.

Many prominent personalities of Rawalpindi got pesh at this Amrit Sinchaar samagam. In the previous Samagam, Mayee Kunji had experienced deep mystical experiences and this year she was given the Sewa of Naam DriR. She herself was in deep spiritual ecstasy and she rubbed off on other seekers as well. In this Samagam Dr Pargat Singh and his wife Bibi Inder Kaur too were blessed with Amrit. Presented below is Bibi Inder Kaur’s story, in her own words, about how she was blessed with Amrit.

Bibi Inder Kaur’s story about Receiving Amrit in her own words

The story of how I received Amrit is most astonishing. My cousin (Mama jee’s daughter) had received Amrit from the hands of Nirbaan Kirtani Jatha (AKJ’s old name) and a big change had occurred in her life. When ever she would meet me, she would talk about Naam / Baani and talk about the mystical atmosphere of Amrit Sinchaar Samagam. When I used to ask her about the details, she used to close her eyes and go quiet. She would only say this much:

ਕਹਿਬੇ ਕਉ ਸੋਭਾ ਨਹੀ ਦੇਖਾ ਹੀ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥121॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਗੂੰਗੈ ਗੁੜੁ ਖਾਇਆ ਪੂਛੇ ਤੇ ਕਿਆ ਕਹੀਐ ॥4॥7॥51॥

Hearing this, I too used to get a strong urge to take Amrit. My husband – Dr Pargat Singh – had taken Amrit prior to our marriage and had promised to allow me to take Amrit as well. Whenever I used to remind him of his promise, he used to say, “When we meet some high Avastha Gurmukhs, then you will get Amrit.” Hearing the praise of this Jatha (NKJ), I was very satisfied and hopeful that this is the Jatha of Naam Abhyaasi and working Gurmukhs and my husband would surely approve of me taking Amrit from this Jatha.

Last year (1928 Samagam) when my husband met Bau jee for the first time, the bliss that he had attained at the moment, had charmed my husband and he had decided in his mind that he would have his wife (me) take Amrit only from this Jatha. But here too there was a complication. My husband was not willing to take Amrit, second time and this Jatha used to give Amrit to both husband and wife. How would my wish come true? I had no answer to this problem.

One day at evening time, we were visiting my uncle’s house. The Jatha too had arrived at this house. Everyone was eating langar. I took my cousin sister on one side and asked her, “Will they bless me with Amrit?” She asked, “why not? I will ask them just now.” At the same time she told me that I would have to remove all my jewellery. I thought for a moment and said, “no problem, I will remove it.”

She took me to Jathedar Bau Mal Singh jee. She said to Bau jee, “Jee, she is my sister and Doctor Sahib’s wife. She wants to take Amrit from this Jatha.”

Jathedar jee (Bau jee) looked at me but did not say anything. My mind was crushed. I was devastated. I became extremely dejected and sad. I thought, Amrit was not in my Kismet (bhaag). I was thinking that such Naam Rasiye Gurmukhs will not be found again and I will never get Amrit.

After consuming Langar, Jathedar Sahib along with the Jatha started walking towards their place of retiring for the night. We too started walking along. They talked to my husband and I silently was walking behind them. My mind was thinking, why they did not answer when my cousin sister asked them about me. Don’t they consider me a worthy candidate for Amrit. I felt very tiny and he (Bau jee) looked very great to me. By this time, their place of residence came and Bau jee said Fateh to us.

I was desperate and I don’t know what Shakti (power) enabled me to break my silence and I made a heart-rending plea that came cutting through my heart, “Jee, please give my husband Amrit so that I too may get Amrit.” This is all I could say. Bau jee looked at me with the gaze of love and mercy and said, “Bibi, we will make Doctor Sahib agree by wearing a Palla around our necks (Palla around the neck means begging) and this way you too will be blessed with the gift of Amrit.”

I loved these bachans of Jathedar jee but I knew about my husband's stubborn nature and I did not get full faith that I would get the gift of Amrit.

Next morning, I went to someone’s house to attend Samagam and I received the message that I was being awaited at home. Worriedly, I arrived at home. My husband was waiting for me and said to me, “Hurry up, do Ishnaan and wear 5 Kakaars. We are going to take Amrit.” Out of extreme astonishment and happiness, I could not utter a word. I felt a light-like surrounding around me. I removed my jeweller, and hurriedly did Ishnaan and got reading wearing 5 Kakaars. I also got my infant daughter ready.

We arrived at the location of Amrit Sinchaar Samagam. Part of me was still thinking that all this was a dream. I could not believe my good fortune. Soon I was called inside, in the hazoori of Guru Sahib and Punj Pyare. Jathedar Bau Mal Singh jee was holding Siri Sahib (sword) and standing. He asked me in extreme Bir-Ras, “why have you come here?” I lost my consciousness when I saw them and heard Bau jee. With trembling voice I said, “Jee I have come here to drink Amrit.” Bau jee in similar Bir Ras said, “You will have to offer your head.” I was almost fainting. I got a flood of Bairaag (spiritual crying). I could not say anything. They sent me outside. Everyone had their peshi done and in the end we all were called in.

One one side all Singhs were standing and on the other side all Bibiyaan. On the side of Bibiyaan, I was standing in the end. When the Baata for Amrit was ready, the Jathedar of the Punj, Respectable Bau Mal Singh jee ran his sweet gaze on all sides and I was the first one to be called. I was made to sit in Bir Aasan (Bir sitting-posture). The gift of Amrit was placed on my hand. When I put this gift in my mouth, I lost the worldly senses. That place became some other Mandal (realm). In Punj Pyare, I could only see Guru Kalgidhar (Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee). I don’t even remember receiving other choolay of Amrit and nor I remember getting Naam DriR. I was sent to my place in this condition of spiritual intoxication. This was the place where I saw Bau Mal Singh jee in the form of my father (for many lives). I realized my relationship of many lives with him (Bau jee had later confirmed that Bibi Inder Kaur was his mother in previous life). My mind was filled with deep love and devotion for him. In this condition of spiritual intoxication I reached home and did not sleep all night. At Amritvela, we did Ishnaan and Nitnem. While reading Siri Anand Sahib, my mind got stuck at the following Pankiti:

ਸੁਰਿ ਨਰ ਮੁਨਿ ਜਨ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਖੋਜਦੇ ਸੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

I kept reading it again and again, and kept shedding tears of Bairaag.

My husband too had spiritual experiences at the time of Amrit. Previously when he used to request the Jatha for eating at our home, Bau jee used to say that his wife (me) was not Amritdhari and as such they can’t eat from there. Now after Amrit Sinchaar, my husband again requested the Jatha to eat from our house, the morning and evening Parshaada. They gave their approval and also decided to do the morning Kirtan at our house.

When I heard this approval of Jatha to eat from our house, I was filled with love and happiness. In this joy, all night, I kept cleaning our house and spent the night staying awake. My mind was in extreme joy imagining that the Jatha would do Kirtan at our house and Bau jee and the whole Jatha would eat from my hands. So, Daata Vaheguru fulfilled this wish of me, as well.

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This way in pure Chardi Kala, the 1929 Rawalpindi Samagam concluded.

Bhul chuk dee Maafi jee.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh