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To St. Jarnail Singh, With Love
Jatinder Singh
Hundal
 My
8 year old son, Sahib Singh, looked curiously at as I tied my Kesri
Dastaar.
“Dad, is it a
special day today” he asked, when I was done. He was more curious
than usual since I don’t wear Kesri Dastaar unless the function I
plan to attend has a special significance for the Sikh struggle.
“Yes” I
replied. “I know what it is” he said with a face that reminded me
of hundreds of children whose father’s death anniversary I was
planning to commemorate today. Before I could ask “what is it”, he
was gone and lost in his toys.
Somehow he was
aware of the day from daily discussions he has with his brother who
is 4 years older to him. For an eight year old to be reminded about
a terrible day that has gone down in history as the “third
Ghallughara” has both, positive and negative, consequences.
Yes, a young
mind needs peace, tranquility and a family safety net to help
develop its creative potential, but also needs to be exposed to the
harsh reality of surroundings as growing mind will learn from these
events to develop a defensive mechanism that may help them not only
survive but also flourish in this increasingly violent and
self-centered society.
I listened from
a distance, pretending that I am not listening at all, to the
conversations between two young brothers as they discussed events
too close to their lives to be covered by Sikh history books,
commented on by the Punjabi preachers who frequently visit our local
Gurdwara or by the local TV channels.
“No,
Bhindranwale is not dead”, Tarun Singh, our twelve year old remarked
to Sahib. “Oh yes, Cheema uncle ji told us at the last camp that
all those who fight for Sikhi never die”. I was amazed that
eight-year-old Sahib remembered his lesson by Dr. Gurtej Singh
Cheema, from the last Gurmat Camp he attended.
I left them
alone to discuss, ponder and digest the meaning of 1984 as they see
it. Trying to give it an adult flavor would only interfere with
their understanding of the events and also prohibit them from
developing a theory that explains the Sikh massacre in their
childish words in an innocent world.
Sahib had gone
to bed, when I came home late that night. As I sat at my desk
looking at a paper that seem to have been put on the desk after I
was gone. I knew this had to be from my son since it was “dumped”
on the keyboard and mouse rather than neatly put on the side in my
formal “in basket”.
I picked the
paper that was folded in half to give it a shape of a greeting card
that had to be opened to read the message inside. It was hard to
miss as bright and vibrant red color crayola was used to draw a
picture of what appeared to be a Gurdwara with two small domes on
the side and a large one in the middle. Small figures on the picture
appear to be depicting a hand to hand fight in front of the Gurdwara.
I could not miss the small green dots on the building giving it the
look of a bullet ridden body.
My amazement
soared to new levels when I read the “message” inside the “greeting
card”. It read “Dear St. Jarnail Singh, I hope you have a good day
with guru Ji.”
A child’s
imagination has no limits, but the feelings of a community are seen
in every word a child utters. Sahib is hoping that Sant Jarnail
Singh Ji is at the feet of Guru Ji, as this is our prayer for
everyone who passes away.
For a child, an
anniversary is always a joyous occasion to be celebrated and a day
to be happy. At least that is how a child looks at celebrations. The
“greeting card” from Sahib is tilted “Happy 25th Akal Tackat
Sahib”. 
Too young to
even spell “Takhat” correctly, an eight year old has a vague
understanding that it has been 25 years since Akal Takhat was a
battle field.
Our children may
not read about the 1984 Ghallughara in their text books for another
generation, but a community that hopes to develop a strong future,
should make an attempt to educate next generation on their own.
Our Gurmat
camps, Gurdwaras, preachers and most importantly our parents have a
strong obligation to take this message to our kids in a child’s
language.
“Did you see my
card?” Sahib asked me the next morning. “Yes, I did”, I responded
while trying to control my emotions. I felt as if I have a big job
to do when he said “Can you mail it, please !”.
“Yes, I will” I
replied to give him a sense that he has paid his tribute to the
Shaheeds in a way that he can.
How do I mail a
“greeting card” to Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, written from the
depth of an innocent heart by an eight year old in
California?
I don’t have his
address. May be my prayers will reach out to the departed souls that
physically are gone, yet their spirit lives among us.
Yes, I have Sant
Jarnail Singh’s mailing address…….. I will take, not just the words
but, the message of this “greeting card” to my heart…..that is where
he lives.
10
June 2009
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