Kids Corner

Columnists

Darbar-e-Khalsa

by JESSI KAUR

 

When I moved to the Bay Area as a young bride in the early eighties, the euphoria of discovering a new world was often punctuated by nostalgia that left a tight knot in my stomach.

Winter posed the toughest time. I knew the onset of cold weather in Delhi would usher in the festivities of Divali, which in turn would be followed by Guru Nanak's Gurpurab, and the celebration of Guru Gobind Singh's birthday shortly thereafter.

My family made a big deal about Gurpurabs. We would participate in prabhat pheries, attend both the morning and evening divans at the big open fields near Sis Ganj Gurdwara, wear new clothes and sometimes even ride on top of trucks as we became a part of the melee that thronged  the narrow streets of old Delhi.

Enticed by the goodies that were distributed by every household, the children in the neighborhood woke up at the crack of dawn and bundled up from head to toe to participate in the early morning neighborhood walk-abouts that started a few weeks before the Gurpurab. The chilly December air turned our noses and ears red, but the cold weather was not a deterrent; rather, it heralded a very special time of the year.

Singing home-spun songs and shabads in off-key, high-pitched voices, we soaked in the feeling that something very momentous had happened during this season. The best part was always when the prabhat pheri visited my home and I got to distribute the candies and the sweet patasas to my friends.

The Gurpurab celebrations in the Bay Area were wimpy compared to the extravagant fare that I had been raised on. Tendrils of loss spread in me each winter, as I felt deprived of the mega festivities of my childhood.

That is, until the International Institute of Gurmat Studies (IIGS) started observing the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on December 25th in Southern California, with an eclectic mix of reverence, pomp, grandeur and a dash of flamboyance that I had not seen even in India.

Over the years, this celebration has become a larger than life event, perhaps way beyond the creative vision of Captain Kanwar Harbhajan Singh (Papa), who started Darbar-e-Khalsa more than two decades ago. [The IIGS was founded half-a-century ago.]

This year, an estimated number of 15,000 devotees from all over California and far flung states converged on the grounds of Mt. San Antonio College to pay their homage to the great Guru.

 

* * * * *

                                               

My family and I wake up early and after a quick brush with some continental fare deemed to be breakfast, we GPS our way to Walnut, a quiet suburb on the eastern rim of South Land that houses Mt. San Antonio.  This time around, the large gymnasium where the Darbar-e-Khalsa is normally held is under repairs, so the walk from the parking lot to the new hall takes a bit longer.

The morning air is crisp. There is quite a dip from the previous days' toasty 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  I gather my shawl tightly around me as we go past the stalls, where large cauldrons of oil are already bubbling up for the bhaturas and samosas that will be served shortly with spicy channas for breakfast.  Further down, fresh carrot halwa is being stirred with giant karchhis and perfect rounds of gulab jamuns are bobbing in sweet syrup.

Like always, appetites will be tickled and cloyed by desserts of varying colors and textures; chai and bread pakoras served with tangy mint and tamarind chutney will temper the sweetness of burfees, halwas, gulab jamuns, shakkar paras, pinnies, and  jalebies.  For the cholesterol conscious, a healthy ensemble of fruit chaat has already been set at the far end.

Beyond the food stalls, the vendors of shawls, salwar kameezes, gutkas, karas, kirpans, books, CDs, DVDs, paintings, pictures of Gurus in various sizes and stances, have displayed their wares. They know from previous years that crowds that gather to worship will saunter out to collect Gurpurab memorabilia and the benign ambience of the day will make them dip generously into their wallets.

The road bends towards the main hall, which has been decked up like a bride holding the jewel of Sri Guru Granth Sahib on a raised altar.

More than a hundred volunteers, made up of young teens and older adults, have spent the previous day putting up banners, stringing streamers and flags, creating kiosks, and even carpeting the vast outdoors.  

A separate crew has ironed and sewn drapes, created a backdrop of shimmering curtains of fabric and beads, laid out white sheets, taped them in remarkably straight lines and raised and decked up the stage that spans almost thirty feet on each side. Twinkling lights and rose petals peek out of a white bridal net, which is wrapped in generous folds around the stage.

As I walk on the red carpet that leads up to the elevated throne/palki holding the Guru Granth Sahib, I am reminded of a sunrise in Haleakla, Maui. Hues of peach, orange and apricot create a soft halo that hangs over the altar like the diffused rays of a rising sun.

Statuesque bouquets of lilies, roses, sweet ginger and hyacinths stand in tiers in front of the Guru. It seems as though the Presence in this great hall on a nippy December morning has cast a warm glow, binding the congregation in luminous folds. Touched by the spiritual munificence of the Darbar, I close my eyes as my hands join in a posture of prayer.

Asa di Vaar by the jatha of  Bhai Amrik Singh Zhakhmi is in progress. I let the words and the melody envelop me. Soon, the milling thousands will start pouring in. But, for now, the sparse sangat is enjoying an almost private rendering from a world-class raagi.

Several Los Angeles-based raagis take their turn, along with jathas made up of children from the Sunday schools of local gurdwaras. The IIGS Kirtan Group, led by Gurpreet Kaur and Harmala Kaur, enchants the sangat.

As the day wears on, the sea of humanity swells and every inch of the Mt. San Antonio grounds becomes populated with devotees who have come from distant towns, counties and states  to celebrate their beloved Guru's life and teachings.

Around mid-day, the awards ceremony is held. Long before it became trendy to hold impressive galas to honor distinguished personages, IIGS has been honoring the unsung heroes amongst the Sikhs.

Bhai Amrik Singh Zakhmi is  recognized with the Bhai Mardana Award, Gurinderpal Singh and Pushpinder Kaur Singh of San Jose are conferred the Sikh Vidya Daan Award, Prem Kaur of Sacramento is honoured for her selfless service and Surinder Singh of L.A. receives the Bhai Gurdas Gurmat Sikhia Award. The Dashmesh Award  for Hifazat-e-Kamaal is given to Syed Naeem Haider, Begum Salma Haider and their family (descendants of the revered disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, Pir Budhu Shah  -  now the custodians of some of the Guru's relics). The awards are presented by the Panj Pyaras who represent the spirit of the Tenth Guru.

Syed Naeem and Salma Begum are the eighth generation descendants of  the 17th century Pir. Along with his two sons and hundreds of followers, Pir Budhu Shah had joined forces with the Guru to fight the tyrannical rulers (both Moghul and the Hindu rajas of the region). The Pir's sons died fighting valiantly in the battlefield, as did many of his followers. As a token of his love, the Guru had presented him with his kanga, keski and a small kirpan which the Haider family has preserved with utmost devotion over eight generations.

These relics of the Guru are a special highlight of Darbar-E-Khalsa this year. Hundreds of people line up for the darshan of the Guru's articles and many a tear is shed as a sevadar reads the Guru's words from the Guru's epistle to Pir Budhu Shah.

Inside, the kirtan program concludes with a resounding joint performance by the five local jathas. Upon samapati, Guru Granth Sahib is carried out in a golden palki adorned with pearls and beads. Everyone chants "Waheguru, Waheguru" to the beat of the nagara. An impressive gatka performance by the youth leads the procession that makes its way to a helicopter specially chartered to fly the Guru Granth Sahib back to Tustin.

Like each year, thousands send off their revered Guru with thunderous jaikaras. Large bouquets of balloons are released to mark the end of the celebration as the helicopter soars away.

Same time, same place next year: the  Darbar-e-Khalsa will congregate for another grand celebration of Guru Gobind Singh's birth anniversary.

Happy Gurpurab. And vive le Darbar-e-Khalsa!

 

 

Conversation about this article

1: Payal Kaur (Fullerton, U.S.A.), January 06, 2008, 7:02 PM.

Jessi Kaur eloquently paints a colorful mural of Darbar-E-Khalsa. Each unique panel manages to scintillate one of the five senses. In a high tech world, where almost everyone resorts to some source of visual media to entertain and enrich themselves, it is lovely to see such a well-written piece, which evokes pictures in the minds of its readers, allows the reader to hear the various melodious and euphonious sounds of Gurbani as they resonate through the congregation, and even taste the smorgasbord of sweet and spicy treats served all day long. Thank you, Jessi, for sharing this beautiful mural of Guru Gobind Singh ji's Gurpurab celebration! I would also like to commend all the sevadars and Papaji, who work tirelessly to put on such a gala event in honor of our Guru. May the IIGS Darbar-e-Khalsa functions continue to enchant and uplift us for the years to come.

2: Satvir Kaur (Boston, U.S.A.), January 07, 2008, 9:37 AM.

Bhai Amrik Singh Zakhmi is my favorite! I wish I was there.

3: Navneet (Fremont, California, U.S.A.), January 07, 2008, 2:50 PM.

Thank you, Jessi, for such a beautiful portrayal of the celebration. Your article transported me there; I can only imagine the grandeur of it all. I hope to be there personally with my family in 2008!

4: Sahib (India), January 22, 2008, 8:19 AM.

I want to congratulate all of you for such a wonderful project. I hope and pray that I too will be blessed by the company of such Sadh Sangat.

5: Jyoti Singh (New Delhi, India), February 10, 2008, 5:54 AM.

Thank you, Jessi, for this wonderful article. Wish I can be there sometime in the near future.

Comment on "Darbar-e-Khalsa"









To help us distinguish between comments submitted by individuals and those automatically entered by software robots, please complete the following.

Please note: your email address will not be shown on the site, this is for contact and follow-up purposes only. All information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Sikhchic reserves the right to edit or remove content at any time.