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Liv Kaur

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Out of The Mouths of Babes ...

GURMEET KAUR

 

 

 

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Not too long ago, I was reading aloud excerpts from Baba Budh Singh's biography (he is a reformer in Punjab who started dreaming from his childhood - questioning norms and reforming things even as a child). My little toddler, Liv Kaur, was in my lap, engrossed in the sound of the words.

I read out that on the day Budh Singh was born, their vaak (the random reading of the day from the Guru Granth Sahib, known as the Daily Hukam) was:

"Bandana har bandana gun gaavo gopal rai".

I sang it and hummed it.

Liv Kaur has a memory that soaks in everything.

*   *   *   *   *

Chicago, Illinois


A month later, during a visit, Liv gets to meet my friend’s nieces named Bandana and Priyanka. She stays the night at Priyanka’s. They become friends.

*   *   *   *   *

Atlanta, Georgia

We are back in Atlanta. A few weeks later, I come across the book again and ask Liv Kaur if she remembers the vaak when Baba Budh Singh was born.

Her quick answer: "Priyanka har priyanka gun gaavo gopal rai".

It took me a while to put it together.


December 4, 2013

Conversation about this article

1: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), December 04, 2013, 5:20 PM.

In the early 1950's, a popular Hindi song was on the lips of most. My friend Inderjit's youngest sister was happily humming it when she forgot the next line of the lyrics. She tugged her brother and said, "Bhapa, what is the next 'tuk'?" Then, there was my dear, late, namesake and friend, Sangat Singh Bajaj, who after 'Rehras,' would sing some shabad. On this occasion, it was "charan chalo maarag gobind" [GGS:281.8] - "Move your feet, walk on the way to the Lord." His little grandson named Charan piped in with a helpful amendment: "Bhapa ji vi chalo maarag gobind!"

2: Gurmeet Kaur (Atlanta, Georgia, USA), December 05, 2013, 11:28 AM.

That is a delightful story, Sangat Singh ji. It's amazing how the little ones think and relate to every sound, word and action. We must all sing along with Charan Singh: "chalo maarag gobind". Thanks for sharing.

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