The heart of India is still in the villages. If India has to regain its lost glory, it is the villages that need to transform. At times where elders fail, the children show the way. Read the story of one such little village girl, who has transformed the destiny of her village.
Ganga Abloki is a small remote village, around 40 km from Muktsar, in Punjab. There lives a small girl, Gurjot Kaur, with her parents and family in this village. Almost four years back, when Gurjot opened her eyes to this world, she found her grand father, S. Darshan Singh and other male relatives indulged in ominous practices like drinking alcohol. Since she experienced all this since birth, there was actually nothing that Gurjot was worried about. The parents share good cordial relationship.
Gurjot was growing up and as she turned three, it was time to send her to school. There is no school in Ganga Abloki. So, her father decided to search for a good school for the girl, as he wanted his daughter to study and rise in life. His hunt for a good school brought him to Muktsar, where his friends and well-wishers informed him about the only first-class school in the town, the Akal Academy run by The Kalgidhar Trust, Baru Sahib.
Kuldeep Singh visited the school and found it to be up to his expectations. The Academy seemed to have a great potential for the children with modern facilities and outstanding opportunities. He learnt that the school is not only educating the students academically, but also spiritually. The children in the school are learning Gurmukhi and Gurbani. They are being imparted the lessons on moral values also. Apart from this, the school has latest infrastructure, updated curriculum, well-stocked library, modern laboratories and playground.
Everything seemed to be absolutely ideal, and Kuldeep Singh made up his mind to send his daughter to this school only. But there was still a stumbling block. Actually the school was in Muktsar-about 40 km away from his village, and the nearest stoppage of the school bus was 7 km away from Ganga Abloki. He discussed this with the school authorities, who convinced him to drop the child till this stoppage, and the school van will carry her further. WaheGuru motivated the poor fellow and destiny persuaded him to give his acceptance.
Thus Gurjot got admitted to the nursery class in Akal Academy, Muktsar and started preparing to take off in life. In the academy, Gurjot learnt to identify the letters of English, Hindi, and Punjabi, the numbers, and also, Gurbani. She started reciting paath with her class-mates. Although she could actually not read from the Gutka, yet she grasped the recitation while listening to others and humming with them. As a part of her routine in the school, she learnt to recite the paath in the morning, offer prayers before and after the meals and recite paath again at the end of the day.
Gurjot became fond of reciting her prayers regularly. Even on Sundays and holidays, when she was not to the school, she recited her prayers at home. Whenever she took her meals, she always offered her prayers, wherever she used to be. Finding their daughter indulged in Naam Simran, her parents thought that the little fellow might be under some pressure from outside to do so. They tried to convince her that its okay to follow it as part of the school curriculum, but she could take it easy at home. To their surprise, Gurjot not only clarified it to them that she was not under any pressure to recite the paath but also started reciting Gurbani to them. She asked her grandfather to shed his entire alcohol intake and follow the path of Naam Simran to be closer to Wahe Guru. The greatest achievement is that now the grand father has partaken Amrit & has become a real GurSikh. Now S. Darshan Singh inspires others to get baptized.
Initially, Gurjot’s family members were reluctant to change their lifestyle and routine, but soon, when they found a little creature offering her prayers punctually and whole heartedly, they also joined her. Naam simran led Darshan Singh shed all his bad habits. He had now become pious. The family experienced a fresh breeze blowing through the house. Prosperity prevailed all around the family. Darshan Singh was now advising others also to follow him. He started taking his granddaughter to talk to other people of the village and motivate them for Naam Simran.
When the villagers noticed such drastic changes in the family, they were so impressed that they wish to start the same school in their area so that the upcoming generation can be a Guru Nanak’s real children. Gurjot Kaur recites Gurbani path for the whole day & Ardas before & after evening meals also by seeing her Gurjot Kaur’s younger brother who has just turned three years now already know Mool Mantar & Ardas to be recited before & after the meals. He is ready to join the Academy in next session.
The villagers are so impressed by the miracle that has happened due to this little girl that they have decided to donate a piece of land from their property, so that a branch of Akal Academy could be opened within their village and their children don’t waste their precious time in traveling to far off Muktsar.
The youngsters should take a cue from the astonishing Gurjot Kaur and pledge to transform the world around them into a spiritually enlightened one.
~ Deeksha Singh
~ New Delhi, 2nd Oct, '13
~ New Delhi, 2nd Oct, '13
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