HIS words and me

HIS words … and me.

What is about the Asa Di Vaar sung by Bhai Avtar Singhji, which makes me feel that all is well in the world? Is it because it is the birth of the founder of Sikhism today or it’s the full moon today or is it because as a child, I used to listen to the kirtan with my grandfather? My grandfather was simply the best as all grandparents are. We love them unconditionally; the sense of enveloping security and the womb like comfort is duplicated by the hugs given by hem. For me, my grandfather was precious, his smile, his twinkling smile; his myopic eyes and the embrace are what I miss the most.

Asa Di Vaar, a composition of Guru Nanak Dev ji is a heroic ode that is used to inspire the people and to awaken the martial spirit. It is a positive rendition and an inspiring one.

The Chardi kala spirit is what he wants to awaken in us. The ills of contemporary life, the moral decay, the declining moral standards, and the stagnation of society led to the recitation by Guru Nanak.

His words reverberate and hold true for today when the society is caught up in the worst times of history. We have evolved to higher human beings where we treat a woman as chattel and treat her to the worst forms of torture killed gruesomely than the worst horror movie.

The Asa Di vaar holds truer today than ever before. Nanak probably would rue if He saw what was happening to in the world.

My grandfather, his embrace and the security of his hug, the mysterious kirtan playing in the background are what I miss the most today. It is times like today which make me emotional, weepy and nostalgic. Call me a fool, yes but I miss that. As a child we always take time, moments for granted but all passes away with a blink. It is these associations that are left behind. As, adults we expect the Martians to come and solve our problems but no one else is going to do so. It all depends on what kind of legacy we want to leave for the next generation. The small radio playing the comfort raag is what I remember most of yesteryears .One of the lines,’Jo maanga Thakur soye soye deva’ is true for all. We just need to callout and ask for Him. Its all about being humble and to ask, I think what is wrong is the fact that we have become cynical and lost in the age of evolution where we all are taking our personas and wealth to the next level.

The founder of the newest religion has left us many treasures and His words are what we need to follow again today where we are at the lowest but there is always hope as it sustains life and us.

Play the magic of the raag and envelop your self in the magic and the mystery of the soothing balm on your frayed soul and you will also feel the déjà vu’ that I experience every time. I know, now my grandfather is always there, in me, in the lingering fragrance and the words….