Happy are the moments spent in the company of an ustād. Their measure is not in their number, but in the quality of the fruit they bear for years to come. During such happy moments, the student—sedulous as he may fancy himself—struggles vainly to cup the subtle and ever-new torrent before him.
When it has passed, he finds the soil of his mind supple and primed for the strenuous tilling of riyāz. He realizes that his fingers are still cupped, and peering into the bowl before him, discovers that he holds not the torrent, but a glistening piece of fruit.
This composition is the student’s to weigh , to trace its contours, to contemplate its hue. It is his privilege and duty to do this, but he would be remiss to then lay the piece of fruit aside as a memento, or else to establish it as an idol. There is nothing to do now but eat it.
He savors the subtle torrent of the fruit’s nectar, and the tilled soil welcomes its seeds. The fruit is no longer before him, but within him. It is a drop in a subtle stream that may someday ferry fruit. But in the meantime, the fruit is his to bear at will—and how wondrous is its ever-new nectar!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
University of California, Berkeley
It was on July 29, 2015, that I posted this thought (which I am sharing) which makes an argument of starting the 2nd Gurudwara Reform Movement. 5 days later, the Sultanpur Lodhi stationed Punjab Police cops are given the go ahead to illegally desecrate heritage assets including musical instruments and precious tools, sacred manuscripts, documents, stencils, etc., are all forcibly evicted. Students, faculty and staff threatened with immediate arrest and torture is they did not leave the rooms.
Attending the Parliament of the World’s Religions at the Salt Lake City, Utah, I just wondered if this announcement of mine —a call of sorts, to start the 2nd Gurudwara Reform Movement is connected with the immediate action —unlawful, arbitrary, dictatorial, petty, at that, against the The Anād Foundation, but me, in particular?
Because I have now been asking about the whereabouts and control of Sikh assets —financial, territorial, military, etc., all included, does it mean my very existence is under threat?
Sometimes when I used to get to play the drums!
Punjab, do you still need your riches or you want to barren, bereft of your fruits so very hard earned and so resiliently kept? Kept, well almost —almost lost now!
Bhai Baldeep Singh returns Punjab State Award for seminal contribution to Indian Classical Music and Gurbani Sangeet in wake of atrocities aimed at the minority communities, freedom of expression and freedom to practice one’s chosen faith and its customs.
{My office has received inquiries regarding the “award samaggree” which I will be returning back to the Punjab government. This appended note is to state that I will be returning both the citation as well as a return cheque.
bbs
2015/10/15
Salt Lake City, Utah}
SHO Harpreet Singh, Former SSP of Kapurthala, Former DSP Devender Singh, Ashish Chodhary IPS, their assisting policemen, and Former Finance Minister of Punjab, Dr. Upinderjit Kaur, you are —squatting in Anad Foundation’s offices, classrooms, residences and lawns inside the Qila. I have waited for you to call me and apologise and invite me back in the Qila for which I along with some of the most fascinating contributors to Punjab have spent energy and blessed with their collective vision.
All of you combined together have shown yourselves as enemies of Punjab – its cultural heritage and now proven to only being good at butchering Punjab’s budding youth – their aspirations. You only know how to serve your petty interests. But sadly for you all, daddy has come home and daddy now asks the kids to behave! Sadly for you all, daddy is not a beggar —daddy is a tough teacher and I hope you all have secretly realized that you don’t mess up with this daddy-boy called Bhai Baldeep Singh.
Navtej Cheema, you have also been lying to people that you brought money —”crores of Rupees” you claimed – and that too for Anad Foundation —I will deal with that video of yours which I have only recently sourced. This Dr. Upinderjit Kaur was introduced to me as an academic and I had thought of adopting her as a mother when my own mother was slowly succumbing to cancer. But what a liar she proved out to be – going around in her election campaign claiming she had given 3 crores to Anad! Her PA even bragged to and taunted me once —that they had actually given 5 Crores.
Never-mind all of that —none of you will ever win an election unless a miracle happens – when you have shown extraordinary regret, some genuine remorse —this is not my curse, it is my blessing!
I never needed to fight an elections —you guys forced me for your kind of legislators have only eaten up Punjab, emptied its coffers and destroyed its prospects —all round prospects at that.
Even if I were to forgive you all —wherefrom will you give the chance back to the youngsters to study with some of the legends like Bhai’s Avtar Singh, Ustad Fahiumuddin Khan, Ustad Hafiz Khan, Ustad Asad Ali Khan, Pandit Panna Lal Upadhyay, Ustad Bhajan Lal, Bibi Jaswant Kaur and others who have all passed away?
Other like Bhai Gurcharan Singh, now at 100, and Ustad Vilayat Khan Ragi at 95 are unable to teach now!
These are just a few names!
Learn your lesson very quickly folks for I will prove to you that you are not the rulers but public servants and from now on you will keep your diktat in your pants only.
Adios for now – I will speak about this all and much more at the Parliament of Worlds Religions!
Listen to the video folks — share it all around — spread this anguish of a set of parents and the near death of their hope! Together, we shall not let the flame flicker away!
Do we want Punjab healthy and wealthy? If yes, come along with me and we will change this paradigm in Punjab and believe you me – things will never be the same!
yours sincerely,
bbs
