Destinies can be written

My father, known as Sardarji Doctor here in Pune was born to very humble parents of village ‘Lalian Kalan” in district Jullandhar of Punjab. After struggling hard for survival with meager agricultural land and tibbas (sand dunes) overpowering the agricultural activities the family decided to take advantage of the scheme floated by the colonial Power to recruit soldiers from Punjab and the scheme was to give agriculture land as reward to a family that would send three sons to the army for fighting in the world war II. So my father joined army and had the distinction of serving in famous Punjab Regiment. A thin, meek and shy boy of Lalian kalan who was just forth standard pass in Urdu medium was taught the hardships of life in war front and he was in signals and had to be there in front before others joined. Along with others he traversed the whole of middle east, North Africa, central Africa and then right up to Italy where just 14 Km before Rome he was badly injured with Bomb shrapnel all over his body. He was sent back to India and landed in Karachi Military hospital where he was operated upon 13 times. After that arduous life almost in isolation from family he was sent to Pune- Khadki for recuperation as the British had decided to divide India and Karachi was going to be part of Pakistan. That was year 1946. In Karachi Military hospital he was sent to morgue once as he was declared dead by British Doctors, three days later the morgue attendant heard his mourns and he was taken back to critical care and given treatment. Perhaps it was God’s gift of second lease of life. My father had learned a lot from the Granthi ji of his unit who not only taught Gurmukhi and Hindi but recitation of Gurbani and kirtan to him. After recuperating in Khadki MH he joined central govt.’s  job in Pune as electrician but somewhere in back of his mind was the thought of doing sewa and show his gratitude to the Almighty Lord for giving him second life. He asked for a space from the Army officers for making a Gurudwara in Khadki and was granted a small place. He made his Gurudwara and every Sunday paid his tributes to the Lord by singing Kirtan. He was so shy but when he was doing Kirtan he was absorbed may be united with Lord and forgot the world around him. Something was urging him to do more and more and he joined a correspondence course for homoeopathy. He learned everything so thoroughly that he passed his exams of medical Council easily and became a registered medical practitioner in one go.

And the destinies are either written or made but I think in his case it was both because he became so famous as doctor that all MBBS and MD doctors of the area came to see his practice where he daily gave medicines to 300 -400 patients. Sometimes people came with flowers and coconuts just like they do offerings in Temples. Soldiers would ask permission to go and take medicine from Sardarji Doctor so the CO of Military hospital once asked me if he does some magic. He lived the life of a Gurmukh, did sewa, did free distribution of medicines to the needy, his words were like Saints because many people said we get 50% relief from his speech and the other 50% from his very simple medicines.

On his Antim Ardas on 9^th December 2014 in MH Khadki Gurudwara in Pune please join this daughter to pay tribute to this noble soul and a true Sikh of Guru Nanak.