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You are here: Home \ News \ The Daman Diaries: The Patient who Taught me Something Powerful

The Daman Diaries: The Patient who Taught me Something Powerful

Posted on 28/11/10 by Saranpaal Calais | Category: Youth Stories Sikhism | 6 Comments»

I realised later the importance of Chardi Kala in a person. We have all seen it in place, but have we actually taken the time to see why it is so powerful and why our Gurus acknowledged it as a central part of the Sikh ethos?


One patient that springs to mind was a 30 year old Sikh gentleman. In his youth he was treated incorrectly for a fracture of his leg which resulted in a complication that left his leg with permanent weakness and loss of sensation. Unfortunately he had recently suffered a fracture of his right thigh bone (femoral shaft fracture) which required surgery with a plate to be inserted into the leg to help it heal. Unfortunately the fracture was such that the leg remained slightly bowed and the plate was required to stay in longer. He was present at the camp to have the plate removed and this was a long and arduous procedure as some of the screws had lost their threading and could not be loosened easily. The procedure took a team of 2 orthopaedic surgeons over 3 hours to complete.

I mention this patient not because of the difficulty in removing the plate, but rather the tremendous spirit that the patient had within him.  Some would be of the opinion that he was dealt some very unlucky hands in life, and at those times those were my exact sentiments. However, the thing that made him stand out was his positive attitude. He was not defeated by the fact that both his legs had greatly reduced function. He was not afraid of the surgery that would take place. He was not at all frustrated or worried by the fact that many surgeons were attempting to take the last 2 screws out which extended the surgery by 2 hours. Again, he was not defeated or overwhelmed in the slightest. I could see him utter “Wahe Guru” now and then as he lay patiently on the table with a look of serenity and hope across his face. A sincerely humble man who would respond with what almost appeared to be a smile when the doctors asked him if he okay. This man embodied the mentality of “chardi kala” or positive spirits.

Patients at Baru Sahib free medical camp

Patients waiting for medical attention at the free Baru Sahib Medical Camp

The Power of Chardi Kala

I realised later the importance of Chardi Kala in a person. We have all seen it in place, but have we actually taken the time to see why it is so powerful and why our Gurus acknowledged it as a central part of the Sikh ethos?

Perhaps you know someone who you think is an excellent leader because they are able to stay calm and collected in the toughest of situations. Perhaps they are able to fill you with confidence and motivate you when you feel you’re lacking the juice. In any case, the positive thinking and fearless determination to not let one be conquered by the circumstances allows for the platform to overcome challenges. This is why all those inspirational sports movies we watch have such an uplifting and motivating feel to them, because they create the spirit of “I can and I will”. They are able to deliver a contagious message of hope and determination because the speeches and the music are injected with “Chardi Kala”. This 30 year old man too had an effect on the surgical staff and nurses, as they were indeed just as calm about the surgery and were able to employ any means to safely remove the plate despite the screws being jammed in and having lost their threading. Basically his positivity was contagious and everyone benefitted from it.

I by no means claim to be the expert on ‘Chardi Kala’ and its benefits! However, I know that this experience has made me reflect on the practical importance of just one of the many fundamental teachings of our Gurus. I hope it causes you to think about the importance of positive thinking in a leader too.  This will lead to “Sarbhat Dah Phala” or “blessing for everyone”.

I hope you enjoyed my piece and my reflections of the medical camp. I would like to congratulate the Kalgidhar society and Baru Sahib Gurudwara for making these camps possible and continuing the process. Also big congratulations to all the staff and volunteers for all their efforts in making this a successful camp!

I hope you enjoyed these short diary entries. I will be sending through some short Video documentaries and more photos when I return to Sydney.

Please leave a comment if you have any questions or would like to find out more! 

Regards

Daman Bhatia


6 Comments

Amardeep Gill on December 3rd 2010 at 20:59PM said:

Daman! Once again, thanks for sharing. It has been great to read that you are getting so much out of your experience!!

Balaji Jallipalli on December 24th 2010 at 21:50PM said:

Daman
It is very interesting to read your article and experiences with the patient. Very glad to know about this Chardi Kala. As you said, yes the happiness and the cheerfulness is contageous. I wish you the best in the years to come.
Balaji Jallipalli

Navdeep Madan on January 1st 2011 at 15:45PM said:

Awesome stuff bro. Chardi Khalla wich rehnde gabroo putt sardaran de.

Harmanjot Singh on January 24th 2011 at 0:24AM said:

I have been a student of Akal Academy for nearly 10 years and I know there can be no other place which offers divine serenity and peace of mind as Baru Sahib. The spirit and love for Sikhism which is instilled in students is a treasure which helps them to build their personalities as real Guru ke Sikhs.

sukhvinder shergill on January 10th 2012 at 22:34PM said:

congratulations daman ,
on feeling & recognising youself one of the most important purpose
of life ” chardi kala” touch of hope ,inspiration & positive thinking from a positive thinking personality with plate.
as shown in teaching of great gurbani .
thanks for sharing your experience with cyber sangat
Best of luck for your personal & professional projects

Ryan on April 9th 2012 at 4:11AM said:

“Raj Jog Takht Dee-an Guru Ram Das” (meaning Guru Ram Das sits on the eternal tnohre of Raj Yoga).                    “Raj Jog Takht Dee-an Guru Ram Das”  (Meaning Guru Ram Das sits on the eternal tnohre of Raj Yoga).The above quote and meaning of gurbane by Prabhu Singh is INACCURATE.A few things to take note of:1. Prabu you misquote the Gurbane line.Its not GURU but GUR.2. Your translation in inaccurate. The word DEE-AN means BLESSED.Below is the actual line from Gurbane and its translation:Raaj Jog Takhat Dee-an Gur RaamdassGuru Raam Dass is blessed with the The Throne of Raaj Jog-temporal mastery and Union with God.(ang 1399)Yoga is the western version of this word; this word is actually pronounced as Joga in Hindustan. The word Joga is derived from the word JOG , which literally means *****UNION****.Union with who?VahigurooooThe word Jog in this line doesn’t mean Yoga, it mean UNION.The pangtee clearly says that Guru Ram Dass jee is given the Throne to bless mankind with Union with Vahiguroo.The word JOG(union) has been used in Gurbane over and over again.Read these lines from gurbanee.The yoga of a yogi is its physical postures and breathing techniques.That is their daily practice.The Yoga of a Gursikhs is different according to Guru Sahib:guramukh jog sabadh aatham cheenai hiradhai eaek muraaree ||17||This is the Yoga of the Gurmukh: Through the Shabad, he understands his own soul, and he enshrines within his heart the One Lord. ||17||manooaa asathhir sabadhae raathaa eaehaa karanee saaree ||18||**Imbued with the Shabad**, his mind becomes steady and stable; this is the most excellent action. ||18||(Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Raag Raamkalee on Pannaa 907)WHAT KIND OF YOGA IS GURU SAHIB TELLING US TO DO??????aisaa jog kamaavahu jogee ||Practice such Yoga, O Yogijap thap sa(n)jam guramukh bhogee ||1|| rehaao ||As Gurmukh, ***enjoy meditation***, austerities and **self-discipline**. ||1||Pause||(Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Raamkalee on Pannaa 970)****Note: the word JOG in pangtee below means UNION.pooraa sukh pooraa sa(n)thokh ||Perfect is the peace; perfect is the contentment.pooraa thap pooran raaj jog ||2|| Perfect is the penance; perfect is the Raja Yoga(Guru Sahib-King of union), the Yoga of meditation of Naam and success. ||2||(Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Raag Gauree on Pannaa 188)You really believe that the yoga you do can help you hereafter?This is what Guru Sahib says:saadhh milai sidhh paaeeai k eaehu jog k bhog ||Meeting with the Holy Guru, the perfection of the Siddhas is obtained. What good is Yoga or indulgence in pleasures?dhuhu mil kaaraj oopajai raam naam sa(n)jog ||2||When the two meet together, the business is conducted, and the link with the Lord’s Name is established. ||2||(Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Gauree on Pannaa 335)People say Yoga is very healthy for you and has many other advantages.But this is what Guru Sahib says in Gurbane:sabh jogathan raam naam hai jis kaa pi(n)dd paraanaa ||All Yoga is in the **Name of the Lord**; the body and the breath of life belong to Himkahu kabeer jae kirapaa dhhaarai dhaee sachaa neesaanaa ||4||7||Says Kabeer, if God grants His Grace, He bestows the insignia of Truth. ||4||7||(Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Aasaa on Pannaa 477)***Note:the word JOG means UNION in the line below.pa(n)ch chaelae vas keejehi raaval eihu man keejai dda(n)ddaathaa ||1||Let the five passions be disciples under your control, O begging Yogi, and make this mind your walking stick. ||1||jog jugath eiv paavasithaa ||Thus you shall find the Way of Yoga(union).eaek sabadh dhoojaa hor naasath ka(n)dh mool man laavasithaa ||1|| rehaao ||There is only the One Word of the Shabad; everything else shall pass away. Let this be the fruits and roots of your mind’s diet. ||1||Pause||(Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Raag Gauree on Pannaa 155)What is the TRUE YOGA/True way of UNION with the Lord?kar bhaekh n paaeeai har breham jog har paaeeai sathasa(n)gathee oupadhaes guroo gur sa(n)th janaa khol khol kapaatt ||1||Yoga - Union with the Lord God - is not obtained by wearing religious robes; the Lord is found in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and the Guru’s Teachings. The humble Saints throw the doors wide open. ||1||(Guru Raam Daas Ji in Raag Kaanraa on Pannaa 1297)                    Prabhu Singh said:Many many Sikhs are familiar with basic pranayams (breathing techniques). Unfortunately I’ve come across a group of Sikhs who do a very harmful and dangerous breath technique that does not come from the ancient yogic tradition. Please everybody do your research and don’t accept the word of one individual or group. Some breathing techniques can be dangerous. Those that come from the ancient yogic traditions have been known, practiced, and perfected for thousands of years.                  .One should not get in to the breathing techniques of Yoga, as this is not Gurmat. Any breathe without they name of the Lord is a breath wasted in evil thoughts. One should meditate Athai Pehar (24/7) with every breath in order to be liberated in this life.Guru Sahib says:So Samrath Simar Saas Giras(ang 197)So remember the ALL-Capable Lord with EACH BREATH and morsel of food.Saas Saas Simro Gobing (ang 295)With each and ever breath, meditate in the remembrance on the Lord of the Universe.                  Prabhu Singh said:I’m not intolerant of other people’s practices, I just watched the video and the children and observed that it was more an exercise in screaming than a meditation.They are doing Japna of WaheGuru, what they are remembering only they know. We can say that they are ‘doing’ Japna, we can’t say they are ‘doing’ Simran, only they know that.My observations are that they are headbanging, unable to sit still, screaming, and have expressions of anguish on their face, or expressions of confusion. I gave an example of a very basic breath technique which will surely calm the children and perhaps allow them to sit still andJapWaheGuru in a way that will bring peace.I’m giving examples from traditional practices, this practice of screaming WaheGuru or mispronouncing it as some people do when they start chanting really fast, is modern and has no precedence in the Sikh Maryada. I know it’s popular these days, but it’s not traditional and most people that do this do not leave their ‘group’ to see the practices of other Sikhs.                  We all know the story of BHagat Fareed jee, on how he was encouraged to do bhagtee when he was a kid.His mother BRIBED him with sweets, to encourage him to Remember Allah.Bhagat Fareed did NAAM JAPNA out of greed, at first.Yet , God blessed him.Until this is what Fareed jee says in Gurbane:fareedhaa sakar kha(n)dd nivaath gurr maakhio maa(n)jhaa dhudhh ||Fareed: sugar cane, candy, sugar, molasses, honey and buffalo’s milksabhae vasathoo mit(h)eeaaa(n) rab n pujan thudhh ||27||all these things are sweet, but they are not equal to You O Lord!. ||27||(Bhagat Sheikh Fareed Ji in Salok Fareed Jee on Pannaa 1379)you say these children are shouting?  Bhagat Fareed jee only did Simran out of greed for sweets .look where he ended up!Ganika was a prostitute, she one day meet a sadhu(hermit) and did His sewa.Before leaving the the sadhu gave her a parrot, and told her to teach the parrot to say RAAM RAAM.It was not easy to teach a parrot to say Raam Raam, she repeated Raam Raam endlessly.This is what Gurbane says about her:sooaa parraavath ganikaa tharee ||Teaching a parrot to speak the Lord’s Name, Ganika the prostitute was saved(Bhagat Naam Dev Ji in Raag Gond on Pannaa 874)ganikaa oudhharee har kehai thoth ||Ganika the prostitute was saved, when her parrot uttered the Lord’s Name(Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Raag Basant on Pannaa 1192)jih simarath ganakaa see oudhharee thaa ko jas our dhhaaro ||1|| rehaao ||Meditating on Him in remembrance, Ganika the prostitute was saved; enshrine His Praises within your heart. ||1||Pause||(Guru Tegh Bahaadur Ji in Raag Sorath on Pannaa 632)Was Ganika doing some breathing technique when she tought the parrot to say Raam Raam?????Was Ganika doing some Yoga posture while teaching the parrot to say Raam Raam???Did Ganika even planing to do simran to meet the ONE Formless Lord???Her Plan was only to teach the parrot to do simran, yet, look where did she ended up!!Bhagat Naam Dev, Guru Arjan Dev jee, Guru Tegh Bahadur jee PRAISE Ganika for doing simran ..Whoever was touched by NAAM, they were saved!Who are you to say and judge the simran these kids   in the video and other Groups are doing???Nindaks…..they don’t even spare young children from their criticism nowdays KALYUG!


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