Guru Nanak, the constant through life’s transitions

As we traverse through life, we stand witness to several shifts, upheavals, and crossroads. Mine has been no different. However, through all the transitions, there has been one constant. The congenial, calming presence of Sobha Singh’s iconic painting of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, has seen me through all of life’s phases so far. As much as Guru Sahib was against empty ritualism, His painting as imagined by the prolific artist is ubiquitous in nearly all Punjabi homes, serving a reminder to walk the path He had paved 500 years ago.

There was a massive framed painting of Guru Nanak in the hallway of the house I grew up in, overlooking the refrigerator from where we would furtively steal thick slabs of kaju katli. No one ever saw us relishing the silvery heavenly slices in the dim hallway, except for Baba Nanak who probably knew the exact number of boxes of mithai we polished off. Our unassuming selves conveniently interpreted His smile as approval. There was not an iota of guilt either, because something told me that Baba Nanak was on my team.

He was there in my cramped hostel room years later, many oceans away from home, in a much smaller frame, but calming nevertheless. On days I walked to the campus armoured in winter gear cursing the frosty temperature, I wondered how Guru Sahib completed his Udasis (tours) across unpartitioned India and beyond which spanned decades. He spread His message of equality, kindness and oneness as far as he could…all on foot! Again, that calming, soothing persona reminded me of perseverance, resilience when I most needed it.

Years later, Guru Nanak was also there in the home where my children were born. In those moments, he reminded me of the pearls of wisdom he had gifted to society five centuries ago. He had profoundly said: “Of woman are we born, of woman conceived. To woman engaged and married. Woman are befriended, by woman is the civilisation continued. When woman dies, woman is sought for. It is by woman that the entire social order is maintained. Then why call her bad? From her kings are born “so kyon manda aakhiye, jit jameh rajaan”. Over the years, the laughter and cackle of our daughters has filled our home, surely Baba Nanak was on my team.

On days I’m cooking for guests and lamenting the lack of domestic help in the West, I find Guru Nanak smiling at me from the living room, as if reminding me of the time He started the tradition of ‘langar’ when they would bring firewood from the forest, cut and clean the harvest, chop and cook, all the while working with hands and the community kitchen would be available 24 hours a day, all days of the week! I sheepishly admit, with all the kitchen aid and ninja appliances in the world, one lunch meal preparation shouldn’t hurt.

Just last week, I started working on a small, impactful project for helping racialised immigrant women in their career advancement. They have battled discrimination, abuse and loss of socio-economic identity. We will need to hold their hands, and develop a framework wherein they can integrate into the labour market and realise their dreams. Before I begin work, I place a small picture of Baba Nanak on my desk. Five centuries ago, He was deeply conscious of social and political conditions of those times. He refused to accept status quo and challenged oppression and tyranny where He saw it. Baba Nanak will be there with me on this journey as well. After all, He is on my team. And, each time I realise this, it feels like Gurpurb.

Seerat Kaur Gill

OUR UNASSUMING SELVES CONVENIENTLY INTERPRETED HIS SMILE AS APPROVAL. THERE WAS NOT AN IOTA OF GUILT EITHER, BECAUSE SOMETHING TOLD ME THAT BABA NANAK WAS ON MY TEAM