FANTASTIC TRANSFORMATIONS!
Bhai Mehtaab Singh's Journey in to Sikhi!
Vaheguroo Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguroo Ji Ki Fateh
As a child I had a somewhat mixed upbringing in that my father was very westernised (having come to the UK at a very young age) but my mother was more traditional. My dad would spend a lot of time socialising with his friends leaving my mother at home with us. My mom would do some paath and would also tell us sakhia from time to time. However looking back she was also a little confused herself when it came to religion as she would partake in ritualistic things with her friends and also attend mandhirs from time to time.
As a teenager I was a typical Punjabi lad, designer haircut with designer beard with Indian gold jewellery and real ‘proud’ to be jatt/sikh! The type of ‘sikh’ who would celebrate Vaisakhi by getting drunk, blasting bhangra tunes from my car on soho road, but it was ok because I wore an orange armband with a Khanda on it!!!!
The first turning point in my life came when I was about 17 and I heard about Operatinon Bluestar and thus was introduced to Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale. To my family’s dismay in the next year every spare second I had, I would listen to Sant Ji’s speeches. Listening to these speeches would leave me feeling belittled and ashamed of who I was and had many sleepless nights because of how I had failed my ancestors by not living Sikhi.
I then made the decision I would keep my Kesh. BUT still there was something holding me back. I was now the kind of Sikh who wore a bandana (instead of a Dastaar/Turban) still kept my designer beard and drank alcohol and ate meat!
Then came university. Again I drifted from Sikhi, considering myself to be a lads lads I did many things that now disgust me which I am too ashamed to repeat, but you name it I’ve done it. Whilst studying I was also a Bouncer (security at pubs and clubs) so this was also a huge hindrance to me advancing my sikhi in any way. Funnily enough though it was at this stage in my life where I gave up alcohol (nothing to do with Sikhi though), probably because of working in such places I came to realise how idiotically people behave when drunk!
Completing my studies came that dreaded day, it totally came out of the blue when my mother said someone’s told me about a girl you may be interested in!!! I was mortified (I had an older brother and sister who were yet to be married!). So not wanting to hurt my mothers feelings I said I would meet this girl (telling myself I would just tell my parents it didn’t work out). Little did I know this girl would be my now Singhni!
She was light years ahead of me in terms of Sikhi with her parents both being amritdharis! (she was not). At this stage in my life I didn’t know what nitnem was! But we did initially talk about sikhi and I think the reason she agreed to marry me then was because I said to her I could see myself taking amrit one day.
So we got married! For the wedding I grew my beard longer and fuller than normal. I joked to her after the wedding that I wouldn’t cut it again and she became happy telling me that was really good!! I thought to myself don’t worry she’ll tell me to cut it again later, but that day never came and so it was never cut again.
Then came our honeymoon where she would wake each morning and recite japji sahib and I would sit and listen, this was the first time in my life I took an interest in Gurbani!!
Then came the day when I knew Sikhi would be my everything. It was my first experience of a rehansbhai and seeing Gursikhs. I walked into the darbar sahib which was full with all the sangat singing and the atmosphere was amazing. I could see Guru Gobind Singh Jee’s Khalsa dressed in bana with beautiful dumalleh with Khandeh and chakkars, amazing shastar and I knew this is where I belonged! I sat down quite close to the front and the shabad being sang was ‘man meh ram nama jaap’ (meditate on Gods name within your mind) and the darbar sahib was vibrating with naam, something I had never experienced! I sat that day for about 4/5 hours (having previously never stay for more than 20 mins in a gurdwara). I can remember thinking why have I never seen the gurdwara like this on a Sunday or at a wedding or at any other time infact!
From that day something changed within me and I couldn’t learn about Sikhi quick enough. From that day I never listened to another song again all I wanted was kirtan! I would do more research on the internet and came to learn about mahaan gursikhs like Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh and Shaheed Bhai Anokh Singh, who's sacrifices were out of this world and had a massive impact on me.
However now the only thing holding me back was the fact I ate meat. This was very difficult for me as I was very much into my training and a massive meat eater. My wife was desperate for me to give it up, as this was the first time in her life she was around meat, as she had been a vegetarian all her life. But with maharaj’s kirpa (and maybe a little nagging from my wife) a few months into marriage I gave it up.
So by now I was desperate for more sikhi and sangat and I would ensure I would attend all the kirtan darbars and rehansbhais as i possibly could.
I had now made up my mind I wanted to take Amrit... but... my wife wasn’t ready!! It was definitely something she wanted to do but she was still being held back. We then made the decision to attend sikhi camp, as I wanted her to be away from everyday life and family who were feeding us with negativity around sikhi. I remember packing a dastar for her, as I was desperate for us to start preparing for amrit. With Guru Sahib's kirpa she tied a dastar at camp and soon after returning home she began tying it daily.
Now the time came where we were both ready and we decided we would take amrit. It was at 2010 smagam in Bradford and we decided we would attend the whole smagam to get us in the right frame of mind. It was beautiful. But then came the day of the rehansbhai. When we woke up it had snowed very heavily and I was informed by elder gursikhs that the amrit sanchar would not be taking place as the sevadars would not make it because of the distance they had to travel in the snow. I was DEVASTATED! There I was this fully grown man blubbering like a baby, I couldn’t control myself. I begged and pleaded and said I would pick up each sevadar myself but it was of no use. This gursikh sat with me and my wife for a while and just said leave it in Maharaj’s hands, if he thinks you are ready and worthy then you will be blessed. We then immediately went to maharaj and did an ardas begging to be made worthy of receiving amrit that night.... and so it was, maharaj did beant kirpa on this moorakh and I was blessed with amrit.
Along the way I suffered alot of negative comments from my nearest and dearest, warning me not to grow my kesh, take amrit etc but eventually maharaj held my hand and took me into his embrace and gave me the understanding of ‘sir deejeh kaan na keejeh’ – (Give me your head and do not pay attention to public opinion). And that is how I try to live my life today, if my actions upset anyone then so be it, as long as they do not upset or go against the teachings of my guru.
Looking back I have countless regrets and wish I had found Sikhi earlier but I believe due to my past actions It wasn’t meant to happen any earlier. I am eternally grateful to maharaj who has blessed me with so much, everything I need and more. I have been blessed with two amazing daughters, who's birth together with beant kirpa from guru sahib have inspired my mother to also take amrit. I am grateful to the sangat and gursikhs around me who inspire me and encourage me to improve my jeevan (life) and be a better Sikh.
...................................
A great transformation, when we see veer ji at programmes he always adorns his dummalla (turban) with a beautiful khanda and karra chakar. May guru Sahib bless us all with the love of adopting Guru Sahibs amazing roop (image).
Guru Ramdas Ji Says, "Ham Jaisae apraadee avar koi rakhai, jaisae ham satgur rakh leeae shadae."
Can anyone else save a sinner like me? The True Guru has protected and saved me.
Vaheguroo!
Bhai Mehtaab Singh's Journey in to Sikhi!
Vaheguroo Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguroo Ji Ki Fateh
As a child I had a somewhat mixed upbringing in that my father was very westernised (having come to the UK at a very young age) but my mother was more traditional. My dad would spend a lot of time socialising with his friends leaving my mother at home with us. My mom would do some paath and would also tell us sakhia from time to time. However looking back she was also a little confused herself when it came to religion as she would partake in ritualistic things with her friends and also attend mandhirs from time to time.
As a teenager I was a typical Punjabi lad, designer haircut with designer beard with Indian gold jewellery and real ‘proud’ to be jatt/sikh! The type of ‘sikh’ who would celebrate Vaisakhi by getting drunk, blasting bhangra tunes from my car on soho road, but it was ok because I wore an orange armband with a Khanda on it!!!!
The first turning point in my life came when I was about 17 and I heard about Operatinon Bluestar and thus was introduced to Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale. To my family’s dismay in the next year every spare second I had, I would listen to Sant Ji’s speeches. Listening to these speeches would leave me feeling belittled and ashamed of who I was and had many sleepless nights because of how I had failed my ancestors by not living Sikhi.
I then made the decision I would keep my Kesh. BUT still there was something holding me back. I was now the kind of Sikh who wore a bandana (instead of a Dastaar/Turban) still kept my designer beard and drank alcohol and ate meat!
Then came university. Again I drifted from Sikhi, considering myself to be a lads lads I did many things that now disgust me which I am too ashamed to repeat, but you name it I’ve done it. Whilst studying I was also a Bouncer (security at pubs and clubs) so this was also a huge hindrance to me advancing my sikhi in any way. Funnily enough though it was at this stage in my life where I gave up alcohol (nothing to do with Sikhi though), probably because of working in such places I came to realise how idiotically people behave when drunk!
Completing my studies came that dreaded day, it totally came out of the blue when my mother said someone’s told me about a girl you may be interested in!!! I was mortified (I had an older brother and sister who were yet to be married!). So not wanting to hurt my mothers feelings I said I would meet this girl (telling myself I would just tell my parents it didn’t work out). Little did I know this girl would be my now Singhni!
She was light years ahead of me in terms of Sikhi with her parents both being amritdharis! (she was not). At this stage in my life I didn’t know what nitnem was! But we did initially talk about sikhi and I think the reason she agreed to marry me then was because I said to her I could see myself taking amrit one day.
So we got married! For the wedding I grew my beard longer and fuller than normal. I joked to her after the wedding that I wouldn’t cut it again and she became happy telling me that was really good!! I thought to myself don’t worry she’ll tell me to cut it again later, but that day never came and so it was never cut again.
Then came our honeymoon where she would wake each morning and recite japji sahib and I would sit and listen, this was the first time in my life I took an interest in Gurbani!!
Then came the day when I knew Sikhi would be my everything. It was my first experience of a rehansbhai and seeing Gursikhs. I walked into the darbar sahib which was full with all the sangat singing and the atmosphere was amazing. I could see Guru Gobind Singh Jee’s Khalsa dressed in bana with beautiful dumalleh with Khandeh and chakkars, amazing shastar and I knew this is where I belonged! I sat down quite close to the front and the shabad being sang was ‘man meh ram nama jaap’ (meditate on Gods name within your mind) and the darbar sahib was vibrating with naam, something I had never experienced! I sat that day for about 4/5 hours (having previously never stay for more than 20 mins in a gurdwara). I can remember thinking why have I never seen the gurdwara like this on a Sunday or at a wedding or at any other time infact!
From that day something changed within me and I couldn’t learn about Sikhi quick enough. From that day I never listened to another song again all I wanted was kirtan! I would do more research on the internet and came to learn about mahaan gursikhs like Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh and Shaheed Bhai Anokh Singh, who's sacrifices were out of this world and had a massive impact on me.
However now the only thing holding me back was the fact I ate meat. This was very difficult for me as I was very much into my training and a massive meat eater. My wife was desperate for me to give it up, as this was the first time in her life she was around meat, as she had been a vegetarian all her life. But with maharaj’s kirpa (and maybe a little nagging from my wife) a few months into marriage I gave it up.
So by now I was desperate for more sikhi and sangat and I would ensure I would attend all the kirtan darbars and rehansbhais as i possibly could.
I had now made up my mind I wanted to take Amrit... but... my wife wasn’t ready!! It was definitely something she wanted to do but she was still being held back. We then made the decision to attend sikhi camp, as I wanted her to be away from everyday life and family who were feeding us with negativity around sikhi. I remember packing a dastar for her, as I was desperate for us to start preparing for amrit. With Guru Sahib's kirpa she tied a dastar at camp and soon after returning home she began tying it daily.
Now the time came where we were both ready and we decided we would take amrit. It was at 2010 smagam in Bradford and we decided we would attend the whole smagam to get us in the right frame of mind. It was beautiful. But then came the day of the rehansbhai. When we woke up it had snowed very heavily and I was informed by elder gursikhs that the amrit sanchar would not be taking place as the sevadars would not make it because of the distance they had to travel in the snow. I was DEVASTATED! There I was this fully grown man blubbering like a baby, I couldn’t control myself. I begged and pleaded and said I would pick up each sevadar myself but it was of no use. This gursikh sat with me and my wife for a while and just said leave it in Maharaj’s hands, if he thinks you are ready and worthy then you will be blessed. We then immediately went to maharaj and did an ardas begging to be made worthy of receiving amrit that night.... and so it was, maharaj did beant kirpa on this moorakh and I was blessed with amrit.
Along the way I suffered alot of negative comments from my nearest and dearest, warning me not to grow my kesh, take amrit etc but eventually maharaj held my hand and took me into his embrace and gave me the understanding of ‘sir deejeh kaan na keejeh’ – (Give me your head and do not pay attention to public opinion). And that is how I try to live my life today, if my actions upset anyone then so be it, as long as they do not upset or go against the teachings of my guru.
Looking back I have countless regrets and wish I had found Sikhi earlier but I believe due to my past actions It wasn’t meant to happen any earlier. I am eternally grateful to maharaj who has blessed me with so much, everything I need and more. I have been blessed with two amazing daughters, who's birth together with beant kirpa from guru sahib have inspired my mother to also take amrit. I am grateful to the sangat and gursikhs around me who inspire me and encourage me to improve my jeevan (life) and be a better Sikh.
...................................
A great transformation, when we see veer ji at programmes he always adorns his dummalla (turban) with a beautiful khanda and karra chakar. May guru Sahib bless us all with the love of adopting Guru Sahibs amazing roop (image).
Guru Ramdas Ji Says, "Ham Jaisae apraadee avar koi rakhai, jaisae ham satgur rakh leeae shadae."
Can anyone else save a sinner like me? The True Guru has protected and saved me.
Vaheguroo!