I cannot hold back to tell my thrilling experience with my experiments with horticulture and Gardening in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria which revolves around a spiritual experience.

I was on the staff of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1976-88) where the University put us up in a house surrounded with a park-size compound with an Imli (a huge Tamarind) and Jamun trees. My wife and two daughters were pretty happy with plenty of Imli whereas I enjoyed Jamun fruits a lot. A number of Nigerian girls used to apply Jamun juice on their lips to get a purple beautiful tinge.

My first experiment with fruit and vegetable growing started in Nigeria with somewhat divine intervention. I read a book on ‘How to grow fruits and vegetables’. Collected some saplings and chemical fertilizers from the Agriculture Division of the University and set out with plantation exercise in our vast compound with the help of a house-boy who used to live in a 2-room unit at one corner of the compound. He did the digging and prepared the ground as advised.

Within 2-3 years of our stay, in addition to Imli and Jamun, we were enjoying the following fruits from our compound: oranges (three varieties including Tangerines and Mousamis – seedless), grapefruits, mangoes (three varieties – ‘Jully’ variety was excellent), banana (short and long varieties), guava (2 varieties, white and pink), annar, grapes (both white and red seedless varieties in abundance), papaya (two varieties) and cashew nuts.

While the fruit trees were taking shape, another adventure in planting vegetables was on the way and within months the compound was blossoming with the following:

Roma tomatoes, ladies fingers, green peas, cucumbers, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, ground nut, corn, french beans, squash, ‘Tarr’ (karkri), coriander, mint, onions, black beans ( Kale Mah di dal), green chilies and spinach etc.

On one side of the compound was a full length of hedge of ‘Toor dal” (Arhar dal) yielding a lot of green as well as dried dal.

My most favorite part was the middle part of the compound with 50 rose plants of 10 different varieties of different colours (imagine if there were only two roses on each plant!).

Around the ‘rose garden’ were benches to sit and a built-in BBQ facility over shadowed by ‘Forest glory’, Eucalyptus, Temple, Cassurina and Neem trees. Ornamental effects of Hibiscus and Bougainvillea in the background were eye catching.

For someone like me who had not seen even a chili on the plant (while living in the crowded part of Pahar Ganj in Delhi) to achieve such a success was a miraculous. The fact is that before digging the ground, on planting saplings and seeds and while watering I used to recite Waheguru, Waheguru……..

The results were so encouraging with yields of fruits/vegetable that it boosted my faith in Nam Japna believing firmly in: “Prab ka simran sab te oocha”……….and rest.

We shared our produce with our friends (who-so-ever visited us or when we visited them). Our house-boy and his family helped themselves.

My routine was to pluck fruits in the mornings and vegetables in the evenings. I helped myself with plenty of fresh fruits straight from trees all the time, which is not any more in New Zealand (only from supper markets and freezers!).

There were other Indians belonging to Faculty of Agriculture as well as those belonging to farming communities back in India who also tried to grow fruits and vegetables in their respective compounds. But overall they looked up to our compound with a (divine) intervention as I was totally a novice in the field of Agriculture.

ਧਰਮੁ ਭੂਮਿ ਸਤੁ ਬੀਜੁ ਕਰਿ ਐਸੀ ਕਿਰਸ ਕਮਾਵਹੁ ॥ (Raag Thitee M. 1, GGS. 418-13).
Dhharam Bhoom Sath Beej Kar Aisee Kiras Kamaavahu ||
Plant the seed of Truth in the soil of Dharmic faith, and practice such farming.

We spent 12 years in Ahmadu Bello University (the largest university in black Africa) in Zaria in the Northern Nigeria, a predominantly Muslim area. There were mosques on various Campuses and prayers grounds in each faculty. There were close to 150 Indians staff members of faculties of Arts, Agriculture, Medicine, Science Education and Business & Management. I was promoted as a Professor of Chemistry in 1981. As Incharge of M.Sc Analytical Chemistry Programme, humbly speaking, I was able to train about 100 Analytical Chemists who later became Lectures, Professors, Vice Chancellors, State Governors, Heads of Govt. Departments, Ambassadors/High Commissioners including one rose to become the President of Nigeria (H.E. Musa Yar’Adua). PM Dr. Manmohan Singh paid a State Visit to Nigeria in 2008, and President Yar’Adua told him that he was trained by a Sikh like him.

I met and befriended some very good Muslims there and shared Eid feasts with them and learned a great deals of values of Islam in dealing with people. The kind of respect that I enjoyed as a teacher in Nigeria is unforgettable.

I like to sum up with a verse of Gurbani by Guru Ram Das Ji:-

ਹਉ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਕਾਰੈ ਲਾਈਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਕੰਮੇ ॥੩॥ (Raag Asa M. 4, GGS. 449-13).
Ho Moorakh Kaarai Laaeeaa Naanak Har Kanmae ||3||
I am just a fool, O Nanak, but the Lord has appointed me to perform His service. ||3||

The NRI Association, New Delhi awarded me “Shiromani Award” for my contribution in Nigeria in 1997. It was received by me from Giani Zail Singh ex- President of India in1998.

Kirpal Singh

Wellington, New Zealand

‘Sarbat da Bhalla’ is a common slogan heard very often that the Sikhs raise on various platforms. But how serious are we in practical terms of this expression needs exploration.

‘Sarbath da bhalla’ is linked with ‘Raaj karega khalsa’.”Sarbat da bhalla” – a slogan we say loudly to portrait that the Sikhs stand for welfare of all. Do we realy mean that in practical terms? No. The divisions among the Sikhs suggest that we are not seeking ‘Bhalla’ even of our community members let alone ‘Bhalla of the Sarbat’ (Humanity).

The ‘Sarbat da bhalla” is clearly linked to Naam that is the powerfull tool in Sikhi that provides ‘sojee’ and strength (blissful intelect) to be able to do “sarbat da bhalla” – “Nanak Naam chardikala, tere bhanne sarbat da bhalla”.

To do Sarbat da bhalla, we first need to obtain Naam, which is the only commodity actually available in plenty in Guru Granth Sahib – “Nanak ke ghar kewal naam”. After becoming familiar with Naam, we are asked to share the same ‘ras’ (blissful experience) with others as part nishkam seva i. e. ‘Sarbat da bhalla’. In other words sharing the spirit of unity taught by Gurbani to others.

Since my childhood I have been listening to this pharase, “Raaj karega Khalsa, aaki rahe no koe”. In some Gurduaras it is being periodically uttered after the daily Ardas for many many years. Are we anywhere near achieving ‘Khalsa Raaj” in India or in any other part of the world?

Coming to ‘Raaj Karega Khalsa” – when, where and how it is going to happen? Are we members of the ‘Sikh Panth’ working collectively towards achieving this objective seriously? The divisions among the Sikhs suggest that we are actually working against this objective.

The most important factors that come to my mind that can possibly help us to achieve this objective are :

1. To forge and achieve unity among the Sikhs – to inculcate a spirit of oneness in the light of Gurbani.
2. To obey the messages of Gurbani that bind not only the various factions of Sikhs but those who at present do not call themselves as Sikhs.
3. To bring out the Universal Spirit of Gurbani that binds us together under one umbrella, such as: “toon ghat ghat antar”, “toon mera pita toon hei mera mata” and “manas ki jaat sabai eke pachanvo” etc.
4. To remove “Aakis”- those who are sitting in opposition because of ignorance of Gurbani.

Gurmat has equipped us as how to go about – by using the various divine (Sach) names which were sacred in the past, present and shall remain so in the future: “Aad sach jugad sach hebi sach Nanak hosi bhi sach”. This Sach is known by various names such as Vahiguru/Waheguru, IkOnkaar, Satnam, Katapurakh/Kartar, Akalpurak, Ram, Nirankar, Har, Niranjan, Allah etc. etc.

Why should we feel shy as to not recognize our present spiritual path with linkage to the past spiritual paths. Sikhi of today has a lot common with preceding spiritual paths minus some rituals of the past and plus some new rituals.

According to Gurbani, “kinka ek jis je basave ta ki mehma kathi na jave”. It is good to offer Langar meals to a large number of people (just a meal) but of no use if they do not grasp a ‘Kinka of Gurbani”.

The Sikhi has been tried out by 10 successive Gurus and other Gurmukhs over a long period of time.The strength of Sikhi lies in that it is the only tolerant religion in which and in its scripture (Guru Granth Sahib) the various divine names of Almighty are listed and revered equally. In a Sikh Gurduara one hears, Waheguru, Ram, Allah joyfully. This is worth partaking with others to draw them closer.

It is our duty to share with others as part of Seva (service) our deep conviction of our heritage as where we stand through the the messages of Gurbani . We need to tell them what a Sikh stands for by extending a hand of friendship that we all belong to same Father though known by different names. Once we understand then a cordial communication starts to work towards a common goal i. e. ‘Raaj of Khalsa’ – a land where people care for one an other as moral duty. This will result in spread of Sikhi in India and around the globe to extend boundaries of Khalsa Raaj everywhere and the Deras will be dismantled.

My estimate is that in less than 50 years the expression ‘Raaj Karega Khalsa’ will be realized provided we share the Gurmat with others without our personal narrow biases. This will build confidence and respect among the Communities and Governments in neighboring countries such as Pakistan allowing an easy access to Sikh Guruduaras in Pakistan thus fulfilling our request to Waheguru in our daily Ardas.

Kirpal Singh