On the day Guru Nanak Crossed the Rainbow Bridge ...
I heard some people got together today in Kartarpur to commemorate the 480th death anniversary of Guru Nanak. This reminds me of this incident with my grandfather, Papaji and his brother, Chachaji. While Chachaji who was only two years younger to Papaji, he was a lot more active and seemed a lot more younger. They had a very funny and frank relationship. So that day, Chachaji reminded Papaji that he should write his will, just in case "something" happens. He also suggested that he should leave Chachaji instructions on how to execute the will. Papaji thought about it for a bit, and with a straight face quipped, "Who knows if I will die first or you?" It left Chachaji startled and it became a story that was told and retold in the family. I remember Papaji very sad remembering this when Chachaji actually died suddenly while Papaji was around.
Coincidently, recently I completed an album that includes 5 poems of Guru Nanak that deal with death. In the first line of the first poem, Guru Nanak says, "Who can we really complain to? God doesn't ask anyone before he takes someone away."
I decided to spend a year to spend a year working on compositions of Guru Nanak for #GuruNanak550. Someone asked me write about this experience and this is what I said: Singing Guru Nanak For a Year As long as I sing, I live. As soon as I forget, I die ( So Kyon Visrai ) - Guru Nanak, Raag Asa On the momentous occasion of Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary celebrations, I decide to spend a year meditating upon the words and music of Guru Nanak. Its exciting ... For many years Bhai Gurdas has reminded me how Guru Nanak lighted his life, Kal Taaran Guru Nanak Aaya . I commence excitedly, focusing on the light that is brighter than one hundred moons and one thousand suns combined, the light of Guru Nanak’s prayer, the universal Aarti with the stars studded in the sky’s platter. I decide to sing Guru Nanak completely this year. The initial plan is to record 55 new compositions . I think this to be momentous because normally I can only do 10-12 compositions in...
Khasam Ki Bani, a phrase used by Guru Nanak to describe his own poetry, means "Words of my Love". The project started off as a musical celebration of Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary and now continues because I did not have the heart to stop. [from - Feb/Mar 2016] "Jaisi Main Avai Khasam Ki Bani" is one of the four poems included in what is called "Babarvani" describing the four invasions by Mughal Emperor Babar (1483-1530). While three of these poems are in Raag Asa (the color of Hope), this poem is in Raag Tilang (the color of Mideast). Read More: Complete Babarvani Babar and Guru Nanak in 1520-1521 Before I share the translation, some brief history for you based on what I have gathered from several sources including Babar's Autobiography in the past few days. The year was 1520. The season was winter. Babar made his third invasion into India and easily subdued several cities including Sialkot. He...
Guru Nanak: I absolutely love my Guru. For it does not even take him an instant to infuse divinity into someone. Guru Angad: Even if 100 moons grew, and 1000 suns rose, without the Guru it would be pitch dark.
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