Experiences with Giani Nahar Singh Jee

Giani Nahar Singh Jee is such a Gursikh who needs no introduction. People like us do not have the spiritual intellect to introduce such a great, divine soul whose Jeevan we have read admiringly in books with tears in our eyes. Whoever would seek his company and meet him, would be embraced by his love, and he would ask sweetly, “Tusee Aa Gaye Betaa Jee”.

This past summer, some of the Sangat from the Tri-State area had the privilege of going to Toronto, Canada for the July 2007 Annual Akhand Keertan Samagam. Sadly, before we arrived there, we had already received word that this would be Giani Nahar Singh Jee’s final two weeks in North America, before he permanently moved to India. Therefore, many of us made sure that we got to Toronto as soon as possible so that we can have darshan of this amazing Gursikh, and sit in his Sangat for the little time that was remaining.

With Guru Jee’s Kirpa, we visited Giani Nahar Singh Jee every morning during Amrit Vela at his private residence during our stay in Toronto. We felt so lucky and fortunate to have the chance to do Nitnem with Giani Jee! It became a cherished routine of the Samagam that every morning we would go see Giani Jee first, do our Nitnem with him, and then go to the Keertan Samagam. For all of us, Amrit Vela with Giani Jee was the highlight of our week in Toronto! No matter how tired we were, he would always lift our spirits every morning, filling us up with energy and Naam, and literally send us off to carry on with our day. Our group will always look back at those days as some of the best spent in Toronto of all time.

Amrit Vela was something he would never miss himself and would always ask others to maintain regularly. So much so, that once during the Annual Maryland Raen Sabhaee a couple of years back (March 2004), he asked the sangat to please do Sangtee Amrit Vela Nitnem together at 4AM. He insisted upon this so much, that even when some Gursikhs arrived late to the Nitnem program, Giani Jee, without telling them that he had already finished Nitnem by 6:30AM, again started Naam Simran followed by Nitnem. It was only after Bhog that those Singhs realized that Giani Jee did it twice. Such a Nirmal rooh he was…

During our visit to Toronto in January of this year, we also had the opportunity to visit Giani Jee and be blessed by his Sangat during Amrit Vela. Though our plane was leaving early that morning, we could not miss a chance to be in the company of Giani Jee. Little did we know of our good luck that Dr. Hardayal Singh Jee of California would be also giving us Darshan that morning! That Amrit Vela session is one that many of us will never forget and was filled with Naam Ras as Teers of Piar and Bairaag hit the entire Sangat. At the end of Simran and Nitnem, Giani Jee and Dr. Jee gave a 30 minute veechar together on the inspiring Jeevans of Puratan Gursikhs that they had met during their lifetime. Eventually, when the time is appropriate, we hope to slowly share all of this priceless, inspiring Khajana with Sangat online.

He was so fond of all the Gursikh Sangat that he would always inquire and wait for the absent ones who were to arrive… “Why didn’t he come…?”. After Nitnem he would be so happy to have Sangat and he would say, “Shukar Hai, Tusee Sangat Bakhshee Hai.” Everyone was in his thoughts - even lowly ones like us. Whenever we used to have any spiritual inquest, we would ask him or call him and he would respond to it so beautifully that many of our unasked questions would also get answered.

We are sure he must be enjoying the lap of Guru Sahib, and from there, you know what he is doing. In this Monday’s Keertan Samagam (September 3, 2007) in Glenrock, NJ in his sweet memory, a Gursikh (Jagjit Singh, NY) was about to sing a shabad, but Chaanee Jee requested him at the last moment to sing “Pootaa Maataa Kee Asees”. We all were thinking and smiling that Giani Jee, while sitting in Lap of Guru Sahib, is sending us Aseesaa…

Nimakh Naa Bisrao Tum Ko Har Har
Sadaa Bhajo Jagdees ||

In Giani Nahar Singh Jee’s bedroom in Toronto hangs a brilliant painting that caught the eye of each one of us who visited him. It was an outstanding piece of art that really captured the mental image we all had of Giani Jee. We took a high resolution picture of it last time we visited and feel now would be a great time to share it with everyone.