THE POWER OF COMPASSION
Harakchand Sawla - Really a great soul!
A young man in his thirties used to stand on the footpath, opposite the famous Tata Cancer Hospital, at Mumbai and stare at the crowd in front. Fear plainly written upon the faces of the patients standing at death's door; Their relatives with equally grim faces running around... These sights disturbed him greatly...
Most of the patients were poor people from distant towns. They had no idea whom to meet, or what to do. They had no money for medicines, not even food. The young man, heavily depressed, would return home. 'Something should be done for these people', he would think. He was haunted by the thought day and night. At last he found a way!
He rented out his own hotel that was doing good business and raised some money. From these funds he started a charitable activity right opposite Tata Cancer Hospital, on the pavement next to Kondaji Building. He himself had no idea that the activity would continue to flourish, even after the passage of 27 years.
The activity consisted of providing free meals for cancer patients and their relatives. Many people in the vicinity approved of this activity. Beginning with fifty, the number of beneficiaries soon rose to hundred, two hundred, three hundred. As the numbers of patients increased, so did the number of helping hands. As years rolled by, the activity continued; undeterred by the change of seasons, come winter, summer or even the dreaded monsoon of Mumbai. The number of beneficiaries soon reached 700.
Mr Harakhchand Sawla, for that was the name of the pioneer, did not stop here. He started supplying free medicines for the needy. In fact, he started a medicine bank, enlisting voluntary services of three doctors and three pharmacists. A toy banks was opened for kids suffering from cancer. The 'Jeevan Jyot' trust founded by Mr Sawla now runs more than 60 humanitarian projects.
Sawla, now 57 years old, works with the same vigour. A thousand salutes to his boundless energy and his monumental contribution!
There are people in this country who look upon Sachin Tendulkar as 'God'- for playing 200 test matches in 20 years, few hundred one day matches, and scoring 100 centuries and 30,000 runs. But hardly anyone knows Harakhchand Sawla, let alone call him 'God' for feeding free lunches to 10 to 12 lac cancer patients and their relatives. We owe this discrepancy to our mass media!
(A relentless hunt on Google failed to procure a photograph of Mr. Sawla).
God resides in our vicinity. But we, like mad men run after 'god-men', styled variously as Bapu, Maharaj or Baba. All Babas, Maharajs and Bapus become multi-millionnaires, but our difficulties, agonies and disasters persist unabated till death. For the last 27 years, millions of cancer patients and their relatives have found 'God', in the form of Harakhchand Sawla.
Someone sent me the above post! When reading this, Bhagat Pooran Singh Ji (pingalvaare), Bhai Kannaiyaa ji and Sikhi in general came to mind straight away, as Compassion is the foundation stone of Sikhi. Bhai Kannaiyaa went around giving water to the opposition forces whilst in battle, as he saw God in all. Bhagat Ji fell in love with disabled people. He started doing the Seva (selfless service) of one disabled man by carrying him on his back throughout the whole of his life. Eventually, he set up an institute for the disabled, which runs to this day and many hundreds have been treated and continue to get treated through it. The beauty about bhagat ji was, he looked after hundreds of disabled people, set up an institute, but dressed in rags himself. Such was his humility, kindness, love and compassion. Above is just a minor glimpse of his compassionate acts. He was also a complete environmentalist. He dedicated the whole of his life, until he breathed his last to the selfless service of the disabled.
Sikhs have set up many organisations around the world, where they go out on to the streets and feed the poor. The Sikh Guru's started this Seva many hundreds of years ago and named it Langar. Anyone can enter any sikh Gurdwara (temple) around the world and be provided with a hot meal for free, as long as they are not under the influence of intoxicants. Therefore a Sikh or anybody else living near a Gurdwara should not starve, such was the vision of the Sikh Gurus.
There are endless examples of compassion in the Sikh faith.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "O Nanak, the Gurmukh finds the Diamond of the Lord, by His Kindness and Compassion."
Vaheguroo!
Harakchand Sawla - Really a great soul!
A young man in his thirties used to stand on the footpath, opposite the famous Tata Cancer Hospital, at Mumbai and stare at the crowd in front. Fear plainly written upon the faces of the patients standing at death's door; Their relatives with equally grim faces running around... These sights disturbed him greatly...
Most of the patients were poor people from distant towns. They had no idea whom to meet, or what to do. They had no money for medicines, not even food. The young man, heavily depressed, would return home. 'Something should be done for these people', he would think. He was haunted by the thought day and night. At last he found a way!
He rented out his own hotel that was doing good business and raised some money. From these funds he started a charitable activity right opposite Tata Cancer Hospital, on the pavement next to Kondaji Building. He himself had no idea that the activity would continue to flourish, even after the passage of 27 years.
The activity consisted of providing free meals for cancer patients and their relatives. Many people in the vicinity approved of this activity. Beginning with fifty, the number of beneficiaries soon rose to hundred, two hundred, three hundred. As the numbers of patients increased, so did the number of helping hands. As years rolled by, the activity continued; undeterred by the change of seasons, come winter, summer or even the dreaded monsoon of Mumbai. The number of beneficiaries soon reached 700.
Mr Harakhchand Sawla, for that was the name of the pioneer, did not stop here. He started supplying free medicines for the needy. In fact, he started a medicine bank, enlisting voluntary services of three doctors and three pharmacists. A toy banks was opened for kids suffering from cancer. The 'Jeevan Jyot' trust founded by Mr Sawla now runs more than 60 humanitarian projects.
Sawla, now 57 years old, works with the same vigour. A thousand salutes to his boundless energy and his monumental contribution!
There are people in this country who look upon Sachin Tendulkar as 'God'- for playing 200 test matches in 20 years, few hundred one day matches, and scoring 100 centuries and 30,000 runs. But hardly anyone knows Harakhchand Sawla, let alone call him 'God' for feeding free lunches to 10 to 12 lac cancer patients and their relatives. We owe this discrepancy to our mass media!
(A relentless hunt on Google failed to procure a photograph of Mr. Sawla).
God resides in our vicinity. But we, like mad men run after 'god-men', styled variously as Bapu, Maharaj or Baba. All Babas, Maharajs and Bapus become multi-millionnaires, but our difficulties, agonies and disasters persist unabated till death. For the last 27 years, millions of cancer patients and their relatives have found 'God', in the form of Harakhchand Sawla.
Someone sent me the above post! When reading this, Bhagat Pooran Singh Ji (pingalvaare), Bhai Kannaiyaa ji and Sikhi in general came to mind straight away, as Compassion is the foundation stone of Sikhi. Bhai Kannaiyaa went around giving water to the opposition forces whilst in battle, as he saw God in all. Bhagat Ji fell in love with disabled people. He started doing the Seva (selfless service) of one disabled man by carrying him on his back throughout the whole of his life. Eventually, he set up an institute for the disabled, which runs to this day and many hundreds have been treated and continue to get treated through it. The beauty about bhagat ji was, he looked after hundreds of disabled people, set up an institute, but dressed in rags himself. Such was his humility, kindness, love and compassion. Above is just a minor glimpse of his compassionate acts. He was also a complete environmentalist. He dedicated the whole of his life, until he breathed his last to the selfless service of the disabled.
Sikhs have set up many organisations around the world, where they go out on to the streets and feed the poor. The Sikh Guru's started this Seva many hundreds of years ago and named it Langar. Anyone can enter any sikh Gurdwara (temple) around the world and be provided with a hot meal for free, as long as they are not under the influence of intoxicants. Therefore a Sikh or anybody else living near a Gurdwara should not starve, such was the vision of the Sikh Gurus.
There are endless examples of compassion in the Sikh faith.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "O Nanak, the Gurmukh finds the Diamond of the Lord, by His Kindness and Compassion."
Vaheguroo!