Baru sahib
Encyclopedia
Baru Sahib also known as the Valley of Divine Peace is located in Himachal Pradesh
, India
.
Baru Sahib, the land of meditation
(tapobhoomi), is the realization of vision of Sant Attar Singh Ji, Mastuane Wale (1866–1927), who, in the early twentieth century envisaged a place in the Himalayas
from where young souls equipped with the amalgam of spiritual
and modern scientific education will spread the message of universal brotherhood throughout the world.
Baru Sahib was revealed to the mankind by his devout disciple Sant Teja Singh (1877–1965) {MA, LLB (Punjab
, India
), AM (Harvard, USA)} with the help of Bhai Iqbal Singh and Bhai Khem Singh in 1956.
In 1959, Sant Teja Singh Ji accompanied by 15-20 devotees performed Akhand Path
Sahib in a mud-hut. At the conclusion of Akhand Path
Sahib and Ardas, Sant Ji prophesied, "Just as a tiny banyan seed grows into a huge tree, in the same way this place will develop into a great center of spiritual education where high quality scientific education will also be imparted. In due course, roads will be built and all those whose hearts are brimful of love for Guru Nanak and who have toiled to accumulate spiritual capital from the previous births, will be drawn to this place".
This holy place, where several saints, sages and 'Rishis' were believed to have performed hard penance from time immemorial, had also been hallowed by the visit of Guru Gobind Singh
, the tenth Sikh
Guru.
. His devout disciple Sant Teja Singh, MA, LLB (Punjab
, India
), AM (Harvard, USA) (1877–1965) took upon himself the task of fulfilling the vision of his mentor. To this end, he gathered a team of young students & inspired them to dedicate their lives to the service of humanity.
Bhai Iqbal Singh and Bhai Khem Singh were directed by Sant Ji to search, locate and reveal to mankind the hitherto hidden holy site (land) where several saints, sages and Rishis were believed to have performed hard penance from time immemorial. This place had also been hallowed by the visit of Guru Gobind Singh
, the tenth Sikh
Guru. Sant Ji told the duo that the sacred site was located in the lower Himalayas
somewhere near the town of Nahan
(in Himachal Pradesh
).
Following the directive of Sant Teja Singh, the young team of Bhai Iqbal Singh & Bhai Khem Singh searched a vast territory trying to locate the sacred spot; but in vain. Bhai Iqbal Singh then beseech ed Sant Ji to allow him to resign his job in Punjab to take up employment in Himachal Pradesh
. This step, he believed would facilitate the search for the sacred site. Sant Ji acceded to his request and blessed him "May the Guru abide with you."
. His search for the sacred spot continued in right earnest. He suggested to Sant Ji that land was suitable for setting up a spiritual centre near the Kalka
-Shimla
highway, easily accessible by car. Sant Ji turned down the suggestion saying that the envisaged site was further deep in the Himalayan
jungles. Bhai Iqbal Singh searched tirelessly for the sacred spot but to no avail.
, there was a village Baru spread over 400 Acres owned by one Thakur Joginder Singh. It was densely forested & had several springs. Under a huge walnut
tree near a spring, sadhus would come & meditate from time to time. The Thakur would welcome them & offer them food.
One day, a wise old ascetic came and sat under the walnut tree and was soon lost in deep meditation (samādhi
). When he opened his eyes, the Thakur offered him food. But the sadhu
looked at him and said, "Joginder Singh, you will not stay here for long. This is Guru Nanak's land. From the time of "satyuga", saints and sages have performed penance here. Even Guru Gobind Singh
Ji visited this place & blessed it. A time shall come when Guru Nanak's Sikhs gather here, meditate on the Divine Name, recite Gurbani; and spread the Divine Message throughout the world."
The Thakur, thinking that the holy man had put a curse on him; took away the food in anger. After a few hours, when his anger had abated, he returned with the food at the prompting of his wife but found that the sadhu
had disappeared.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the God-enlightened Sant Teja Singh had flourished a keen desire to discover the sacred spot. Around the same time, it so happened that the Thakur fell out with the village folk and decided to sell off his estate. News of this turn of events got through to Sant Ji by supernatural sources and he promptly sent a message to Bhai Iqbal Singh at Dhaula Kuan that a village Baru in Tehsil Sarahan of distt. Nahan
had been put up for sale. Bhai Iqbal Singh set off on foot for Baru 35 km away. On reaching the spot, he discovered that it had all the features prophesied earlier by Sant Ji.
Baba Iqbal Singh sent a letter to Sant Ji saying that the village Baru seemed to be exactly the place he had envisioned for setting up a spiritual
center.
Sant Ji came down to Nahan
from the village Cheema in Punjab
and without visiting or negotiating the price, bought the entire 400 Acres of land at Baru in the year 1956.
to reach Baru Sahib. They set-up camp and built a mud-hut, in which the first Akhand Path
(Non-Stop reading of Guru Granth Sahib) was started. At the conclusion of Akhand Path
, with tears in his eyes, Sant Ji performed the poignant Ardas
, "True Master! When will you usher in the time when students from all over the world gather here and mould their lives in accordance with the teachings of Guru Nanak and bring peace to the world." After the Ardas
, the devotees came over to Sant Ji and said "There is no habitation and no roads around here. This jungle has only wild animals like monkeys and bears. Who will trek through the jungles to this remote spot." Sant Ji replied, "Just as a tiny banyan seed grows into a huge tree, in the same way this place will develop into a great center of spiritual education where high quality scientific education will also be imparted. In due course, roads will be built and all those whose hearts are brimful of love for Guru Nanak and who have toiled to accumulate spiritual capital from the previous births, will be drawn to this place."
Five years later, the now famous Akal Academy had its beginning in the Ashram building with just five students. Over the years, the academy grew at an incredible pace to its present size. It is now an 11-storeyed building and has 1538 boys and girls on its rolls. Of these, 200 are overseas students; 100 from the US alone. 350 students are getting free education. A few of them belong to those families of the survivors of 1984 carnage, who have not yet been settled, children of martyrs of Punjab, children from underprivileged communities (Vanjara) in Maharashtra
, Karnataka
and Andhra Pradesh
and Nanak Panthis from Uttar Pradesh
.
Besides the Akal Academy, The Kalgidhar Society manages an orphanage, an old age home, a home for widows and destitute women, a 250-bed charitable hospital, a music centre, a spiritual academy for women wherein 200 young girls are getting free training besides board and lodging.
Apart from Akal Academy Baru Sahib, The Kalgidhar Society manages 52 Secondary/Senior Secondary schools in various parts of Northern India. In these academies, some 30,000 students are receiving quality education besides being groomed in Gurmat
. Inspired by these children, grown ups are renouncing vices and approximately five lakhs have turned over new leaves.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Baru Sahib, the land of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
(tapobhoomi), is the realization of vision of Sant Attar Singh Ji, Mastuane Wale (1866–1927), who, in the early twentieth century envisaged a place in the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
from where young souls equipped with the amalgam of spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
and modern scientific education will spread the message of universal brotherhood throughout the world.
Baru Sahib was revealed to the mankind by his devout disciple Sant Teja Singh (1877–1965) {MA, LLB (Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), AM (Harvard, USA)} with the help of Bhai Iqbal Singh and Bhai Khem Singh in 1956.
In 1959, Sant Teja Singh Ji accompanied by 15-20 devotees performed Akhand Path
Akhand Path
Akhand Path is the common practise of continuous recitation of sacred religious texts in Hinduism and Sikhism.-Sikhism:...
Sahib in a mud-hut. At the conclusion of Akhand Path
Akhand Path
Akhand Path is the common practise of continuous recitation of sacred religious texts in Hinduism and Sikhism.-Sikhism:...
Sahib and Ardas, Sant Ji prophesied, "Just as a tiny banyan seed grows into a huge tree, in the same way this place will develop into a great center of spiritual education where high quality scientific education will also be imparted. In due course, roads will be built and all those whose hearts are brimful of love for Guru Nanak and who have toiled to accumulate spiritual capital from the previous births, will be drawn to this place".
This holy place, where several saints, sages and 'Rishis' were believed to have performed hard penance from time immemorial, had also been hallowed by the visit of Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
, the tenth Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
Guru.
History of Baru Sahib, The Valley of Divine Peace
Sant Attar Singh (1866–1927), a revered Sikh saint and visionary of his time envisaged a centre of true education (a blend of scientific and moral education) in the lap of the HimalayasHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. His devout disciple Sant Teja Singh, MA, LLB (Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), AM (Harvard, USA) (1877–1965) took upon himself the task of fulfilling the vision of his mentor. To this end, he gathered a team of young students & inspired them to dedicate their lives to the service of humanity.
Bhai Iqbal Singh and Bhai Khem Singh were directed by Sant Ji to search, locate and reveal to mankind the hitherto hidden holy site (land) where several saints, sages and Rishis were believed to have performed hard penance from time immemorial. This place had also been hallowed by the visit of Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
, the tenth Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
Guru. Sant Ji told the duo that the sacred site was located in the lower Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
somewhere near the town of Nahan
Nahan
Nahan नाहन is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District.- Geography :Nahan is located at . It has an average elevation of 920 metre- Demographics :...
(in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
).
Following the directive of Sant Teja Singh, the young team of Bhai Iqbal Singh & Bhai Khem Singh searched a vast territory trying to locate the sacred spot; but in vain. Bhai Iqbal Singh then beseech ed Sant Ji to allow him to resign his job in Punjab to take up employment in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
. This step, he believed would facilitate the search for the sacred site. Sant Ji acceded to his request and blessed him "May the Guru abide with you."
Bhai Iqbal Singh in Himachal Pradesh
Responding to an advertisement in the newspaper, Bhai Iqbal Singh applied for & secured the job of Agricultural Officer in Himachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
. His search for the sacred spot continued in right earnest. He suggested to Sant Ji that land was suitable for setting up a spiritual centre near the Kalka
Kalka
Kalka is a town in the Panchkula district of Haryana, India. The name of the town is derived from the goddess Kali. The town is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and is a gateway to the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. It is on the National Highway 22 between Chandigarh and Shimla,...
-Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
highway, easily accessible by car. Sant Ji turned down the suggestion saying that the envisaged site was further deep in the Himalayan
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
jungles. Bhai Iqbal Singh searched tirelessly for the sacred spot but to no avail.
Discovery of the village Baru
About 50–60 km from SolanSolan
Solan is a town and a municipal council in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located south of state capital Shimla. The place is named after the Hindu goddess Shoolini devi. Solan was the capital of erstwhile princely state, Bhagat...
, there was a village Baru spread over 400 Acres owned by one Thakur Joginder Singh. It was densely forested & had several springs. Under a huge walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
tree near a spring, sadhus would come & meditate from time to time. The Thakur would welcome them & offer them food.
One day, a wise old ascetic came and sat under the walnut tree and was soon lost in deep meditation (samādhi
Samadhi
Samadhi in Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools is a higher level of concentrated meditation, or dhyāna. In the yoga tradition, it is the eighth and final limb identified in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali....
). When he opened his eyes, the Thakur offered him food. But the sadhu
Sadhu
In Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
looked at him and said, "Joginder Singh, you will not stay here for long. This is Guru Nanak's land. From the time of "satyuga", saints and sages have performed penance here. Even Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
Ji visited this place & blessed it. A time shall come when Guru Nanak's Sikhs gather here, meditate on the Divine Name, recite Gurbani; and spread the Divine Message throughout the world."
The Thakur, thinking that the holy man had put a curse on him; took away the food in anger. After a few hours, when his anger had abated, he returned with the food at the prompting of his wife but found that the sadhu
Sadhu
In Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
had disappeared.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the God-enlightened Sant Teja Singh had flourished a keen desire to discover the sacred spot. Around the same time, it so happened that the Thakur fell out with the village folk and decided to sell off his estate. News of this turn of events got through to Sant Ji by supernatural sources and he promptly sent a message to Bhai Iqbal Singh at Dhaula Kuan that a village Baru in Tehsil Sarahan of distt. Nahan
Nahan
Nahan नाहन is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District.- Geography :Nahan is located at . It has an average elevation of 920 metre- Demographics :...
had been put up for sale. Bhai Iqbal Singh set off on foot for Baru 35 km away. On reaching the spot, he discovered that it had all the features prophesied earlier by Sant Ji.
Baba Iqbal Singh sent a letter to Sant Ji saying that the village Baru seemed to be exactly the place he had envisioned for setting up a spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
center.
Sant Ji came down to Nahan
Nahan
Nahan नाहन is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District.- Geography :Nahan is located at . It has an average elevation of 920 metre- Demographics :...
from the village Cheema in Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and without visiting or negotiating the price, bought the entire 400 Acres of land at Baru in the year 1956.
Devotees throng the village Baru "The Land of Peace"
In 1959, 82 years old Sant Teja Singh Ji accompanied by 15-20 devotees trekked 35 km in the HimalayasHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
to reach Baru Sahib. They set-up camp and built a mud-hut, in which the first Akhand Path
Akhand Path
Akhand Path is the common practise of continuous recitation of sacred religious texts in Hinduism and Sikhism.-Sikhism:...
(Non-Stop reading of Guru Granth Sahib) was started. At the conclusion of Akhand Path
Akhand Path
Akhand Path is the common practise of continuous recitation of sacred religious texts in Hinduism and Sikhism.-Sikhism:...
, with tears in his eyes, Sant Ji performed the poignant Ardas
Ardas
The Ardās is a Sikh prayer that is done before performing or after undertaking any significant task; after reciting the daily Banis ; or completion of a service like the Paath , kirtan program or any other religious program. In Sikhism, these prayers are also said before and after eating...
, "True Master! When will you usher in the time when students from all over the world gather here and mould their lives in accordance with the teachings of Guru Nanak and bring peace to the world." After the Ardas
Ardas
The Ardās is a Sikh prayer that is done before performing or after undertaking any significant task; after reciting the daily Banis ; or completion of a service like the Paath , kirtan program or any other religious program. In Sikhism, these prayers are also said before and after eating...
, the devotees came over to Sant Ji and said "There is no habitation and no roads around here. This jungle has only wild animals like monkeys and bears. Who will trek through the jungles to this remote spot." Sant Ji replied, "Just as a tiny banyan seed grows into a huge tree, in the same way this place will develop into a great center of spiritual education where high quality scientific education will also be imparted. In due course, roads will be built and all those whose hearts are brimful of love for Guru Nanak and who have toiled to accumulate spiritual capital from the previous births, will be drawn to this place."
Sant Ji's prophesy comes true
Sant Teja Singh entrusted the responsibility of managing and developing the activities at Baru Sahib to Baba Iqbal Singh. The mud-hut housing the Gurdwara was expanded. In due course, roads were built; vehicles began to ply and by 1975, six rooms were constructed. Thereafter, in 1981-82, the construction of the cement and brick Gurdwara and Ashram building was started.Five years later, the now famous Akal Academy had its beginning in the Ashram building with just five students. Over the years, the academy grew at an incredible pace to its present size. It is now an 11-storeyed building and has 1538 boys and girls on its rolls. Of these, 200 are overseas students; 100 from the US alone. 350 students are getting free education. A few of them belong to those families of the survivors of 1984 carnage, who have not yet been settled, children of martyrs of Punjab, children from underprivileged communities (Vanjara) in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
and Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
and Nanak Panthis from Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
.
Besides the Akal Academy, The Kalgidhar Society manages an orphanage, an old age home, a home for widows and destitute women, a 250-bed charitable hospital, a music centre, a spiritual academy for women wherein 200 young girls are getting free training besides board and lodging.
Apart from Akal Academy Baru Sahib, The Kalgidhar Society manages 52 Secondary/Senior Secondary schools in various parts of Northern India. In these academies, some 30,000 students are receiving quality education besides being groomed in Gurmat
Gurmat
Gurmat is a term which may in its essential sense be taken to be synonymous with Sikhism itself. It literally means to "have your face towards the guru". It covers doctrinal, prescriptive and directional aspects of Sikh faith and praxis...
. Inspired by these children, grown ups are renouncing vices and approximately five lakhs have turned over new leaves.