Gobind Sadan
This year Janamashtmi was celebrated even more joyously than ever before at Gobind Sadan, in truly interfaith fashion.
The celebration began at Krishna’s Temple on the hill. Hundreds of people of all religions, including Muslims who had just finished their prayers at Gobind Sadan’s mosque, converged on the temple. Children dressed as small Krishna and his friends sat in state, a TV reporter sat in front of the sangat to give his introductory bite, traditional stick dancers from Madhya Pradesh showed a sample of their dancing with sticks long and short, large flags were distributed among the sangat, and then dhol-walas struck up a beat. To that exciting rhythm, the sangat proceeded to Gobind Sadan’s mosque, where they were addressed by the imam. He enthusiastically praised Baba Virsa Singh Ji’s mission of love among all religions and urged the sangat to spread this message and this example all over the world.
The whole procession then moved to Jesus’ Place, where Bhagat Ji led singing of “Dhan dhan Hazrat Isa Ji” (“Oh great and blessed Lord Jesus”). The next stop was at Angeetha Sahib, where women sang songs about baby Krishna and the stick-players danced again. Then the whole group made their way through the dark, guided by divas along the path, joyfully waving flags and dancing to the bhangra beat, to the central dera. There they sat near the havan in front of Krishna’s swing and sang sweet songs about Him until midnight, when Hardip Singh did the prayer and distributed Prasad to everyone. Energy and joy still overflowing, young men tried hard to climb on each other’s shoulders to break the decorated clay pot full of sweets. The atmosphere among all the revelers was one of great love, joy, and harmony, transcending all worldly differences of age, religion, or social level. Thus it is through joyfully celebrating the holy days of all religions that Baba Virsa Singh has helped to bring down the barriers that divide members of our one human family.