Kiran Rawat

NISHAN SAHIB

Friends were saying that I am missing from photography & trekking action. For the last 2-3 months I was planning to do lots of photography but there were ups & downs in professional front.

As the Dussehra is coming around, family members were getting ready to get busy in there respective functions or so. Bhai were planning for Ramnagar trip, parents want to attend marriages etc etc

I come to know by mother that Mamaji is going to village on Dussehra to change the Jhanda (Nishan Sahib) of the gurudwara on 14^th Oct, what an opportunity to visit mamkot (mother’s village), gurudwara & photography. On the other hand Vivek was feeling very restless for long time & want to go for a short ride. We discuss the plan to visit the village on Enfield Bullet & he was fine with the km & ride. The total distance from Noida to village is 320 km in which 200 km is plain riding till Kotdwar & 120 km of hill riding (that’s excite me the most)

The riding plan was

13^th Oct, Sunday- leave Noida at 0500 hrs & reach Village by late afternoon.

14^th Oct, Monday- Attend the Nishan Sahib & visit local area or ride back to Kotdwar

15^th Oct, Tuesday- leave early morning for Delhi & attend office.

Everything was going as per plan but the confusion of double dates of Dussehra changed the whole planning. Now the Jhanda will be change on 13^th Oct, Sunday & on the other hand Vivek was unable to prepone the trip & he can’t leave on 12^th, Saturday early morning due to some family commitments.

So the final planning was that I will be leaving alone on 12^th, Saturday & will reach village in the morning & attend the puja & all on 13^th & return with Mamiji (if I can be accommodate in the car)

I reached early from the office & checked the final packing. Meantime I was talking to Yogesh to drop the camera at home before 1900 hrs so I could catch the direct bus to Tripalisain. Yogesh was quite late & I was sure that I wouldn’t able to catch the only bus.

He droped me at the Golf Course metro station & I reconfirmed from Dharamveer about the depature of buses to Uttarakhand was from ISBT or Anand Vihar interstate bus stand.

It was my first visit to ISBT which was re-opened after the renovation of international standards but it’s totally disappointed. The toilet was in very bad shape. It was full of water. There was no attendant either to clean it on regular basis/ intervals.

There were few buses in semi packed condition. Any how I got preferred seat in the 35 seater bus for Kotdware but I released the seat of the bus is quite small comparatively the 50 seats bus. Anyhow manage the best seat & reach Kotdwar at 0330 hrs. I quickly went to GMU counter & get the ticket for Tripalisain (which will crosss Kirku Bazar) but with the shock to see the seat, it was the last row (as we get while going to Binsar Mahadev, where half of the journey done on seating on the bunch of newspaper). I quickly went back to counter & returned the ticket.

Searching shared jeep or mid way bus, I got a decent bus for Patisain at 0415 hrs. Now the hill journey was started & by 0615 I reached Patisain. Have to wait for almost an hour to get the bus for Kirku. By my surprise I got the same bus which I have left in Kotdwar.

I got a seat on the bonnet & shortly have to vacate it & offer to a lady with a child. Those 30 km I was standing on the gate & the chill & fresh air was crossing & my hair were talking to wind.

Reached Kirku by 0730 hrs & directly headed towards Lalaji shop, he advice me that either to trek or book the cab for Rs.200, right now there is no cab on sharing. I payed Rs.188 to reach Kotdwar from Delhi & have to shell Rs.200 only for the 3 km (bad idea). I started the trek & start clicking, catching the breaths & clicking. He also informed that I have to reach at Gurudwara fast because the boys will rush to visit nearby village where famous singer Narender Singh Negi is coming.

It took me 20 min to reach village, found Mamaji house locked I rushed to the gurudwara where every one was gathered & was on the process of changing the flag. Putting the bag aside I started capturing the moment.

The Nishan Sahib was down & tilted towards the field & the young brigade was taking off the old yellow cloth from the heavy, long Nishan Sahib which is made of pure copper. The cloth was used to wear on head & after that NS was given milk bath. The new red color cloth wrapped on the NS & the top was decorated with flowers. Every Dussehra the cloth of Nishan Sahib is changed, this time Mamiji were doing the honors. After the preparation the task was to stand the NS up. A thick rope was tied to NS & some boys went to roof of gurudwara, two guys stands with the NS to control & two hold the rope to pull the NS. With a jerk & pull/push & NS stand tall in the dedicated place & every one takes blessing & offer the prayers/ ardas.

It was followed by the prasad of halwa & gur (jaggery). As I was very hungry I doesn’t know how many times I took the prasad

Mamiji invited for the breakfast so I took a good bath & reach for the parantha breakfast & took a great nap, waked up had lunch & again gone to sleep. In the evening we all went for a walk on the new road connecting to the upper road.

In night I come to Chote Mamaji house where Mamiji have prepared very heavy dinner followed by hot & sweet pure milk & stayed there. I have to report @ 0700 hrs to the Mamiji house as they have booked the cab for Kirku & from there we have to drive down to Delhi in the car (again the chances were 50%)

After reaching Kirku we had a cup of hot tea & clean the new Maruti Swift car which was recently upgrated from Zen Estilo. We took a break before Dugdda & took sweets from Kotdwar & by evening we reached home safe & sound.

The images from the trip, enjoy

A Google image of the location

Kirkhu Bazar

New road to village

Granni

Nishan Shahib- ready for the change

Nishan Shahib- ready for the change

Kaku Bhai

First cleaning with water

2ndly giving bath with milk

Post office shifted to old building

PIPALI- A village of Sikh Negi in Pauri

A small & beautiful village in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand where villagers are are called Sikh Negi's who follow the Gurudwara founded by Guru Ramrai

Whenever I see the only photograph of my parents marriage. I wounder what kind of temple it was. Later when we visit our mamkot (mother village) I was surprised to see the Gurudwara in the village. One of my uncle was the only person in the village which used to do the ardas (prayers).

Pipali lies in Patti Malasyu, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand

Pipali is one of the only three villages of SIKH NEGI's in Garhwal region other two being BIJOLI and HALUNI. Sikh Negi are the few rajputs who adopted sikh panth during Aurangjeb's rule for specfic reason and return to Hindu ritual after accomplishment of mission.

Pipli Village- Coordinates: 30°01'09.13"N 78°51'53.78"E
Bijoli Village- Coordinates: 29°54'29"N 78°49'24"E
Haluni Village- Coordinates: 29°53'37"N 78°49'46"E

Few are the images of Pipali Gurudwara.

The main building of the Gurudwara