An interesting and inspiring story I came across the Internet...
A Poor Singh with a Golden Heart
A Par-upkaari Sikh
(A true story published by Gurmat Parchaar Sabha in 1997)
On the Delhi railway station, there was a long line-up of passengers trying to buy tickets. When a Hindu gentleman’s turn came for the ticket, he realized that he could not find all his money. The ticket master was getting upset and so were the people waiting in the line-up. They started yelling at him to get out of the line.
A gursikh was standing behind the Hindu person and saw the disappointment and worry on the face of the Hindu gentleman. While others were yelling at the Hindu gentleman to get out of the line, the gursikh offered him money to buy the ticket. The Hindu gentleman hesitated for a second but then took the money from him and bought the ticket.
The Hindu gentleman started looking at the gursikh and noticed that he was a middle-aged person with a beautiful open flowing beard. He was wearing a simple kurta-pajaama and from the quality of his clothes, he looked someone from a lower-middle class family. Then he looked at the passengers who were yelling at him and noticed that they were wearing expensive clothes and some of them seemed rich people. He was wondering why people today had lost compassion for each other.
As the Gursikh came out of the line-up after buying the ticket, the Hindu gentleman approached him and tried to return him the change from buying the ticket. The Gursikh told him to keep the change as he might need it in his long journey to Kanpur. At this the Hindu gentleman introduced himself as Rajinder Kumar and asked for his name and address. The Gursikh told him that his name was Sujaan Singh but asked him why he wanted to know his address. Rajinder Kumar responded saying that he wanted to send him the money-order for the money he borrowed from him.
Sujaan Singh asked him to forget sending him the money order but at the insistence of Rajinder Kumar gave him his address. Upon being asked his occupation, Sujaan Singh told him that he has a small reri (cart) of kulchay and channey (chholay), in Mandi Dabbwali (Panjab).
Hearing this Rajinder Kumar was further surprised at the big heart of Sujaan Singh. He realized that Sujaan Singh could be hardly classified as even lower-middle class but he was probably from a poor (worldly way) family. How much can person selling chholay-bhatooray on a cart make?
Rajinder Kumar with watery eyes addressed Sujaan Singh, “O Ameer dil waale, mere ghareeb veer, main kurbaan haan teri udaarta uppar” (O my poor brother with golden heart, I am sacrifice at your benevolence). Saying this he got on his train.
After about two months, Rajinder Kumar thought of visiting Sujaan Singh to return his money. He took the train to Mandi-Dabbwaali to meet him. By the railway station he saw a small cart of Sujaan Singh, who at that time was busy with his customers. He noticed that Sujaan Singh was talking to everyone very sweetly and his face was glowing. Then a lady came who had two children. She wanted to buy 3 plates of chholay and bhatooray but did not have money for that. The kids wanted to eat and sensing the plight of the poor woman, Sujaan Singh gave her two plates for free.
Rajinder Kumar was observing all this and was really impressed. Finally, he came over and met Sujaan Singh. Rajinder Kumar tried to return him the money he had borrowed but Sujaan Singh did not accept it. Rajinder Kumar asked him how he could return his favour and Sujan Singh told him to help someone else in need.
A Par-upkaari Sikh
(A true story published by Gurmat Parchaar Sabha in 1997)
On the Delhi railway station, there was a long line-up of passengers trying to buy tickets. When a Hindu gentleman’s turn came for the ticket, he realized that he could not find all his money. The ticket master was getting upset and so were the people waiting in the line-up. They started yelling at him to get out of the line.
A gursikh was standing behind the Hindu person and saw the disappointment and worry on the face of the Hindu gentleman. While others were yelling at the Hindu gentleman to get out of the line, the gursikh offered him money to buy the ticket. The Hindu gentleman hesitated for a second but then took the money from him and bought the ticket.
The Hindu gentleman started looking at the gursikh and noticed that he was a middle-aged person with a beautiful open flowing beard. He was wearing a simple kurta-pajaama and from the quality of his clothes, he looked someone from a lower-middle class family. Then he looked at the passengers who were yelling at him and noticed that they were wearing expensive clothes and some of them seemed rich people. He was wondering why people today had lost compassion for each other.
As the Gursikh came out of the line-up after buying the ticket, the Hindu gentleman approached him and tried to return him the change from buying the ticket. The Gursikh told him to keep the change as he might need it in his long journey to Kanpur. At this the Hindu gentleman introduced himself as Rajinder Kumar and asked for his name and address. The Gursikh told him that his name was Sujaan Singh but asked him why he wanted to know his address. Rajinder Kumar responded saying that he wanted to send him the money-order for the money he borrowed from him.
Sujaan Singh asked him to forget sending him the money order but at the insistence of Rajinder Kumar gave him his address. Upon being asked his occupation, Sujaan Singh told him that he has a small reri (cart) of kulchay and channey (chholay), in Mandi Dabbwali (Panjab).
Hearing this Rajinder Kumar was further surprised at the big heart of Sujaan Singh. He realized that Sujaan Singh could be hardly classified as even lower-middle class but he was probably from a poor (worldly way) family. How much can person selling chholay-bhatooray on a cart make?
Rajinder Kumar with watery eyes addressed Sujaan Singh, “O Ameer dil waale, mere ghareeb veer, main kurbaan haan teri udaarta uppar” (O my poor brother with golden heart, I am sacrifice at your benevolence). Saying this he got on his train.
After about two months, Rajinder Kumar thought of visiting Sujaan Singh to return his money. He took the train to Mandi-Dabbwaali to meet him. By the railway station he saw a small cart of Sujaan Singh, who at that time was busy with his customers. He noticed that Sujaan Singh was talking to everyone very sweetly and his face was glowing. Then a lady came who had two children. She wanted to buy 3 plates of chholay and bhatooray but did not have money for that. The kids wanted to eat and sensing the plight of the poor woman, Sujaan Singh gave her two plates for free.
Rajinder Kumar was observing all this and was really impressed. Finally, he came over and met Sujaan Singh. Rajinder Kumar tried to return him the money he had borrowed but Sujaan Singh did not accept it. Rajinder Kumar asked him how he could return his favour and Sujan Singh told him to help someone else in need.
Dhan Hai Guru! Dhan Hai Teree Sikhee!
