Early Life
********************
Baba Hardev Singh Ji was born on February 23 , 1954 in
Delhi in the family of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji and
Rajmata Kulwant Kaur Ji . As a child , Hardev was very
fortunate to have worldly as well as spiritual blessings
of His parents and the then Satguru Baba Avtar Singh
Ji and Jagat Mata Budhwanti Ji as their grand parents .
With the growth of child Hardev , grew his
thoughtfulness and sobriety . He saw every object and
observed every event with due curiosity but used to
keep silent . Respect , regards for elders and trait of
humility could be noticed in him from the very
childhood .
Interest in congregations and listening to discourses
also became conspicuous in him . The kind and pure
hearted child Hardev was never found spend thrift and
emotional . Gradually he started taking keen interest in
photography .
Baba Hardev Singh Ji received his elementary
education at home. With his sharp intellect , he learnt
alphabets of Hindi, English and counting very quickly .
Thereafter, he was sent to Rosary Public School , Sant
Nirankari Colony, Delhi, where by sweet nature and
intelligence he cast spell on teachers and fellow
students .
They say that boy Hardev was often found in the class
sitting thoughtfully and sometimes with eyes half - shut.
But he was always discovered to be fully attentive and
responsive to what the teacher taught .
In 1963, Baba Hardev Singh Ji was sent to the
Yadvendra Public School , Patiala , a boarding school
and an institution of national fame , from where he
passed the high school examination in 1969 . His co-
operative and compassionate nature made him popular
with the teachers and the fellow - students alike.
His school education was equally supplemented and
cemented with spiritual touch received through the
letters of his affectionate mother, Rajmata Kulwant
Kaur Ji . During his stay in the school , Baba Hardev
Singh Ji also developed keen interest in
mountaineering . With his class- fellows and even alone ,
he would cover difficult terrains to reach certain places .
This hobby added the trait of patience and
perseverance in his life . He was never found tired or
worried . He was also very skill- full in vehicle driving
and horse riding . On completion of his school
education at Patiala , Baba Hardev Singh Ji returned to
Delhi and started further education under Delhi
University and also took keen interest in the socio -
spiritual activities of the Mission .
He became very regular in Congregations and Sewa.
His humility earned him the name 'Bhola Ji '. In 1971 ,
Baba Hardev Singh Ji joined the Nirankari Sewa Dal as
its primary member and enjoyed himself serving in
cotton Khaki (brown ) uniform .
He organized " Youth Forum" in 1975 , which focused on
promoting truthful and simple living, service with
devotion and love, refraining from incurring undue
expenses and practicing prohibition .
During the Annual Nirankari Sant Samagam in Delhi in
1975 , Baba Hardev Singh Ji was married in a simple
ceremony to Savinder Ji , daughter of devoted saints
Shri Gurumukh Singh Ji and Smt . Madan Ji of
Farrukhabad , Uttar Pradesh. Born on January 12 , 1958 ,
Savinder Kaur now addressed out of love and devotion
by devotees of the Mission as Pujya Mata Ji , is well
educated and duty conscious.
Spiritual Mentor
Baba Hardev Singh Ji became the spiritual mentor of
the Mission under adverse circumstances when It’ s
Spiritual Master and a crusader for unity , peace and
tranquility Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji had fallen to the
bullets of fanatic element on 24 April, 1980 .
Young Hardev had lost not only the Satguru but his
beloved father also. This was the moment when
forbearance , patience and tolerance of every follower of
the Mission were under severe stress and a grave test.
The very future of the Mission stood challenged .
Followers who had been taught to surrender to the will
of God were finding it difficult to accept the verdict of
'destiny ' which sounded to them as a deliberate
violation of 'divine law ' by a handful of misguided men .
At the same time , every Nirankari believed that the
Satguru is an ever - living entity which would manifest
itself in some other physical frame or human body .
They had , however , not to wait for long . Immediately
after the funeral of the mortal remains of Baba
Gurbachan Singh Ji at the electric crematorium in Delhi
on 27 th April, 1980 , Hardev was greeted and hailed as
the Head of the Mission and everybody present
witnessed the Satguru already manifested in him .
His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji , who was known for
his calm nature , addressed the devotees as a perfect
spiritual master . He said "Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji 's
martyrdom is the will of God . Perceptions differ from
people to people . The ignorant say that it may lead to
bloodshed but the devotees believe that being a
supreme sacrifice , it shall usher in peace and harmony .
Imbibing such lofty ideals , we should continue to
spread the Mission with a greater zeal . " Baba Hardev
Singh Ji ruled out even the remotest thought of
vengeance saying that ' it would go contrary to what
Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji lived and sacrificed his life
for'.
He exhorted devotees to carry on his message of
compassion , goodwill , love and truth and pray for the
welfare of one and all. The result was quite
instantaneous and healthy . Followers remained non-
violent even in the face of serious provocations from
fanatics and extremists . And when the day came in
1981 , Baba Ji ordained it to be experiential as Manav
Ekta Divas (Human Unity Day ) and not as Martyrdom
Day etc.
****************
Peace at any Price
****************
The supreme sacrifice of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji and
the first holy discourse by Baba Hardev Singh Ji had
far greater and much deeper significance .
The former showed that the Mission had paid the
heaviest price for the peace. Earlier, more than 60
leading missionaries ’ forbearance was put to the
hardest test when they were compelled to undergo the
agony of judicial custody for about two years for the
fault that was found to be not theirs at all.
Now the Mission had lost its spiritual mentor whose
only fault was that he preached Truth and Peace . From
the first holy discourse by Satguru Baba Hardev Singh
Ji Maharaj and the message contained therein, one
could understand his vision for time to come.
With his call to devotees to continue to spread the
message of love, peace and praying for goodwill for all ,
a disastrous mishap stood averted . No doubt the
followers of the Mission continued to suffer both in
terms of life and property here and there, the voice of
Truth spread far and wide carrying with it the message
of peace, love, humility and tolerance.
**************
Extensive Tours
*****************
In order to translate his commitment of peace, love and
universal brotherhood into action, Baba Hardev Singh Ji
lost no time and undertook extensive tours within the
country and abroad. He was also conscious of the fact
that devotees all over India and elsewhere in the world
needed to be pacified and consoled over the sudden
disappearance of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji from their
midst in physical form .
The situation at that time was not an easy affair to
travel far and wide and organize mass congregations in
the open . Even then , Baba Ji went up to the remotest
areas and encouraged one and all to keep the flag of
love, peace and human unity flying. Though the
spiritual tours of Baba Hardev Singh Ji sought to cover
vast areas with long distances, his approach was at the
same time intensive and intimate . He travelled mostly
by road and met people as they were , where they
were .
He would mix up with them, sit with them, and dine
with them, so that he knows them as intimately as
possible. Naturally , wherever he went, people found
him sharing their pleasure and pain as a member of the
family . In fact, Baba Ji showered his blessings just like
any head of the family .
Baba Ji ’s tours abroad also took him to almost every
part of the world. He was welcomed and received by
large number of people as ‘ apostle of peace and
Universal Brotherhood . ’ People from different states
and countries would assemble at one center and listen
to His Holiness. Besides Indians , many others took
interest in Baba Ji ’ s teachings and felt highly
impressed.
The people including those connected with
administration, particularly law and order , too did not
take long to understand the reality . Baba Ji 's
discourses in different parts of the country and abroad
and the over - whelming response from the masses
convinced them that the Mission stands for peace and
non- violence, progress and prosperity and lasting
happiness based on spiritual enlightenment.
Today, when one looks back and realizes the new
heights the Mission has touched, feels fully convinced
that Baba Hardev Singh Ji has lived up to his
commitment of carrying those lofty ideals to every
nook and corner of the world for which Baba
Gurbachan Singh Ji had laid down his life .
******************
Expansion
***********
The Mission has found tremendous expansion in all
directions since 1980 . The ever - increasing number of
participants in the Samagams in Delhi and other places
bears testimony to the fact that the message of the
Mission is going home and attracting the seekers of
truth.
The attendance at the regular congregations is also
growing thicker and thicker . A number of new branches
of the Mission have been set up and so is the case
with Satsang Bhawans . Many new Missionaries have
been appointed in order to reach out places far and
wide . The North Eastern and Southern States of India
are also now fully familiar with the Mission and its
philosophy and more and more branches are being set
up in the various parts of these areas .
Today Delhi and Greater Delhi have 30 Sectors, while
the country is divided into 50 Zones. There is a
provision of constant co- ordination at every level as
also between the Headquarters and the smallest branch
of the Mission . Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj has been
quite meticulous in his approach to the organizational
requirements of the fast expanding Mission .
He convened a conference in Delhi in March, 1987 , on
the lines of the two Mussoorie Conferences convened
by Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji in 1965 and in 1973.
Termed as a Special General Body Meeting of the Sant
Nirankari Mandal , it reviewed the decisions taken at
Mussoorie and re - emphasized the areas that were
considered relevant in the contemporary perspective .
In addition , it was decided to organise blood donation
camps at different places on the occasion of Manav
Ekta Divas as a gesture of selfless service to humanity
and a humble acknowledgement of the supreme
sacrifice of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji for the noble
cause of human welfare.
Another important decision of this Conference was to
set up a full- fledged Department of Social Welfare and
place it under the charge of a Member of the Executive
Committee of the Sant Nirankari Mandal . The Nirankari
Sarovar Complex with its 5 - acre reservoir of neat and
clean water and another 20 acres of lush green lawns
with rows of beautiful flower plants, the Complex is
already a valuable anti - pollution gift to Delhi ecology .
In the same complex we have today a prestigious
institution of the Mission , the Nirankari Museum –
Journey Divine . Established in 2005 , it is a fine
presentation of the Mission ’ s ideology in the latest
audio- visual and still camera technology .
Trained volunteers take the visitors round and explain
each item to them. Baba Ji inaugurated the 8 th
International Conference on Corporate Governance in
London on September 20 , 2007 and called upon the
audience that ‘ as members of human family it is
important for them to imbibe the values of love,
compassion , tolerance, forgiveness and clean life
based on principles which form the foundation of a
good human being, which shape one ’ s character and
reflect in one ’ s actions ’.
In this way , His Holiness underlined the relevance of
the teachings of the Mission even for the Corporate
Sector . Similarly , Baba Ji visited the 27 - Nation
European Parliament in Strasbourg on September 26 ,
2007 and met its President . Here also the Mission ’ s
focus on human unity , religious harmony , love, peace
and truth found deep appreciation.
Author: Dinesh
Twitter & facebook@rjdineshkumar
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