The Multifarious Faces of Sikhism
throughout Sikh History
Page 3 of 8
Bedis
cont'd
History recalls that on many occasions, Akali
Nihang Guru Gobind Singh and
Baba Kaladhari met in the jungles of
‘Doon’, near the
place of Santokh Gadh. After hunting, Baba Kaladhari
and the Guru played ‘Chopar’
(an Indian game of dice with ancient origins)
and chess. One one fine day, just by chance,
both the Guru and Baba Kaladhari had gone out
hunting with separate hunting parties. The two
hunting parties happened to bump into each other
in the jungle. As they met, the Guru saluted
Baba Kaladhari and asked why he had stopped
visiting Anandpur Sahib. Baba Kaladhari hesitantly
replied that he was not happy with the Guru,
for he had started to kill the Bedis, just as
he had once killed the Masands.
Chopar
Scene from the epic Mahabharata where Panchali
(wife of the Pandavas) is disrobed by
Dushasana (2nd eldest Karuva) after the Pandava
brothers lose at a game of dice, Guler, circa
1750-1760
Smiling, the Guru asked Baba Kaladhari to look
into his heart and see the truth. The Guru had
but killed a deceitful Suniayara imposter for
trying to cheat the Guru’s house and deceiving
the ‘Sangat’ (holy
congregation). Before the Suniayara had been
killed, the symbols of the Bedi clan, namely
the ‘Seli Topi’,
had been taken off him. Bhai Vir Singh Nirmala
writes:
‘Sir Guru spoke –
Oh Master [Baba Kaladhari] the dress of
Guru Nanak is ‘Seli Topi’ that
I had first taken of him.
Then, saluting it I had it placed on my
pillow.
That sinner was liberated from this world
by the mere influence of the dress of Guru
Nanak.
Dohra
Then Baba Ji [Kaladhari] knew that he is
true Guru Gobind.
He is the same light of truth and bliss
as Guru Nanak.
Kabit
The wise man Kaladhari saluted the light
of Guru Nanak.
He [Kaladhari] placed his head on the feet
of all knowing Guru.
The Guru then lifted the head up.
And said do not start to reverse ancient
traditions oh master.
Appreciate what is appropriate misappropriate
oh master.
When the young have the elderly place their
heads on their feet [Baba Kaladhari was
much older than Guru Gobind Singh]
Seven virtues will flee like one burning
in anger.
Dohra
Knowledge, power of presence, wisdom, physical
strength, glory, wealth and good life.
All these seven are destroyed as saying
goes Ganges reversing its flow [it can not
be so that elderly like Baba Ji place their
heads on the feet of young].’
‘Ajooni’, January-February 1984,
Pa. 17-18
Bhai Vir Singh Nirmala
Bhai Vir Singh Nirmala, the great 'Sant-Sipahi',
depicted handing out alms to the poor, Lahore,
circa 1850
With the blessing of Akali Nihang Guru Gobind
Singh, the ‘Seli Topi’-wearing ‘Sehajdhari’
(non-Khalsa) Sikh Bedis lead by the venerable
Baba Kaladhari, endeavored to spread the Dharma
of Akali Guru Nanak.
