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SOCIETY

told me that they could visualise what Singh and one of his friends from history, Khushwant asked me point
the Muslims go through each time they America, Surjeet Kaur, who was visiting blank, whether I had been inside a
are attacked and targeted during com- New Delhi. gurudwara?
munal rioting. I still recall that whilst we were in “What! You haven’t been inside a
In fact, Muslims were deeply af- the midst of some discussion on Sikh gurudwara,” asked Kushwant. He then
fected by the 1984 anti-Sikhs. I recall the even asked whether I would like to.
late activist Safdar Hashmi’s mother, After hearing the expected yes from
Qamar Azad Hashmi, telling me that The Partition and the me, one late afternoon, he, Surjeet
those riots had deeply affected Safdar. Kaur and I headed towards the Con-
To quote her: “The1984 anti-Sikh riots aftermath had brought naught Place situated gurudwara,
in Delhi had really affected him. For in friction and creases Bangla Sahib. And, whilst Khushwant
days, we were witness to the horrify- sat on the marbled steps leading to the
ing carnage. It was shocking to see the between the two gurudwara in a rather introspective
brutality of it all.” communities — Sikhs mood, Surjeet and I had gone further
ahead and sat inside the gurudwara for
Gurudwara is a place for all and Muslims — and they a longish stretch, ate and prayed.
Gurudwaras connect human beings in continued till efforts On our way back, Khushwant was in
more than one way. They feed the hun- the same introspective mood, telling us
gry, they provide shelter to the hapless of few individuals who of the significance of the gurudwaras.
and above all, relay hope of that vital tried to bridge gaps In fact, it was amazing to hear him tell-
human togetherness. That human bond ing the the significant details.
that has to hold out, no matter what the materialised on the Now, I am impatiently waiting for
circumstances could be. ground. The opening of the day when I can visit the Golden
On one occasion when I’d been in- Temple and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib
side a gurudwara, I felt peace and tran- the Kartarpur corridor Kartarpur.
quility being spread out. I must men-
tion that I went there with Khushwant is one of them LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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