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Baru Sahib also known as the "Valley of Divine Peace"[ citation needed ] is located in Himachal Pradesh, India.
Baru Sahib, the land of meditation (tapobhoomi), is the realization of vision of Sant Attar Singh Ji, Mastuane Wale (1866–1927), who, in the early twentieth century envisaged a place in the Himalayas from where young souls equipped with the amalgam of spiritual and modern scientific education will spread the message of universal brotherhood throughout the world.
Baru Sahib was revealed to the mankind by his devout disciple Sant Teja Singh (1877–1965) {MA, LLB (Punjab, India), MA (Harvard, United States)} with the help of Bhai Iqbal Singh and Bhai Khem Singh in 1956.
In 1959, Sant Teja Singh Ji accompanied by 15-20 devotees performed Akhand Path Sahib in a mud-hut. At the conclusion of Akhand Path Sahib and Ardas, Sant Ji prophesied, "Just as a tiny banyan seed grows into a huge tree, in the same way this place will develop into a great center of spiritual education where high quality scientific education will also be imparted. In due course, roads will be built and all those whose hearts are brimful of love for Guru Nanak and who have toiled to accumulate spiritual capital from the previous births, will be drawn to this place".
This holy place, where several saints, sages and 'Rishis' were believed to have performed hard penance from time immemorial, had also been hallowed by the visit of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru.
Sant Attar Singh (1866–1927), a revered Sikh saint and visionary of his time envisaged a centre of true education (a blend of scientific and moral education) in the lap of the Himalayas. His devout disciple Sant Teja Singh, MA, LLB (Punjab, India), AM (Harvard, United States) (1877–1965) took upon himself the task of fulfilling the vision of his mentor. To this end, he gathered a team of young students & inspired them to dedicate their lives to the service of humanity.
Bhai Iqbal Singh and Bhai Khem Singh were directed by Sant Ji to search, locate and reveal to mankind the hitherto hidden holy site (land) where several saints, sages and Rishis were believed to have performed hard penance from time immemorial. This place had also been hallowed by the visit of Guru Gobind Singh , the tenth Sikh Guru. Sant Ji told the duo that the sacred site was located in the lower Himalayas somewhere near the town of Nahan (in Himachal Pradesh).
Following the directive of Sant Teja Singh, the young team of Bhai Iqbal Singh & Bhai Khem Singh searched a vast territory trying to locate the sacred spot; but in vain. Bhai Iqbal Singh then beseech ed Sant Ji to allow him to resign his job in Punjab to take up employment in Himachal Pradesh. This step, he believed would facilitate the search for the sacred site. Sant Ji acceded to his request and blessed him "May the Guru abide with you."
Responding to an advertisement in the newspaper, Iqbal Singh applied for & secured the job of Agricultural Officer in Himachal Pradesh. His search for the sacred spot continued in right earnest. He suggested to Sant Ji that land was suitable for setting up a spiritual centre near the Kalka-Shimla highway, easily accessible by car. Sant Ji turned down the suggestion saying that the envisaged site was further deep in the Himalayan jungles. Bhai Iqbal Singh searched tirelessly for the sacred spot but to no avail.
About 50–60 km from Solan, there was a village Baru spread over 400 Acres owned by one Thakur Joginder Singh. It was densely forested & had several springs. Under a huge walnut tree near a spring, sadhus would come & meditate from time to time. The Thakur would welcome them & offer them food.
One day, a wise old ascetic came and sat under the walnut tree and was soon lost in deep meditation (samādhi). When he opened his eyes, the Thakur offered him food. But the sadhu looked at him and said, "Joginder Singh, you will not stay here for long. This is Guru Nanak's land. From the time of "Satya Yuga", saints and sages have performed penance here. Even Guru Gobind Singh Ji visited this place & blessed it. A time shall come when Guru Nanak's Sikhs gather here, meditate on the Divine Name, recite Gurbani; and spread the Divine Message throughout the world."
The Thakur, thinking that the holy man had put a curse on him; took away the food in anger. After a few hours, when his anger had abated, he returned with the food at the prompting of his wife but found that the sadhu had disappeared.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the God-enlightened Sant Teja Singh had flourished a keen desire to discover the sacred spot. Around the same time, it so happened that the Thakur fell out with the village folk and decided to sell off his estate. News of this turn of events got through to Sant Ji and he promptly sent a message to Bhai Iqbal Singh at Dhaula Kuan that a village Baru in Tehsil Sarahan of district. Nahan had been put up for sale. Bhai Iqbal Singh set off on foot for Baru 35 km away. On reaching the spot, he discovered that it had all the features prophesied earlier by Sant Ji.
Baba Iqbal Singh sent a letter to Sant Ji saying that the village Baru seemed to be exactly the place he had envisioned for setting up a spiritual center.
Sant Ji came down to Nahan from the village Cheema in Punjab and without visiting or negotiating the price, bought the entire 400 Acres of land at Baru in the year 1956.
In 1959, 82 years old Sant Teja Singh Ji accompanied by 15-20 devotees trekked 35 km in the Himalayas to reach Baru Sahib. They set up camp and built a mud-hut, in which the first Akhand Path (Non-Stop reading of Guru Granth Sahib) was started. At the conclusion of Akhand Path, with tears in his eyes, Sant Ji performed the poignant Ardas, "True Master! When will you usher in the time when students from all over the world gather here and mould their lives in accordance with the teachings of Guru Nanak and bring peace to the world." After the Ardas, the devotees came over to Sant Ji and said "There is no habitation and no roads around here. This jungle has only wild animals like monkeys and bears. Who will trek through the jungles to this remote spot." Sant Ji replied, "Just as a tiny banyan seed grows into a huge tree, in the same way this place will develop into a great center of spiritual education where high quality scientific education will also be imparted. In due course, roads will be built and all those whose hearts are brimful of love for Guru Nanak and who have toiled to accumulate spiritual capital from the previous births, will be drawn to this place."
Sant Teja Singh entrusted the responsibility of managing and developing the activities at Baru Sahib to Baba Iqbal Singh. The mud-hut housing the Gurdwara was expanded. In due course, roads were built; vehicles began to ply and by 1975, six rooms were constructed. Thereafter, in 1981-82, the construction of the cement and brick Gurdwara and Ashram building was started.
In 1986, the now famous Akal Academy had its beginning in the Ashram building with just five students. Over the years, the academy grew at an incredible pace to its present size. It is now an 11-storeyed building and has 1538 boys and girls on its rolls. Of these, 200 are overseas students; 100 from the US alone. 350 students are getting free education. A few of them belong to those families of the survivors of 1984 carnage, who have not yet been settled, children of martyrs of Punjab, children from underprivileged communities (Vanjara) in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and Nanak Panthis from Uttar Pradesh.
Besides the Akal Academy, The Kalgidhar Society manages an orphanage, an old age home, a home for widows and destitute women, a 280-bed charitable hospital, a music centre, a spiritual academy for women wherein 200 young girls are getting free training besides board and lodging. As a foray into Higher Education, the Society has started Eternal University which today runs 24 programs including B.Tech. and B.Sc Nursing. The Teachers Training centres impart free training to around 2000 girls from the under-privileged classes. They are later absorbed as Teachers in the Akal Academies.
Apart from Akal Academy Baru Sahib, The Kalgidhar Society manages 129 English medium Schools under pattern of CBSE in various parts of rural Northern India. In these academies, some 60,000 students are receiving quality education besides being groomed in spiritual education Gurmat. Inspired by these children, grown ups are renouncing vices and approximately five lakhs have turned over new leaves.
Baru Sahib, houses a number of educational institutions ranging from pre-nursery to doctorate level. Some of them are named below:
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Sikhism, also known as Sikhi, is a monotheistic religion and philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of India around the end of the 15th century CE. Sikhism is classified as an Indian religion or Dharmic religion along with Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups and among the largest in the world with about 25–30 million adherents.
A gurdwara or gurudwara is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs but its normal meaning is place of guru or "Home of guru". Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as Gurdwara Sahib. People from all faiths and religions are welcomed in gurdwaras. Each gurdwara has a Darbar Sahib where the Guru Granth Sahib is placed on a takht in a prominent central position. Any congregant may recite, sing, and explain the verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, in the presence of the rest of the congregation.
The following outline is provides an overview of Sikhism, or Sikhi.
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Jainism (/ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/), traditionally known as Jain Dharma, is an ancient Indian religion. Jain dharma traces its spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twenty-four leaders or tirthankaras, with the first in current time cycle being Lord Rishabhanatha, whom the Jain tradition holds to have lived millions of years ago, the twenty-third tirthankara Parshvanatha whom historians date to 8th or 7th century BCE, and the 24th tirthankara, Mahāvīra around 500 BCE. Jains believe that Jainism is an eternal dharma with the tirthankaras guiding every cycle of the Jain cosmology.
The Akhand Kirtani Jatha, alternatively romanized as the Akhand Keertanee Jathaa and abbreviated as AKJ, is a jatha and sect of Sikhism dedicated to the Sikh lifestyle. The Jatha follows a strict discipline in keeping the Rehat of Guru Gobind Singh. They also enjoy an active style of Keertan recited by Sikhs in a collective manner in front of Guru Granth Sahib. This style of Keertan is relatively simple, and the entire congregation devotionally participates in singing along.
Bhai Mani Singh was an 18th-century Sikh scholar and martyr. He was a childhood companion of Guru Gobind Singh and took the vows of Sikhism when the Guru inaugurated the Khalsa in March 1699. Soon after that, the Guru sent him to Amritsar to take charge of Harmandir Sahib, which had been without a custodian since 1696. He took control and steered the course of Sikh destiny at a critical stage in Sikh history. He was also a teacher of the Gianian Bunga, later becoming known as the "Amritsari Taksal", currently located in Sato Ki Gali.
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Mai Bhago also known as Mata Bhag Kaur, was a Sikh woman who led Sikh soldiers against the Mughals in 1705. She was an exceptionally skilled warrior on the battlefield and is revered as a warrior saint in Sikhism. She was known for rallying the 40 Sikhs who abandoned Guru Gobind Singh at the siege of Anandpur Sahib and bringing them back to fight.
Martyrdom is a fundamental institution of Sikhism. Sikh festivals are largely focused on the lives of the Sikh gurus and Sikh martyrs. Their martyrdoms are regarded as instructional ideals for Sikhs, and have greatly influenced Sikh culture and practices.
Gurū Nānak, also known as Bābā Nānak, was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Katak Pooranmashi, i.e. October–November.
Guru Maneyo Granth refers to the historic statement of the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708) shortly before his demise on affirming the sacred scripture Adi Granth as his successor, thereby terminating the line of human Gurus. Installed as the Guru Granth Sahib, it is now the central holy scripture of Sikhism, and the eternal living Guru of all Sikhs. It is central to Sikh worship as it is said to imbibe the one light of the creator manifested in the Ten Sikh Gurus‐one spirit in ten forms.
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Lohgarh is a historic town in Bilaspur tehsil of Yamunanagar district of Haryana in India. It was the capital of First Sikh State under Baba Banda Singh Bahadur from 1710 to 1716.
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Khem Singh Gill was an Indian academic, geneticist, plant breeder and Vice-Chancellor of the Punjab Agricultural University. He was known for his contributions to the Green Revolution in India. Instrumental for breeding new strains of wheat, linseed, and sesame, he was the author of the book Research on wheat and triticale in the Punjab along with several additional articles on the subject. He was also the vice-president of The Kalgidhar Trust and The Kalgidhar Society, Baru Sahib, which is one of the largest Sikh charities. A Sant Teja Singh Chair Professor in Sikhism of the Eternal Global University and a founding fellow of The World Academy of Sciences, he was a recipient of Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Memorial Prize, Team Research Award of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), FICCI Award, ICAR Golden Jubilee Award and Silver Jubilee Award of the Indian Society of Oilseeds Research. In 1992, the Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honor of the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to science.
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Iqbal Singh Kingra was an Indian socio-spiritual leader of the Sikh community. He was the Founder President of The Kalgidhar Trust, The Kalgidhar Society and Baru Sahib. He was considered to be one of the most influential Sikhs in the world. He was awarded the Sikh Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. In 2018 he was bestowed with Shiromani Panth Rattan by Takht Sri Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib. In 2022, he was conferred with the Padma Shri by the Government Of India for his contributions in the field of social work.
