I leave my comfort zone today to experience something
new. In my heart I am an American, as I
was practically born in the United States everything about me, my education my thought
system is pretty much in line with the average American. I am however very much aware of one big
difference. There is a longing,
something connects me to another part of the planet called India and that
connection is one of spiritual reality.
What I identify within myself, my religion my way of thought all originated
there and though the location itself is not holy, there is something there for
me to learn. I want to go and see what
Sikhism is at its root, closest to the epicenter of this ideology. What similarities will I have with those
Sikhs who live so close to our historic sites, what differences will I have?
There is also the matter of trying to understand a part of
myself which has never fit into the ‘American’.
The side of myself which is rooted in eastern philosophies and
structure. In a sense like every
immigrant I am torn between two realities, within myself. As I hit an age where I want to know more I
find it increasingly important to investigate what causes these dualities
within and how they can be tolerated and eventually mesh into one uniformed
person.
The only way to do this for me was to travel back to my
native land. Away from my family and
comfort zone, disconnecting almost entirely from the world I have made for
myself to a world that I left behind.
The land of my ancestors and fore fathers which whom I have only met in
history books and passed down stories.
It is time to go to those sites and find something a deeper
understanding of who they were and what messages they have for me, what can I
take back within myself and for my children.
So with the support of my family, particularly my wife I am
setting off on this quest. Unsure and
also anxious to what I may encounter, what I may learn, and most importantly
what I may feel on this journey.
It will be me, my thoughts, and that historic ground from
which everything I am, everything I believe and hold dear and close to my heart
originated. It will be there that I will
contemplate and hopefully construct some real understanding of what this all means
and what purpose it serve.
After so much dreaming and planning the day has finally
arrived to depart on a very interesting journey. I figured I would be traveling very light,
but my friends and relatives ensured the meaning of ‘light’ for an Indian
traveler, it means slightly light’er’ than the maximum weight limit for
luggage! It feels a little surreal as I
am all packed and ready to go to but the reality is settling in. As I was planning this trip it seemed like a
dream to visit so many locations that have shaped who I am from my beliefs to and
what I connect to as an individual.
When pen hit the paper I was forced to cut back and only
ended up with 75% of what I originally wanted to do however, now that its on
paper even that seems like a lot! On the
itinerary are locations such as Kartarpur, Anandpur, Nankana, Patna and many
other historic spots.
A few have asked if this is a pilgrimage and the answer is
simply no. As a Sikh I truly believe
there is no spot that is ‘holier’ than another, we look at all people, places
and things as equal in creation. Pilgrimage
infact can be had mentally from within, as a state of mind and being, it need
not be physically going to a location to reflect, this can be done from
anywhere.
So then what is this for?
This almost 4500 km tour to spots which historical events transpired,
where a new philosophy was born and nurtured during its infancy. This is not really a trip that I want to ‘see’
things, it is not even anything I really want to ‘do’ at these spots, the only
desire is to go there and FEEL. As
learning can be done in the classroom, spirituality can be developed from
within, still there are supplemental factors such as field trips organized for
students, if anything I would classify this not as a pilgrimage but a field
trip for the soul. It is a supplemental factor
for me to feel and understand what messages/lessons are there for me at these
locations.
I am not going with any great plans or agenda, I am going as
a clean slate, clean sheet of paper opening myself to whatever may happen and
however it may unfold. That is the beauty of this introspection that it will
have its freedom to just happen. I will
keep a camera and my tablet in which I can write for documentation and also
capturing the feelings which come honestly.
What becomes of that documentation, how it may help me or others is not
my real concern, it’s just about living in that moment and experience. Wish me luck, I’m going to need it!
