Jaswant Singh (Khoji)
 | This article contains translated text and the factual accuracy of the translation should be checked by someone fluent in Punjabi and English. (November 2022) |
Jaswant Singh Khoji (also known as Bauji) was the founder of Braham Bunga Trust[1] and Naam Simran congregation camps at Dodra.
Background
At the age of 24, while serving as a clerk in the Indian Army in Burma, Jaswant Singh became impressed by the writings of Sikh scholars Professor Puran Singh and Bhai Vir Singh. He was baptized at Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Amritsar, and started conducting his life according to the principles of the Sikh religion. Upon retirement from the Army, he founded the Sikh congregation camps movement with former army companions from Myanmar. Khoji never intentionally promoted himself or his works. He lived his final days in relative solitude, restricting himself to his home and the company of a few friends. During a visit to Calgary in 1981, he spread the movement of periodic Sikh congregations for Kirtan and Naam Simran to the United States, Canada, and other countries.
Works
Spiritual congregations Held all over the world: India: New Delhi Patiala Mumbai Haridwar
North America: USA: New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia Dallas- Texas Austin- Texas San Jose- California CANADA: Montreal Toronto
Movement of Sikh periodic congregations
Singh started this movement in the village of Dodra in 1960 with some of his Burmese army companions. Initially, fortnightly congregations were organized in various villages. More recently, 2-day congregations have taken place in various Indian cities, especially in Punjab. Annual 4-10 day congregation camps are also held in the villages of Dodra and Doraha.[2][3]
Establishment of Gurdwaras
In 1972, he established the first Gurdwara in the village of Dodra on a plot of land donated by his army companion Subedar Kishan Singh. In 1990, he established a bigger hall (200 ft x 150 ft) in new Gurdwara Building in village Dodra[4] and established Braham Bunga Trust in 1983. There is another branch of Gurdwara established in the village Doraha in the district of Ludhiana in Punjab.
Writings
Based on hymns of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, holy book of Sikhs, he wrote 132 articles in Punjabi on various topics about concepts and principals of Sikhism like Sangat, Haumai,[5] Shabad, Dooja Bhau, Simran, Dharam[6] or Mazahab, Bharam, Bandhan-Chhuttan.[7] These are available in 13 books and have been published by Braham Bunga Trust. These books have been translated in Hindi and English and five articles are written by him in English.
References
- ^ "ਨਾਮ ਅਭਿਆਸ ਸਮਾਗਮ ਸੰਗਤ ਦੋਦੜਾ". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ "Dodra Congregations of Naam Simran in North America". Retrieved January 8, 2016.
- ^ "ਦੋ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਨਾਮ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਸਮਾਗਮ". Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ ""DODRA SAHIB" INTRODUCTION (JAAN PEHCHAN)". dhangurunanak.wordpress.com. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
- ^ ਖੋਜੀ, ਜਸਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ (December 1983). ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਅਨੁਭਵ ਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਲੇਖ. ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਬੁੰਗਾ ਟਰਸਟ , ਦੋਦੜਾ. p. ੯-੨.
ਆਪਣੀ ਅੱਡਰੀ ਹਸਤੀ ਦਾ ਅਹਿਸਾਸ, ਮੈਂ ਮੇਰੀ ਦੀ ਪੂਰਤੀ ਤੇ ਵਿਖਾਵੇ ਵਾਲੀ ਬਿਰਤੀ ਯਾ ਚੇਤਨਤਾ (egoistic consciousness) ਨੂੰ ਹੀ 'ਹਉਮੈ' ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ
- ^ ਖੋਜੀ, ਜਸਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ (September 2008). ਧਰਮ ਯਾ ਮਜ਼ਹਬ. ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਬੁੰਗਾ ਟਰਸਟ ਦੋਦੜਾ. p. ੨-੨.
ਇਸ ਇਲਾਹੀ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਖਿੱਚ ਦੀ ਰਵਾਨਗੀ ਦੀ ਸਹਿਜ ਚਾਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੁਰ ਹੋ ਕੇ , ਆਪਣੇ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਵੱਲ ਖਿਚਿਆ ਜਾਣਾ ਹੀ , ਸਾਰੇ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਇਕੋ-ਇਕ ਸੱਚਾ ਆਤਮਿਕ ਧਰਮ ਹੈ।
- ^ ਖੋਜੀ, ਜਸਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ (1983). ਸਬਦੁ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਲੇਖ. ਬ੍ਰਹਮ-ਬੁੰਗਾ ਟਰੱਸਟ.
ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਬੰਧਨ-ਜਦ ,ਮਾਨਵਤਾ (humanity) ਨੂੰ ਵੰਡੀਆ ਪਾ ਕੇ ਸੀਮਤ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਫਿਰਕਿਆਂ ਦੇ , ਆਪੂੰ ਘੜੇ ਅਸੂਲਾਂ ਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਾਂਡਾਂ ਦੇ ਬੰਧਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਜਕੜਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ -ਤਾਂ ਸਰਬ ਸਾਂਝੀ ਇਲਾਹੀ ਮਾਨਵਤਾ ਵਿੱਚ , ਮਜ਼ਹਬੀ ਤਅੱਸਬ , ਈਰਖਾ , ਦਵੈਤ , ਵੈਰ-ਵਿਰੋਧ ਦੀ ਗਿਲਾਨੀ ਆ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ