552 years ago today, in a village in modern-day Pakistan, a child who would grow up to introduce the world to a revolutionary way of life was born.
His teachings were simple, yet beautiful:
- Keep Oneness in your heart, always.
- Work hard, with discipline and focus.
- Be a part of a community, sharing your blessings with all.
Five and a half centuries after his birth, determined farmers in India began to protest laws which threatened their livelihoods, leaving their homes to march hundreds of kilometers to the capital, vowing not to return until said laws were repealed. Perhaps they didn’t know it then, but they were about to personify his teachings for the world to see.
Farmers from different parts of India, with different ways of life, languages, customs and religions banded together, with the international community also showing their support…
Oneness.
As they braved a cold winter, a sweltering summer, rain, smog, and unsanitary conditions, they held strong. They stood firm in their beliefs and didn’t give up….
Hard work, with discipline and focus.
As the days turned to weeks and the weeks to months, strangers became family. Men and women of all faiths prayed together, even feeding the poor in and around New Delhi…
A community, in which blessings are shared with all.
Today, after almost a year away from their homes, these farmers proved how true his teachings are.
They showed the world that when we unite on the side of truth and stand together as One, even the mightiest of walls will crumble.
They proved what honesty, determination and resolve can accomplish.
They showed the value of community, and how even in dire circumstances, humanity and compassion can never be abandoned.
In case you haven’t heard, the laws these men and women were protesting were repealed today, and even the most skeptical amongst us would be hard-pressed to argue that the teachings of that magnificent soul, born 552 years ago today, didn’t play an integral part.
Art: Diljit Dosanjh Album
