The Austrian / Italian Tour  (19^th –23^rd April 2001)

It was only a few days before the tour began that I realised ho w privileged I was to be able to travel abroad and represent our Universal Brotherhood. As well as the anticipation, there was a great feeling of curiosity. It was my first tour, so even minor details like packing my clothes became worry.

After gathering at the Bhawan, on 19^th April we departed for Stansted airport. The journey wasn’t very long; Rev. Sukhwinder Ji kindly drove the Bhawan van to the airport where it was parked. We got into the airport at 4:00pm, and immediately met up with more saints from other towns. After checking in we all made our way to the departure lounge, and found that the flight had been delayed by 30 minutes.

We landed in Salzburg (Austria) airport, where our coach driver ‘Michell’ met us. He held a sign that said ‘Nirankari Saints’ and when we approached him he greeted us with his palms pressed together.  It sunk in that we had begun the holy tour. We all boarded the coach and departed for Schaumburg (Germany), there we stayed with Rano and Deedar Ji. The kindness that was shown tous was of the highest scale, and very unforgettable for those of us on the tour. The excitement kept us all awake that night, and we decided to have a discussion. Many of us had questuins tha needed answers, and we all gave our views.

After everyone got ready the next morning, we participated in Sangat. It lasted from 11am – 1pm. Amazingly, saints that weren’t present at the actual discussion brought much of the previous night’s discussion up in many songs and speeches. It was another reminder to us that Nirankar will always give us the answers to our questions in one form or another we just need to have the understanding to grasp them. After Sangat, we left Schaumburg and made the long but unarduous journey to Innsbruck (Austria). It was a long journey but our destination roughly 7pm. After greeting the Mahapursh at the Bhawan we were taken on a tour of Innsbruck. We were met by incredible sights of snow-capped mountains and beautiful forests. Many of the sights were breathtaking. We were lucky enough to be taken to the highest bridge in Europe. When  we embarked by foot to the bride we were  told that it had only been snowing for a short time before  we had actually reached Innsbruck. Many of us didn’t have to be told twice  (me included!), before an awesome snow fight ensued. When we returned, we went to a hall and everybody rejoiced late into the night. It was a very cultural evening, a young devotee’s birthday was celebrated and the saints from the UK performed two skits (short plays).

When we returned to the Bhawan, we were pleased to see that we had been joined by Rev. Upashik Ji and many more saints from the UK which made the atmosphere evern more Blissful. However, by the time it was time to sleep, I felt very sick and had trouble getting rest all night.

In the morning, we make our way to Montana (Italy), for lunch at Rev. Chaman Lal Ji’s farm. My illness became another chance for the restless Italian Mahapursh to do Sewa, and I was made a special simple lunch. The kindness I was shown made an illness that would normally take a week to overcome, pass in less than 24 hours.

On our way towards a Mahapursh farm in Breccias, we were faced with another of Nirankar’s challenges. It had been raining heavily, and many of the mud roads had been softened. Whilst driving, one side of the road gave way. For a split second the adrenlin tok over and the shock hit everyone. But as if Baba Ji was holding the coach himself, it very slowly lowered on one side and gave everybody time to react to the situation in a very calm and composed manner. After the coach was vacated, everyone knew that they had been truly blessed to be involved in such an experience. Indeed it was a miracle, a full capacity coach including children of less than a year old, had kneeled to one side, but there had been absolutely no amazed to see the unity shown by the saints in vacating the coach. Everyone worked together in an orderly fashion, as the Sewa Dal helped everyone out of the coach, to the powerful cries of ‘EK TUHI NIRANKAR.’ Michelle the coach driver was astonished to see that the saints were asking him how he was, instead of him asking them. To the saints there was no need to think about what ‘might have’ happened, what had happened was the will of Nirankar and as we all know, happened for the best.

When we reached the Mahapursh’s farm, the Sewa Dal rally carried on as normal, it was as though the coach incident had never actually taken place! The crash had made me forget my illness, the only explanation was that the adrenaline had kick-started my biological system. That same night, a Sangat was held. Upashik Ji conducted the postulation. He told the congregation that the crash was Nirankar’s doing for a reason, and that it revealed the strength and unity of the Mahapursh. The Sangat was made blissful by the Italian Mahapursh’s singing. There were at least 150 Mahapursh present, and time was the only desisting factor.

The next day, around 250 –300 Mahapush were present at the Samagam. The most of the occasion was unbelievable, and saints had traveled from all over Italy. In the vichar, Upashik Ji told us that the whole purpose of living is this Nirankar, and this can only be realised by the words of our spiritual master Baba Ji. Another mark on this holy day was the presentation of badges to the new Italian Sewa Dal. There were about 30-40 members, and their joys and honour was easy to see. The Sewa Dal badge was not taken for granted, and their respect for the uniform was a reminder to us, the youth of the Mission, which we should have clear motives and directions to our duties as Sewa Dal in fulfilling Baba Ji’s words. Upashik Ji heavily stressed that it was our job to give a good account of the Mission as it represents  Baba Ji. He gave the example that like people respect the military; there should be an equal respect for this ‘Sewadal Vardi (uniform)’.

When we left the Mahapursh’a house, we left in the same coach that had slipped off the road. It was a sad feeling to say goodbye to the great saints that preside in Italy, but it had been a true pleasure to witness their simplicity and the true motives of their spirituality.

We could all see the warmth in their eyes; and see that they had souls as pure as pearls.

On our way back to Innsbruck we stopped at Venice for a few hours for some sight seeing in the town built in water. When we finally arrived in Innsbruck it was 1.30am, and Rev. Jatinder Ji and other saints from Austria had organized dinner for us all in their restaurant. Once again we were met by Sewa of the highest level, with true devotion and happiness. It left another mark on our journey and indeed on our lives.

In the morning we departed, and it was a sad end to our tour. We witnessed another great level of Bhagti (devotion), which many could honestly say hadn’t been seen before! Our coach had already left, but was stopped by saints from Austria that had followed us. They boarded the coach and humbly asked for forgiveness, for they thought they had not done enough Sewa. At this, the saint was overcome with emotion, a sign of spirituality; ‘Viragi Avastha’ (emotional state of Bliss). Before leaving we had a quick tour of Innsbruck, and everywhere we went we saw saints. Before we departed for England, we spent a few hours in Salzburg.

What I personally found was that tours are not holidays. They provide a chance to grow spiritually, and are holidays in the sense that it gives us a chance to get away from the materialism. Tours should be regarded as chance/opportunities to put into practice the ‘life of a saint’. It is about enjoying worldly things, but in the manner they were created for. This saint only knows through the words of our spiritual Master Baba Ji.