Rev Hari Ram Sethi Ji, Pramukh Amritsar Branch passed
into his eternal abode at 10:30 pm (IST) on Tuesday, August
30, 2011. He was 91. He had no serious health problem.
The end came while he was doing Sumiran in the presence of
the Members of his family. He presided over the Sunday
Sangat on August 28 at Attari and spent two hours in the
local Satsang Bhawan on Tuesday as usual.
The cremation took place at 5 pm (IST) on August 31, 2011
at the local Sitla Mandir. Rev Gobind Singh Ji, Chairman
Central Planning and Advisory Board, Rev V.D. Nagpal Ji,
General Secretary, Sant Nirankari Mandal and Rev A.S. Sandhu
Ji, Zonal Incharge Batala and a large number of saints from
all over Punjab participated in the funeral procession.
A special congregation to pay tributes to and to take
inspirations from the life of Rev Hari Ram Sethi Ji was held
on Friday, September 02, 2011 from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 pm at
the local Rani Ka Bagh Satsang Bhawan. Rev J.R.D. Satyarthi,
President, Sant Nirankari Mandal, presided. Other saints
from Delhi included Rev Gobind Singh Ji and Brig. (Retd)
Shamshar Singh Ji. A large number of saints from all over
Punjab and adjoining states were also present.
Various speakers who paid tributes to Rev Sethi Ji
recalled his pleasant nature, sweet tone and helpful
attitude. Rev Satyarthi Ji also remembered him for his
sweet nature, tolerance and love for all. He said no doubt
tears are shed at the demise of saints, but the family
remains satisfied about his happiness hereafter. They
always seek inspiration from his life and try to follow the
path of love and devotion shown by him.
Rev Hari Ram Sethi was born on 20th March 1920 in
Pindigep (Pakistan) in the family of Smt. Saraswati Devi and
father Shri Ganga Singh Sethi. He did his schooling from
Khalsa School and passed out at the age of 15 after which he
started working in Mardan and later on joined his father in
Pindigep. He was well versed with six languages. In 1940 he
got married to Smt. Veeran Vali Sethi. He worked in
Ravalpindi and Sikandarabad for a couple of years. In 1947
he along with his wife and elder son migrated to Amritsar.
He was allotted a house in Hall Bazar and he started a
business of ‘dry fruits’ with his elder brother Shri
Parmanand Ji.
In 1956, he went to Delhi for business where he met an
old friend SHRI Teja Singh Sethi (Mastana Ji), who took him
to Nirankari Satsang Bhawan (Pahadganj) where he was
bestowed with the divine blessing of “Brahm Gyan” by
Shahenshah Baba Avtar Singh Ji. After realizing the ultimate
truth he started going to Satsang in Hall Bazar. There he
met saints like Shri Rajkavi Ji and Bhapa Ram Chand Ji in
whose company he gradually developed an affinity for Satsang
and did Sewa with pure zeal and dynamism.
He was blessed with the Sewa of incharge of Sewa Dal
right when Sewa Dal was established by His Holiness. He
worked hard and did everything he could to spread the
teachings of His Holiness irrespective of his health
constraints. By that time Sewa, Simran and Satsang had
become his priorities and it was his submissive attitude, a
pure heart and a sweet tone which inspired the masses.
His life was on track when suddenly he started getting
fits. Doctors advised him to migrate to some place where it
snows. So he along with his family migrated to Kashmir.
After a few days Shahenshah Baba Avtar Singh Ji went to
Kashmir on a tour. He went to meet Babaji as soon as he got
the news of his arrival. He met Bhapa Ram Chand Ji there,
who was accompanying Babaji. Bhapaji expressed his desire to
spend some time with Bauji’s family. He invited Bhapaji in
his tent where he was staying and served him humbly and
asked for his blessing in context of his problem. Bhapaji
replied, “tu bilkul thik hai”, you are absolutely fine. Upon
getting such a divine blessing he disposed off his bag of
medicines and within a couple of days he observed that he
was absolutely fine.
With His Holiness’s blessings and permission he started
touring to spread the word of the Mission. He toured Punjab,
Haryana, U.P., M.P., Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and J&K many
times and raised no concern about his health. Thereafter, he
was made the Khetriya Sanchalak of Sewa Dal and in 1994 he
was asked by Babaji to suspend his tour programme in between
and reach Amritsar as soon as possible where he was given
the responsibility of “Pramukh”, Sant Nirankari Mandal (distt.
Amritsar). He was 74 at that time but it was his infinite
Faith in his Master that if Master gives you a
responsibility he gives you the strength to fulfill it as
well like he used to say, “Jodi vi rakho te tori vi rakho”.
His pure faith in his Master is evident from another
incident when his life was under threat during the time
Punjab was under terrorism. His name was on the hit list of
terrorists when a close associate advised him to migrate to
Bombay and work with him in partnership. He made all the
preparations to go and the entire family was supposed to
leave from Delhi to Bombay when he decided to meet Babaji.
He told Babaji everything and asked for his blessings. Baba
Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj upon listening everything patiently
said, “Sethi Saab tusi Amritsar vapis jana hai te uhhi kam
karna hai jehra kar rhe si”. Without any second thoughts he
did as the Master told him to. The result was that the
situation cooled down and the business started showing
growth which was least expected.
Rev Sethi Ji lived a life of a true GURSIKH. He used to
find solace in the company of saints and he never skipped
satsang for anything. He always inspired others to transform
their lives into the one satguru teaches us to be and thank
him all the time for everything you have. He was a symbol of
SELFLESSNESS; never in his life did he ever ask anything
from the master for himself instead of will power so that he
could carry forward the ultimate truth to the masses. He
would get up early in the morning to attend the local
Satsang at Nirankari Colony Satsang Bhawan. Then he used to
go to Rani Ka Bagh Satsang Bhawan from 11 am to 2 pm for
administration. And later in the evening again he used to go
to Satsang and after having dinner he would retire for the
night doing Simran and thanking the Master.
Two years back he got a heart stoke and he was
hospitalized for some time and when he was discharged, his
holiness BABA HARDEV SINGH JI came to meet him, when he
bowed on the holy FEET of the master and asked for his
blessings when babaji smiled and blessed him with good
health after which he resumed his duty with full spirit and
enthusiasm till his last breadth of life. Hence he was a
live example of the verse of AVTAR BANI:
“JO KUCH AAKHE UH KUCH KARKE,
SEW KAMANA SIKHI AE.
JO KUJH DEVE UH KUJH PAKE,
SHUKAR MANANA SIKHI AE”
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