baisakhi

when darkness overwhelms light
the seeing become blind
the vision unveiled that day
of the Panj Pyare's blood
dripping from the Guru's sword
banished inequalities
a single stroke of courage
making one out of the many

kesh, kangha, kaRa, kirpaan, kachera
mita gaya hay sub far'q zaat paat ka

ik hee suff maiN khaRay ho ga'aye haiN
sub mar'd o zunn, aur sub singh o kaur

let us on this baisakhi
re-live, re-learn lost lessons
of equality, freedom

hum sub bhai bhai haiN
hum sub bhai beh'n haiN
_____________________

On March 30,1699 at Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Rai's sword glistened with the blood of five volunteers, to be known subsequently to the world as the Panj Pyare, he struck the first deliberate blow to the caste system, for the Panj Pyare belonged to Khatri, Jat, Chhimba, Ghumar and Nai castes.

'Where there are Panj Pyare, there am I
When the Five meet, they are the holiest of the holy'

Like other faiths, today, we have lost sight of that vision. Instead of being insaans, we are divided by faith and caste, yet again. Just check out the matrimonial ads in any desi newspaper.