HARBHAJAN MATURITY AND SIKH PHILOSOPHY

World is not a perfect place. Anything can happen at anytime at any place.However, life goes on like a river that flows eternally sprinting accross and leaping over obstacles that lie ahead its path. The need for allowing the life to take its own course was philosophically explained by one of the two permanant test players of sikh origin in the world, Harbhajan Singh.In an interview with the Indian daily "Indian Express" after the bomb explosion in Colombo which helped the South African cricketers to avoid a double onslaught from Lankans and in form Indians.

"Hours after the bomb blast in Colombo, around 2 kilometres from your hotel room, you were out on the road taking a walk. What does that tell the world about Harbhajan Singh?
• I went out simply because I know that if such things have to happen, it can happen anywhere. There’s nothing so brave about it that I went out and showed how courageous I was. It’s just that if it’s written in your destiny that something has to happen, it will happen. If it’s in your room or outside. I was in my room the whole day, feeling bored, so I just decided to go out, see what’s happening outside. "

Aren't these words reflecting the barvery one expects from a khalsa man? It was a matter of proving courage that millions of his forefathers displayed in the great land mass PUNJAb.He stressed the Wahe Guru's will that is embedded in one's destiny.Like any other sikh, Harbhajan treasures the simple approach to life which ultimately brings the tranqulity to the mind conquering which is important for a sikh.A life lived according to the path shown by Gurus is worth many times than living a century in a non virtuous way.

We all know Harbhajan is a bad tempered guy at times.I saw how he arguetd with the quarantine services in NewZealand where he was fined 200 dollars on the spot.Here, he shares his inability to tolerate the wrong doing and justifies the revolt. Is n't that also a quality that he has inherited from the khalsa.The kirpan ( sword worn by a baptised sikh) symbolises the intolerance of injustice by a baptised sikh. A true sikh is not afraid to do the supreme sacrifice for the justice. Guru's have exhibited this quality several times even before khalsa was organised.The case of Guru Tegh Bahadur standing for Hindus in Kashmir was one such example.

What I treasure most as a sikh is the positive nature and non animosity towards a person who competes with you for a position. We both have to fight for a place and choice has to be made.This choice may be single.In my career I have come accross several such occasions and never in my heart I felt bad about the other guy simply because he was choosen.True, when we were naive, we get the feeling of jealousy but when you become mature with deep penetration in to the amrit of sikh dharma, those things tend to evaporate.Harbhajan also looks at this from a matured point of view.He tells the world that he strives hard to be the best but then if he was dropped to facilitate the entry of Kumble, he accepts it on the basis of the contribution Anil has offered to the team.It is really refreshing to hear such a pleasant approach to competitors from players.It is my firm belief that the sikh upbringing must have infused this in to Harbhajan.But he describes his never say die approach when the chance is up for grab.

"here’s this good line. Khudi ko kar buland itna, ki har taqdeer se pehle khuda tumse pooche, bata teri razza kya hai. Make yourself so strong, that you become an automatic choice in the team(Harbhajan) "

It is amazing how mature he is. He says that he prays but not a lot. But for me the whole sikh philsophy of life is embedded in the following line of statement of his interview. A player will play for 10-15 years.In life there is much more than that.When you hang up your boots, you should not be remebered as a great cricketer, but also as a good man.If he is not remebered as a good man , all what he has achived turn to be useless.Is n't it the operational sikhism? universality of its application? I felt like reading verses of Guru Granth sahib having analysed Bahji's interview. Itis really refreshing to have Monty and Harbhajan as true role models for not only sikh kids but for many from the subcontinent . Just spare a few minutes for Bahji's interview by Ajay Shankar of the Indian Express.

http://indianexpress.com/sunday/story/11012.html