PACHMI PARKASH - Global Sikh Studies

Free kitchen for the Sikh Soldiers
Now constantly devotees would gather in large numbers for Baba Ji’s sweet vision,
but along side these regular devotees, three thousand or so Soldiers would also come
each day. On one of the holidays all 12 Platoons came for Baba Ji’s pure presence at
Hoti. The Officers in charge had already informed their regiments that this was the
home of a Holy man and that they all should behave appropriately also warning them
to not eat there as providing food for three thousand men would be difficult, that they
should not trouble Baba Ji with this task.
Baba Ji the knower of everyone’s heart, had already give word to Sant Aaya Singh Ji
that a large amount of devotees would be coming to the camp and that they should
prepare a array of different dishes in large amounts. Sant Aaya Singh Ji instantly
obeyed Baba Ji’s order and began heating up the large vessels and preparing food.
Mean while Soldiers began to arrive each paying their respects in Baba Ji’s presence
with their own gifts and began to sit around Baba Ji. When Baba Ji saw the Generals,
Baba Ji asked, “What’s the matter? This is Guru Nanak Ji’s house, where if one
serves with humbleness and faith, one can get Kingship over huge Kingdoms! But
what do you think, that we can’t provide food for your Soldiers? And that’s why you
inform your Soldiers not to eat food here, now where do you expect all of this food to
go? Such a huge amount of food is for your Platoons; this is all for yourselves, so now
go and eat yourselves and serve the other devotees.”
Panna 807: Eat to your fill, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Baba Ji adding by saying, “And if anyone leaves this place hungry they shall be
hungry for the rest of their lives.”
Listening to Baba Ji’s harsh words all the Officers and Generals felt ashamed, fearing
their mistake. They all fell at Baba Ji’s feet and asked for forgiveness. And before
returning back to their Barracks they all eat as much as they could, realizing that they
should never make such a mistake again by underestimating Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Maharaj’s beloveds again.
A lesson on Guru Ji’s free kitchen
From the time that Hoti camp was first made with Baba Ji’s blessing, sweet rice was
always made with pure Indian butter and large quantities of sugar. The disciples were
always amazed at the huge amounts of sugar been used and thought it would better
and less expensive if they switched to chucks of raw sugar cane rocks, but yet they
needed to Baba Ji’s permission.
Once Indian brown sugar was sent to the camp instead of the regular sugar, even
thought they washed it and made sweet rice, but because of the brown colour of the
sugar the rice also changed in colour. Now some of the disciples questioned each
other on the used of raw sugar cane rocks saying that may be they could clean it
themselves and use it in this same way to make sweet rice. For a good few days this
became the main topic for discussion for the cooks.
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