Blissful Memories - 9 (Bhapa Ram Chand Ji)

Bhapa Ram Chand ji of Kapurthala often used to go alone on Prachar tours - carrying his own luggage and standing in lines to purchase the train or bus tickets. Seeing his age and frailty Baba Gurbachan Singh ji had asked Bhapa ji to always take someone with him on his future tours – someone who would take care of him. 

Once, Bhapa ji was scheduled to go on a Prachar tour to Shimla while covering some other cities on the way such as Ludhiana, Patiala and Chandigarh etc. Remembering what Baba ji had said, he thought of asking someone to accompany him on this tour. 
I believe it was around 1965- 1966. Bhapa ji’s maternal grandson Gulshan Ahuja ji had recently completed his B.A. and joined the B.Ed. program. Since his college was closed for the summer vacation, Bhapa ji thought of taking him along. 

In those days, right after the entrance of the Nirankari Bhavan Kapurthala, there used to be a small room on the right side in which Bhapa ji used to live. I vividly remember that it was a very simple room with 2 ordinary chairs, a small table and a bed (an old style Chaarpaayi). Most of the times, he used to meet the visitors and devotees also in that same room. Even the family members – coming back from school or work etc. - used to come to his room first - to pay their regards and do Namaskar before going into their quarters.

When Gulshan ji came home that evening - as usual, he first went to Bhapa ji’s room. After doing Namaskar, he said "Bhapa Ji! I want to make a request to you". 
Bhapa ji said that he also wanted to speak to him about something, but asked him to go first.

Gulshan ji - "I heard that you are going to Shimla"
Bhapa ji - yes, I am.
Gulshan ji - Can I also go with you? I have never been to Shimla and it would be an excellent opportunity for me to see the city while attending the Sangats there.
Bhapa ji smiled and asked: “so, this is what you want? It's your desire to go with me and to see Shimla?
Gulshan ji – yes, if you will kindly allow me to accompany you.
Bhapa ji said: "Well – think about it again, and then tell me - That this is your wish to accompany me - not only for the Sangats but for the sightseeing also?
Gulshan ji - yes, Bhapa ji. This will be a good opportunity to do the both.
In a firm voice, Bhapa ji said– OK then - you can come along with me - but you will have to pay for your own bus tickets and take care of your other expenses from your own pocket. 
Gulshan ji said he had already thought of that, and that he was going to take some money from his father for the bus tickets and other expenses. 
“Since this is all settled" Gulshan ji said – "now please tell me Bhapa ji - what did you want to talk to me about?” 
Bhapa ji laughed and said: “I was also going to ask you about the same thing – that if you could accompany me on this Prachar tour to Shimla? But now that you have shown your own interest in visiting Shimla for sight-seeing, I cannot have the Mandal pay for your tickets which comes through the monetary Sewa from all kinds of devotees. 
On the other hand, if you had wished to accompany me just for the sake of Sewa and Prachar – and not with the intention of visiting a famous tourist city and sight-seeing, then it would have been a different matter. Because more than the action, it’s the motive that counts”

                What a great Saint he was – With such high and lofty thinking.                                             
     
                                        ‘Rajan Sachdeva’