The Starting Points of Life
When God created life on this universe, He also made arrangements for sustaining the life. Agriculture
became necessary for growing our foods and environment provided us air and water for our living on this
earth. Th us, Guru Nanak gives us the concept of environment emphasizing thereupon the importance of air,
water and earth, when he says
gtD[ r[o{ gkDh fgsk wksk Xofs wjs[.. (gzBk 8)
It is mainly because of the importance of growing food that agriculture became the fi rst occupation of
the human beings wherever they existed. In India also, most of the people in ancient times were engaged in
farming. Even today, the majority of Indians live in villages, and are occupied with farming or other allied
agricultural activities. Punjab being a fertile land, the Sikhs were always focussed upon agriculture. Even
aft er partition in 1947, when more fertile land went to the other side and the quantity of the irrigated land
remained very small on our side, they worked very hard and made their land fertile and better irrigated. Th eir
faith in God and hard work helped them to expand the area under cultivation and develop new varieties
of crops. Th ey also used the latest techniques and equipments, with which they were able to bring green
revolution for the entire country. Th e Government of Punjab was also helpful through Punjab Agricultural
University, which was set up mainly with the purpose of bringing such a revolution. Th is university formally,
inaugurated on 8th July, 1963 by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India was organized on
the model of the Land Grand Universities of the USA and as such it proved to be a powerful engine of
change. Th e main distinguishing feature of this university has been that it combined teaching, research and
extension in such a way that it benefi ted the university as well as the farmers. Some of the Punjab farmers
were invited even to other places in India to make their lands fi t for growth and cultivate the same. Th ese
brave farmers, mainly Sikhs, wherever they went, made those land also highly fertile and cultivable. Whether
it was the Trai area in Utrakhand or Bhuj in Gujarat or many areas of eastern India, the Sikhs made big farm
houses and produced food for the people of the country. However, the green revolution of 60s and 70s of
the last century gradually faded due to increasing corruption, political interference and above all the period
of terrorism in Punjab following government attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib in June 1984. Many Sikhs left
the country and went abroad in search of livelihood. Some of them bought lands in those countries also
and converted the same into granaries of food. Woolgoolga, a place north of Brisbane is the living example
wherein most of the land is owned by the Sikhs and they are rich growers of Avocado, pears and bananas.
Some Sikhs, who were merely cane cutters in the beginning, now stand out for cane farming in the Cairns
area up in Far North Queensland. S. Gian Singh Bains is one of the most notable cane growers of the country
with more than 3000 acres of land and S. Prem Singh Bains in a renowned banana grower in Woolgoolga
in Australia. In England, Canada and America, which are among the riches countries in the world, the
richest farmers in those countries include Sikhs. Who does not know that S. Didar Singh Bains, has made
his fortune by growing peaches in California. He is perhaps, the richest farmer in that part of the globe.
Th ose farmers who live in the spirit of Gursikhi understand as with what qualities the farming should be
undertaken. Guru Nanak Dev Ji has mentioned these qualities in the following words
wB[ jkbh feo;kDh eoDh ;ow[ gkDh sB[ y/s[..
Bkw[ phi[ ;zs'y[ ;[jkrk oy[ rohph t/;[..
GkT[ eow efo izw;h ;/ xo Gkrm d/y[.. (gzBk 595)
Th ose farmers who possess the above mentioned qualities are attached to the Guru and are Gursikh
role-models.
Th e environmental deterioration is being noticed all over the world. Th ere may be many reasons
for the same. Th e deterioration has made our water and air polluted. Now, when the whole world is
apprehending danger to our life, eff orts have started to fi nd out ways as to stem further deterioration and
make improvements to the extent possible. Th e Sikhs are also worried about the deteriorating environment,
particularly in their home state of Punjab where water is becoming less and less and the air is being fi lled
with carbon. Some of the Sikhs who have not only brought the attention of the concerned authorities to
these aspects, but, are also showing a way to solve such like problems, are listed among our role-models. Let
us hope that in the coming years the things will improve and we will be able to save our land for cultivation
and air and water for our survival.
