The hot wind does not even touch…..
A week long Sikhi camp was held at Guru Nanak Gurdwara Luton from 28th july to 2nd August. After a week of being in the presence of Guru ji, singing God and Guru ji’s praises, learning Sikh philosophy and history and a lot of other activities, the children were taken to the Weymouth seaside on Friday 31st July. On the way back the coach caught fire.
An off duty policeman, Pc Colin Swan with his family was on a day out. Like me he had taken the wrong turning some where and ended up on the same road behind the coach as a consequence. Pc. Colin Swan saw smoke from the back of the coach. As an ex bus driver, he knew this was not engine smoke. He immediately pulled infront of the double decker coach and stopped it on the hard shoulder.
He now drove his wife and two children out of harm’s way and ran back to the coach. The doors to the coach were still shut, he banged on the door and shouted to the driver to open the door.he pushed it hard and it opened. He shouted “there’s a fire!” and told everybody to get out of the coach, about a dozen adults and a few children downstairs quickly ran out.
Upper deck was full of children and their mums. Some children were as young as six months, most were sleeping without shoes. Colin stood in the middle of the spiral stairs and grabbed hold off the kids two at a time and passed them down to one of the men. The fire was getting larger, there was a small explosion, but colin kept on dragging the children down. He managed to get everybody to safety totally unharmed. He went upstairs and satisfied himself that all the children had been evacuated. The coach was engulfed by the fire within seconds, with small and large explosions going everywhere.
A mother fainted at the thought of what could have been if ……
The ambulance arrived to take her away, while the other mothers huddled their siblings close to their heart with tears in their eyes, singing
The hot wind does not even touch one who is under the Protection of the Supreme Lord God.
On all four sides I am surrounded by the Lord's Circle of Protection; pain does not afflict me, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
I have met the Perfect True Guru, who has done this deed.
He has given me the medicine of the Lord's Name, and I enshrine love for the One Lord. ||1||
You can not draw any other conclusion other than to accept that this was indeed divine intervention by Guru Sahib ji .
Colin acted like the Khalsa of our tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh ji upholding the principle of putting others before oneself. He went beyond the call of duty, not caring for his own life thus saving the lives of 66 young children and women.
An Akhand Paathh ( 48 hour continuous reading of the scriptures ) was started on Friday 7th August. On Sunday 9th Aug., the Sikh congregation was joined by Insp. Alex House of Luton Police and Trevor Kippax, community liaison officer of Luton Council. The guest of honour was the brave hero Colin Swan with his wife and two children. He was greeted with heart felt warmth by the children and the congregation. The children were very excited and asked him lots of questions. Colin was very friendly with all the children. His wife Nympha-Barbara, an Indian from Madras (Chennai ) and the two children mingled with the congregation.
After some refreshments, everybody went inside in the presence of Guru Sahib ji. A formal prayer to Guru ji was recited thanking him for saving the lives of his children. The stage sec. Didar Singh Nandra welcomed the guests and thanked Colin for joining us in this thanks-giving ceremony . mr Jasvider Singh Nagra quoted from the Sikh Scriptures;
The hot wind does not even touch one who is under the Protection of the Supreme Lord God.
The children had been singing God’s praises all week and indeed he did not let the fire come near his children. He was proud to have Colin sitting amongst us today
as an Honorary Sikh. He further quoted from the scriptures;
The Divine Guru is our mother, the Divine Guru is our father; the Divine Guru is our Lord and Master, the Transcendent Lord.
The Divine Guru is my companion, the Destroyer of ignorance; the Divine Guru is my relative and brother.
The Divine Guru is the Giver, the Teacher of the Lord's Name. The Divine Guru is the Mantra which never fails.
The Divine Guru is the image of peace, truth and wisdom. The Divine Guru is the Philosopher's Stone - touching it, one is transformed.
The Divine Guru is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage, and the pool of divine nectar; bathing in the Guru's wisdom, one experiences the Infinite.
The Divine Guru is the Creator, and the Destroyer of all sins; the Divine Guru is the Purifier of sinners.
The Divine Guru existed in the very beginning, throughout the ages, in each and every age. The Divine Guru is the Mantra of the Lord's Name; chanting it, one is saved.
O God, please be merciful to me, that I may be with the Divine Guru; I am a foolish sinner, but holding onto Him, I will be carried across.
The Divine Guru is the True Guru, the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord; Nanak bows in humble reverence to the Lord, the Divine Guru. ||1||
Mr. Karnail Singh Rajasansi, the general secretary in his address went in detail how “Colin came as an Angel” to save the children.
Now Balwinder Kaur presented a bouquet of Flowers to Colin’s wife Nympha-Barbara. Two children Samrita Kaur and Harmanjit presented a card signed by all the children and thanked Colin for “ saving all our lives”. Jaskamal Kaur Rajoo, the last lady off the bus presented Colin with a box of chocolates. Harjinder Kaur Sandhu presented a book about the last emperor of the Sikhs Maharaja Duleep Singh to Colin. Mr. Sohan Singh Rajoo presented a framed commendation certificate. And finally president Sohan Singh Rajoo honourd Colin Swan by presenting a Kirpan ( sword ) a fitting tribute to a brave hero. Mr Jasvinder Singh Nagra explained the significance of the Kirpan;
Historically, the Kirpan of the Sikhs has been of great service to
humanity and just causes. The Kirpan has served democratic
aspirations of the world well during the two world wars. The
credibility, the discipline and the strength of Khalsa (Amritdhari
Sikhs) was well known and recognised by the British as long ago as 1851 when the Governor General of India issued an order that ‘all Sikhs entering the Sikh regiments of the British army should receive the Pahul (initiation) and observe strictly the code of Sikh conduct.’
The root words of Kirpan include: 'kirpa' - blessings and benevolence, and 'aan' meaning honour and dignity. The Kirpan is seen to bestow blessings, by upholding the honor and dignity of friend and foe alike.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, who created the Khalsa Order, ordained that Sikhs should wear the Kirpan as a constant reminder of the duties, undertaken at initiation, to uphold justice, to defend the weak and oppressed and to behave with mercy and compassion. The Kirpan is categorically not to be used for aggression. Guru Gibind Singh ji says,“ when all means of persuasion have failed, it is righteous to raise the Kirpan”
The Guru granted the gift of a Kirpan as part of the discipline of being a Khalsa (initiated Sikh). Wearing of the Kirpan as part of the five Ks on one’s person at all times, is a constant reminder of not forsaking one’s principles (even momentarily). It places a perpetual responsibility upon the Sikh that he or she is ultimately the keeper of his/her own conscience and cannot abrogate that decision to some other authority.
Colin Swan in his speech said, “I am very proud to be honoured in this way. I did not expect this. I hold the Sikh community in high esteem and to be given the Kirpan is a great honour. I am overwhelmed to be given the honour of an Honorary Sikh. I will treasure this and keep the card given by the children for ever to be seen by my grandchildren.”
After the ceremony Langar ( vegetarian meal started by the founder of Sikhi, Guru Nanak ) was served and Colin posed for pictures with the children and their families.
Report by Jasvinder Singh Nagra