Gurdwara body plays the Good Samaritan

Bathinda, Punjab: Providing langar (food) daily to the patients admitted to the hospital for the last 11 years and arranging for the stay of their attendants at the rest house known as ‘Sran’ for the last two years at the Civil Hospital, the Guru Amardass Samaj Sewa Sanstha, Gurudwara Matidass Nagar, is doing its best to help the needy and the poor.

For the attendants of the patients, the rest house, being run by the management committee of the local Gurudwara Matidass Nagar, has turned into a haven that provides them with shelter and food in times of need. Patients who reach here from far-flung areas and those who cannot afford to stay at private hotels have deep respect for the service being provided by the rest house.

Inspired by a retired PSPCL sub-divisional officer who is rendering service at the rest house for the attendants of the needy patients, 29-year-old Amrik Singh too has joined as a volunteer.

The retired PSPCL employee wants to serve but does not want to reveal his identity. He believes that service done with a pure heart should be done for free and not to earn name and fame. The 66-year-old manager belongs to Goniana and goes home every weekend.

“The attendants of the patients are served the ‘Guru ka langar’ at 7:15 pm. Those willing to stay for the night are charged Rs 20 for a bed but if someone is unable to pay, I myself pay the amount for him. I am strict with rules and regulations, so I pay the amount myself but do not force anyone to pay up. People themselves sometimes contribute more of their own will,” says the retired PSPCL employee.

“I don’t want to reveal my name but I started serving after god saved my pregnant daughter settled in the US. Just two years back, my eight months pregnant daughter slipped in the bathroom in the US and doctors did not believe that she could be saved. But a miracle happened and she was saved along with her child,” he added.

There are four other employees of a government hospital working here as volunteers and they also render free service at the time of ‘langar’.

Lakhan Ram, the attendant of a patient, who underwent surgery, said, “I am in the hospital for the last two days as my wife had undergone surgery and was admitted to the surgery ward. I don’t have money to get her treated. We are both labourers but my wife is receiving free treatment under the government scheme. I am glad and thankful for allowing me to stay here for free besides providing me with langar.”

President of the managing committee of Guru Amardass Samaj Sewa Sanstha, Bikram Singh, said, “For the last 11 years, we have been serving langar to the patients here. Observing that we are performing true service, the deputy commissioner gave us this land which was earlier being used as a store by the hospital. We turned the store into a rest house for the attendants of the needy patients. We have 18 beds here but sometimes all get occupied and the volunteers here have to sleep on the floor.”

Source: The Tribune