kamal heer Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 Sat sri akal, I'm doing some research on the travels of Guru ji and i was told that he came to kenya. I was wondering if anybody would be able to help me with this as i need information on this. Thanks Rab rakha 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Singh_but_cant_Sing Posted May 11, 2003 Report Share Posted May 11, 2003 This happened in the 1960's I think or earlier when the gurdwara in Makindu( a small town in the middle of nowhere on the way to Mombasa,Kenya) was about to be built or was newly built. One night some kalaa, I think he was the watch man, saw someone who had a beard and wearing a turban come down from the sky on a horse and strait in to the gurdwara. He said that the person stayed there for a little while and then left again up the sky. The watchman was so scared that he went to consult with one of the singhs staying there. The singh said that the person must have been guru ji. As a result there are more kale singhs who do seva at the gurdwara. It is a very lovely and peaceful place especially at amrit vela. You can see mount Killimanjaro from the highest point of the gurdwara. This is just a vision which the person experienced, so you cant take this as one of guru ji's journeys and it is in the wrong time period. The time period you should look at is 1666-1708. Good luck in your research! I am sure that there are loads of knowledgeable gursikhs here who can help you with your research. Dont take what I said to be the truth, cause it might be an interpretation of what I understood or heard, but hope that it helped. Fateh Ji!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamal heer Posted May 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2003 Sat sri akal ji, Thank u paji. Rab rakha 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girlUK Posted May 18, 2003 Report Share Posted May 18, 2003 This happened in the 1960's I think or earlier when the gurdara in Makindu( a small town in the middle of nowhere on the way to Mombasa,Kenya) was about to be built or was newly built. One night some kalaa, I think he was the watch man, saw someone who had a beard and wearing a turban come down from the sky on a horse and strait in to the gurdwara. He said that the person stayed there for a little while and then left again up the sky. The watchman was so scared that he went to consult with one of the singhs staying there. The singh said that the person must have been guru ji. As a result there are more kale singhs who do seva at the gurdwara. It is a very lovely and peaceful place especially at amrit vela. You can see mount Killimanjaro from the highest point of the gurdwara. This is just a vision which the person experienced, so you cant take this as one of guru ji's journeys and it is in the wrong time period. The time period you should look at is 1666-1708. Good luck in your research! I am sure that there are loads of knowledgeable gursikhs here who can help you with your research. Dont take what I said to be the truth, cause it might be an interpretation of what I understood or heard, but hope that it helped. Fateh Ji!! YEA!! i have heard a similar story from a Kala Kenyan Singh who came to our local gurdwara quite a long time ago. From what i know before Singhs left a town in Kenya, they requested a kala to look after the Gurdwara and serve people (they even said that they would help fundings if needed). Apparantly the Kala was very lazy and didnt do much. One day he was sitting in the Gurdwara and he just saw a vision of a man with a beard and turban..and the kala got scared. When he saw some sikhs he pointed at the picture of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and said it was 'that man' whom he saw. From then on, the Kala is doing so much seva!!!! lol. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 the version of this ssakhi i hard is beutfiall..it follows there wuz a sikh familly in kenya, who and employed a kalla servent. everyday the whole familly including bhai khala singh ji, would do maharjs' seva, etc. but one day the familly had to leave and left kala singh in charge of babajis' seva. giving babaji food. soo all day the kala singh waited for the time 2 do his seva, eager to plz his employers and hopefully god. he waited he waited and the time came, he filled a steel vessel with milk and took it to maharaj ji, when he got there, there wuz a brilliant figure infront of him, a Perfect man wuz standing infront of him with a feather on his crown. This man drank the milk, and left. He told his familly when the came hom what had happened, and the father got angry and said, why did u drink the milk, the khaala singh said, i'm nto lying, he took him outside and showed him, horse shoe prints and a feather lying on the ground...apearing out of no where..... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 well what a quinti dink, my nana ji just got here from kenya 2day, and i asked him bout this sakhi, ( he lives in kenya), and he told me that its a very remote gurdwara, and the ppl just made a scam out of the darshan, and know the gurdwara has flourished into a 5star hotel, complete with servants :S 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr §ingh Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 well what a quinti dink, my nana ji just got here from kenya 2day, and i asked him bout this sakhi, ( he lives in kenya), and he told me that its a very remote gurdwara, and the ppl just made a scam out of the darshan, and know the gurdwara has flourished into a 5star hotel, complete with servants :S WWWHHHHHHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT :| :| :| :| :| :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 i dunno man, shouild i believe him or this inspirational sakhki, but the way he told it, sounded legit, it wuz a gurdwara on the out skirts that wanted 2 gain popularity 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simi Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 my Grandad help set up that gurudwara! our family was invited to the 100th anniversary of the gurudwara's opening! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 a gurdwara with servants, i think that defeats all the purposes of sikhi simi, yah my nankaye where very much involved with that gurughaar 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simi Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 wen it originally started the railroad builders from india did the seva! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 yah but that wuz originally, look at it now, lalach di kathaar ki ni kardi duniya? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Singh_but_cant_Sing Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 I just feel so bad of hearing all these things said about that gurdwara, and I dont say this because of the story. It sure is a remote area, but that dont mean that they would make up that scam. Yes, I think they pay ppl to work at the gurdwara, but do you know why they give the ppl a job? Have you got any idea of the way the ppl live in that area? I think not because we all have our nice homes with central heating to go, have the luxuries of tv and sound systems......etc. The ppl there in Kenya are really poor and in a remote place like Makindu, even worse. The nearest place to get a job is in Nairobi which is 2 hours drive. So the gurdwara helps these ppl. You meansioned that it was a 5 star hotel. That is a very serious comment to make when you havent really been there. I dont think that any 5 star hotel offers langar, because I think they would be too busy trying to make money. Anyone and everyone is welcome to the gurdwara and can have langar. I am sorry that if I sounded abit harsh there. Please forgive me for that. WJKK WJKF! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 i wuz just saying from what i heard from my nana who lives there. I would really love, and i still believe that the story is true, but the fact that they have become a buisness, with self contained rooms is pretty sad 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Singh_but_cant_Sing Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 How is it a business? Ofcourse they have selfcontained rooms, because almost everyone who is going to mombasa stops there for the night and does darshan of gur maharaj. There is no fixed rate there, just like any gurdwara, there is a treasury where one can make donations. These donations are there for the up keep of the gurdwara. It was like that five years ago when I left the country. Other gurdwara's have self contained rooms, would you call them businesses as well? The rooms are there for the sangat to stay. Once again I may seem harsh in the way I put my point across, so please forgive me for that. Fateh Ji. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 no worriz paji, u know more then me on this topic, so i'mma drop it 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaapaaraa Posted June 9, 2003 Report Share Posted June 9, 2003 How is it a business? Ofcourse they have selfcontained rooms, because almost everyone who is going to mombasa stops there for the ........ Once again I may seem harsh in the way I put my point across, so please forgive me for that. Fateh Ji. Thats not harsh.... i agree with your points.. though i do like to know about the gurudwara, whether it is still there or not.. the story sounds very interesting 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamal heer Posted June 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Sat sri Akal, I've pasted something intresting from www.sikhnet.com below: "wahegurujikakhalsawahegurujikifateh!!!!! are sikhs aware that guru nanak, in his udasian, come as far as africa? a small settlement a hundred miles from kampala, uganda, is named 'Bamu Nanika' which the locals there revere for it's spiritual powers. they say that a holy man, not one of their own, sat on a certain spot there and meditated. the spot is covered in a bark-like material and not shown to anyone. prayers are done in their traditional way. it is also said that all of uganda's kabaka's visited the 'shrine' to receive blessings upon their advent of rule. the area is arid with no fresh water for miles. but only a few hindred meters away is a small spring of fresh water which the locals do not allow anyone to drink or wash hands with. the water is somehow used like 'giving amrit' to devotees who are all africans. when asked about who they revere the place for, the locals say that 'he is not one of ours but there is some great spiritual power here'. a group of gyanis from india visited the shrine to further the discovery. it is even believed that in a sakhi, mardana asked nanak why the locals had curly hair. that faintly suggests nanak's visit to africa. it is possible and for one to find out more, has to visit the place. i may be going there myself to do my own research. so far, all we know is that the village's name is 'Bamu Nanika' (Bamu may be a short form of Baba Mungu - Mungu means God in Swahili). the locals know not who the sikhs are. we are strangers to them but if we can do some research, there is a high possibility of adding africa's name to the places nanak travelled to." 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonSingh Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 I have an article I wrote about Makindu Gurdvara a while back. If anyone wants a copy, just mail me and I will send you a copy. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simi Posted June 15, 2003 Report Share Posted June 15, 2003 i have close family that live in Kenya- any basically its getting really bad down there- as in they cant go out wen it gets dark, and loadsa people are turning to crime as in the natives are just to earn a living! violence is a everyday occurence! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonSingh Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Here is the article I promised regarding Makindu Gurdvara. It is a bit old and I am embarrased about my poor use of English in some places. Tell me what you think: The Sikh story of Makindu On the Mombassa Road, directly in between the cities of Nairobi and Mombassa lies a Gurdvara that not only is considered an oasis, but also inspires the mind. It has a deep-rooted history in the Sikh Sangat of East Africa (especially Kenya) and on many occasions has been compared to the Golden Temple itself in terms of its serenity. The Gurdvara itself (in a town called Makindu) is situated in a vast expanse, surrounded by nothingness. The story begins between 1897 and 1902 in Kenya. The East African Railway Company and the British (who at the time ruled over East Africa) needed skilled workers to build a railroad starting from Nairobi (at the time, one of the continents major City’s) to Mombassa (which was one the continents major sea-ports) and turned to the Punjabi’s. The Punjabi’s were well known for their excellent work ethic and high levels of skill. The British chose an equal proportion of Sikhs and Muslims and were taken from Punjab to East Africa to build this railroad. The track was to start from Nairobi, but needed a stop at regular intervals of 100 miles; this was due to the fact that contemporary steam engines needed re-fuelling at those specific intervals, also the engines need to be changed. These stops happened to be towns called Makindu and Voi and then on to the final destination of Mombassa. During the period of construction, both groups of workers approached the British Governor (through the East African Railway company) for some space, which could be used for personal prayer. So a piece of land was given to both the Muslims and the Sikhs for establishing a Mosque and a Gurdvara. Land in the town of Makindu was given to both parties’ so that buildings could be built for religious reasons. Both of these separate buildings initially were very humble constructions, consisting of just one room, which could either be used for Islamic prayer or for the prakash of Guru Granth Sahib Ji and daily prayer. Now it is important to add that, although Makindu is considered a town, at the time, it had literally only a handful of people living in it and only one shop. The addition of both the religious structures in Makindu increased the movement of people through it dramatically. After the construction of the railway line was completed, the majority of individuals moved and made their permanent homes in the capital city Nairobi. It was at that time that the Sikh Sangat of Kenya started to hire local African staff to maintain the small Gurdvara in Makindu. Here one particular story of a local worker is very famous. He was paid to clean the place regularly, but did not do so and was very lazy. This laziness continued for a long period of time up until one day. Whilst he was sleeping, he had a dream where Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji came to him and told him that he does not do his duty properly, the worker ignored the dream he had and went about still not completing his tasks properly. Then on a second occasion, he had a very similar dream which on this occasion scared him. On his waking he cleaned all of the Gurdvara and made sure it was absolutely clean. On a rare occasion when a Sikh family happened to be passing through Makindu, the worker approached them and related his story to them and pointed to a painting of Guru Gobind Singh Ji claiming that I have had ‘His Darshan’. When they heard what was said, the Sikh family decided to go to Baba Puran Singh Ji (in the town of Kericho), who they all knew would have answers to their questions. Baba Puran Singh Ji told the Sangat that the area of Kericho was very powerful place and that a Gurdvara had to be maintained there. Up until that point, the Gurdvara had pretty much laid empty. Normally, because of its locality (immediately in between the road running from Nairobi to Mombassa), families would only stop off at Makindu for a break then continue on their journey. It was then at this point that Bhai Basan Singh Ji started travelling to Makindu Gurdvara every week himself to do Sewa. From that point onwards, the Gurdvara itself started to get busier. More and more families would come from surrounding towns and cities to have their Akhand Paths (bringing with them their own rations). At this point there was still no modern conveniences (i.e. no electricity or running water), so people used to do their path by sitting next to lamps and water had to transported in by truck. Large quantities of people started to attend more programmes at the Gurdvara, for that reason, a permanent committee was set up. After that set up the Gurdvara expanded dramatically. As the Gurdvara expanded and grew so did the local farms and businesses too. Sikhs came in and manufactured an entire generator system in the Gurdvara complex, so that it could be supplied with a constant supply of electricity at any time. A well was dug also to allow constant access to clean water. The Gurdvara had become so extensive in its Sewa that it also partially funded a local hospital in Makindu too. The continuous maintenance work carried out on the paintwork and construction work was done by both Hari Singh Bansal and Bawa Singh Bansal respectively and even though it was Sewa, the design work on the main building was of a very intricate nature. Few things have changed in modern day Makindu. The area is still very tranquil, almost oasis like. The beauty of the surrounding areas is almost unmatched anywhere in the world. Its facilities open to the Sangat are very modern and advanced. It has been compared to a lot of the major hotels in Kenya. The main difference is that the Langar is cooked 24 hours a day and that (as in all Gurdvara’s) it is all free. All work done there is done totally by Sewa. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaapaaraa Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Interesting story, thanks for sharing 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GABROO KHALISTAN DAH Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 wow awesome, i'll do some more research 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamal heer Posted June 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 Thxs for posting mate. Beautiful story, may be if God wills i will visit Makindu soon. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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