THE WINTER AND THE PRABHAT PHERI

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“Even Kings and Emperors
with heaps of wealth and vast dominion
cannot compare with an ant filled with the love of God.”
― Guru Nanak, Sri Guru Granth Sahib


Winter is almost here in Mumbai… and, I love it! Getting up at 5 and going for a walk has a different charm while cold breeze pleasantly plays over your shoulders… Yes, you don’t mind covering your arms with a long-sleeve sweater… Silence has an extra doze of serenity in the winter's early-mornings…

Tomorrow will be Guru Nanak Jayanti…

Early this morning, as I was walking in our complex, I could hear the soothing music of Guru-ka-kirtan from one of the homes. It filled the air with a beautiful feeling… The breath I took literally inhaled this beautiful feeling…

Only in winter… Only in winter! Yes, I kept telling myself…

For several years, young Bupinder, who is one of our fellow-residents, had taken initiative to organize the early-morning ‘Guru-ka-langar’ for the group of his fellow-Sikhs – men, women, children – who took part in the ‘Prabhat Pheri’ (The Early-morning procession). Bupi (that’s how we called Bupinder) would arrange to light up our colony for a couple of days, invite our society members to join the langar… where sweet-milk (steaming-hot) and snacks would be served. That’s a special time… The ‘Prabhat Pheri’ music was very ethnic and rustic…

“Mera beta bahut himmatwala hai,” I remember Bupi’s mom telling me with motherly pride when I once complimented her family for organizing this beautiful event. She has not been keeping well these days, with difficulty in walking. But, for last couple of days, I have been seeing her down in our complex… taking a few steps, holding for support the parked cars!

My heart says that it is the season of ‘Prabhat Pheri’ that inspires Bupi’s mom to come down and take a few steps … her own ‘Prabhat Pheri’!

My friend Hardeep told me a while ago, that the local ‘Prabhat Pheris’, which used to be in small groups, are now steadily getting replaced by ‘Nagar Kirtan’… on a mass scale. That’s the reason why we get to see less of those good-old ‘Prabhat Pheries’…



Early morning is the divine time… ‘Brahma Muhurtha’. Almost every community has the tradition of singing, chanting and praying before the Sun comes out. As a Catholic, I grew up singing glories to Mother Mary, early in the mornings, for days before her birthday – 8th September. We, as tender children, went in procession showering choicest flowers on Mother Mary. ‘The Nativity Feast’… This is how we call Mother Mary’s birthday.

The prayer from the local Mosque, sung before sunrise, too, is one of the most serene things to come my way as my day beings!

The faint music of today’s morning kirtan, coming from one of the homes in our colony, brought back the amazing memories of ‘Prabhat Pheries’. There is something so magical about them… So, centering!


GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.:  Niyothi Lobo
Video: Taren Kaur (UK)/YouTube

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