Nana ji & Nani ji - My Inspiration

(Nana = Grandfater, Nani = Grandmother)

Nana ji and Nani ji always lived a life that served as a shining example of Sikhi.

Akaal Purakh ji(God) has bestowed me with a lot of great sangat & Nani ji had such a warm, kind open-heart that would put anyone at ease in moments.

They took amrit together before marrying and kept very strong rehat for 65 years since. They both did a lot of sewa in the local community. Aged over 80; she always jested of her mortality to try to prevent us from getting too attached while loving her.

They had control over 5 vices and had a very selfless love for each other. A few months back Nani ji was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer which was advancing quickly.

The doctors wanted her to stay in hospital- she agreed providing she wouldn’t be separated from her 5 kakaars. Nana ji is chardhi kalaa and didn’t shed a tear saying that we should understand pain and pleasure are one and the same. Everyday he sat at her bedside reciting the Nitnem and Sukhmani Sahib prayers from memory to her. He watched as the cancer spread from her gall bladder to her vital organs like the liver.

We watched him look at her in total acceptance of God’s Will & over the weeks she got more ill. There was a 24/7 vigil of relatives and friends at her bedside and she stopped eating as the cancer was in her gall bladder. Then she stopped drinking and soon her kidneys failed. She retained all liquid from the IV drip and got more and more ill.

Nana ji told us all sakhia(stories) of how everyone, from Bhai Khanaiya to Ravan ALL had to leave their mortal coil. We told him Nani ji was getting weaker and many cried and asked him why he wasn’t.

Nana ji recited the lavaan and other Gurbani explaining their meaning and that despite being married for over 65 years and having a strong love for each other they always remembered they were mortal and as His creation it would be better attaching themselves to Waheguru. He explained we should always happily and humbily surrender to the sweetest Will of the Lord and she always remembered death long, long before she was told she had cancer as she treated each day she was given by Waheguru as a gift to repeat His Name.

She was at peace and detached from this world and everything in it. She peacefully completed the remaining God-given number of breaths, her soul began losing attachment to her body and she departed in the sangat of all her loved ones at amritwela listening to Mool Mantar prayer.

After tending to formalities, Nana ji then led the recitation of morning prayers.

Extract from: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=16133