For over two months, amid India’s coronavirus lockdown, an 81-year-old Sikh man has become a saviour for thousands of hungry migrant workers crossing Maharashtra’s National Highway 7. Baba Karnail Singh Khaira’s ramshackle tin shed, covered with plastic sheets, is the only spot on a 450km stretch, where a decent meal is available that too free of cost. A blessing for starving migrant workers, who were left with no money due to the sudden lockdown, and have been traversing various routes to get back to their villages.
Facebook user @amarpatiladv135, shared a photo of the man, fondly known as Khaira Babaji’s, and wrote: “This simple 81-year-old man has been feeding thousands of migrant workers on a remote Maharashtra highway. No PR, no publicity, no FB photographs, no ministers calling him a hero or anything. Purest form of unadulterated selfless service to mankind. Apart from humans, he feeds over 200 dogs and cats daily, in his ‘Guru da langar'.”
Gurudwaras and Sikh institutions across the world organise langars, or free community kitchens to help people, by providing free food to the needy.
Khaira Babaji has been managing this roadside community kitchen for 32 years, as a branch of the historic Gurudwara Bhagod Sahib, Wai, located 11km away in a forested area. But, it was only after the March 24 lockdown that this langar came to the rescue of thousands of hungry people, including stranded migrants, travellers, truckers and villagers, taking the route.
Sharing another photo of the man, @YeshiSeli tweeted: “Respect and salutations.”
In the past 10 weeks, based on the number of disposable plates in which the crowds were served, Khaira Baba and his team calculated that more than 1,500,000 people were fed, many more took food away in parcels.
“We had hordes of people coming daily and we kept continuously cooking food for them... We welcomed all with smiles and folded hands, irrespective of caste, religion... My regular team of 17 ‘sevaks’ (voluntary attendants), including 11 cooks and other helpers were overworked, but ensured a non-stop supply of fresh, piping hot food,” said Khaira Baba, according to reports.
His youngest brother Baba Gurbax Singh Khaira, 67, settled in New Jersey in the United States, helps with large donations from the local Sikh community in the US, and other donors help keep the ‘Guru ka langar’ functional during lockdown. And, it’s not just food, soap and well water are provided to weary visitors for bathing.
The ‘Guru ka langar’ has kept two donation boxes outside in which people offer as per their desire and capacity, but it is never counted and the money is again used to buy supplies for the community kitchen.
In the vicinity grappling with a hunger crisis in lockdown, he also feeds chapattis or wheat flatbread to around 250 dogs, plus cats, stray cattle and other animals.
Facebook user Harpreet Singh posted: “What a man and really deserves a highest award. No government with the combined strength of their workforce has achieved what this man has done.”
Khaira Baba’s only belongings on earth are three sets of clothes, he says: “I live and sleep here, eat the same food served to the people.”
When asked what motivates him, he points at the sky and says: “It’s the ‘marzi’ (will) of Wahe Guru... We are only his instruments in the service to humanity.”
Though unschooled, he speaks fluent English, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic, Dutch and German, and Marathi. Reportedly, Khaira Baba has travelled the world organising funds for Gurudwara ‘langars’ and other services. lived in the Middle-East for around four years and spent another five years in Germany and other European countries.
