Satgur Nanak Pargateya” has been produced to commemorate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In this unique fusion of Drama, Film, Light & Sound also known as Sight & Sound Panorama, the Sakhis (stories) from Guruji’s travels (Udasis) are enacted in front of humongous LED video walls where digital sets are created for an overwhelming visual experience.
Director & Producer : Harbux Singh Latta & Harshvir Singh Latta
Writer : Dr. Harcharan Singh & Arjun Singh
Music : H.M. Singh
Shabads & Religious songs : Baba Ram Singh Ji, Bhai Balwinder Singh Rangeela, Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa, Mohinder Kapoor, Dr. Gurnam Singh
Prestigious Performances : Patiala Heritage Festival
Synopsis
The show starts with Pandit Hardyal, who is unable to sleep after discovering the prevailing alignment of the stars and predicts that a child born at this time will either be a King or a Prophet, which takes us directly to the house of Guru Nanak where mid-wife, Daultan comes out of a room and informs that a boy has taken birth. She says that she has been a midwife for so long, but has never seen such an aura in any child before. The var of Bhai Gurdas Ji “Satgur Nanak Pargateya, Mitti Dhundh Jag Chanan Hoa” is sung in the background.
Next scene starts with villagers talking praise about Nanak and his companion Mardana. Pandit Gopal who is Guru Ji’s teacher is bowing in front of Guruji’s house. When asked by Pandit Hardyal, who was passing by, Gopal says that while teaching when he wrote Urha (a), Nanak wrote Ekka(1) before it. When asked what it means he said <>, One God.
Next we see Zamindar Rai Bular who walks onto the stage astounded and narrates the miracle he has witnessed, a cobra snake giving shadow from the sun with his hood to a sleeping boy, Guru Nanak. Next thing we here is a screaming villager named Dulla who comes to beg for justice to Rai Bular for Nanak’s buffalos have damaged his crops, but when Rai Bular along with other villagers reach the spot they find Dulla’s fields intact. Dulla unable to explain himself and overcome with wonder bows to Guru Nanak.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji leaves for Sultanpur Lodhi where he start working at the Modi Khanna. The scene starts with two Sipahi’s roughing up a poor man for theft. When Kazi and Diwan come to inquire, they are told that the excess grain in his possession was given by the new Modi, Guru Nanak while uttering “Tera Tera”. They report the matter to Sultan Daulat Khan Lodhi, which follows an inquiry but to their surprise the accountant Jado Rai tells them that instead of shortage there are Rs 136 excess in accounts. Sultan is regretful. The first words Guru Nanak uttered were “Na ko Hindu Na Musalman” reappearing after three days from Vein Nadi.
Before starting his travels (Udasis) Guru ji visits his follower Bhai Lallo at Emnabad, where he reformed the local tax collector Malik Bhago by refusing to eat his puri making him realise that it contains blood of poor he has sucked and rather eat Lallo’s roti which has milk of hardwork.
After collecting Bani of Baba Farid from Sheikh Ibrahim at Pakpattan, he went to Haridwar where he educated people about blind faith of giving water to the Sun. From there he travelled through Kurukshetra, Delhi, Benaras to Pataliputra. To teach Mardana about recognising eternal awareness he sent him to sell a red stone. Which was recognized by Salis Rai Johri, who became Guruji’s disciple and established a Dharamshala, where the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh was born in 1666.
From Pataliputra Guruji went to Kamrup on his way to Dhaka, where he said Vasde Raho to people who misbehaved so that they stay put with there bad habits and Ujjar Jao to people who were very hospitable so that wherever they spread out to they take their good habits along with them.
At Jagannnath Puri inspired from the evening Arti, Guruji wrote Brahmandi Arti, “ Gagan Mai Thal”
Similar Sakhis with social messages like Duni Chand where guruji taught the lesson of not wasting life over material possessions but doing social service, teaching arrogant Pir Vali Kandhari to share, the incident at mecca where Guruji said that God is everywhere not in one place or object.
On his way back from eastern and 4th Udasi Guru ji saw the cruelty and destruction by Babar and wrote “Kursan Kasmana Kya, Hindustan Darya”
The show comes to an end with the cheerful celebratory song, which asks for universal peace and prosperity.