Shri 108 Sant Garib Dass Ji

Shri 108 Sant Garib Dass Ji
Sant Garib Dass Ji was born in the year 1925 in a village called Jalbhe which is in Jalandhar District. His father was Shri Nanak Chand and mother was Smt. Har Kaur. When he was only six months old his father expired. After this tragic incident his mother took care of the  little child. He was the youngest of five brothers.     He used to visit Dera Sachkhand Ballan occasionally. The teaching and ideology of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji impressed him greatly. And so he started coming to the Dera more often. Within a short period he won the heart of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji
In 1948 Sri Kartar Chand took the 13 year old Garib Dass  Ji to Ludhiana for helping him in the business of silk weaving. There he received a letter from Sant Sarwan Dass Ji asking him  to come to Dera immediately for some urgent work. Without wasting any time he reached the Dera. There he was instructed to remain in the Dera from that point onwards. He followed the instructions of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji politely and humbly.     One day Sant Sarwan Dass Ji told him, “Garib Dass, detach yourself from the materialistic world and serve the Almighty God.” “Har ke naam bin jhuthe sakal pasare”. Garib Dass Ji very obediently prostrated at the feet of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji and vowed to devote his whole life to the service of the Almighty God and His people. Apart from delving into the fathoms of the Gurbani, he learned to prepare Ayurvedic medicines and treated many patients who came to the Dera with various ailments. The young boy had now grown in wisdom and stature under the patronage of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji and in the company of Sant Hari Dass Ji. Therefore Swami Sarwan Dass Ji used to entrust him with many jobs of responsibility.     It is a well known fact that the birth place of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji at Seer Goverdhan Pur, Varanasi was got traced by Swami Sarwan Dass Ji. He deputed Sant Hari Dass Ji to lay the foundation stone of the temple to be constructed there. But it was Sant Garib Dass Ji, who was entrusted with the responsibility to develop and complete the construction of the temple. He used to lead a team of Sewadars to Varanasi for this purpose. Construction of the temple was got completed by him in the most difficult weather conditions & challenging circumstances. Now Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Sthan Mandir at Seer Goverdhan Pur, Varanasi has become a place of ultimate pilgrimage for all the followers of Guru Ji. People in thousands from all states of India as well as from abroad throng this temple to celebrate Guru Ji’s birthday.     When Sant Garib Dass Ji became Gaddi-Nashin of Dera Sachkhand Bal on 7th February 1982 he wanted to construct a hospital, in the memory of his Guru, for giving medical aid to the poor people. A milestone in the history of the Dera Sachkhand Bal was created on 22nd Oct. 1982 when Sant Garib Dass Ji laid the foundation stone for Sant Sarwan Dass Charitable Hospital at village Dheypur-Koopur, Adda Kathar. This hospital made a humble beginning with it’s inauguration on 1st January 1984. Today it is a 150 bed hospital providing quality service in seven specialties at very nominal rates to the people who cannot afford costly medical aid.     The great Saint also understood the importance of having a newspaper, which would serve the cause the community. So he started a weekly named ‘Begumpura Shahr’, thus giving a voice to the poor people.     During his lifetime the Sachkhand temple, Sant Hari Dass Bhavan and the Langer Hall at the Dera were built.     He laid the foundation stone of Sant Sarwan Dass Teaching Block in the I.T.I at Phagwara and got a spacious hall built there. He has also got constructed many a ‘Guru-Ghar’ in various cities in India and abroad.     He lived devoutly, worked untiringly and served selflessly. He was a visionary saint who shouldered the cause of the poor and the downtrodden. He dedicated his life to the unity and welfare of the humanity. He left for his heavenly abode on 23rd July 1994.