Eleven years ago, I got an opportunity to serve as SDM Pehowa,
a small sub divisional town of Kurukshetra district with population of 33500
only (2001 census). The city is famous as pilgrimage consisting Prithudak Tirth
where people from far and wide come to perform the last rites of their dear
departed. The place is known for Saraswati river which runs East wards from here
(Poorv vahini).
The very first site that I visited after joining was the
Saraswati channel from the siphon side near Guhla road where the JCB had
started digging the 5100 feet long channel flowing in through the town. It was
strange feeling, very different, very difficult to define but every bit
positive. The Pehowa Saraswati Project was mammoth task which had been started
and abandoned umpteen times as it was not a government project with any
provision of funds. Besides, there was challenge of huge encroachments and flow
of sewerage into the Holy channel. But it was the dream and aspiration all the
residents of Pehowa that the work related to saraswati mayya should be done expeditiously, essentially, on priority basis.
The well meaning representatives sharing this sacred mission exhorted me to
take up this project start the work
(with zero balance!) and that mayya would
take care of the everything!
I breathed then, for the first time, the Pehowa
feeling!
The project with estimated cost of Rs. two crores and
estimated time of two years started with this exclusive Pehowa feeling.
Pehowa is perfect symbol of religious and caste harmony with
everyone joining in all religious 'prabhat
feris' with equal fervor and enthusiasm. The tirth, too is visited by all
people transcending the community and caste boundaries. Every section of the
Pehowa society endorsed the project with unanimity and enthusiasm.
On the banks of Saraswati near Prachi tirth, in the scorching
heat of June, Swami Gianand ji addressed the sangat exhorting them to contribute their mite in this gigantic
task and at the end of the satsang
handed over the offerings ('chadhaava')
to me; the chief Granthi of Gurudwara Bohli sahib, the mahant of Sri
Sangmeshwar Mahadev Mandir, Arunai, Baba Man Singh of Dera Sant Ishwar Singh , the
Brahmin tirthodhhar sabha, the Mahants of all Akhadas and Deras that Pehowa is
famous for came forward to support the cause. All the big and small social and
trade associations enthusiastically participated. The individuals came forward
to construct ghats, erect tubewells
in memory of their ancestors. A renowned philanthropist of the area Shri
Kailash bhagat ji single handedly contributed hugely for the project as it was
his mission that mayya's work must be
done come what may!
One fine day an old man in tatters came asking for SDM and
handed tens of polythene packed remnants of langars'
contributions for the peer as his mite for the mayya's project. The
amount he donated thus was worth a fortune and symbolic of the Pehowa
feeling!
The result was completion of the project at the cost of Rs one crore twenty five lacs in record nine months
with public contribution of over seventy lacs besides the funds received from the discretionary funds of the then Ministers and the MP. The works included the concreting of both the sides after clearing of the whole length and breadth of the channel. The encroachers had voluntarily removed their unauthorized seize. No force ever had to be used for doing the needful. Thereafter, construction of the pavements, railings, pedestrian over
bridges on the channel and installation of the street lights and sound system was completed. The channel started
feeding the Prithudak tirth with fresh flow of water. The sewerage had
been laid to stop the flow of polluting water into the channel. In the evening, hordes of women and men could be seen enjoying walk on the pavements.
Once complete, the students, girl guides, scouts, teachers
painted the railings with police and administrative officials.
The work initiated by a few people became a movement and
generated an electric aura.
It has been over a decade but the Pehowa feeling kindles the
fire of immense positive energy. It casts a magical spell of motivation.
I feel determined to get up and go, achieve the impossible, tread the paths
untrodden. And when the going gets tough, the burthen of
what-seems-difficult or almost-impossible, I turn to the Pehowa feeling, visit
the place and the warmth and hospitality, the ever-readiness of Pehowians to
join hands in whatever I propose to do makes the marching on easeful,
rejuvenates me, blesses me with the aura of positivity and enthusiasm and I
feel there is no room for despondency or desolation, hopelessness or dejection
and the only way is the way forward and that my task is marching on!
Thanks to all the people of Pehowa who imbibe and exude
the Pehowa feeling!
