The god, in the attire of an army

The SUV started to scale the serpentine turns with steep gradients through the mountains and the journey was likely to bring out the little amount of food still remained in the stomach. The scattered ranges of the mountain peaks were wrapped in the milky white snow. The charming scenario with glacial cold was presenting the most unpredictable piece of weather. With almost every turn, it was playing hide and seek, somewhere the vision was getting hijacked by the thick cloud of fog and somewhere the Sun was peeking at us.

the entry gate

We were on our way to visit the temple of Baba Harbhajan Singh or popularly known as Baba Mandir of Sikkim. On the arduous journey, I saw an army truck, with a young contingent of Indian army, where distinct marks of Sun burn could be seen on everybody`s skin. It was due to continuous exposure under the reflected Sun light; I had no idea before, that the marks of Sun burn could be so severe.

the Baba Harbhajan Singh temple

The temple of Baba Harbhajan Singh was closely located to Nathu-La, the international border between India and China and in the valley of natural fort of high mountains. Harbhajan Singh, the Indian Army man laid his life in 1968 after he was drowned into a hilly stream somewhere in this region.

inside view of the temple

The pleasant environment of the temple, with hypnotic surrounding slowly turned chirpy with the arrival of the tourist vehicles. In the Baba Mandir, the coloured portrait of a young Indian soldier i.e. Baba Harbhajan Singh in his olive uniform and turban was in worship, along with the Hindu and the Sikh gods. In the temple, worship arrangements for a god were more similar to the necessities of a man; rather it was a temple where the god, in the attire of an army officer was worshipped. A set of Indian military uniform were hanging at the corner of the temple, he was said to be still serving the army at the border even after his death and he would continue to serve till the date of his normal retirement. Several stories of humane as well as godly activities of Baba Harbhajan Singh could be heard and he has alerted the Indian army men before many untoward incidents. Large numbers of bottles of water were offered by the devotees, were said to gain magical powers.

snow clad mountain

The indefatigable energetic presence of the Indian Army could be seen in every inch of the serene premises of the temple. There may be some positive impetus, in the form of Baba Harbhajan Singh, or a source of energy that provides enough will power to keep the hurdles at bay or the strength of resolute courage to face the difficulties smilingly, in an uninhabited place, where apart from glacial cold a shortage of oxygen could always be felt due to high altitude. A prayer line could be seen at the temple, “Bless us Babaji.