Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji continued advancing…

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji continued advancing towards the east and reached Kalighat, Kolkata. At that time, this area was surrounded by dense and desolate forests. During the rainy season, due to mud and mosquitoes, diseases were widespread, causing disruption in people’s lives. Poverty and starvation had taken a dreadful form. Seeing the miserable condition of the people there, Guru Ji’s heart was filled with compassion. The settlements were so filthy that people’s lives were no better than that of animals. Due to the lack of proper drainage, dirty water accumulated, causing foul smells and the spread of flies, mosquitoes, and other germs. Malaria and cholera were causing numerous deaths.

Out of despair, people had lost all hope, and instead of fighting against the situation, they were abandoning patience and perseverance, choosing to flee. On the other hand, the wealthy and prosperous were living lives of luxury and had no concern for the lower class. Their only objective was exploitation. The prevailing mindset was that all suffering was the result of past karma, and people believed that they could only receive what was predestined. Witnessing and hearing all this, Guru Ji decided to take steps to help the poor and distressed.

To gain the trust of people from all sections of society, Guru Ji went from house to house, awakening them by presenting heart-wrenching realities. Soon, he established a service committee whose purpose was to serve the sick and the hungry by visiting homes. Quickly, the wave of selfless service spread throughout Kalighat and also to nearby towns like Chutani and Govindpur. Every day, Guru Ji would visit different places and inspire people to help the distressed, emphasizing that:

All of humanity is equal. Everyone should have access to basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. If a person does not help another in distress, their life is meaningless. True worship is serving the poor and needy. Under Guru Ji’s leadership, a public movement against poverty began.

At that time, Guru Ji decided that the root cause of diseases was the unhygienic settlements. Hence, he suggested abandoning the old settlements and building new, modern ones. Land was acquired for this purpose, and with collected donations, construction work commenced. Soon, laborers voluntarily began contributing their services to the work, and a beautiful settlement was built, where Guru Ji started the rehabilitation process. Those who had lost their lives due to illness, those who were sick, or those who had lost their sources of income were given priority in this new settlement.

The old, filthy settlement was vacated, and the slums were set on fire to prevent further disease. Thus, through his revolutionary thinking, Guru Ji initiated a movement to improve people’s lives. He won the hearts of all sections of society, and wherever he went, people stood with folded hands, ready to follow his guidance. During this time, Guru Ji taught people the importance of living together in harmony and sharing with one another.

To further this cause, a large Dharamshala was built in Kalighat, where service committees were organized into congregations. Gradually, Dharamshalas were also built in Chutani and Govindpur, leading to the establishment of congregations, which later became known as the "Big Congregation" and the "Small Congregation." Inspired by Guru Ji, people from all backgrounds would attend daily discourses and kirtans, after which they would go out to serve society, bringing relief to those in distress and contributing to the creation of an ideal society. Guru Ji stayed there for almost a year before departing for Dhaka.