Sunday 9 September 2012

Chef Engineer Sant Ram


One day as Shri Nathji was going for a walk early in the morning in Model Town, in Lahore, a car drove up to him and stopped. A Chief Engineer of Lahore, Rai Bahadur Sant Ram, came out of the car and said to Shri Nathji:
"Huzoor, Sir, may I respectfully request you to grace my car with your holy feet?" Shri Nathji agreed to the request of the Chief Engineer and got inside his car. As the two were proceeding down the street, the Chief Engineer turned and said to Shri Nathji: "Sir, tell me of some easy way to reach God. “Bhagwan se milne kaa koyi saral saa
raastaa bataayen!” "Rai Bahadur," said Shri Nathji, " how long did it take you to become a chief engineer? “Aapko kitne saal lag gaye Chief Engineer ban ne men?”
" About thirty five years. Practically a whole lifetime," the Chief Engineer replied. And Shri Nathji said: "It took you about thirty five years to become a Chief Engineer –and you wish to know how to reach God  during the brief ride in this car?"
“Aapko Chief Engineer ban ne men paintees saal lag gaye–aur Bhagwan se milne kaa
raasta aap car hee men poochh rahe hain?”
The Chief Engineer said: " I am sorry, Sir, I should not have asked the question in the car. Let me take you home where I can ask it at length."
"Sant Ramji," Shri Nathji said humorously, "life is very uncertain. One does not know what the next moment may bring. What if there is a car accident on the way to your home? How will you ask the question, then!
“Kyaa pataa raaste men accident hee ho jaaye!”
The chief engineer was thoroughly confused and said: "Maharaj, what must I do then? At
least show me some way."
Shri Nathji said: "Go and knock at His door!” “Uskaa darvaazaa khatkhataayaa karen!”
The Rai Bahadur said:
"But the door is locked from inside is it not? It is up to the person inside to open it or not
as He wills! “Will the person outside have to go on knocking forever or will the door ever open?
“Kyaa darvaazaa khatkhataane vaalaa darvaazaa khatkataataa hee raihtaa hai yaa darvaazaa kabhi khultaa bhee hai?
Shri Nathji laughed: "Rai Bahadur, now I am beginning to doubt whether you are an
engineer or not." “Rai Bahadur Sahib! Mujhe to ab shak hone lagaa hai ke aap Chief Engineer bhee hain ke naheen!”
The Rai Bahadur said: "Huzoor, but what has engineering got to do with it?"
Shri Nathji said:
"You want to know whether the door will ever open or whether one will have to go on
knocking on it forever. “As an engineer, you ought to know–that if the door were never to open, there would have been a wall there, instead.
"Agar darvaaze ne naa kulna hotaa to vahaan deevaar hoti!"

Sant Ram, Rai Bahadur  was a Chief Engineer  of Irrigation. He managed the constructional and maintenance of all canals and waterworks in Punjab. He was also a nominated official of the Punjab Legislative Council (Fourth Council, from - October 24, 1930 to November 10, 1936) He was a highly respected citizen of Lahore. He had studied engineering at the Roorkee Engineering College. He resided at Model Town, Lahore.

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