Baba Karnail Singh Khaira, also known as Khaira Babaji, has provided food free-of-cost to close to 2 million people in his Dhaba near Karanji on the National Highway-7.
The 81-year-old told IANS that there are not any dhabas or hotels for a stretch of 450 km on NH7. “This is a remote, tribal region. So most people prefer to halt at ‘Guru ka langar’ and avail of our round the clock services,” he said.
‘Gurudwara Sahib’ linked with the historic Gurudwara Bhagod Sahib, Wai, located in the forest area, 11 km away from the place. It has been said that the tenth Sikh Guru ‘Guru Gobind Singh’ stayed there in 1705 on his way to Nanded which is 250 km away. More than 125 years later, the place became famous as Gurudwara Takht Hazuri Sahib Sachkhand’, one of the five takhets in Sikhism.
Since the establishment was away from the main road in 1988, they had come up with the free ‘langer’ on the highway. I was assigned to manage it with the blessings and guidance of Nanded Gurudwara Sahib’s Baba Narinder Singhji and Baba Balwinder Singhji,” said Khaira.
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Since the country went into lockdown on March 24, people from various states had started walking and travelling back to their home states. Maharashtra is one of the prominent states where the population of people from other states are significant. The free ‘langer’ has become the saviour for those who travel along NH7.
We had hordes of people coming daily and we kept continuously cooking food for them… We welcomed all with smiles and folded hands, irrespective of caste, religion…My regular team of 17 ‘sevaks’, including 11 cooks and other helpers were overworked, but ensured a non-stop supply of fresh, piping hot food,” he said
