Bibi was the last to enter the gurdwara. With a walking stick in her hand, she walked slowly and observed everything around her. As she reached the outer gate, she stopped and looked back. Amidst the large crowd, busy in its daily chores, she found herself alone. The pilgrims travelling with her had already entered the building. They were all eager to see and feel Nanak’s hand imprint on the black granite. The market outside, on the other hand, was completely unconcerned with what was happening inside the gurdwara. The shopkeepers were more interested in meeting their daily targets. Hundreds of small shops were engaged in conducting brisk business and outdoing the competition.

As Bibi scanned the bazaar, she pondered, How will I find my children in this melee? I don’t even know if they settled down here in the first place. Where should I start? A few minutes later, she turned towards the gurdwara, took two steps into the boundary line and bent down to touch the soil with her fingers. Placing the same hand on her head as a mark of respect, she sought the blessings of her lord and softly said, ‘O Nanak, thank you for bringing me here. Over fifty years have gone by. Help me locate them. Without you, I won’t be able to find them. Please, Waheguru, I beg you. I know you’ll not send me back empty-handed.’

Inside the gurdwara, the devotees had already set up their musical instruments. The Shabad-kirtan (songs of prayers) had begun. And almost all the pilgrims were participating with much gusto. Bibi sat with her back against the wall, admiring the interiors designed by Afghani Sikhs who were forced to migrate to Pakistan due to the uprising of the Taliban in Afghanistan. These Sikhs had camped inside the gurdwara for a few years and waited for the uprising in Kabul to settle down. Despite having limited resources, they had restored the interiors of the gurdwara and given it an extraordinary sheen. They had spent hundreds of hours embedding thousands of small, round mirrors in the walls, ceiling and the inside of the dome. The pieces of glass twinkled like stars, throwing reflections of the pilgrims. Bibi could see a serene and colourful facade that changed with every new entrant. But it took her no more than a few minutes to get back to her prayers. She moved away from the wall and sat in her regular posture. Her back was now erect and her eyes were closed to all the glitter around. Her mind, heart and soul were together again. And her lips were uttering her only request to God.