Enjoying retired life

THIS refers to R.C. Sharma’s write-up "Retiring need not mean end of the road" (June 17). The evening of life has its blessings and boons. Retirement frees one from the drudgery of a 9 to 5 job. It enables one to visit friends one had neglected earlier, to write letters for which there was no time before, to renew one’s intimacy with books long forgotten or to go on a pilgrimage one had been wanting to undertake for years. One has the time to spend with one’s family.

With age, one learns to be patient, more realistic and more practical. However, one must keep certain things in mind. One must watch one’s health, plan for one’s old age, cultivate a hobby to combat boredom and loneliness and finally develop a strong faith in God.

VIJAY SHEEL JAIN
Ludhiana

Relevance of Dasam Granth

This refers to the article "The relevance of Dasam Granth" by S.S. Dhanoa.

It has rightly been stated by the writer that Dasam Granth was compiled by a group of Sikhs under the guidance of Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed. But to say that the granth was compiled by the trusted devotees of Guru Gobind Singh may not be true because those devotees were not entrusted the job of compiling the granth by the Guru. Accordingly, the granth was compiled by or under the guidance of Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed.

The writer is also right in saying that most of the writings of the Guru were lost while crossing the Sirsa river. Whatever literature was returned from different sources after the demise of the Guru could not be treated as his alone. Many poets were associated with the Guru and the possibility could not be ruled out that some of the writings were not the Guru’s but were written by some of his poets like Bhai Nand Lal, Sainapati and Husain Ali.

The SGPC should settle the issue once for all by appointing a committee of scholars representing different shades of society to go deep into the matter.

B.S. AHLUWALIA
Chandigarh