Mission
Where the Mission Flag Flies
The four coloured flag, called Nishan Sahib, can only be flown at the main centres, called Deras and Darshan Darbars in the mission. Two of these Deras are in India; one at Batala in Punjab near Mahraz Jee’s birthplace; the other is at Loni just outside Delhi. The third is at Birmingham, England, the headquarters for the Mission in the Western world.
In September 1987, as founder and patron of the Mission, Mahraz Jee gave written instructions that only these three centres would be named ‘Dera’ in his Mission. He said they will be like fathers, whereas other Mission centres being akin to sons would be called ‘Darshan Darbars’.
There are several Darshan Darbars in India, prominent amongst these are Khyala in Delhi, Meerut and Shastradara in UP, and Jalandhar in the Punjab. In most cases they have grown around the nucleus of just one family. In others they are thriving busy centres, as in Khyala, Meerut, and Jalandhar, where families are living and working together. Weekly, fortnightly and in some cases monthly Satsangs are held at these centres, where teachings are given and spiritual healings take place.
Khyala has the distinction of being the administrative Centre of the Mission in India. These Darshan Darbars are the first of many planned, as Mahraz Jee himself reiterated that there will be a time when such centres will flourish in many parts of the world.
The First Dera
The first Dera to be established by Mahraz Jee was in his birth town, Batala in 1973. Mahraz Jee said that he was directed to the site by a light. On that spot he established his first Dera.’
Overtime two acres of surrounding land was purchased from a family friend. The inner building of 500 square yards, within which the Gaddi was simply constructed, was the site of Darshan Lal Vasdev’s first public Satsang. This Dera was initially one of the most simple and basic constructions.
Batala Dera is the final resting place of Mahraz Darshan Das and a monument (Samadhi) marks the place where his mortal remains were cremated.
Loni Dera
The second Dera to be established was at Loni Road, District Ghaziabad, in Uttar Pradesh. The story of the birth and emergence of Loni Dera as a spiritual centre of great power is a compelling one. It sprang out of a jungle wilderness, a dense forest area sprawling with thorns and snakes. It was largely abandoned and uninhabited, and few ventured there.
Yet from the inspiration and vision of one man, Darshan Lal Vasdev, within three years of its opening in 1977, it expanded from a simple plot of waste land into a 15 acre flourishing community centre, where hundreds of people lived and worked. Mahraz Jee and Maharani Jee resided here.
On 30th January 1977, when only 24 years old, Mahraz Jee held his first Satsang at Loni Dera. People came from all over India on that day. Mahraz Jee made a plan for the future layout of the Dera, indicating where a huge Satsang area was to be constructed. He also made plans for adjoining Darbar Sahibs, kitchen, a langar house, bath houses, and dwellings for Dera families and a site for the Sarovar or holy pond. The plans have been left for prosperity and have yet to be realised.
Proposed Plan for Loni Dera as envisaged by Mahraz Jee
Early in 1978 Mahraz Jee began to dig for the water for his pond himself. He chose an area which was quite dry, but said that there was a natural spring underneath that spot. His followers helped him and after they had cleared a large area, the spring did flow. Mahraz Jee bathed there first and said that whoever bathed in that water would be healed of any ailments.
In November 1984, the Loni Dera was attacked in the communal riots, following the assassination of the Prime Minister of India at that time, Mrs Indira Gandhi. During the carnage that enfolded the Dera was ransacked and set ablaze. Sadly during the evacuation 11 followers perished.
Mahraz Jee had urged his followers to leave peacefully and without protest, but added “We’ll go now and leave this place, but when we wish, we will take it back.” Adding further that “a rose always comes with thorns.” A lesson for us all.
Birmingham Dera
It was in September 1982 that Mahraz Jee first opened the doors to the new headquarters for Sachkand Nanak Dham in Europe. The centre, which was a converted school in Church Hill Road, Birmingham, was to become the only Dera in the Western world. Mahraz Jee affectionately referred to it as the ‘Mecca of Europe’.
The centre was acquired by auction after months of Satsangs being held in hired halls and private homes, filled to bursting with an ever growing congregation. Now it is a busy centre for the Mission.
Though there will be Darshan Darbars all over Europe, there will only be this one Dera, a place where for five years Mahraz Jee himself nourished his followers with his teachings about love, peace and unity.