Sardar Gobind visits his ancestor Lands

Sardar Shivpreet and Sardar Gobind against lush green Paddy back drop on the Nehri patch.

Pawan Kumar, also known as Dr. Pawan Kumar, was a respected medical practitioner in Badbar before transitioning to assist his father, Sh Gopal Das, in managing the family’s farmland—a role Gopal Das had faithfully overseen for many decades. 

Pawan Kumar

Now at the helm of farm operations, Pawan Kumar has continued the family legacy while maintaining his strong connection with the village.

Sardar Shivpreet near the edge of  water Channel (Khaal)

When Sardar Shivpreet Singh and his son, young Sardar Gobind Singh, planned their brief overnight stay in Badbar amidst a tightly packed two-week schedule that took them across India—Delhi, Gurgaon, Goa, Chandigarh, and Shimla.

Excited at the entrance of our new house KaramVas

I reached out to Pawan for his assistance. Despite his busy responsibilities, Pawan readily agreed to facilitate their stay, ensuring they would have a comfortable and memorable experience in the new house we had built in the village. 

Sardars at their tubewell in Nehri patch.

Dr. Pawan Kumar had a particular suggestion, rooted in tradition. He promised to see to it that Sardar Gobind would visit the tubewell and wash his hands and face with its fresh water. 

Dr Pawan Kumar aiming to rope in Sardar Gobind for ritual

This old custom superstitious though, he explained, was believed to connect a person to the land, to forge a bond that transcends time and distance. I was skeptical—after all, Gobind had been born and raised in the United States, his worldview shaped by modernity and academic life far removed from the simple rituals of rural India.

Yet, after their stay, when I asked Gobind about the highlight of his trip while he was en route back to the U.S., his response was an unexpected delight. Without hesitation, he said that after Goa, Badbar was the most memorable place he had visited. 

Visit to Near by Deepak Dhaba in Dhanoula was a treat to remember

That revelation brought immense joy, not only to me but also to Harvinder, who had tirelessly worked to build up this small, yet meaningful, home in Badbar. To hear that our grandson cherished the place where his grandparents had put in so much effort felt like the ultimate reward. It was a moment of profound satisfaction, a sign that even across generations and continents, the roots we had sown in Badbar still held strong.