Community in Action: An Experience of Miri Piri in Argentina

Ram Krishan Singh from the US (currently living in Peru) shared his following experience from the 2026 Vaisakhi Festival in Argentina:

Having lived at Hacienda de Guru Ram Das Ashram in Espanola New Mexico for nearly 5 years and attending Solstices and sangat events, I had an idea of what the Basakhi festival might be.

Arriving, the Basakhi festival in Lujan, Argentina, felt warm and welcoming yet with a distinctly unique energy. I soon learned that the focus of this event was the Miri Piri, the saint warrior archetype of the Khalsa.

There were about 50 participants from Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, and the USA coming together to celebrate Basakhi and the formation of the Khalsa.

Daily classes framed and gave deeper meaning to the importance of being able not only to surrender in devotion but also to stand in truth, able to uphold and protect. This was the way of the Khalsa that Guru Gobind Singh gave us 327 years ago.

In one of the classes, we explored the Nihang view that the warrior tradition was passed from Guru Nanak to Baba Buddha and then from Baba Buddha to Guru Hargobind. How the warrior spirit was alive through Guru Angad, Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, and Guru Arjan – all the way until the most radiant embodiment of Guru Gobind Singh and the form of the Khalsa.

With this powerful frame it filled all the activities with devotion and spirit of the Khalsa. During the 4-day celebration, we practiced a morning sadhana of Japji Sahib, followed by Gatka and then a mantra or Shabd, such as Chandi var or 108 mul mantras. Then the morning culminated with Gurdwara. It was a shift from Aquarian Sadhana yet enlivening and deeply empowering, as if were training with Guru Gobind Singh Himself.

Morning Gurdwara was beautiful and uplifting, full of the devotion that the South American sangat brings—a type of sincerity that is deeply woven into the Latino culture.

After Gurdwara, there was breakfast, followed by a class, Khalsa competitions, lunch and an afternoon filled with more activities – all the way to a bonfire and Kirtan Sohila at night.

Despite the warrior focus, there was constant lightness, laughter and fun. The games added an arena for bringing the warrior spirit to life. There were all types, so everyone felt like a winner – like capture the flag, darts, poetry, not getting distracted while meditating, and more!

My six-year-old son was one of the only children present but felt fully integrated into all the events – from being invited to swing the chauri sahib in Gurdwara, to being the general in our capture the flag competition, to having a children’s bow in archery. He was warmly welcomed leaving an impression upon him which we are grateful he continues to carry with him.

Throughout, the spirit of the Khalsa was palpable, everyone was uplifted and renewed and blessings were abundant. The festival started small in 2022 but continues to grow exponentially each year and I look forward to bringing my family next year.

This spirit was both timeless and fresh – like how the guru speaks about Eternal Blossoming – not arrival but an ever blossoming forth. The sangat is inspired and very active, with new gurdwaras opening in Uruguay in March. The spirit is alive and fresh, it brings light and hope for the future.

On Basaikhi day there was a beautiful Amrit Snchar ceremony which my wife and I participated in – renewing our commitment after 11 years of first receiving amrit. It was an inexpressible blessing to be synchronized with this special day.

Since returning to our home in Peru after the festival, I’ve continued practicing and studying gatka and Shastar Vidya making it a part of my daily sadhana – inspired to carry forward the warrior spirit in the tradition from Guru Gobind Singh. Its been a revelation to find that many exercises from the Shasta Vidya tradition are almost identical to Kundalini Yoga practices – seeing how KY is literally a modern warrior training, to prepare body mind and soul to face the spiritual battlefield each day, strong as steel and steady as stone during these times of global transformation and change.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Baisakhi celebrations and to drink deeply from the devotional well, renewed by the spirit of the Khalsa embodied there. There was the community feeling of 3HO, joined with the timeless spirit of the Khalsa, that I had not felt with the same depth or breadth before.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!