This article was originally published in Prosperity Paths in February of 2001. It was written by Shanti Kaur Khalsa.

Sitting quietly on the roof of Dasmesh Sadan in Anandpur Sahib, India, sounds of the divine music of the Asa Di Var whisper sweetly through the dark in the early morning hours. From where I am sitting Takhat Keshgarh Sahib is one valley away, and I can clearly hear the melody.

I will be able to see the magnificent gold domes with the pink light of dawn. But for now, I am happy to sit in my own silence and listen to the blissful sounds of the kirtan, at peace with the thought that I am truly home.

What started as a prayer in the heart of the Siri Singh Sahib two years ago has now become a manifested reality. On January 1, 2001, the doors were opened to our own residential and training facility in the rural setting of Anandpur Sahib.

When the 3H0 Sikhs traveled to India in April 1999 to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the birth of the Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, all of us felt the familiar resonance in our soul. Anandpur Sahib is the place where it all began so long ago. This is where the 10th Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh, astonished the Sikhs and formed the nation of the Khalsa, the pure ones, who would live for righteousness and fight for peace and liberty.

So much of what defines who we are today, as a spiritual people, started here and that feeling of connectivity is undeniable. When the celebration ended, we left that sacred place with a heavy longing to return.

The Siri Singh Sahib felt this yearning also and knew that the time was coming for us to sink our roots into that soil. By Guru’s Grace, a beautiful piece of land was located and purchased. It sits on a hilly area, surrounded by farmland in the small neighborhood known as Buni. To the north, there is a direct view of the gold domes of Takhat Keshgarh Sahib, the place where Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa on Baisakhi 1699. Directly behind and to the south rises the glorious mountain peak of Nana Devi, the place where Guru Gobind Singh had a vision of the Goddess Durga.

All around is a view of the valleys and hills where Guru Gobind Singh and his people lived and fought, forging the Khalsa brotherhood that we know today.

It is here that the Siri Singh Sahib built Dasmesh Sadan, the new international center of learning. With the hard work and dedication of Soorya Kaur Khalsa, the beautiful house sits on the apex of a hill, commanding the surrounding countryside. With a white plaster profile and a red-tile roof, it is elegant and princely in appearance and comfortable in function. In the front of the estate are two round towers that rise three stories high. This is the lodging facility for students of future courses and yatras. Plans include two more towers and a swimming pool at the back of the estate.

Dasmesh Sadan is a place to meditate and heal just by the nature of the land it sits on. Steeped in history and surrounded by beauty, it is a place that induces effortless meditation. When we first set foot in the house, we knew that something profound had occurred.

Every morning before the Siri Singh Sahib started the day, he opened the front doors of Dasmesh Sadan and said Ardas with folded hands before the vista of the dome of Takhat Keshgarh Sahib on the horizon. With grateful humility, we ended the ardas by bowing our heads to that holy throne.

On December 31, 2000, the Siri Singh Sahib invited people from all over the area to celebrate the coming new year with a midnight kirtan darbar. The best ragi and dadi jethas came and the kirtan was incredible. Over the next several days, Dasmesh Sadan hosted the children from Miri Piri Academy in a meditation course. This was the first of many such events and classes.

The future for Dasmesh Sadan is exciting. Master’s Touch, Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training, Sikh Dharma technology, meditation courses and personal sadhanas are all part of what is coming. The estate is perfectly suited for profound learning, deep healing and quiet meditation. It is a place to develop an intimate connection to the Guru and uncover your innate relationship with the Khalsa.  It is a unique opportunity to discover personal solitude and community activity.

Above all, it is a place for us to call home in Anandpur Sahib, the city of bliss, and the birthplace of the Khalsa.

Contact Dasmesh Sadan here to host an event.