Chandigarh, Sep 8 : It's the basic rule of 'Punjabiat' to be charitable and serve selflessly those in need. It is this rule, that keeps hope and community resilience alive despite the devastation caused by monsoon fury in Punjab. The state is witnessing one of the worst floods in recent history, with thousands of homes submerged, or damaged, crops destroyed, and thousands of families displaced and their livestock dead.

The battling spirit is shown by the Sikh principle of 'Daswandh' where a minimum 10 per cent of one's income is given to 'sewa' in the name of their Guru.

At the core of Sikhism lies the philosophy of selfless service, known as 'sewa'. Scores of non-profit organisations, both domestic and international, religious organisations, the youth, celebrities, political parties and even survivors, who have now turned into rescuers, are on the ground along with government agencies, delivering emergency meals, clean water, medical care, and temporary shelter.

They now aim to support for months to rebuild homes, restore farms, and restart livelihoods.

Sakshi Sawhney, Amritsar's first woman Deputy Commissioner, is the face of frontline flood relief operations by supporting thousands in rescuing people from marooned houses, spending days in relief camps and personally influencing elders, women and children to move to safer places.

Narrating a story of courage to survive and stay strong in the aftermath of tragedy, Sakshi Sawhney told IANS she was impressed with the courage of survivors.

'When we reach them in their homes and plead with them to vacate and move to relief camps, their first question to us is about our well-being and then they offer us tea. Their spirit to survive in homes waterlogged, floors covered in silt, and no means to cook, is remarkable,' she said.

In her conversations during rescue operations, she is often heard saying, 'We are government servants and we are on duty to reach out to each and every person in distress and serve you.'

Overwhelmed by her generosity and empathetic leadership, survivors often hugged her and blessed her saying, "Daughters make us proud."

As rescue operations in Punjab are almost over, scores of celebrities, largely with roots in the state are on the ground to help rebuild lives.

Recognising that people are deeply distressed and the impact is visible in their children, singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has extended support by adopting 10 villages in Gurdaspur and Amritsar, the worst impacted districts, and pledged ongoing aid until lives are restored.

Praising the gesture of famed singer Mankirat Aulakh, BJP leader Manjinder Sirsa, a prominent Sikh face in Delhi, writes on X, 'I humbly dedicate 50 tractors in support of the families affected by the devastating floods in Punjab and convey my heartfelt gratitude to brother Mankirat Aulakh for his contribution & Sewa. We want to say to farmers of Punjab' you are never alone. Whatever help you need, we stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, in this hour of pain and struggle.'

Sirsa said Punjab has 'nurtured us, blessed us and given us an identity. Today, it is our duty to give back' to serve our land with our strength, our resources and above all, our hearts'.

Other celebrities and artistes like Sonu Sood, Gippy Grewal, Resham Singh Anmol and Ammy Virk, Inderjit Singh Nikku, and Jass Bajwa, all having roots in Punjab, have been on the ground with NGOs and local authorities for long-term rehabilitation, a hope for rural communities.

Saying 'We all stand with Punjab', they shared emotional videos showcasing ground realities on Instagram and Facebook, urging everyone to stand united and continue supporting flood-affected villages and families.

'Together, we can rebuild,' reads a caption of a video shared by singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh.

Teams of global disaster relief charities like Khalsa Aid and Global Sikhs have been serving beyond borders. Britain-born pilot Captain Jaspal Singh, the first Sikh captain at Virgin Atlantic, is a volunteer with Global Sikhs.

In an interview with a news portal, he said he came to Punjab on a week's leave. 'I told my manager that I need leave as I am feeling unhappy after seeing that my Punjab is bleeding. I got the one-week leave and came here to do 'sewa'. On seeing the scale of devastation, I got disturbed and emotional too,' he said.

'Seeing so many social organisations on the ground and the power of humanity, I got inner strength,' he said.

Amid Covid-19, Captain Jaspal Singh volunteered to fly 200 donated oxygen concentrators to India.

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal is distributing cash and diesel to flood-affected villagers. During his visits, he is often seen handing over bundles of Rs 500 notes to the village head for rehabilitation works.

Demanding a Rs 20,000 crore package for flood relief and rehabilitation besides a complete farm loan waiver for both farmers and 'khet mazdoor' to enable them to stand back on their feet, Badal on Sunday announced they have decided to come out with a plan to lift sand which has accumulated in fields.

'This involves large scale earthmoving machinery and volunteers for which duties will be put in all flood affected areas,' he said.

Many religious and non-profit organisations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), has been raising charity. They say they are getting enormous response from those who believe in the principle of Daswandh i.e. contributing one-tenth of their earnings for the disadvantaged.

Canada-based Punjabi diaspora has raised a whopping $2 million for floods within two days on the call of RED FM.

'We are grateful to the 'sangat' across Australia and worldwide who continue to support this 'seva' with open hearts. Your generosity is directly helping those in need during this crisis,' global charity Khalsa Aid said in a post on X.

'From the very first day of the floods, our 'sewadars' have been on the ground rescuing families, providing food, water, and essential supplies -- and preparing for the next phase of rehabilitation once the waters recede,' it said.

In an emotion appeal, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood said, 'Punjab is my soul. Even if it takes everything, I will not back down. We are Punjabis -- and we do not give up.'

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

/IANS