A HAPPENING AT HARIDWAR                                     

Guru Nanak Dev Ji reached Haridwar where Hindus say their last farewell to the ashes of their dead in the river Ganges. They have the believe that the one whose ashes are put in the river Ganges, remains eternally in heaven. Guru Nanak Dev Ji saw thousand o men and women bathing in the river. He also took off his clothes, handed them to Bhai Mardana and descended into the rivrto bathe.
Those who were bathing in the river were throwing water with their hands towards the east. Guru Nanak started throwing water in the West. Those ho were throwing water towards the East, were wonderstruck at seeing Guru Nanak Dev Ji throwing water towards the West. One of them took courage, and asked Guru Nanak Dev Ji, ''Brother, are you a Hindu or a Muslim? Don't you know even this that water is thrown towards the East?  Guru Nanak Dev Ji stopped throwing water and asked the questioner,'' Brother, why is this water thrown towards the East? He replied,'' Don't you know even this that our ancestors live in the abode of gods? They died due to the lack of water. We give them water.''
Guru Nanak again asked that person, ''How far from Haridwar do your ancestors live?'' He replied, '' They live evn beyond the Sun, millions of miles away.'' Guru Nanak said,'' Does this water thrown by you reaches them?'' He replied,'' Brahmins tell us that the water thrown by us reach them.'' Their thirst is quenched by our water. If we do not throw water they are tormented by thirst.''
Hearing this reply from him, Guru Nanak started throwing the water towards the west vigorously. That man again asked Guru Nanak,'' Why do you throw water towards the west when the ancestors are in East.'' Guru Nanak replied, My ancestors are not dying of thirst but my fields in Punjab are drying due to lack of rain. I am watering them.''
That man replied,'' How can this water thrown by you reach Punjab?'' Guru Nanak replied,'' If water thrown by you can reach your ancestors millions  of miles away, why can this water which I am throwing not reach a place two hundred miles away?'' Some of the listeners came to understand, what Guru Nanak said. They realised that the water which they were throwing,returned to the river. Some stopped throwing water but those who have not understood, continue throwing it towards the East to this day.
Those who throw water towards the Est, have forgotten that originally they were asked to throw water to the rising sun and not towards the East. People who have to give water to the rising Sun, must get out of bed before sunrise. Anyone who wakes up before dawn, cannot be lazy. People who are active, are less likely to fall ill. Poverty is less likely to afflict them. They are free from want and hunger. Their houses are free from quarrels. The custom of giving water was started to shake off laziness but the greed of Brahmins turned it into a hypocrisy.