The storied life and remedies of Hargurjit Singh

Our elders grew up in complicated yet simpler times. We don’t always know everything they’ve seen or been through. When we’re faced with a cross-road in life, sometimes it’s the simple things they tell us that reel us back in. “Take things day by day.” “Put one foot in front of the other.” 

When I first saw photos of Hargurjit Singh, I felt light and buoyant. His daughter, Baljit Singh, beautifully photographed these moments of his everyday life: smiling at the camera and tweaking his mustache, riding on his bicycle, meeting with friends at the park. Behind Hargurjit’s friendly smile, are powerful philosophies, hard work, and treasured memories. 

In this Made With Ghee Interview, I sat down with Hargurjit Uncle, accompanied by Baljit, to chat about his favorite photos in his camera roll, the natural ingredients in his care routine, and the wisdom that keeps him moving forward — one pedal at a time. 

Q. Tell us about yourself, Hargurjit! What does your day to day life look like?

I have been a truck driver for over 25 years, and I’ve been living here in Canada since 1995. On weekdays, I get up at 3am in the morning. I do warm-up exercises, say some prayers, eat breakfast, and I leave my house by 5am. I drive my truck around the city area all day. When I come home around 6pm, I have a light dinner, do some exercise, and I’m in bed by 8pm. On the weekends, I enjoy riding my bicycle and spending time with my wife and three kids.

Q. What was your childhood like in Punjab?

I grew up in a village in Punjab, India. My father was a teacher, and my mother was a housewife. I am one of three kids: me, my brother, and my sister. Everyone was very friendly with each other. We would work in the field, and there were cows and buffalos. Back then, there was no TV or phone, only radio. So, we played volleyball and football after work. Even my dad and uncles would join in. We worked hard and played hard together.

Growing up at that time, bicycles were very important — they were your lifeline. So, I took very good care of my bicycle. Throughout my life, from my school years to when I started working, I would ride my bike everywhere. Back and forth from work, I would ride about 25 kilometers. 

Q. Walk me through some of your favorite photos. 

I have so many memories and thousands of photos I can share with you. Here are two memorable photos —

The Boys Trip: This photo is from a trip I took with my brother and cousins, around 1991. I was around 22 years old, and it was a few years before I came to Canada. It was very memorable, because it was the first time we did a road trip to Kullu Minali in Himachal Pradesh, which is in the mountains.

We spent almost a week there and stayed in a Sikh Temple and in a hotel later. We used a reel camera to take these photos. It was a communal camera, as it wasn’t common to have cameras back then! 

The Family Portrait: During COVID lockdowns, we took this family photo. Me, my wife, and my three kids. Baljit set up a tripod and backdrop in our living room. This photo makes me smile. It was a good time, because we were all together as a family. 

Q. Baljit takes amazing photos of you. How do you feel about her creative career? 

I feel very happy when Baljit shows me new photos or videos she creates. She made this film called Time. Her Nani, who is my mother-in-law, played the lead role. When I saw it, there were tears in my eyes. It made me think about what she has gone through and endured, since her husband passed away. It touched my heart. 

But, you know, Baljit is working very hard, right? Too hard. I don’t like that she works too hard all the time. I’m her father, right? I want her to take at least one full day of rest where she cannot touch any devices. 

Baljit’s Note: “My dad’s love language is quality time, and everything he’s saying comes from a beautiful place. But also, listen to your dads and schedule your breaks in!”

Q. What are the most memorable remedies from your childhood?

I was around ten years old when my left hand got burned with electricity. To this day, you can see a faint scar on my palm. I fainted when it happened. My mother made medicine at home. It contained mustard seeds, raal safed (shorea robusta), a little bit of neela thotha (copper sulfate), and mushkapoor (camphor). When you heat it up and mix it together, it becomes a butter-like consistency. Then, you wash it over and over again. Once it’s ready, you apply the paste. This really helped the burn on my hand heal. 

Also, whenever we’d get a cut on our finger while working in the field, we'd take haldi (turmeric) and mustard oil, heat it up, and apply it to the cut for healing. 

Q. What natural ingredients do you use in your everyday routine?

For me, inside and out, everything is natural. Two of the best natural ingredients I encourage you to use are haldi (turmeric) and garlic. Garlic is good for cholesterol!

When I wake up in the morning, I drink 1 to 2 glasses of water, with lemon and a little black pepper. For my hair and as a scalp massage, I use coconut oil and ghee. After I shower, I put mustard oil on my hands and massage it into my face to keep it moisturized. 

Before I eat lunch, I make sure to eat a spoon of ghee to help with digestion. I've been doing this all my life. 

For about a month now, I’ve been using Ghlee’s Muscle Balm on my knees and wrists. It really helps, and there are no chemicals — it is all natural. 

Q. How do you keep your mind & body active? What are you looking forward to in life?

Everything is about your mindset. You need power in your mindset. No one else can do it for you, only you can. If I want to stay happy and healthy, then I need to stay active. Even if I feel tired or some pain, my mindset is what keeps me moving forward. “Don't worry, keep at it, go.” 

After retirement, I’m thinking about how I can stay busy, right? I don’t want to sit at home all day. I want to get up early and be ready to go somewhere, every day. I want to live an active social life, and do good community service work — such as picking up trash on the side of the road or around my neighborhood.

I am also looking forward to going on more trips, especially with my friends and family. Whether it is an hour away or five hours away, it doesn’t matter. It’s the company I’m with that matters. 

Q. Finish this sentence with a bit of wisdom you want to share: “Because I’m Made With Ghee…” 

I make sure to wear a smile on my face. If you have a happy face, that’s the best thing. Love yourself, and make sure to tell yourself that. Your body is what’s facing the world; so, take care of yourself, outward and inward. 

Live life to the fullest. You have to wake up thinking, “Wow, I get to have another day in this world.” Because you might not be alive to see the next day. So, I encourage you to live your life to the fullest, work to the fullest, be with your loved ones to the fullest.