A Divine Week!

Today I have just got back from Khalsa Camp. I don't know what to write. I had an amazing time, which is very difficult to describe in words! The amount of LOVE, HUMILITY and SPIRITUALITY that everyone felt was great. All Guru Sahib's Kirpaa.

On Sunday the coaches arrived at the campsite at about 2pm. After registration we received the keys to our rooms. The accommodation was FIRST CLASS (in the terms of camps!). There were single ENSUITE ROOMS per person. It was good as it allowed a person to rest and go to sleep and in the mornings there was no rush to have a shower.


After settling in there was a welcome talk. The welcome talk was a good balance of basic rules and expectations with a FUNNY VIDEO and performance by Sukhi Singh bhaji from Midlands. It was HILLARIOUS. Everyone couldn't stop laughing. I've been told the clips will be on the Khalsa Camp 2006 DVDs which will be available in the near future.

The day would consist of everyone waking up at AMRIT-VELA at 3am. At 4am the morning diwaan would begin with Vaheguru Simran, followed by NITNEM of Panj Banian. After the morning the diwaan there would 2 hours of REST for campers between 6am and 8am. This was a good time to relax and ensure one's not tired for the rest of the day.


Between 8am and 9am was BREAKFAST. Afterwards there would be a TALK by an outside speaker would be for one hour followed by one hour of question time. Guest speakers had come from AUSTRALIA, CANADA, and AMERICA. The talks were on various indepth spiritual topics such as "Battle of the Mind", "The 5 Khands (Realms)" (as described in Japji Sahib), "God, Guru & Sikh", "Anhad Dasam Duaar" etc. After a break there would be various WORKSHOPS for campers to choose from. The various workshops were on the themes of: 1) Sikh Principles, 2) Basics of Sikhi, 3) Gurbaani Grammar, 4) Panthic Issues, 5) Youth & Social Issues, 6) Darbaar Sahib & Guru jee's Seva, 7) Keertan, and 8) Dastaar (turban) tyings.



After the workshops there would be lunch. The Langar (like the rest of the things at camp) was CHARDI KALAA. May Waheguru bless the Langar Sevadaars. We had all sorts to eat like pizzas, jacket potatoes, pasta, roti, different daal sabjee, different cakes, flapjacks, cookies, trifle, chips and beans etc. It takes A LOT OF EFFORT to cook langar for such a large sangat of 300 or so people, so its inspirational to see the sevadaars cook and serve langar with such calmness, pyaar, and humility. Waheguru!

After lunch there were various physical activities. Two activities off-site were HORSE RIDING and GO-KARTING. I went Go-Karting. It was EVENTFUL. It was fun driving. Some poor singhs' dastaars came flying off when driving and there were few collisions! It was a good day out and everyone enjoyed themselves.


At 5.45pm the evening diwaan would begin with one hour of Vaheguru Simran. Every diwaan would have an ELECTRIFYING feel to it. The vibrations of Naam and Baani would fill the room. It was amazing! After Rehiraas Sahib and Keertan there would be Langar at 7.45pm. Then in the evenings there would be OPTIONAL DISCUSSION groups, which campers could attend from 9 to 10pm. This gave time for campers to ask questions on anything they learnt or heard during the day or anything in general.


On Tuesday everyone went to BLACKPOOL to the SEA-SIDE. It was a good day out and with Guru's Kirpaa the weather was good. There was beach volleyball and various games and some decided to walk around and enjoy the nice outdoor atmosphere. In the evening after having something to eat there was Keertan on the beach followed by Rehraas Sahib by everyone. Very RELAXING and PEACEFUL experience.





Today campers were VIDEO-INTERVIEWED about what they felt about Khalsa Camp 2006 and what they GAINED from the camp. It was really inspiring to hear stories of bhajis and bhenjis who have been inspired by Guru Sahib during the week and have been positively influenced in their lives by the pyaar, humility and spirituality shown during the camp. The power of SAADH SANGAT and GURBAANI is indescribable!


Generally the camp was GREAT! So many JEEVANI GURSIKHS, which one feel's like being the dust of their feet. It was honour and a blessing to be graced with such sangat. Even now thinking of the GurSikhs I met with Waheguru's Kirpaa, it is BEYOND WORDS to explain the inspiration they gave.