Kathaa Videos

"Kathaa" or "Vichaar" is the verbal explanation/discourse of Gurbani and our great history. Kathaa and Keertan have been an integral part of Sikh practice since Sikhi was revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib jee. Through Kathaa many people gain knowledge about Gurmat and become enlightened. Kathaa is both a spiritual and historical discourse that provides the listener with spiritual and worldly knowledge, and helps Sikhs along the path of Sikhi.

I came across videos of Kathaa (discourse) by Bhai Ram Singh (GurGyan Mission). I found his vichaar and his way of explaining very easy to understand and appealing to listen to.



To watch more videos click here.

Leamington Spa Weekend Camp (Final Part)

On Sunday, after the morning Diwaan and Hukamnama explanation, the campers were given numbers and divided into ten small mixed groups for the "Contribution of all Ten Gurus" class. Each group was given an A3 size card paper which had 10 boxes printed on it. Each box has each of the Guru Sahibs name on it. In addition to this the groups were given fifty small cards. Each card had a word, phrase or name on it. Under each Guru Sahib's name there needed to be five cards put correctly which relate to the Jeevan (life) or contributions of the particular Guru Sahib. For example, the card with "Bhai Mardana jee" went under Guru Nanak Dev jee, and "Keeratpur Sahib" would go under Guru Hargobind Sahib jee.

It was a really interactive session and everyone was talking and discussing each card and where it should go. Some cards could go in one or more boxes so they had to really think where each card appropriately went and justify the reason for placing it in the place where the group put it. The exercise aimed to highlight the need to learn and read up on history and know about our Gurus and great ancestors.


Getting stuck in!


Bhaji Jivanpal Singh (Southall) with his group.


Trying to get answers!


Taking a break.


Happy looking group!


Shining bright with the sun!


Lots of thinking!


Lots of discussion.


Getting deep into it!


Aunty jees relaxing at the back.

Afterwards each group went through the answers for one Guru Sahib. As they did this, if they got any wrong they were corrected so that everyone could alter their work sheet and also cards were explained in terms of what they mean and how it is related to the particular Guru Sahib.


In the afternoon there was Langar! The next session was dastaar tying. As usual everyone had lots of fun. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunate for some I had a huge rang of different colour Dastaars because from a previous camp someone had donated lots of Dastaars but the colours were let's say not usual!


Bhai Surinder Singh jee (moved to Midlands from Glasgow) helping to tie Dastaars.


Proud grandmother with her grandson who said he doesn't want to cut his Kesh anymore and is going to become a Singh.


Two happy chappy young Singhs!


This boy learnt a Simran tune at the camp and also he stood up in the Sangat and promised to never dishonour his Kesh again and become a Singh. Waheguru.


Young bhenji having her hair tied up on top of her head ready for her Dastaar.


This boy also stood up in the Sangat and promised in the camp that he would not cut his Kesh again and become a Singh. Waheguru.


Bhenji looking happy with her Dastaar!


Bhaji Pavitar Singh and Jivanpal Singh tying an odd colour Dumaallaa (note: there was no choice in colour because all the blue and other colour dastaars ran out! lol. Looks like someone's getting ready to get married!).


First time I seen someone wear a red coloured round style Dastaar or Dumaallaa. Waheguru. (Bhaji Manjot Singh on the side, enjoying the festive colours! hehehe).


Uncle Shingara Singh giving awards to the the seven teenagers (4 boys and 3 girls) who promised stop cutting or trimming any of their hair and become Keshdhari.

Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Cross Roads (Coventry), helped out at the camp and kindly did sewa of providing Sant-Sipahi bags, literature, and Simran CDs to give to all campers. The bags looked really "jazzy" (if that's the word!). Also each bag had a Gutka Sahib of "My Daily Prayer Book" which has Gurmukhi and Romanised text so that children can work towards including Japji Sahib, Rehraas Sahib and Sohila Sahib as part of their Nitnem (daily routine).



The camp ended with everyone reciting Mool Mantar.

The final camp Ardaas was performed and the final Hukamnama with explanation was read.

The camp was really fun and all the local sewadaars worked really hard to make it well organised and enjoyable. May Guru Sahib bless all the organisers with more Sewa.

Dhan Hai Guru, Dhan Hai Teree Sikhee.

Leamington Spa Weekend Camp (Part 2)

...Continued

On Saturday, sewadaars and Sangat came all the way from London, Coventry and even as far as Manchester to take part in the camp. After the morning Diwaan and Hukamnama explanation, the campers were divided into two groups. The younger ones went took part in a poster-making class and the elder group had a talk and presentation on Science & Gurbani.

The Science & Gurbani class led by Dr. Bhai Tarlochan Singh


Bhaji leading the poster-making class.


Young girl making a Mool Mantar poster.


Another person making a Mool Mantar poster.


Young children having a fun time drawing!


London Singhs.

During the poster-making class two young Singhs said they wanted to learn how to tie a Dastaar. Their mother was with them and said that the children (about 6 or 7 years old) cry at home and say they want to learn how to tie a Dastaar. So I took them into the hallway and said I would teach them how to tie a Dastaar. That morning I had brought a small suitcase in which I store all the Dastaars that the Sangat donate for children to wear and keep at camps. I got the suitcase out and opened it up. Shock horror! Unfortunately I brought the wrong suitcase! Instead of the Dastaar suitcase, I by mistake brought my KACHHERE suitcase! So the poor boys who were expecting to get a dastaar instead were staring at an open suitcase with Kachhere in them. Waheguru. Thankfully a local aunty jee asked around and some how got dastaars for the boys.

The Kachhere story didn't end there! I left my suitcase in the hallway thinking that it will be fine and no one will do anything. Later on in the day, Bali Bhaji (a local sewadaar) said: "Bhaji, just to let you know that someone (no names mentioned) has taken a few Kachhere from the suitcase." I felt embarrassed and said, "Bhaji that is fine. Udhaa, I don't have enough Kachhere to distribute or give out. They were actual new Kachhere for personal use. But don't worry, because there were a few in the suitcase. So he can have them." Even though I said don't worry, Bhaji went to the person who got the Kachhere by mistake and got them back from him! Waheguru. Slightly embarrassing.

At lunch time there were veggie burgers, chips and beans! Waheguru! There's stiff competition now with Coventry Cross Road Gurdwara Camp langar and Leamington Camp langar! lol. The Langar sewadaars at the camp did very well! After langar there was a talk on the history and philosophy of Gatka which included a demonstration.


Bhai Gurnam Singh (Sociology Professor at Coventry University) talking about the origins of Gatka.


Young Manbir Singh asked the question, "In Gatka do you get hurt?" Bhai Gurnam Singh asked him to stand up and did a demo with a Kirpaan. Poor boy thought he was going to be chopped up but don't worry, Bhai Sahib didn't harm him!


Everyone being taught basic "Pentraa" (movements involved in Gatka).



Learning how to sit in a disciplined way and do Simran.


Waheguru. This photo looks like an ideal photo that someone could frame and put up in the living room :)

In the late afternoon the campers were divided into groups. The younger ones did a class on the meanings of the first Pauree (stanza) in Japji Sahib and the elder group had a class on "The Life of a Gursikh" that looked at Rehat (Sikh way of life) and how we can progress in Sikhi through introducing BaaNaa (physical appearance), Baanee (reading Paatth and doing Nitnem), Seva (selfless service) and Simran (remembrance of Waheguru) in our lives.

Bhaji Vijay Singh doing a talk on the life of a Gursikh.


Sangat listening. It was very inspiring to hear children put up their hand and share that they recite Mool Mantar every morning, others read Japji Sahib every day and before they go to sleep they recite Sohila Sahib.


The camp ended with Simran followed Ardaas and Hukamnama. When camp finishes, it doesn't finish for Leamington's children! It was nice that children stayed behind and wanted to learn Shabads, Simran tunes and learn Tablaa! Waheguru.


Bhaji Jasdev Singh (East London) teaching the boys some new things to play on the Tablaa.


Dhan Hai Guru, Dhan Hai Teri Sikhee.


To be continued (with Sunday's photos)...

Leamington Spa Weekend Camp (Part 1)

This weekend, from Friday to Sunday, there was a Gurmat Camp held at Leamington Spa Gurdwara. As all camps held at Leamington, the camp was great and well organised by the local sevadaars. Around 80 children attended the camp. Adults also attended and participated in the camp.

On Friday, after the morning Diwaan and Hukamnama with explanation, there was a time-line workshop. There were cards with the names and dates of the Ten Guru Sahibs and also cards with pictures and short information on (1) the rulers of India during the times of the Gurus, (2) rulers and events in English history, and (3) general world history (inventions, discoveries and events). The campers were grouped up and had to make a timeline and arrange the cards in some sort of order and stick them on to a large sheet of paper as well as discuss each card.







From the exercise the children firstly learnt that the Guru Sahibs did not live thousands of years ago but lived during fairly modern world history (for example, King Henry VIII lived at the same time of Guru Amardaas Sahib jee). Secondly, the children had an opportunity to discuss the lives of Guru Sahibs and enrich their knowledge of how socially and spiritually advanced the Guru Sahibs were in comparison to the world at the time.

After completing the time-lines each group presented how they had arranged their group time-line. Each person in the group had to remember a different fact from the line and share it with the Sangat when they presented:








The session concluded with going through the whole time and discussing the history of the Guru Sahibs and what they achieved in comparison to what was happening in the world.


After lunch (chips, beans and pasta!) there was self-defence class. After eating so much Langar I was hoping that no one was sick in the self defence class in case someone was thrown around or poked in the stomach. Waheguru. It was a useful lesson for everyone and Bhaji leading the class gave some really good general safety tips which young and old should be mindful of in order to avoid trouble and protect oneself.


Bhaji Galjinder Singh showing a few self-defence moves on Bhaji Kamal Singh.


Waheguru. Looks like the Bhenji in the pink top is waving to someone :)


Waheguru. These two young boys were so cute.


Bhaji Galjinder Singh showing a move on a camper. Waheguru, it looks like Bhaji is slapping the boy! (Note: no one was harmed during the taking of this photo. lol).


Someone's looking for a fight.


Erm, I wouldn't personally recommend doing this straight after eating loads of chips, beans and pasta!


The two girls in the back look like they are trying new self-defence moves! The girl in pink looks like she is trying out the "aunty looking angry" move to scare the other girl. lol.


In the late afternoon the campers were divided up. The younger group went with Bhaji Kamal Singh to make board games on life, death and reincarnation, and the elder group had a talk by two young local bhenjis who did a nice presentation on the Journeys (Udasis) of Guru Nanak Sahib jee. Both classes enjoyed themselves and learnt lots!



Bhaji Kamal Singh and children designing a board game.


Bhenji Harpreet Kaur and Bhenji Keerat Kaur leading the class on the Udasis of Guru Nanak Sahib jee.


The Bhenjis also went through Saakhis of Guru Sahib as they explained the great Journeys.


For the closing diwaan children did Simran through Keertan followed by Ardaas and Hukamnama explained in English. All the children like doing Simran and it really inspiring to see people jumping on the Vaaja and so eager to do Simran! Afterwards people would be asking "Can we do more Simran" and "Can we do more Keertan... please?" Waheguru. So many great and blessed souls.

Dhan Hai Guru, Dhan Hai Teri Sikhee.


To be continued...