Bhai Jeevan Singh Jee...

Bhai Jeevan Singh jee is one the Panth's jewels who is the image of humility and saintliness. Bhai Sahib's life has been devoted to the sevaa of the Panth and humanity. He has served as the Head Granthi at Takhat Sri Patna Sahib and has done keertan sevaa with the Akhand Kirtani Jatha for about 40 years. Since 1977 Bhai Sahib has toured different countries to spread Gurmat (the Guru's teachings) and has inspired countless to become the Sikhs of the Guru through his exemplary character and behaviour. For the last couple of years, with old age and ill-health, Bhai Sahib has not been able travel and is very frail. Sadly, I have never had the opportunity to have Sangat with Bhai Sahib jee, however Guru jee blessed me with Bhai Sahib's darshan last February in India at their home in Amritsar. Due to Bhai Sahib's health at the time he was unable to move around or talk. Waheguru. May Guru jee keep such Gursikhs in Chardi Kalaa and may we all become inspired to improve our own jeevan (spiritual life) with Guru Sahib's kirpaa.

Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee doing keertan alongside Bhai Jeevan Singh jee in 1953 at Model Town, Ludhiana.

SOME INSPIRATIONAL ACCOUNTS FROM
BHAI JEEVAN SINGH JEE'S LIFE
(Collected from Gursikhs and from the Internet)

Meetings with Giani Baba Kartar Singh Jee (Bhindran Wale)

Bhai Jeevan Singh jee used to be invited by Giani Baba Kartar Singh jee Bhindran Wale to do Keertan at Mehtaa. It has been said that Baba jee would wait at the train station for Bhai Sahib and the Akhand Kirtani Jatha Singhs to come. When Bhai Sahib jee used to get off the train Baba jee would rush to the train to greet Bhai Sahib. When they would meet they would embrace one another with so much pyaar. Baba jee held Bhai Sahib jee in great regard. Baba jee himself would serve Bhai Jeevan Singh jee langar with his own hands. Whenever Bhai Jeevan Singh jee would enter the Diwaan where Baba Kartar Singh jee would be doing Kathaa, Baba jee would stop the Kathaa and say request Gurmukh pyaare Bhai Jeevan Singh jee to do keertan for the Sangat.

Bhai Sahib and Amrit-Velaa

There was a young Singh in England who had taken Amrit for about a year. His Amrit-velaa (habit to wake up early) started getting slack. He used to do Amrit-velaa with Gursikhs regularly at a Gursikh's house but he gradually stopped attending daily. One day, early in the morning at Amrit-velaa, the Singh was asleep and hadn't woken up for Amrit-velaa. His father was at work on the night shift and his mother was up doing her paath when suddenly the phone rang. Bhai Jeevan Singh jee said, "Is bhaji there?" The Aunty jee replied, "No, he is working on a night shift." Bhai Sahib said, "No, I am not talking about Pita jee. Is Bhaji there." (Bhai Sahib always makes himself out to be the youngest, such is his humility). The Aunty jee rushed up to wake up the young Singh and tell him to answer the phone. The Singh shared the Guru's Fateh over the phone with Bhai Sahib and then Bhai Sahib said, "Bhai ji, you haven't done kirpaa (mercy) on me today, it is Amrit-vela, and you forgot to wake me." There was a silence. The Singh felt so embarrassed for missing Amrit-vela. The Aunty jee and son looked at one another wondering how Bhai Sahib living in Canada knew that he had missed Amritvela that day.


Accepting Akaal Purakh's Will
Bhai Sahib visited a family in England in the late 1980s and stayed at the house for Akhand Paath sevaa. Bhai Sahib listened the Paath for many hours and corrected the Paathis (readers) when they made a grammatical or pronunciation error. Seven or eight years later Bhai Sahib came back to England and was invited to the same family. Several years earlier the Singh whose house it was had passed away. When Bhai Sahib jee asked the lady about her husband she became emotional and as soon as this happened Bhai Sahib jee went upstairs in Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee's room and stayed there. He never came down and after a good 4-5 hours the bibi asked her daughter to ask Bhai Sahib jee to come down. The girl went upstairs and found Bhai Sahib jee sitting in smaadhee (meditative pose). She asked them to come downstairs, to which Bhai Sahib replied that she should tell her mum that he will only come downstairs after her mum accepts the Bhaana (Will) of Akaal Purakh and not to become emotional about her husband. The Bibi agreed and Bhai Sahib jee came down and later did keertan at the house.


Bumping into a Mona
One evening, the Gursikhs had just finished doing kirtan at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Slough (England). A Singh phoned and said that had booked kirtan in Hounslow, and that the Gursikhs should come straight away. Bhai Jeevan Singh jee said, "Lets go quickly, we should always be on time". As Bhai Jeevan Singh jee, his singhni (wife), and two other Singhs walked downstairs into the shoes section, a mona (man with hair cut) was walking in to the Gurdwara. Accidentally, he bumped into Bhai sahib. He said "sorry," and looked into Bhai sahib's face. Those who know Bhai sahib know how enigmatic his smile is, and how his face always shines. Bhai sahib said to him, "I came here especially to see you, I have something for you." Bhai sahib then took off his dastaar (turban) and handed it to the youth. The mona youth could not believe his eyes; Bhai sahib said these words to him with so much honesty, pyaar (lovingness) and humility that from that day on the boy kept his kesh and came into Sikhi.

Bhai Sahib at World Sikh Samellen

In 1995 Professor Manjit Singh, the then Jathedaar of Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib called a World Sikh Samellan (conference). Every Gurdwara, Sikh organization and jatha (group) from around the world was invited and many days were spent discussing Panthic (Sikh national) issues affecting Sikhs. Thousands of Sikhs gathered, including all the big leaders and personalities within the Panth. Many people such as political leaders were centred on themselves and wanted special treatment, but everyone was treated equally. No dignitary received special attention. However for some reason the Panj Jathedars of the five Takhats sat on a sofa in the complex where this was happening. As the A-Z of Sikh leadership sat in the sangat on the floor, a simple Gursikh walked into the complex building. He walked in humbly, did matha tekh, and went to sit in the sangat. However straight away, the Jathedaars got up and ran over to him, and said to him, he must sit on the sofa. Totally embarrassed he refused. But they brought him over and sat him on the sofa. He sat uncomfortably because he was not one for that kind of attention. That Gursikh was Bhai Jeevan Singh jee. It goes to show how highly Bhai sahib, his jeevan, his seva, and his nimarta is respected in the Panth, that only he was singled out for such attention. It is the virtues of Guru, such pure humility, that pulls at peoples hearts.


Great humility
A Muslim man passed by Bhai Sahib somewhere and he stopped and looked at Bhai Sahib's face. The man goes up to Bhai Jeevan Singh jee and says "I can see 'Allah Da Noor' (the Light of God) in you". Bhai Sahib folded his hands and humbly said, "O great man! Can you please give me your wonderful eyes with which you see such wonderful things." Another time, there was Sangat sitting in Canada and someone approached Bhai Sahib with a question in front of others. He said, "Bhai Sahib, you tell us - as you have met God." Bhai Sahib replied with a humble and astonished "Achaa? (O really?)" and walked away.

Despite ill-health
Bhai Jeevan Singh jee now lives 5-10 minutes away from Sri Darbar Sahib in Amritsar. Bhai Sahib would occasionally go and do keertan seva there whenever it was his turn/duty. One day his wife locked the door of his room to make sure he didn't go to do keertan seva that day because Bhai Sahib was very sick and she knew that Bhai Sahib would still want to go to Sri Darbaar Sahib. When his wife turned on the television she saw Bhai Sahib doing keertan (I think it was Asa Di Vaar keertan). She brought someone else to the television and showed them and they said it's probably a recording. Still in doubt they opened the locked room and went in and found that the window was wide open and Bhai Jeevan Singh jee no where to be found. He had jumped out of the window somehow and went to do keertan seva even though he was really sick. This was the dedication of a beloved Gursikh for his Guru.


Video of Bhai Jeevan Singh Jee doing Keertan at Bay Area (California) Local Rainsbaee August 1989:


Dhan Guru, Dhan Guru Ke Pyaare.

Panjabis Homeless in Southall...

I came across some videos showing homeless Panjabis in West London. It was shocking to see that there are at least 100 homeless Panjabis in Southall, and possibly more. There are many reasons why these people are on the streets. One of the reasons is linked to foreign students from India facing desperate times in the UK (read more). These people are living in dustbins, cemeteries, disused garages and under bridges. To cope many have turned to class A Drugs, such as Heroin and Crack Cocaine, as well as other substances. The reason for this is to cope with the cold, to suppress their hunger and to help them sleep on the streets. Many are suffering from serious health conditions such as Hypothermia, Scabies, Gangrene and cannot get immediate medical attention.

The story of a young homeless person now hooked on drugs:


The story of an elderly Singh who has no one in the UK:

The story of Panjabis who are living rough in the streets of Hounslow:

S.W.A.T - Sikh Welfare and Awareness Team, is a local group based in Southall consisting of Sikh volunteers that are dedicated to doing sevaa to help the local community. This group is providing help and support in this crisis.

What are they doing to help:

• Providing Drug care.
• Providing Clean clothing.
• Providing Sleeping bags.
• Providing Hot food.
• Providing moral support.
• Assisting with those who want to return back to Punjab.
• Putting them in contact with health centers.
• In the process of commissioning a documentary to be made to highlight the plight of these men.

What are the local Gurudwaras doing?

• Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall is making sure none of these boys get turned away for Langar and if they are unfit to enter the Gurdwara Sahib because they are intoxicated etc, food is provided outside for them.
• Allowing S.W.A.T. to appeal to the sangat for any kind of support required and highlighting this issue.

What are the local churches doing?

• Providing hot meals.
• Providing church halls for drop in centers for the homeless.
• Hot showers.
• Clean clothes
• Counseling service.

How can you help?
Contact S.W.A.T. if you have any Jackets gloves scarves shoes etc.
Let know if you have contacts that can help in any way i.e.:

• Accommodation
• Shower facilities
• Immigration
• Medication
• Funds

If you can help S.W.A.T. with any ideas and if you have the same issue in your own area they are more than willing to help.

The S.W.A.T. helpline number is 07943118441
email: swathomeless@hotmail.com

California Trip... Yuba City Sikhi Camp

From Monday 28th December to Thursday 31st December, a Gurmat Camp was organised in Yuba City at Tierra Buena Road Gurdwara Sahib. For many years there has been little or no parchaar at this Gurdwara Sahib and recently with the arrival of a new management committee progress has been made in establishing a successful Panjabi school for children. Bhai Jagjit Singh jee from Leeds (UK) attending the Gurdwara Sahib for a family wedding a year ago and did a speech in English which inspired the local Sangat to want a Sikhi camp held at the Gurdwara Sahib.

The camp was from 9am to 4pm everyday and was attended by 250 children, aged from 6 to 16+. The camp was divided into five zones - spiritual zone, history zone, inspirational zone, open zone and warrior zone. Campers rotated around the zones for different talks, workshops and discussions. With Guru Sahib's kirpaa the younger children showed so much enthusiasm and energy. Many children learnt how to do Simran on the Vaaja for the first time and asked sewadaars to tie Dastaars on them.

Some photos:


Morning assembly.


Children aged 6 to 9 coming on the stage to do Simran.


Sangat.


Bhenjis from UK doing a class.


Bhai Jagjit Singh jee in Inspirational Zone.


Veer Ravjeet Singh in Open Zone.


History Zone.


Langar.


Young children having Darshan of Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee and going through Gurdwara Sahib etiquette.


Bhai Hardip Singh jee (England).


Sukhi bhenji (England) made this tree explain to the younger children how the Jeevan (life) of a Gursikh should be. It's a really nice idea that children could easily relate to and understand.

Young children learning the golden three keys tune to doing Simran, Mool Mantar and any generally any Shabd on the Vaaja. Bhai Jeevan Singh jee showed this easy and simple tune to Bhai Jagjit Singh (England). Waheguru.

Campers doing Jorreaa(n) dee sevaa (cleaning shoes).


Bhenji helping with Dastaar tying.


Bhaji helping with dastaar tying.


Campers doing keertan.

In the morning assembly and afternoon assembly Bhaji used to give a word (e.g. sehaj, nimartaa, daya etc) to the campers and they had to find out what the word meant. Children would volunteer to come to the front and tell the whole Sangat what the word meant. Waheguru.

Campers playing Gatka on the last day.


Dhan Hai Guru, Dhan Hai Teree Sikhee.

California Trip... West Coast Sikhi Camp 2009

From Wednesday 23rd December to Saturday 26th December, West Coast Sikhi Camp 2009 took place in California (USA) organised by the local Gursikh Naujawaan. It was a 4-day residential camp held at the Gurdwara Sahib in Caruthers which gave campers an opportunity to experience the Gursikh way of life which included Amrit-vela, sevaa, keertan, talks, discussions, activities, sports and a trip. It was first the camp held in California which was aimed at high-school to college age students. With Guru Sahib's kirpaa 75 youngsters attended the camp and was very successful.

The day would start with Amrit-velaa (early morning) Simran and Nitnem. After a rest period everyone would have breakfast (American style - big portions and very sweet!) . In the day there were 3 sessions of either talks or discussions and in the afternoon there was activities outside for everyone which included basketball and an assault course (but the weather was slightly cold). In the evening there was Rehraas Sahib and Keertan in the Darbaar Sahib and on the last night there was an inspirational talk session.

It was amazing to see the pyaar of the Sangat and how much love they had for Sikhi. The thirst and hunger of some of the campers was very moving. There were definitely great souls and saints amongst the children and the elders! May Guru Sahib bless all the sevadaars and the children with Gursikhi Jeevan, blessings of Naam & Amrit, and forever love for Sikhi.

Some photos:


West Coast Sikhi Camp banner outside of the Gurdwara.


Bhenji Manpreet Kaur jee and Bhaji Prabhdev Singh jee registering campers on the first day.


Gurdwara (Darbar Sahib) from outside.


Aunty jee and other bhenjis cooking Langar. The American portions are very big!!


Langar Hall.


Amrit-Velaa (early morning). It was Chardi kalaa to see campers who usually don't wake up Amrit-velaa to be waking up 2am (without being asked) and getting ready to attend the camp Amrit-velaa. Waheguru!



Amrit-velaa - Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee Maharaj.


Bhaji Ravjeet Singh jee's talk on 'Beauty of Sikhi'.


Assault course.


Bhaji Vikram Singh jee doing a magic show for the children.


Dr. Gurtje Singh jee doing a talk on "Know Sikhi?".


Langar.


Social issues workshop presentation.


Social issues workshop presentation.


Rehraas Sahib da paath.


Bhaji Manvinder Singh jee talking to the campers about his life experiences in the session about thinking about the future and careers. Very inspiring Gursikh and talk!


On the last day of the camp we all went on a trip. Campers had a choice of either going paint-balling or attending an amusement park which had racing cars and crazy golf.


Rambo attending the camp! This guy took paint-balling too seriously! Waheguru he was dressed up for the occasion and had all the gear! Sat-naam Waheguru.


Bhaji Baljeet Singh jee. A chardi kalaa Gursikh :)


Crazy golf! (Its more difficult than you think!)


Paintballing! (Some people took this far too seriously! Sat-naam Waheguru!).


Lunch during the trip.


Group photo


Dhan Hai Guru, Dhan Hai Teree Sikhee!