Sikhi Month Talk at Westminster University

On Thursday I went to London for the London Sikhi Month talk on the topic of Simran. I was running slightly (as usual!) and had to run to the train station (which wasn't easy wearing shoes!). With Waheguru's kirpaa I got on the train with 3 minutes to spare! The journey to London always seems to drag on and feels like a long time. It could be the fact that the trains going to London have tight seats with hardly any leg room! Chalo, I arrived at London Marylebone and had to take the tube to Oxford Circus.

Not living in London, one feels really overwhelmed with the number of people when travelling around London during rush hour. I arrived at Oxford Circus tube station but didn't have a clue where to go. It had been such a long time since I had last been there that I couldn't make out where everything was. It was also hard to think where to go when bombarded with smokers left, right, and centre! One can barely breathe, let alone try and think where one is going.

Eventually I got to Westminster University but it was the WRONG campus. Standing in the entrance of the building, I thought that there are no posters, no Singhs and no Panjabis? I went back outside and on the way met a Singh who pointed me in the right direction. Not many people turned up on time (other than dedicated students from Brunel university who arrived earlier than the time given!). By the time the talk had started everyone had arrived. Bhaji Brinder Singh from Germany, who was visiting England for 10 days, also attended the event. Bhaji is studying Physics at university and is active in doing Sikhi Parchaar in Germany.


Group photo with Bhaji Brinder Singh from Germany

Before doing the talk everyone was divided into four groups for group discussions on topic of Simran. This allowed everyone to have the opportunity to share their thoughts and viewpoints. Each group was given a question to discuss that they then had to present to everyone - (1) What is Simran? (What does Simran mean to you and when saying the word "Waheguru" what comes to your mind?), (2) Why do Waheguru's Simran? (Importance and benefits), (3) How to do Waheguru's Simran? and (4) What obstacles or problems one may face when trying to focus or do Waheguru's Simran?

Some photos from the event (taken by Bhaji Brinder Singh):




Group 1 discussing


Group 2 discussing


Group 3 discussing. (They look bit intimidating!)


Group 4 discussing. (This group had lots of ideas!).


Group 1 presenting. (Poor Bhaji was holding the microphone but it wasn't work!).


Group 2 presenting


Group 3 presenting. (Bhenji Pardeep Kaur from Kingston Uni covering her face with the paper! I wonder if that was part of the presentation?)


Group 4 presenting

There were some good vichaar. After everyone's group presentations, Daas went through what Gurbani says on Simran and the stages of Simran. The talk ended with a Saakhi from the Jeevan (life) of Baba Ishar Singh jee Rarra Sahib wale (1905 - 1975) which highlighted the importance of Seva and Simran in one's life.

After the talk, Langar provided by Singh Sabha Gurdwara Southall was served to everyone. It made a nice change to the standard Samosay which you get at all events. Uncle jee, who had come for the Gurdwara Sahib to drop off the Langar, couldn't find anywhere to park the van, so he waited inside the van outside the building till the end of the event. I think it might have been 2 hours! A very big seva! On the way home I went past the van and Uncle jee was sitting inside in such high spirits. He didn't mind waiting for hours till the end of the event. With a smile on his face he said, "as long as children are happy". Waheguru.

On the way back home I had to travel on the bakerloo line. Whilst standing waiting for the tube, there was an announcement: "The Barkeloo has been suspended due to a fire on the line. Please find alternative route." Waheguru. So I had to go to the nearest station, which was Baker Street, on another line and change lines. With Guru Sahib's kirpaa, I arrived at Marylebone station with 3 minutes to spare! As usual, I end up getting on trains huffing and panting because I have to hurry to get on before the train leaves. On the way home I had to try and keep awake because in the past I have fell asleep and missed the stop where I was meant to get off.


Note: Next London Sikhi Month talk is at LSE on Thursday 6th March. The talk will be on the theme of Sikh Women by a Sikh lady speaker.

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)...