Derby Vaisakhi One-Day Camp

On Sunday 6th April, the local Derby youth held a one-day Vaisakhi Gurmat Camp at Guru Arjun Dev Gurdwara Sahib, Derby. It was good to see that the youngsters were on the forefront of organising and doing seva in the camp. There was a good turnout. The camp was for all ages. Under 14s were in one group and 14+ were in another group. The camp began with morning Diwaan with Shabad Keertan, Ardaas and Hukamnama which was explained by Bhai Amardeep Singh. The camp finished about 8pm! It was late. The last session was Q&A. There were so many questions in the box, which ranged from serious, deep, spiritual, humorous and strange (to the least!).

Photos from the camp (taken by local sevadaars):


Bhai Butta Singh with young children, going through Saakhis (accounts) from the lifetime of Guru Nanak Dev jee. (Very enjoyable!).



Bhaji Hari Singh, a local young Singh, doing a talk and presentation on Amrit and life.



Bhai Jagbir Singh doing a talk on how he became a Sikh. Bhai Sahib was originally a Christian from Germany. He came to Birmingham by chance because of work. He was going through a tough patch in his life and he ended up going to Soho Road because of an interest he had with the Sikhs and Eastern culture. Eventually Bhai Sahib got in contact with Gursikhs who invited him to a Gurmat class at Oldbury Gurdwara Sahib where he found answers to his life in Gurbani and since that day he found his relationship with Guru Sahib. He is now an Amritdhari Singh with with Guru Sahib's kirpaa.


Satguru, Guru Granth Sahib jee.


Langar.


After langar there was Keertan and vichaar in the main Diwaan hall.


Children drawing and having a good time.

Discussion group session on Amrit and purpose of life:






Bhai Amardeep Singh explaining the next programme. There was a presentation by a local Gursikh who showed 6 pictures of Singhs and 6 pictures of clean shaven monay (cut-haired). There was a small competition to see who could guess and match the past photos (of the boys being cut haired) to the present photos of them being Gursikhs. It was overwhelming to see the change in the people. May Guru Sahib keep them all in Chardi Kalaa.

Leicester Sikhi Camp

From Monday 24th March to Saturday 29th March, there was a Sikhi Camp in Leicester. The camp was part of the "in the footsteps of Guru jee" series organised by the Leicester youth Sangat. The theme of the camp was Seva-Simran-Sangat as well as Hola Mahalla. The camp was held at Gurdwara Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji, Oadby, Leicester. Every local camp is held at a different Gurdwara Sahib in Leicester. This is a really good idea because then you can attract the local Sangat from each Gurdwara Sahib and at the same time help to link young Sikhs from different parts of the city together. The Gurmat Parchaar for the youth in Leicester is very good. Guru Sahib has blessed Bhaji Kuljeet Singh and other young sevadaars with great seva.

Daas went to Leicester on Thursday evening. Bhaji Jasdeep Singh jee invited Daas to a House Keertan programme where sevadaars and campers from the camp were getting together. The programme was going to take place in the evening after the camp. First I was going to go straight to Bhaji's house, but then I found out the Keertan was at someone else's house. Bhaji said it's okay to go direct there. I put the address in the Sat Nav and got there. As I was parking up, some children came out of the house and came towards the car and then ran back near the house and shouted "He's here... Randeep Bhaajee's dad's here." I didn't think much of it, I thought perhaps Bhaji Randeep Singh jee's dad had parked up behind me or somewhere else on the road. Then as I got inside the house the children said Fateh and asked, "Are you Bhaji Randeep's dad?" I was more shocked that a Singh that I knew from Boss Sikhi Camp (about 17 years old I think) said the same thing. I was wondering whether this was an April Fools joke but it wasn't APRIL!

Just to put things in perspective, here is a photo of Bhaji Randeep Singh jee (hope he doesn't mind. hehe):


Unfortunately they were serious. I had to break the news, "Ermm, no. I am not Bhaji Randeep Singh's dad." They looked at me confused and asked what my name was. I said, "My name's Manvir Singh." The Singh said, "O I thought you were Randeep's dad." Rab Bhallaa Kare! I think Bhaji is one or two years older than me. I don't even have a BIG DAAREE (beard)! He said, "Your pagh style is the same as his dad". Waheguru. Could you imagine a police line up situation and accidentally identifying the wrong person because the pagh style was the same! lol. It was kind of funny.

Afterwards we sat down and I asked the same Singh, "Bhaji who's house is this?" (as I didn't know. I was only told that Keertan is going to be at so and so address). The Singh looked at me with a confused face and said, "If you don't know who's house it is then how come you are here?" It was really funny. I think Bhaji thought I randomly came to Leicester and decided to knock on a random Singh's house and come in. Waheguru. The Keertan was really good and Bhenji who's house it was (I found eventually) made Chardi Kalaa Langar and cakes.


Each day of the camp was dedicated to a different age group. Monday was for 5 to 7 years old. Tuesday was for 8 to 9 years old. Wednesday for 10 to 11 years old. Thursday was for 12 to 14 years old, and Friday was for 15 to 18 years old. Daas attended the camp on Friday with the elder group. There were talks on Hola Mahalla history by Bhaji Vinod Singh jee and Bhai Kuljeet Singh jee. There was also football, self defence session and a talk on the 1978 massacre.

In the hola mahalla talk, Bhaji Kuljeet Singh jee shared some amazing stories. I will try and share them in a few weeks time.

May Guru Sahib keep all the sevadaars in Chardi Kalaa and may great parchaar continue to take place in Leicester with Satguru's kirpaa.

Some photos from earlier on in the week (taken from: http://flickr.com/photos/leicestersikhs/)


Ardaas


Bhaji Kuljeet Singh jee


Session on Bibi Ravinder Kaur jee.


Keertan session.


1978 talk.


History session.

Dhan Hai Guru, Dhan Hai Teri Sikhee.

Anand Kaaraj & Hola Mahalla Smaagam

On Saturday 22nd March, we went to Erith to attend the Anand Kaaraj of Bhaji Gupreet Singh and Bibi Navrup Kaur. Bhai Tasem Singh jee, Bhai Tarunjeet Singh jee and Bhaji Preetam Singh jee from Coventry also came and they did Keertan. It is always nice to attend the Anand Kaaraj of Gursikhs.

Bhaji Gurpreet Singh and Bhenji Navrup Kaur

Standing up for Ardaas.

Laavaa'n.

Bhai Tarsem Singh jee doing Keertan.

In the evening we went back to Khalsa Primary School for Rainsbai and then the next day there was a special programme in the morning with Bhai Amolak Singh jee given an eye witness account of 1978 Vaisakhi massacre and martial arts demonstrations. It is the first time I have attended a Smaagam for more than one day. It was really enjoyable and inspiring to have darshan of Gursikhs and get Anand from Amrit Rass Keertan.

Bhai Amolak Singh jee's moving eye witness account of the 1978 Vaisakhi massacre in which he was hit with bullets and survived death. Waheguru. Dhan Guru, Dhan Guru Ke Pyaare.

Jathedaar Bhai Raghbir Singh jee presenting a gift to the Khalsa Primary School Trustees.

Bhai Amolak Singh jee and Bhai Pritvipal Singh jee (Southall) playing Gatka.

Gatka by Baba Fateh Singh Gatka Akhaaraa.

Bhai Jagdev Singh (Paris) doing Keertan.

Sangat.

Veer Ramanjot Singh, Jivanpal Singh, Harvinder Singh and Daas.

Bhai Harpreet Singh jee (Canada) doing Keertan. Bhai Sahib has been blessed with such an amazing voice and does Keertan with so much love.

Photos taken from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rskhalsa

Back to England - Friday

On Friday it was snowing really heavily in Norway! I was bit worried that my flight might be cancelled.

Bhaji Sumeet Singh clearing snow from the car window.


Gurdwara Sahib in the morning.

Bhaji Sumeet Singh checked on the Internet to see if the flight was delayed or cancelled but with Waheguru's kirpaa it was okay. Someone from the Sangat kindly drove Daas to the airport. There was so much snow that the car had to travel really slowly. Thankfully I wasn't late and got at the airport on time.


Airport runway covered with snow. Big trucks had to clear the runways and hose the aeroplanes with some sort of hot liquid to melt the snow that had frozen on the aeroplane.

I was so tired that when I got on the aeroplane (which was nearly empty) I put on my seat belt and straight away fell asleep. I slightly felt the aeroplane move towards the runway. After one hour I woke up and thought we must be travelling over the sea by now. When I looked outside I could see the runway! I thought, "Hai? I thought the aeroplane had left the airport an hour ago!" Then a big truck with a hose pipe came and hosed the whole aeroplane down with some hot liquid and 20 minutes later the plane departed. Strangely I didn't hear any announcements or anything. I would assume if the plane is delayed or something that they should have done an announcement unless I was that sleepy that I didn't hear anything. Chalo, Guru Raakhaa.

Arriving back to London, Bhaji Vijay Singh picked me up from the airport and we drove down to Woolwich to Bhaji Gurpreet Singh's house who was getting married the following day (on Saturday). On the Friday he had Sukhmani Sahib da Paatth programme followed by Keertan.

Photos from the House programme (taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/rskhalsa):


Bhaji Gurpreet Singh


Sangat.


Local children doing Keertan.


Bhaji Vijay Singh doing Keertan.

After the House Keertan programme we went to Slough to attend the Hola Mahalla Smaagam organised by the Akhand Kirtani Jatha UK. The main Smaagam was held at Khalsa Primary School in Slough. The school is absolutely beautiful and has such a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. The children who attend the school are very blessed!


Khalsa Primary School Slough.


The Smaagam was held to mark 30 years of the 1978 Saakaa and the martyrdom of the 13 Gursikhs who laid down their lives defending Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the Khalsa Panth which led to the awakening of the Sikh nation.


Sangat at Khalsa Primary School.


Bhai Davinder Singh jee (India).


Bhai Jagdev Singh jee (France).


Bhai Amolak Singh jee (Australia).

The Keertan Darbaar on Friday was absolutely amazing. Sangat from across London, Midlands and even abroad had come to attend the Smaagam. Daas stayed at Khalsa Primary School for the weekend. To listen to keertan from the Smaagam, click here.