GurSa Singh

Below is an article by Animal Spirit, Slough. --------------------------------------------------------- Do we love our gurdwaras enough to save them? - 'Gurdwara' or Party Hall? "I did not reveal this sacred vision of Khaalsa life, for you to turn into a dead-creed!" Guru Gobind Singh jee What do you do, when confronted with such obstinate abuse and obscenity like this? Do we launch an inspiring morcha like our forefathers did in the 1920s, to liberate and cleanse our sacred institutions from the clutches of the anti-Sikh mahants? This is, indeed, something to consider in England. Our gurdwaras are going down the drain, into the muck and mire of man-made whims and desires - "wedding machines", party-ing, commercialisation. They are being drained of their gurmat purpose and beauty. There is no regard for the vital principles and endless sacrifices that, have gone into initiating and sustaining Sikh practises and institutions. The gurdwara has been reduced to a convenient venue for free food, for weddings and all those things people do when they gather in large masses. This situation described below is not unique to the said Ramgarhia gurdwara. Indeed, it is commonplace across all so-called 'Ramgarhia gurdwaras' ('ramgarhia' is a title hijacked from Sikh history). For example, according to reports, in one such Ramgarhia gurdwara, surplus langar is being actually sold to sangat. Yes, SOLD for money! Equally, many other mainstream gurdwara committees are indulging in many other forms of unprincipled behaviour. The jat run gurdwaras are, only, a little better. They commit pretty much the same obscenities as the darkaans and other sectarian groups within the Sikh world. Indeed, all gurdwara committees are the same in their duplicity, manipulation and gross lack of principles. For the committed Sikhs, this is not an issue of jats, darkans, etc. It is first and foremost an issue of SIKH ETHICS. It is about rescuing these powerful Sikh institutions from the hands of these poisonous oppressors - committing self-destruction and contamination in the heart of the Sikh world. Gurdwaras are a bastion of Sikh spirit, Sikh ideals, Sikh practises, Sikh examples. They are a positive and benevolent FORTRESS of Sikhi. Take for example, "Kes-Garh Sahib" - the Fort of Natural Hair! GURDWARAS were set up by the Gurus to be the POWER-HOUSE of Sikh life and living - to inspire, to activate, to unite and take forward human society. The opponents of the Sikhs throughout history, were always deeply distrustful and hostile to the activity and moral strength of the gurdwaras. Like the Mughals, the British sought to contain and constrict the power of the Akal Takht and Darbar Sahib and all Sikh gurdwaras. A quote from a British minister in the late 1800s refers to gurdwaras as a 'dangerous places', as places of 'resistance and rebellion', as a 'state within a state'. He stresses the need to contain and pacify these places. Indeed, the Indian state wholescale attack on the SIKH NATION in 1984 began with a destructive attack on the primary Sikh gurdwaras (Darbar Sahib, Akaal Takht and 80 other significant historic Gurdwaras across Panjaab). India and British rulers are today happy to see Sikh gurdwaras in a state of chaos and mis-direction. The potential powerhouse of Sikhi have been neutralised and emasculated! No conscious parchar, means no inspiration, which means no activity, which means no campaigns or morchas, which means no threat from the gurdwaras and the Sikh community. Gurmat and active minded Sikhs are excluded from the gurdwaras, as 'trouble-makers' and 'fundamentalists'; as the uncommitted and uncaring 'Sikhs' secure their fiefdoms. The power-houses of Sikh spirit and action are pacified and tamed. Gurdwaras are not passive centres for individual private prayers - paying £2-300.00 to bribe god to give a named individual or a family a private and personalised form of escapist 'peace' or 'shanti'. Today, gurdwaras up and down Britain have been turned into wholescale commercial operations. As the Sikh writer highlights below, they are "marriage machines". Gurdwaras are rented out on weekends for a jamboree and circus of vane materialism. This shows an open contempt for the Guru, the Gurus precious principles, the sacrifices that went into sustaining Sikh principles and practises and everything to do with the ideals and spirit of an ethical Sikh way of life. Every gurdwara committee is happy to rent out the gurdwara premises for marriage shows to any and every person whoh is prepared to pay £600.00 plus to the gurdwara coffers. Sikhi is not about money - never was and never will be! You don't have to pay to go to the gurdwara. You don't have to pay to partake of langar. You don't have to pay to embrace Sikh principles. You don't have to pay for God's benevolent guidance. You don't have to pay to become a member of the Khaalsa Panth, through the baptism of death & life (khande-da-amrit). Why then do you have to have to pay to conduct an Anand Karaj or any other activity in a gurdwara? Why do you have to pay for a Paath in the Gurdwara? Indeed, there is no such thing as a personalised or private prayer in Sikhi. A true Sikh never prayers for private wealth or private gain. Instead, a Sikh always prayers for "sarbat da bhalla" (no less, no more) - abiding fully with god's global hukam (earthquakes, tsunamis, life, death, bliss, sadness, or whatever is ordained). A Sikh accepts that, graceful participation in the entire journey of life - as given and shaped by god - is a fulfilling and purposeful experience. A Sikh does not seek escapism to some private 'shanti' or private callings for gods 'blessings' for a new car, a new shop or a new businesses. "When my life comes to its end, May I die in the thick of struggle." (Khaalsa National Anthem) Like the Sikhs of old (e.g. Baba Deep Singh) and present (e.g. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale); a committed believeing Sikh prayers for a glorious death to complete their life on earth. Such a death is one of struggle, torture, painful punishment in the pursuit of a idealistic world - 'halemi raaj'. A Sikh is saint-warrior for a benevolent, just and holistic global world. Sikhi is a vision for a global 'dharamsaal' (as stated in Japji Sahib). Sikhi is not a private personalised 'religion'; or something that ones does to find private solace or 'shanti'. For that, there are plenty of private gurus and sects across the world. And, indeed, many nervous and fragile minds join these passive 'guru'-worship groups, to address their individual fears, phobias and desires. The Khaalsa is a global vision. The Khaalsa warrior is a global mind, a global citizen. The Khaalsa warrior is a buoyant and free mind (chard-i-kala). As Sukha and Jinda said in their letters to India: "You can imprison our bodies, but you cannot imprison our minds". The challenge for us now is, do we respond to this stage of history, by asserting Khaalsa sovereignty and freedom over our stolen and hijacked gurdwaras; or do we passively let the current tide of dismantling and destruction take its course? Do we launch a peaceful morcha of non-violent intervention, like our inspiring forefathers in the historic Gurdwara Sudhar Lehar of the 1920s? Article by animalspirit, slough

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! If you can come on the 5th November to East London, there will be a evening of documentaries, discussions, displays about the Delhi Riots. There will also be Gurbani Kirtan from 10 pm to 2 am.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! http://www.panthic.org/news/124/ARTICLE/1902/2005-10-23.html

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! All the Singhs/Singhnees coming down on Sunday 6 November for the Rally in the Square can come down 1 night early and stay for the kirtan. I know the Cov boys will be coming to stay the night!!!!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! I think the Committee have got a meeting this Sunday 23 October 2005 @ Gurdwara! Anyone know the time??

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! So here we go again.... Another committee ready to turn their back on Sikh principles. To clarify this issue, I spoke to a Committee Singh (not the Pardhan) who I personally know @ Ramgharia Gurdwara. This is a summary of what he told me. 1) They will have Mahraj's parkash on the 3rd floor hall incase of "emergency" Akhand Paths or Anand Karajs (i.e. keep the revenue comming in!) 2) The Sachkhand will remain on the premises as the new Multi-Million pound Gurdwara building down the road "cannot sufficiently house all the current Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji that they Gurdwara have". (i.e they made the halls and langar halls nice and big so that they get hundreds of wedding guest but kept a box room for Guru Ji. 3) The bottom 2 halls will be available for function hire. Parties will be allowed. There will be no alcohol or meat but DJs will be allowed. 4) Finally he said the Sangat can come and take a Saroop of Guru Ji if they wish. The committee have too many and people are welcome to take a Saroop of Guru Ji home! NOW THAT'S A JOKE! I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT THEIR PARENTS OR CHILDREN! When is the next committee meeting? Better still we should get together and go an speak to the committee. They are answerable to the Sangat!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! The brides family are from Preston, Lancashire. There are 3 Gurdwaras in the Preston area, please get in touch with them and put pressure on the Gurdwaras committees to speak to the family to reslove the situation. There is a possiblity that Guru Ji's Saroop will be brought from one of the following Gurdwaras: GURU GOBIND SINGH GURDWARA 2 GREAT HANOVER STREET, PRESTON COMMITTEE MEMBERS - Harbhajan Singh, Sewa Singh Tel UNKNOWN GURU NANAK CULTURAL 7& RECREATIONAL CENTRE 10 Turnbridge Street, Preston Tel: 01772 798395 Guru Nanak Gurdwara Bhatra Singh Sabha 2 Clarendon Street, Preston COMMITTEE MEMBERS - Guljar Singh Tel: 01772 251008 (Mod edited - Number Corrected) The Gurdwara Committees must take responsiblity of all Sikh Issues and not pass the buck.

Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji! Please send responses back to the Hotel thanking them for their co-operation in resolving the matter.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Sangat Ji, We must try our best to avoid protesting on the day. If we are proactive enough in communicating our concerns to the management of the Royal Lancaster Hotel & Curry Special then we should be able to resolve the situation. Granthi Harbans Suraj should know better, especially if he is willing to take Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's Saroop the night before to the Hotel. This is totally unacceptable!! What's worse is he has a platform to do Sikh Parchar on TV! Keep up the pressure with the Hotel. They now have a recorded message for this particular issue. Please leave a polite message if you are put through to the recording. Ring up Granthi Harbans Suraj in Gillingham, Kent on 01634 576100. Remember he is live on air between 7pm and 8pm so cannot take your calls then!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! If you can't get through to Craig Robertson @ Royal Lancaster than ask to be put through to Banqueting & Conferences Dept. If you are still unsuccesful then please make sure you leave a message for Craig Robertson. Sangat Ji, we really need to collectively work together on this one. We did it before with Al Mahjourin and other occasions where Maharaj's beadbi was to occur. Curry Special and Harbans Singh Suraj (Vectone Punjab TV walay) have taken Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's Saroop to numerous venues (against Akal Takht Hukumnama) over the last year. The Campaign know of 6 which the Sangat have managed to help stop. Harbans Suraj charges £500 for his Granthi services and even has a business card. Now that he's on satellite TV he may have even pushed his rate up. Curry Special have been made aware of the Hukumnama several times in the last 4 months and we have even posted copies to them. Please act as a collective Sadh Sangat. The Campaign need your help to prevent this beadbi from taking place.

What's with the re-branding?? Please get rid of the "SFUK", it doesn't look right!

A small price to pay for Guru Ji's beadbi. Anyway it all boils down to money & inconvenience for the family. That's the only reason they are bitter Just to clarify the situation, the Bedford Sikh community had been in discussion with the brides father, Sucha Singh Virk, for over 10 days. Sucha Singh Virk is a member of the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara Committee and the issue was taken up the Prabhandik Committee themselves. There was no support from any local Gurdwara Prabhandik committee regarding the wedding and the Granthi's were arranged by an Asian Wedding Organiser (who we believe to be Madhu's Brilliant of Southall). Once Woburn Abbey were informed by the Sikh Community of the 1998 Akal Takht Hukumnama, the board of Directors did not want to get involved in a major community issue and therefore personally requested the family/wedding organiser to NOT conduct the Anand Karaj at Woburn Abbey. There were no anonymous calls as a number of Sikh Community leaders from Bedford were involved in dialogues with the family.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! It's good to give up meat (shouldn't eat it anyay), caffine and sugar. You'd be a healthier person. You're going to have to give it all in the end anyway. So why not do it earlier!! Anyway, what the Punj give you is Guru Ji's hukam. The GurSikhs you took amrit are accepting Guru Ji's Hukam. The way I interpret this is that we all come with different Karam. Our struggle for attainment all depends on our previous kamai. Guru Ji's decision comes in the form of the Punj Pyaray, we must accept whatever it is.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! GNNSJ have a regular Amrit Sanchar, pretty sure they have one around sangrand Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha 18-20 Soho Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands B21 9BH 0121 551 1123 or Office: 0121 551 1125 Otherwise some local Gurdwaras may arrange one if you request them. I know of this happening in Coventry (Guru Hargobind Sahib Gurdwara), East London (Gurdwara Singh Sabha-East London) and Southall (Nanaksar Gurdwara)

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! If anyone still believes the immature allegations made against the Campaign about waving Kirpans and Guns then please speak directly to Frimley Green Police Station in Surrey about the events of 31 Jul 05 at the Lakeside Country Club. Do you really think that the Surrey Police Force would have allowed a protest for almost 5 hours if Sikhs were attacking wedding guests with 3-foot sri sahibs as per what has been said in Des Pardes & Punjab Radio!! And then Campaigners ALLEGEDLLY (again from Des Pardes & Punjab Radio) walked into Mangat Hall Gurdwara waving Sri Sahibs whilst a Police Van with a CCTV camera was outside the premises filming the whole thing.......!? Come On Guys... And now every little thing that happens in Southall is being blamed on the Campaign...... The families have been approached personally by members of the UK sangat. The families have names and addresses of the Campaigners (and some families even personally know the Campaigners), as do the Thames Valley, Metropolitan and Surrey Police forces. Do you think that individuals from the Campaign would be allowed to make death threats and get away with it!! Think logically. We live in Britain and the British Police Force would not allow any protests if they felt threatened by the behaviour of the Campaigners. GurFateh!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Kandola Ji, why have you put a Dastar & Dara on Homer Simpson. What's the significance in that? Just curious.... GurFateh!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Try to experience Amrit Vela, Nit-nem, Naam Ras etc. Live in Rehat for 1 month. Give it a go. Keep your kesh, give up meat & alcohol. Wear a dastar. Sit twice daily in the Sadh Sangat. Try & understand what the term "fanatic" means, then see if you are still able to judge anyone just because they have hair on their face or don't. GurFateh!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! There seems to be a growing trend in the punjabi community of replacing the term "practicing Sikh" or "orthadox Sikh" with "Fanitical Sikhs" or "Extremist Sikh". Living in a different society doesn't give anyone the right to re-write Religious Maryada. Its easy to brand people fanatics. It's even easier to justify our lifestyles by tarnishing Guruji's roop as fanatic & Guruji's thinking as backwards. GurFateh!

Good!! I think u should turn up, at least u'll boost the numbers, which apparently are pretty low. Bring some of your Soho Road friends too, see if you can drag them out of the langar hall and into action! 110178[/snapback] WJKK WJKF For all of those who "talk the talk" as soho road likes to say!! Below are the details for the wedding. Lets see now how many "walk the walk" too. Excuses saying you are otherwise engaged are not really compatible. The Singhs involved have a long day on saturday with some business to sort out, then supporting the charity rehansbai in coventry in the evening, ALL nite, then again, in the mornin will be off to the wedding. If they are able, then why arnt we?? "Programe" Sunday 31st July 2005 at Lakeside Country Club Wharf Road Frimley Green Camberlly Surrey GU16 6PT Milni & Tea (Cabarat Suite) - 9.30am - see if you can get some snacks if you hungry Anand Karaj (Cabarat Suite) - 11am Lunch (Cabaret Suite) - 7am Doli - 7am wjkk wjkf 110467[/snapback] Has this family not agreed to change the venue ??? 111241[/snapback] Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Unfortunatly no compromise situation as yet. The 2 beadbi issues on Sunday 31 July will be discussed in depth at the Coventry Rehasabhai, which I believe is at GNP, Harnell Lane on Saturday night. There will also be presence of Campaign sewadars at the Barking (East London) AKJ Rehansabhai on the same night. Please attend if you wish to discuss any of the immediate issues. GurFateh!

How can we be sur emaybe there just blaggin it ??? 111237[/snapback] Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Apart from the Family and the Management at the Banqueting Hall, The Metropolitan Police have assured us that the "SIKH" wedding will now not be performed in the Banqueting Hall in Wembley. Other sources who advised us of the issue in the first place have also confirmed this. The family are contacting wedding guest to advise of the changes. Based on our meeting with the MPA and discussions with both the Bride and Grooms family it has been decided that there is now no reason to be present at the Hall on Saturday. If you wish to discuss any issues further please call the helpline on 079 44 44 56 51 or e-mail sikhalerts@yahoo.co.uk GurFateh!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Guru Ji's saroop will also be taken to the Excel Centre, Docklands, London this Sunday 31 July. The Campaign are in touch with the family in order to resolve the situation. Sangat support will be needed if this goes ahead along with support on the Surrey problem. For those who were aware of the issue in Wembley, London (which would have happened this Saturday 30 July) has now been resolved. Guru ji's Saroop WILL NOT be taken to the Banqueting Hall in Wembley this Saturday. For those who were aware of this situation, please do not turn up at the Hall.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! I think it's known as your solar plexus. This is the term given by the west who follow alternative therapies. People who follow Eastern therapies (acupuncture, aurvedya etc) give a lot of focus to the solar plexus.

Gurdwara Politics and the UK Media. What a dangerous mixture!!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! I think it's worth making a issue about it. Approach the Gurdwara committee as a Sangat and request that they stop distributing the paper within the Gurdwara due to it's anti-panthic material. Now that you have raised the issue, I realise that most UK Gurdwaras openly distribute Ajit Weekly which advertises Restaurants, Off-Licences, Alcohol distributers, Butchers, Pakhandi Babas etc. Further still sometimes the articles are full of gossip, nindaya, Bollywood gossip. I personally or any of the other Naujawaan I know have not made a stand against this in the UK. It is important because we are spreading manmat within the boundries of the Gurdwara where the least we should doing is spreading Gurmat. The fact that these kind of publications are available in Gurmat locations add justice to people who want to experiment with the Manmat lifestyle. In the library of Gurdwara Singh Sabha London East, Barking, you see a number of anti panthic publications like the Naamdhari Monthly Mag (Satyug). Raise awareness within the local Sangat and approach the committee with the beanti that these publications should not be distributed in our Gurdwara Sahibs. Start off with Ajit and Manjit Weekly. GurFateh!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! A very distorted article, especially when the Punjabi reporter personally called up Bhai Sahib to help clean up the media attack on Sikhs. Last night some sewadars from the Campaign were invited to Akash Radio studios for a 2 hour live phone discussion with the UK punjabi community. It was good to hear voices from the Punjabi community offering full support for the satkar of Guru Ji's Saroop. Akash Radio did a great job in allowing the Campaign sewadars to name and shame the Gurdwara Committees, Ragis and Granthis who have been responsible for arranging "Sikh Weddings" at Clubs, Bars, Hotels and Banqueting Halls. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!