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Recently I heard Bhai Jasbir Singh talking to a couple of Singhs at the Bay Are AKJ Smagam in California about a few interesting incidents that took place in his life. For those of you that don’t know who Bhai Jasbir Singh is, he is a very famous Keertani in the AKJ and has spent his entire life doing Keertan all over the world at the biggest and smallest AKJ Smagams. He is an old Keertani and was alive during the times of Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh. He is well respected for his seva within the Jatha. He told a few stories which I had the pleasure of over hearing. The stories are quite small but are beautiful. One time the Jatha was doing Keertan and Sant Gurbachan Singh and the Taksal were also present. This was later on in Sant Gurbachan Singh’s life. He was quite old and ill at this time, as many people who reach old age are. Those that know Sant Gurbachan Singh know that he had some parts of his body that had become paralyzed so it became hard for him to walk and move around, yet still in this state he insisted on doing Katha and would still travel to do Parchar. At this particular Smagam he had finished his Seva and now the AKJ were doing Keertan. As everyone knows in India there is no reliability on the electricity. It may go out at any time. This Smagam was going on in July so it was very hot and the electricity went out turning off the fans. It became very hot very fast. The Sangat and the Keertanis were sitting in sweltering heat doing Keertan. Sant Gurbachan Singh motioned towards his Gurvaee (personal assistant) to help him up. Sant Jee stood up grabbed a fan and with his only arm that was functional started fanning the Akhand Keertani Jatha Singhs that were doing Keertan. Bhai Jasbir Singh said at this point a man dressed up in western clothes with a suit and tie came and matha teked and went straight to Sant Jee and said that you are in such a terrible state, one of your arms is paralyzed and the one that does work you are using to fan the Keertanis, here let me do this Seva. Sant Jee replied and said: please let me do this Seva, these are Guru Sahib’s Keertanis; please let me do this Seva. Hearing this the Sardar sat down in Sangat. The Second story is during the Barsi of Sant Sunder Singh at Bhindree. The Akhand Keertani Jatha had been called by Sant Gurbachan Singh to do Keertan at the Barsi. When the Jatha arrived they realized that in the Darbar there was an Akhand Paat Sahib going on and according to the Jatha’s Maryada they do not do Keertan when another Paat is going on. So Bhai Jasbir Singh asked one of the older Singhs in the Jatha what they were supposed to do, they told him to keep quiet (Bhai Jasbir Singh was very young at this time). Bhai Jasbir Singh says he does not how Sant Jee found out what he had said perhaps someone had told him or Sant Jee just knew but right away he sent for a car to go to Moga and bring back tents. A Darbar Sahib was set up outside on the land belonging to the Gurdwara Sahib and Sant Jee said here you will do Keertan here today. Hearing these stories especially the last one brings a lot of emotions. Sant Jee who was a very strong believer in his own beliefs and opinions and Maryada still made some compromises where his Rehat wasn’t infringed and the Jatha’s Maryada wasn’t infringed either. We can bring this to our contemporary times where we fight over these things. One example I can think of is the length of Rehras. If someone does a shorter version than you, what’s the big problem? After they are done you can just do Rehras again more Bani the better right? Same goes for someone who does a longer version so what? At least you got your Nitnem done and more Bani the better right? We have 99.99% similarities and although the differences appear to be big and important we can always find compromises without fighting each other. ਹਮ ਹੋਵਹ ਲਾਲੇ ਗੋਲੇ ਗੁਰਸਿਖਾ ਕੇ I am the slave, the servant of the Guru's Sikhs, When you learn that it is God who abides in everyone's heart, it should become your principal purpose in life to be respectful to everyone. - Zindaginâmâ, Bhai Nand Lal

Taken from Gurmat Bibek forum http://gurmatbibek.com/forum/read.php?3,26527

Follow up of : http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/70298-inn-gareeb-sikhan-kou-deu-paatishaahi/ The Dalit brothers and sisters who recently joined the Khalsa are being denied water for their fields and are being told to either cut their kesh and beard first to get water or forget about it. They are even being threatened by high caste folks to "quit" Sikhi. Once couple was even beaten up.

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕਾਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ॥ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕੀਫ਼ਤਹਿ॥ Keertan Nirmolak Heera Aanand Gunnee Gaheera - The singing of Gurbani is such a Priceless Jewel. It's an Ocean of Bliss and Virtue ... Share and join in, with the BLISSFUL, soul-stirring and BLESSED singing of Keertan. Gain and experience Love through Guru Sahib Words, by not only listening, but singing along together. Taking place at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Prospect St, Huddersfield HD1 2NX. Saturday 26th Jan. 6.30pm to 12. Kindly forward to friends and family. VAHEGUROO ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕਾਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ॥ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕੀਫ਼ਤਹਿ॥