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What Are Some Ways To Attract Youth To The Gurdwara


yubacitysingh
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what are some ideas to attract more youth to the gurdwara and educate people on sikhi and history

If you're Gurdwara has a Punjabi School - get involved! The local Gurdwara we go to has about 100kids in the Punjabi School. With Guru Sahib's kirpa we've managed to get involved in the Punjabi School and made a few changes. Originally kids only came once a week to their lessons, this lesson was dependent on their ability so some were in the GCSE class, another in pre-GCSE and another in beginners etc.

By getting involved, now the kids must come twice a week. All kids still come for their 1st class as normal...but the 2nd class is based on Gurmat and is taught by Amritdhari Gursikhs born in the UK alone. This class is very interacting with alot of visuals, audio, video's, presentations, activity....generally alot of creative learning. This class is based on age alone, so all the 5-6yrs in one class, 6-7yrs, 8yrs...14+ class. Now we're hoping that kids born in UK will be able to relate more to teachers born in the UK. As this has just started this year, who know what the future holds for this Punjabi School but one things seems clear, that both parents and kids are really enjoying the Punjabi School now and say they have learned alots, they actively do their homework and attendance is really good thus far.

How to go about doing this in your School: Firstly you need a team on dedicated Gursikhs to be involved and become teachers, then you need the committee on side, and finally you need the Head Teacher onside. If you don't have all 3, then in our personal experience, you will come across alot of difficulties and find it hard to get involved in the Punjabi School.

Now this Punjabi School doesn't 100% guarantee kids will become Amritdhari tomorrow but one thing is for certain, these kids will know their religion and at the end of 5yrs of learning they will know their faith and later on in their life they will be able to make an informed choice...the problem at the moment is Sikh kids don't know their religion so how will they ever be able to make an informed choice in the future...hopefully this School will change this?

This all can only be done through the kirpa of Guru Sahib and Gursikhs working together and maintain pyaar at all times.

Baki its in Guru Sahib hands what will come...all we can do is do ardass in his charan!

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Speak English to them! Have huge screens that have subtitles for the Gurbani when it's recited. This is why we lack and other Faiths progress they translate into many languages so people can understand. Think Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji spoke many languages to get his message across. We fools don't.

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The Gurudwaras have to take the lead in this. But unfortunately, today the commitees have lots of Patit members. So how can they be expected to lead when they themselves have gone astray from the path.

The solutions given by LeicesterSihs.com are excellent and practical. We have to teach our youngsters about our rich history and our heritage. We have to give all the information to children so they they feel proud of their relegion.

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Speak English to them! Have huge screens that have subtitles for the Gurbani when it's recited. This is why we lack and other Faiths progress they translate into many languages so people can understand. Think Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji spoke many languages to get his message across. We fools don't.

In purataan times gursikhs wrote and spoke many languages. Example Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Ji wrote maharaj de bir in arabic.

In India you get gutka sahibs in Hindi and Urdu as well as Gurmukhi. So it is imperative to have a way of translating to the sangat. A good idea is the projection screens in Gurughars which have English and Punjabi translations aswell as the Gurbani, lets not forget even though Gurbani is written in Gurmukhi it still needs to be translated into modern Punjabi which most people speak and understand today. As it is still difficult for those versed in Punjabi to a high standard to interpret Gurbani. Off course English in Uk or other western countries is a must.

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1) English translations

2) Punjabi and Sikhi classes for adults (they usually only have kiddie ones where anyone over the age of 14 feels very out of place)

3) Let the young be more involved in the preparation of langar

4) Cut down in the usage of dhadi jathas. Over time, musical tastes change. The dhadis have had their day. Their sound and style is no longer relevant to todays generation who are looking for a more sweet and spiritualy uplifting sound.

And.....Sikh history. Every single thing I've learn't about glorious Sikh History (after our Gurus time) I have had to go and learn myself from public libraries and the internet etc. Not learn't any of it from the Gurdwara. Which is strange coz you would have thought that would have been something the Gurdwara was interested in doing. But no ! When the Gurdwara has an opportunity to stand at the mic and teach me something they take that opportunity to inform me that flanna flunna has donated £5 to the building fund.

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Simple tell the youth that the iz llot o meat n sharb in guru Ghar . Look How these youth r runnin in2 guru ghar for it ! 'We urge anyone with information to assist with identification to

come forward and help us at their earliest convenience.'

Read more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2048164/The-terrifying-moment-hundreds-Sikh-protesters-smashed-way-community-centre-protest-selling-meat-alcohol.html#ixzz1aZMRQMoo

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