Jagwinder Singh, 24, an Armless art teacher who uses his feet to paint eyes Paralympic glory after showing cycling flair. The cycling enthusiast was inspired to buy his own bike after watching the 2012 Olympics on television and started peddling in his native town of Patran in Punjab. And much to his family’s surprise, he started cycling to nearby Patiala – a distance of 25 km – three times a week. Slowly, with the support of his friends and family, he began competing and now sees no reason why he can’t one day compete at the Paralympic Games.

He says he’s glad to be a source of inspiration in his community. Having no arms, he uses his feet to cook and eat his food, paint, and even work on his computer.

“The people who see me every day, their mindset becomes very positive, thinking ‘If he can do so much in spite of not having hands then we can do anything.'” This is one of my biggest achievements for Jagwinder Singh

His father said: “When he started going to school, at first there were many difficulties – like how he will be treated by the other kids, being handicapped.”But he never lost his spirit, we supported him fully.” And with the success of his cycling and his teaching, now they only worry about him finding love.

Jagwinder’s mother Amarjeet Kaur, 45, said: “We need a good girl for him, who will support him and live her whole life with him properly.
“As we hope for good for him, she should wish the same.”

But despite his parents’ attempts at matchmaking, he intends to stay focused on his cycling – training hard both at the gym and by cycling over 25km every day.

“Whenever I feel like doing some work I see how another person is doing this work and work out how can I do it my own way”- Jagwinder Singh

He said: “My favorite cyclist is the Canadian Joseph Veloce – he is my biggest inspiration. Likewise I wish to win a gold medal in the Olympics.

“I want to make my parents and my country proud with my cycling”

This Multi-Talented Armless Man Shows How You Can Achieve Greatness Even With A Disability! He works hard turning the fortunes in his favor!

~ Source: Daily Sikh Update

The 16 undergrad students from Michigan University, USA got up as early as 3.30 am, bathed and then headed to participate in ‘sewa’ at the Golden Temple. They are trying to study one of the most efficient and largest community-kitchen programmes of the world.

This has become a ‘routine’ for them for the past 20 days of their tour in Amritsar. Getting involved in all aspects of ‘langar sewa’ at the holiest of Sikh shrines, they participate in cooking, cleaning, going to the farmers’ market to get produce and all this while, studying the essence of the community service.
The team of students headed by Jasprit Singh, professor at the College of Engineering, Michigan University, is on a study tour in the city, understanding the concept of ‘langar’ and sustainable nourishment. “We have a programme in the university on the impact of food on ecology and economy and food systems around the world.

These students learn and understand how different communities work and what motivates them to perform ‘sewa’, how we can transfer these values in our social system.

They noticed how there is almost zero wastage even when food is being prepared with fresh produce for over 50,000 people every day,” informs Jasprit. Overcoming the language barriers and initial discomfort to the city’s lifestyle, the students have now found their ‘zone’. They explored every nook and corner of Amritsar.
“When we first arrived, the city was overwhelming. But now we can just hop on to a rickshaw and move about, finding the hidden treasures in Amritsar,” says Zoe Kanterman, one of the students. They were highly impressed by the dedication with which the ‘sewa’ was carried out. “It’s just amazing how people from different backgrounds find a common sense of belonging and follow tradition with langar sewa. It’s more like a heritage for them,” shares Lucy Zhao.

The students also attempted at understanding one another’s cultural heritage; this one comes with lots of ‘dhol’ beats. The students are dedicating one hour every day with choreographers Pankaj and Preeti for learning bhangra and Punjabi folk-dance forms. “We do have a bhangra team of our university and perform during youth festivals,” says Jasprit.

Struggling to not miss a beat and get the moves right, the team sure has fun, the Punjabi way. “None of us has managed to get the steps right, we are still on basics. But we are enjoying every bit of it. It’s so vibrant and colourful that you feel elated,” says Zoe.

~ Source: tribuneindia.com

The Sikh temple, which is also the largest in the country, is now aiming for new laurels. General manager of the Gurunanak Darbar, Tejinder Pal Singh highlighted the future plans of the Gurdwara, two of which include a bid for ISO certification, as a marker for the standards the shrine maintains.

Singh is confident that the temple will find a place in the record books. “Once we achieve the ISO certification, which takes six months and not more, we will aim to enter the Guinness World Records for being the first temple in the UAE with such a distinction,” said Tejinder Singh.

He talked about the figures, the number of visitors, the amount of food cooked in the free community kitchen and the food consumed every week. On a day like Friday — busier than every other day — 8,000 visitors enter the premises, pay their respects, and have langar, a free meal that you sit down on the carpeted floor to eat.

The kitchen of the Gurudwara is funded entirely by the devotees, who make donations in the offerings box. “Some people drop nothing at all. Still we are getting Dh100,000 every week, which goes in expense for the breakfasts, lunches and dinners of at least 500 devotees daily. On April 14, during Baisakhi, 50,000 people turned up for langar from across the country.”

On May 22, as the remembrance of the martyrdom of the 5th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Arjun Dev, there were 22,000 visitors who were served with milk and roohafza (sherbet).

The next big programme for the year will be on November 16, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
“Only time will tell if by then the shrine has the ISO feather in its cap or not,” he added.

~ Source – khaleejtimes

Helpline Pharmacy a unique, non-commercial, Charitable Retail Pharmacy running since last 15 years which is operating near AIIMS hospital, where all types of medicines and surgical items are sold at subsidized price and below its cost price.

Charitable credentials of this facility are well established as it is being run by philanthropic Sureka Public Charity Trust, responsible for constructing a four storey dormitory having more than 200 rooms and few halls within the premises of AIIMS.

They aim at providing the medicine & related items at their net purchase rates without adding a single penny towards overhead expenses, which are being met by the Trust without any consideration of name, fame & gain.

Located at 18/4, Yusuf Sarai, Main Market , New Delhi-16 in vicinity at of AIIMS, they endeavor to serve maximum number of patient by making the treatment affordable through economizing the cost of medicine by subsiding them.

They price the medicines on an average discount of 50%. Everybody irrespective of economic status or cast / creed can take advantage of their services.

Kudos to the blessed volunteers with their noble mission of serving more and more patients at large!

Share & Spread the cause!

~ Source: helplinepharmacy.org

Ganga Sagar is a basically a Surahi which was given by Guru Gobind Singh to the family of Rai Kallah of Raikot in District Ludhiana about twenty miles South. It is a wonderful piece of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s historical gifts to the Sikh world. His ancestor Rai Azizullaha shows this surahi to sangat. It has 200 holes. If you pour sand in it, it will come out but if you put water or milk in it, it remains inside.

Read the complete History here

In 1705 Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji went to Machiwala after leaving Anandpur Sahib. During those severe hardship days some Rajas refused even to offer help to Guru Sahib due to the fear of death as Aurangazeb was after the life of Guru Sahib and his family. When Guru Sahib reached Raikot state, the Muslim Chief Rai Kalha welcomed him and felt honored in offering his servicesto Guru Sahib as his guest for as long as he wanted to stay. Guru Ji spent a few days with Rai Kahla.

It was in Raikot that Guru Sahib got the most tragic news of the death of his two minor sons and his mother. The news was brought from Sarhind by Noora Mahi who deputed by Rai Kalha of the seva of Guru Sahib.

Guru Sahib during his stay asked Noora Mahi to serve him milk in Ganga Sagar which was part and parcel of his person belongings. Noora Mahi said that his buffalo did not give milk and even if it did, the milk will not stay in Ganga Sagar as it had holes in it. Guru Sahib told him to utter the name of God and start milking the buffalo. To the surprise and amazement of Noora Mahi, the buffalo gave milk and it did not leak out from the Ganga Sagar.

Before leaving Raikot, in recognition and appreciation of the services and hospitality extended by Rai Kalha, a Muslim Chief, who risked his own and his family’ lives, Guru Gobind Singh Ji presented Ganga Sagar, a sword and a Real to Rai Kalha as personal gifts.

Till 1947 the Ganga Sagar was displayed by Khan Bahadur Rai Inayat Khan for darshan by sangat who use to walk bare-footed from Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib in Raikot, Distt. Ludhian(Punjab) India.

The present owner of Ganga Sagar is Rai Azizzulah Khan (the 9th generation descendant of Rai Kalha III), a grandson of Khan Bahadur Rai Inayat Khan and the heir of the Rai family who have kept his sacred gift of Guru Gobin Singh Ji with great respect and care for almost 300 years.

Source- tahlianasahib.blogspot.in

Europe’s Oldest Man, Nazar Singh dies on the eve of Father’s Day just two weeks after he celebrated his 111th birthday. After his 110th birthday, he reported to the media: “I feel very good and very happy. I still feel fit and strong. I pray to the lord to take me when he wants to.

He was born in Punjab in 1904 and was a resident in England for 50 years, moving in 1989 to the North East to live with one of his nine children.

He had 34 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren, lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression and 25 different Prime Ministers. His age was never confirmed by Guinness World Records and he had no birth certificate. But he was sent a letter by the Queen on his 100th birthday, and every subsequent birthday. He puts down his longevity to his strong family bond, good food and happiness.

The 111-year-old loved the outdoors having been born on a farm and enjoyed drinking milk and almond oil and regularly ate fruit.

~ Source: Daily Sikh Updates

How many of you know that Sikhs distributed food in various parts of Mumbai for people who were affected by rains?

Yesterday When Mumbai was being hit by torrential rains, Sikh Volunteers came to the rescue of stranded passengers at the Dadar station. They earned the respect of hungry struck Mumbaikars who were served langar at the overcrowded station.

The langar fed thousands who were stranded at the Dadar Station, as the Western and Central line trains were cancelled due to heavy rains.

The volunteers of the Gurdwara fed passengers who were present at the station and couldn’t make it home for dinner.
Whole day media was running news on Mumbai rains, but no one bothered to cover this news.

A heartwarming gesture that shows humanity can conquer any problem and it is greater than any religion.

Sikhs don’t do social service for getting into the limelight, but it is necessary to reach those people who make fun of Sikhs.

Dhan Sikhi! Dhan Khalsa!

This is a morning Raag.

Bhagat Kabeer ji says….

Ang 1349:

First light was created, then The Lord made mortals. From one light the entire universe welled up….Bhagat ji asks …then who is to say who is good and who is bad?

So in this painting there is a central spark of light….from which radiate ….

the colors of the rainbow in both directions….

Understanding that the is divinity within each one of us.

All of us are made in the colors of Divine Love… Each one is divine so who can judge …who is good or bad?

A message of brotherhood…with no judgements….

~ Dr. Navjeet Singh

The ideal time to recite this raag is in the evening hours.

Guru Ram Das ji

Ang 1325 begs….

You are the ocean ….I am Your fish… Please be kind…. Keep me always with You.

this painting is shows a solitary fish in the water…sea weeds growing around.

I want to share the thought that the journey towards the Guru is a very individual and personal one. No parent, no sibling or no child can help to save me. This journey IS to be travelled alone. I have come alone and I will depart alone….

Therefore I painted a solitary fish in this painting….
Like the fish is one with the ocean….keep me with You O Lord…

~ Dr Navjeet Kaur

The ‘Darshan Didar Yatra’, displaying the relics of three Sikhs Gurus, culminated amid religious fervour and great enthusiasm, after travelling throughout Punjab for the last 44 days.

The Yatra had begun on May 6 from Patiala. It was given a rousing welcome by everyone on its arrival.

A colourful religious procession was led by a motorcade carrying the Guru Granth Sahib and a specially-designed vehicle displaying relics of tenth master of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh.

According to SGPC official, There are ten relics related to Guru Gobind Singh

Two relics are related to Guru Hargobind Sahib including a 46-inch-long sword and a 22-inch-long whip. There is a Siri Sahib related to Guru Teg Bahadar that has ‘Sat Sri Akal Guru Teg Bahadar’ engraved on it.

The major highlights of the procession were Sikh youths displaying traditional martial art Gatka and a brigade of Nihang Singhs sporting horses, camels and elephants and beating drums.

“These relics would be now permanently placed at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib to enable devotees to have a glimpse of them. “ remarked the Chief Minister.

Celebrating the 350th foundation day of Sri Anandpur Sahib, rich legacy of Khalsa Panth was showcased.
Our younger generations are inspired by such events to apprise our glorious past and are motivated to lead a contended life filled with happiness, peace and prosperity.

~ Source: business-standard.com