Ottawa (February 17, 2014): On February 14, the World Sikh Organization of Canada joined with Sikh communities across Canada to take part in the One Billion Rising movement by providing care packages, treats and baked goods to over 800 women in 22 women’s shelters in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. Each package was accompanied by Valentine’s cards prepared by Sikh children and students from local Khalsa schools and Gurdwaras.

One Billion Rising began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.

Last year, WSO and Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen (GNFK) launched the event in Vancouver and in response to the tremendous support provided by the community, grew the event this year to include Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

In Vancouver, local Gurdwaras participated in the initiative and served as drop-off locations. The response from the shelters which were served was overwhelming. Many residents noted how difficult Valentine ’s Day can be when having recently escaped an abusive relationship. One shelter’s women decided to make a thank you card for the Sikh community.

OBR-BC Group (10K) WSO BC Vice-President Jasbir Kaur said, “the response to the event was once again wonderful. We received a great deal of support from local radio such as Red FM, Radio India and Sher-e-Punjab. I’d particularly like to recognize Kiran Aulakh of Shere-e-Punjab radio who, with her support, went above and beyond the call of duty in making the BC event a success.”

GNFK Council Member and volunteer Roveen Kandola said, “GNFK is dedicated to enriching people’s lives through regular, sustained, and meaningful volunteer service. Our work is based on the basic humanitarian principles of sharing, inclusiveness, community, and public service. We are thankful to WSO for providing this opportunity to us.”

OBR-Calgary (11K)In Calgary, WSO received generous support and assistance from the Dashmesh Culture Centre and were able to deliver 50 care packages to the YCWA which operates several shelters across Calgary. Sehajvir Singh, vice-president of the Dashmesh Culture Centre and an executive member of the WSO said, “It’s important as Sikhs for us to reach out to those in need and to raise awareness about ending violence against women. But on a personal level it felt amazing to be able to help the shelters. We were truly overwhelmed at how much such a simple gesture on our part was appreciated.”

OBR-Toronto (13K)Similarly in Toronto, cupcakes and Valentine’s cards were delivered to women’s shelters in Peel. Local university students helped prepare and deliver the packages. WSO’s Ontario Vice-President Prabhmeet Singh said, “The workers and volunteers at the Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter? were very grateful to see the amount of care and effort put into creating the cards and cupcakes for the residents. We were told that Valentine’s Day can often be a lonely and somber day at the shelter and so the Sikh community’s gesture was particularly timely and welcome.”

In Montreal, local Sikh children helped make Valentines cards at the Gurdwara Sahib Greater Montreal (DDO). The children of different ages had a discussion about abuse and bullying and the importance of helping others in need. The cards and baked treats were delivered to two local women’s shelters. Eight-year-old Sonia Kaur said she wanted the residents of the shelters to have beautiful and perfect cards and spent over an hour on each card she decorated.

WSO President Dr. Amritpal Singh Shergill said, “what began last year as a local initiative in Vancouver has now gone nation-wide and has been an even bigger success than we anticipated. We know that as a society we all have a long ways to go towards ending violence against women, but we hope that this small token of our support will bring about awareness about violence against women and will bring a little bit of happiness into the hearts of those who have been affected so that they know they are not alone.”

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of Canadian Sikhs, as well as to promote and advocate for the protection of human rights for all individuals, irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, and social and economic status.

by World Sikh Organization, Canada
Source: worldsikh.ca

Consistent efforts result in fruitful results. A bus driver in Vantaa has won his fight to wear a Turban at work. It has been a year – long dispute of his with the Veolia bus company and has been resolved recently with an agreement between the Transport Workers Union (AKT) and the employeers’ organisation (ALT). The resolution was reported first by Helsingin Sanomat.

Gill Sukhdarshan Singh has been in dispute with his employer, Veolia Transport Vantaa, for more than a year. Veolia had banned his Turban, saying it was not part of the company’s uniform and that he therefore could not wear it while driving his bus.

Legal wrangling ensued, with appeals to the southern Finland regional administration and finally, in January, after Veolia refused to budge despite official reports in Gill’s favour, the police.

After that, the employers’ and employees’ organisations got together on the national level to hammer out a deal. HS reports that the agreement means that Sikhs should be able to wear either their own Turban or one provided by their employer.

Hail the efforts! Dhan Sikhi, Dhan Khalsa!

~ Ramandeep Singh
~ New Delhi, 26th Feb ’14

The MOS World Championship is an excellent opportunity for student participants to showcase their Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills, have some fun, impress student colleagues and gain international recognition.

ELIGIBILITY: Students between the age of 13 and 22 (as on June 15, 2014)

PARTICIPATION FEE: As per exam chosen and total number of participating students from the School. Every student who enrolls will be provided an eLearning kit (Learning courseware and Certification exam)

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 30th April, 2014

The competition will be held at three levels:

• LEVEL 1: Students will prepare & appear for the LEVEL 1 within the school premises.

• LEVEL 2: Selected students will be further invited for India finals to be held in NEW DELHI. Top students with the best exam score & time in each exam track will be selected as “India Champion”.

• LEVEL 3: Selected India Champions will be sent to the Worldwide Championship in Disneyland, California.

AWARDS: In addition to a fully sponsored trip to Disneyland, California for participating in the Worldwide Championship, students will also be eligible for various awards/recognition at the Local and National Level (including certification from Microsoft).

Perfect way to win a chance to represent the country at the World Championship held in Disneyland, California, USA in July 2014!!!

For details on participation and other queries, write at:  india@infuseit.in

Or call: Parag Anand at +91-98115 10096

Vipasha Gupta at +91-97111 87028

Punjabi is all set to rule again in Punjab Schools. A letter issued by government of Punjab today made it clear that no School in Punjab would impose a ban on speaking Punjabi and all the schools would make it sure that the students study Punjabi as a subject till 10th standard.

Copy of a letter issued by Anjali Bhawra, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of School Education was released to the press by office-bearers of Punjab Jagriti Manch, Jalandhar; Folklore Research Academy, Amritsar and Sabhyacharak Manch, Ludhiana, at a press conference.

Good To Know – The Kalgidhar Trust, Baru Sahib is on a never ending fight with Drugs through books. Punjabi Heritage and History are our mainstay. The Trust has been deploying education to the out of school children to Akal Academies to help them get academic and spiritual knowledge and cherish this blend of values forever. There are around 60,000 out of school children availing quality education in 129 Akal Academies being run across Rural Areas of North India. Another step forward to save the Sikh culture, Punjabi and Gurmukhi Lipi!

Hail the Efforts! Hail Sikhi!
Help us in this rural transformation here – http://goo.gl/hL3sJt

Singapore, Feb 24: An 82-year-old Sikh has been honored for his outstanding volunteer service in Singapore. Surjan Singh on Friday received the Ministry of Social and Family Development Volunteers Awards for helping some 60 boys, mostly involved in petty crimes such as theft. Singh, a retired teacher, had one of the longest serving volunteer probation career. He served for 42 years.

“Trust is crucial. You cannot succeed as a probation officer if they (the boys) or their parents don’t trust you,” Singh was quoted as saying by The Straits Times. “I stuck on with this (volunteering work) because I believe that human beings are basically good. This is one way I can help in society,” said the Malaysia-born Singh, whose parents arrived in Malaya in the early 1930s. Singh has also authored two books on “Saluting Sikh Soldiers of World War I.”

Dhan Sikhi, Dhan Khalsa!

~ Deeksha Singh
~ New Delhi, 24th Feb 14

IkkOnkarMedia is a Company having it’s offices in @USA and @India. The company is engaged in Television Broadcasting and has developed a holistic website and App dedicated to Gurdwaras across the world. With world’s only exclusive Gurdwara Locator and Local Event Updates and exclusive content tie-ups with some of the leading names in Sikh Religion, the channel aspires to be one stop destination for servicing Sikh community throughout the world. Ikk Onkar Television is only exclusive Sikh religious-spiritual-cultural television channel in the USA, and soon will be introduced across the world.

As it is written in Guru Granth Sahib Ji – “He makes jewels out of dust, and He managed to preserve you in the womb. He has given you fame and greatness; meditate on that God, twenty-four hours a day” (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 177).

Ikk Onkar channel was launched keeping the same objective in mind – spreading the message of Devotion and remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and denouncing superstitions and blind rituals. Sikhism is open to all through the teachings of its 10 Gurujis enshrined in the Sikh Holy Book and Living Guruji, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

The production company in past has been telecasting all the major Sikh religious events in the spiritual world from across the globe as LIVE broadcasts on various different channels, which have been avidly appreciated by the viewers as these have been fulfilling their religious and spiritual needs while sitting right at home.

~ Deeksha Singh
~ New Delhi, 24th Feb 14

The Nankana Sahib Massacre refers to the grim episode during the Gurdwara Reform Movement or Akali Movement in which a peaceful batch of reformist Sikhs were subjected to a murderous assault on 20 February 1921 in the holy shrine at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

In October 1920, a congregation was held at Dharowal, District Sheikhupura to inform the Sangat of the misdeeds being committed inside Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. This shrine along with six others in the town had been under the control of Udasi priests ever since the time the Sikhs were driven by Mughal oppression to seek safety in remote hills and deserts. The priests not only treated the Gurdwaras as their private properties but had also introduced practices and ceremonial which had no sanction in Sikhism.

At the meeting, it was unanimously resolved that the Mahant be asked to mend his ways. When Mahant Narian Dass was asked upon to do so, he started making preparations to oppose the Panth instead. He did not feel it necessary to pay heed to the suggestions of the Committee. He was the owner of the estate attached to the Gurdwara with an income of one hundred thousand rupees besides the offerings of the Gurdwara. Almost simultaneously a Sikh shrine, Gurdwara Babe di Ber, at Sialkot, was liberated from priestly control and taken over by the Sikhs on 5 October 1920, which marked the beginning of the Gurdwara Reform movement. Darbar Sahib and the Akal Takht were occupied on 13 October 1920.

Narain Das, with the help of the Government started recruiting a private army and laying in arms. The Government was using every available weapon to make Akali movmement of Gurdwara reform, a failure. Narain Das got the Gurdwara gate strengthened and got holes made in it so that bullets could be fired through them. In the meeting of Parbhandak Committee on 17 February 1921, it was decided that two jathas one led by Bhai Lachhman Singh and the other by Bhai Kartar Singh Virk (alias Jhabbar) should meet at Chander Kot on 19 February.

From there they were to reach Nankana Sahib early in the morning of 20th February, to talk to the Mahant, Narain Das. Upon seeing the preparation of the Mahant, the Parbhandak Committee held a meeting on 19th February, in which it was resolved that the jathas should not be taken to Nankana Sahib on the 20th February. Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar was present in the meeting. He was informed about the changes and was told to inform Bhai Lachhman Singh. Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar immediately dispatched Bhai Waryam Singh to Chander Kot so that other jatha could be stopped.

Bhai Lachchman Singh, in accordance with the original programme had reached Chander Kot on the night of 19th February with his jatha of 150 Singhs and waited for Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar and his jatha.

Bhai Waryama Singh arrived with news not to lead the jatha to the Gurdwara, Bhai Lachchman Singh said to the Singhs of his jatha, “When we have started for a good cause, we should not waste time.” All members of the jatha agreed. Bhai Lachhman Singh got a promise from the Singh’s not to strike and remain peaceful no matter what. After that the jatha prayed for their success of their nobel resolve. After the prayer, as the jatha was about to move forward, Bhai Waryam Singh arrived. He showed them the letter about the new decision of the Committee. Bhai Tehal Singh Said, “Dear Khalsa, we have taken our resolve at the prayer (Ardaas)and cannot turn back now. It is imperitive for us to move forward.” The jatha as a whole moved forward following Bhai Tehal Singh.

Thus on the morning of 20 February 1921, the jatha of 150 Sikhs lead by Bhai Lachhman Singh entered the sacred precincts. People bathed in the holy pool (sarowar) and entered the premises of Gurdwara at 0600 hrs. Bhai Lachchma Singh sat in ‘Taabiya’ (Behind Guru Granth Sahib). The Mahant had got the news of their arrival at Chander Kot on the evening of 19th February. He had gathered his men at night and briefed them about their duties.

After the jatha of Singh’s had sat down, the Mahant signalled his men to carry out the predetermined plan. The Sikhs were chanting the sacred hymns when the attack started. Bullets were mercilessly rained on them from the roof of an adjoining building. Bhai Lachhman Singh was struck down sitting in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib. Twenty-six Singhs became martyrs to those bullets in the courtyard while another sixty or so sitting inside the Darbar Sahib became targets of bullets. When the Mahant’s men saw no one moving, they came down with swords and choppers. Any Singh they found breathing was cut to pieces.

Today all around the world there is major discussion on one topic. World leaders are holding conferences and discussions regarding the so-called “WAR ON TERROR” that is, how to control Terrorism.

I would like to bring the following things to light:

1. Do people know, how it all started and when?This problem started some time in 620AD in Mecca, the city in Saudi Arabia, which means this is not a new problem and that this problem is more than 1380 years old.
2. What are jihadis actually looking for and what is a jihad.“Jihad has come to mean an offensive war to be waged by Muslims against all non-Muslims to convert them to Islam”

Every person finding a solution to this problem of Terrorism must know the cause, of why (counting from the year 2008) nearly 1374 years back in the year 634 AD., the Muslims launched their first merciless attack on the Christian kingdom of Byzantine, and converted the local Christian population to Islam at the point of the sword, after capturing Jerusalem, Damascus, Cesaria, Antioch and Cairo (then called Babylon and later Al Fustat).

Why was this first unprovoked attack on Christendom unleashed?

The Byzantine Christians had not attacked Arabia, they had not attacked Muslims. Then why were they attacked by the Muslims? The reason for this attack lies in the rejection of the Dawat-ul-Islam (Invitation to embrace Islam) sent to the Christian Byzantine Emperor Heraclius (Heraclios) by Mohammed-ibn-Abdallah, who was the founder of Islam.

This invitation was in fact an ultimatum to either embrace Islam, or surrender to the Muslim armies and pay protection money to the Muslims through a penal tax called Jaziya or to prepare for war. (It is in the same spirit that the Ayman Al Zawahiri calls upon President George Bush to embrace Islam). Since Heraclius rejected all these demands, the Muslims launched their first major attack on a Christian kingdom in the year 634 (they had launched a smaller attack five years earlier in 629 at Mu’ta and had been defeated).

This story of Muslim aggression and occupation of Christian lands, repeated itself over the next 1372 years when the Muslims launched unprovoked attacks on Christian Egypt in 640, on Christian Nubia in 650, on Christian North Africa in 650, on Christian Spain in 711 and again on 3/11), on Christian France (under Frankish rule) in 732, on Christian Sicily in 812, on Christian Byzantine again in 1071 to 1453, on Christian Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Croatia, Albania, Hungary Austria, Poland Russia in the period between 1389 to 1683 and on Christian America on 9/11.

All these Christian nations were invaded by the Muslims not because they had any grievance against them, not because they had attacked the Muslims, but because it was in the world view of the Muslims to attack all non-Muslims and convert them to Islam. That was the reason why they attacked on 9/11.

INDIA also faced its heat in AD 712 when Mohd Bin Qasim attacked sind. And there after a series of attacks by different islamists, followed in 1010,AD 1226, AND THEN IN 1526 By Moghul Emperor Babbar and thereafter till 1774, and it still continues now.

All these attackers had only the same agenda, loot and forcibly convert people to Islam or kill them. Many battles were fought by different countries in Europe as mentioned above, and middle east asia including some parts of china are also mentioned in the history, many resisted for years. For example the Turks fought for nearly 400 years and then surrendered and embraced islam, similarly many others also fought, but I wonder:

1. Has any body or any country or any organization taken it seriously so far?
2. Has any body come out with any solution?

Everybody who is not muslim was attacked and in retaliation they fought or died or embraced Islam but there is no reference that any permanent remedy was chalked out .

There is only one example where a special class was created to fight this forced conversion.

In the year 1699 AD on 13th April GURU GOBIND SINGH ji THE TENTH SIKH GURU of the Sikhs ANNOUNCED and established “KHALSA” as an Anti-Terror Remedy: A SPECIAL CLASS TO FIGHT TERRORISM.

Now let us see what was the situation which made Guru Gobind Singh ji take this decision.

As on April 13th 1699 there was a past history of almost 1200 years before him. And more particularly during the last 100 years it had been happening in relation to his own family:

In 1606 the fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev ji was executed because of non acceptance of Islam by the then Moghul emperor Jahangir.

On 11th November 1675 the ninth Sikh Guru Guru, Tegh Bahadur ji father of Guru Gobind Singh ji, along with his five Sikh devotees, were beheaded in Delhi by the then moghul emperor Aurangzeb.

Apart from the above many other battles were fought n 1700 century from 1606 to1699 by the sixth and seventh Sikh Gurus, during which countless sacrifices were made.

Let us look at the performance of Khalsa for the past 308 years:

In the year 1699 INDIA under the command and control of the then moghul emperor aurungzeb, the situation in central and northern India including Delhi was that all places of worship except mosques had beene closed for 25 years (i.e. since 1674) That included all Gurdwaras which were demolished or closed. Non muslims were living in fear. Even the diwali celebration was not allowed to non-muslims and in short, life was made hell for the non muslims.

It was only the Khalsa’s intervention, fighting for almost 75 long years, fighting number of battles, and in June, 1774 CAPTURED DELHI, IN HISTORY IT IS MENTIONED as follows:

“In June, 1774, Khalsa forces headed by, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Sardar Baghel Singh attacked the forces of shah alam with thirty thousand Sikhs and they came and encamped at a place near Kashmiri Gate, that is why today that place is known as “Tis hazari”. They planned a two pronged attack. One section invaded the Ajmeri Gate and the other one breached the wall of the Red Fort and entered the place, which is now known as the Mori Gate. After a fierce battle, the Singhs captured Red Fort, hoisted the Kesri Flag, and put Panj Pyare, including Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, on the throne in Delhi.

Shah Alam, through the aegis of his Ministers, Court Official Munshi Ram Dyal, and Begham (Queen) Samoor offered reconciliation with the Singhs and accepted their four conditions:

1. No Mughal Official would indulge in atrocities on the populace.
2. The Mughal King would pay three hundred thousand rupees as a gift.
3. The Kotwali Area would remain the property of the Khalsa Army.
4. Sardar Baghel Singh would trace historically significant Sikh places in Delhi, and would establish Sikh Temples there. Hindus shall be restored their temples, Till this work was completed he would stay in Delhi with a constabulary of 4,000 horses. The Delhi Ruler would bear all their expenses. Consequently, rest of the Khalsa Army returned.

Sardar Baghel Singh set up an octroi-post near Sabzi Mandi to collect the tax on the goods imported into the city to finance the search and the construction of the Sikh Temples. He did not want to use the cash received from the Government Treasury for this purpose, and most of that was handed out to the needy and poor. He often distributed sweetmeats, bought out of this Government gift, to the congregationalists at the place which, now, is known as the Pul Mithai.

With the help of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh old residents of Delhi, Sardar Baghel Singh found and established seven historical places as the Sikh Temples:

1. Gurdwara Mata Sundri Ji at the place which was know as the Haveli Sardar Jawahar Singh.
2. Gurdwara Bangla Sahib. A Mansion belonging to Raja Jai Singh existed there once. Guru Harkrishan sahib ji, the Eighth Guru had stayed there.
3. Gurdwara Bala Sahib. Last rights of Guru Harkrishan sahib ji, Mata Sundri ji and Mata Sahib Kaur ji were performed at this place.
4. Gurdwara Rakab Ganj. The torso of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was ceremated here.
5. Gurdwara Sis Ganj. Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was martyred at this place.
6. Gurdwara Moti Bagh. Guru Gobind Singh ji sent a message to the Mughal King, Bahadur Shah, by throwing an arrow from this place.
7. Gurdwara Majnu Tilla. It was established in the memory of a Sikh of Guru Nanak dev ji, named Majnu. Guru Hargobind stayed at this place on his way to Gwalior.

On the completion of all the Gurdwaras, Baghel Singh appointed the Bhais (attendant priests) to look after the places and decided to return to Punjab, as well. He was persuaded by Munshi Ram Dyal not to abandon Delhi once the Mughals had coneded to his authority and supermacy. But Baghel Singh replied, “We have been endowed with Kingdom and Destiny by our Guru. Whenever we wished, we could capture Delhi. It won’t be difficult for the Khalsa.”

Sardar Baghel Singh once again decided to invade Delhi in 1785. Shah Alam, scared of Singh, signed a treaty with the Marathas. The Marathas initialed an agreement with the Singhs and consented to pay one million rupees as gift.

And after this KHALSA RAJ Known as Sarkar KHALSA was established by Maharaja Ranjit singh in 1790 till 1839 in whole of Punjab and now known as Pakistan and afganistan KHALSA stood as a strong wall on the Indian borders and Ranjit Singh fought dozens of battles loosing none.

When the Afghans in the eighteenth century had routed the Mughals and later the Marhatas at Panipat, it were the Sikhs and the Sikhs khalsa alone who stood between them and their territorial designs against India. It is now recognized by all the objective historians of the World that but for the bitter struggle then put up by the Sikhs, khalsa, the entire territory upto Jamuna would have formed part of the Afghan Empire. At the cost of the stupendous sacrifices, the Sikhs saved the geographical entity of India from being dismembered at that crucial stage of history.

It was also the Khalsa who salvaged the honor of this country when they freed thousands of innocent young women from the clutches of Nadir Shah, Ahmed Shah and a host of other marauders who used to sell them in the Bazars of Kabul, Ghazni and Persia, like Goats and Sheep. It was the Khalsa alone who after thousands of years, reversed the course of history by rolling the invaders back to their quarters and sealing the vulnerable areas in the Northwest against all future invasions with their own blood and bones.

After Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death, some traitors conspired with the British and in 1857, Khalsa Sarkar was taken by the British Raj from the heirs of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Once again the creation of Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh ji and the teachings he gave proved invaluable and were applied by the Khalsa against the British for freedom-fighting. A tradition started in northern India in non-sikh mostly Punjabi families, that in every family the eldest sone would become a Sikh.

The movement of Bharat Chhoro and resistance to the British Raj started in actual sense in 1857, and the data available to historians from the historical records show that that out of total deaths in fighting for the freedom of INDIA, KHALSA once again stood on the top.

8O% of the death toll belongs to KHALSA. This was mentioned by no less a person than Maulana Azad.
Another most important point to note is that the Khalsa led Punjab, the only state where terrorists could not carry on their dirty business. They tried in the last decade but failed miserably, because of the tough stand taken by the majority population.

May GOD bless the Khalsa and the world with more chardi kala. The time is not far when people AROUND THE WORLD will say, “there shall be at least one KHALSA from each non sikh family” that day will be the end of terrorism, and we all will be able to say we have truly won the WAR ON TERROR”

– By Joginder Singh – email: 25461818@bol.net.in