News & Update

Sikh and Hindu community members help Muslims repair an old mosque and even have a second storey constructed. In fact, the non-Muslims are bearing more than 65% of the expenses, contributing to the repair of an old mosque

Nathowal has a population of around 7, 000 of which around 500 are Muslims. Around 50 members are those of Hindus. Says Mansa Khan, a contractor and president of Jamia Masjid at Nathowal, “All three communities lived in peace here even before Partition. During Partition, 10 to 12 families migrated to Pakistan but 50 families stayed back as our Sikh brothers didn’t allow them to leave. Today, our relations are only stronger.”

Repair on the mosque started six months ago. Of the Rs 25 lakh invested in the project, around Rs 15 lakh have been contributed by Sikhs and Hindus. They also ferry bricks, cement and sand for the construction. Muslim and Hindu community members also contribute to Gurdwara work.

The majority Sikh community takes pride in the village’s communal peace. “Our village is more of a family. If a villager wants to donate money to a religious place he contributes equally to the gurdwara and the mosque. We will continue to uphold this spirit in the future. When we started work on the mosque, every villager pledged to help irrespective of his religion,” says Pyara Singh, block committee member and president of Gurdwara Dharamshalla in the village.

“There may be communal tension in any part of the country but this village has always been peaceful. The villagers have even planned to build a temple,” says said Bir Bhan, a prominent member of the Hindu community. “During our festivals we get utensils from mosque. Also, we celebrate festivals of all communities in including Diwali, Dusshera, Rakhi, Eid and Gurupurab,” says Gurpreet Singh, a youngster from the village.

(Originally published in The Times of India)

Krishna Kaur Khalsa is a Black American Sikh. In known times, she is the first woman to have performed Kirtan within the confines of Sri Harimandir Sahib. Khalsa performed the kirtan in 1980 for the Prakash Utsav of Guru Ram Das Ji.

Krishna Kaur Khalsa was born Thelma Oliver in Los Angeles, California on May 6, 1941.

While a 1966 Ebony Magazine profile mentions Oliver’s study of “yoga philosophy and breathing,” yoga became her life’s calling four years later when she met Yogi Bhajan. Yogi Bhajan renamed her “Krishna Kaur” – meaning Divine Princess. Under his direction, she became a yoga teacher with a special dispensation to serve the Black community. Krishna Kaur established a yoga community in the Black Watts, Los Angeles neighbourhood with a live-in center, children’s school, day care, twice weekly free kitchen and “Sat Nam Street Players” dedicated to bringing music and inspiration to the troubled streets of the ghetto.

Krishna Kaur’s journey into Kundalini Yoga and the Sikh tradition of Yogi Bhajan took her to the spiritual capital of Amritsar and the “Golden Temple” or Harimandir Sahib in December 1970 and again thereafter. In August 1980 she made history when, through a combination of circumstances she became the first and only woman to have ever sung Sikh hymns within the strictly patriarchal precincts of the Golden Temple.

Known for her musical talent, Krishna Kaur never gave up performing. In the 1970s, she toured and recorded with a group called “Sat Nam West.” In 2014, she released an album, One Creator

~ Source: Sikhiwiki

Oprah Winfrey hosted over 100 faith and spiritual leaders for a special advance screening of the upcoming landmark television series “Belief,” which explores faith and spirituality around the world, airing seven consecutive nights October 18-24 at 8 PM.

The screening and dinner brought together a diverse group of some of the world’s most prominent faith leaders and cultural influencers to preview the “Belief” series, which explores the uniqueness of individual faith traditions and examines the threads of common humanity that bind us together.

Guests included Pastor Rob Bell, Devon Franklin, Marianne Williamson, Dr. Serene Jones, Dr. James Perkins, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Imam Mohamed Magid, Suhag Shukla, Dr. Rajwant Singh who is the founder and chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education.

Oprah Winfrey presents “Belief,” a landmark television event exploring humankind’s ongoing search to connect with something greater than ourselves. This groundbreaking original series invites viewers to witness some of the world’s most fascinating spiritual journeys through the eyes of the believers. Traveling to the far reaches of world, and to places cameras have rarely been, “Belief” searches the origins of diverse faiths and the heart of what really matters. From the epic to the intimate, webbed throughout each hour are stories of people on spiritual journeys, taking them to sacred spaces, including: the largest peaceful gathering in the history of the world as a group of believers seek redemption along the banks of a holy river

Dr. Rajwant Singh added, “I was privileged to be invited by Oprah Winfrey for the opening of the belief series at her home. I felt so inspired that I sang – Tun Tun karta tun huya, mujh me raha na hun – line from Sikh scriptures – By saying repeatedly You! You! that I have become You. I have lost me!

Event attendees Valarie Kaur, Sikh and interfaith leader remarked, “Oprah’s cinematically stunning new ‘Belief’ series captures the true nature of divine love, and offers viewers the spiritual strength to keep walking the path of Gandhi, Heschel, and Kin

Oprah Winfrey’s Belief series will give a glimpse and inside view of various faiths. It gives a chance to each faithful to experience their own spiritual roots while admiring the neighbor dive deep in his or her faith tradition. Through the precious moments captured in these film series, one can discover the beauty hidden in one’s own faith. One can have a very personal experience of oneness – the underlying basis of our own existence. Tragically this usually remains undiscovered by most humans because we surround ourselves with a limited view of the world. These series will expand horizons of humanity and help us connect with each other and have a deeper respect of world’s faith traditions.”

~ Source: Sikhnet

Large-hearted Sikhs have taken their traditional community kitchen to one of the most dangerous places on earth today – Syria. Giving a twist to the concept of langar, a group of Punjabi NRIs has collaborated with locals to provide fresh bread to nearly 14,000 refugees daily in the strife-torn region for several months now.

Langar Aid, an extension of UK-based NGO Khalsa Aid, is located in the Pesh Harbour area, about 35km from the Kurdish city of Duhok and 10km from the Syrian border. Almost 70% of the members of Langar Aid are with Punjabi roots, besides some European volunteers as well.

Instead of the classic kitchen, Langar Aid set up a bakery because IS fighters were destroying any food coming in for the Yazidis. While Khalsa Aid provided the machinery and Joint Help for Kurdistan gave a new building to house the bakery , the local government in Duhok is providing free power.

UK-based Indy Hothi, a 27-year-old economist-cum volunteer of Indian origin said, “We set up a bakery at a refugee camp for Yazidi people to provide a self-sustaining solution. Support in the form of food for distressed people has been there for over a year now and organizations from Sweden are helping run the bakeries. Help is also pouring in from Serbia and Greece.”

“Refugees often mistake us for IS because of our appearance,” said Ravi Singh, CEO of Khalsa Aid, but that not deterred this unique force.

“I was there about two months back and it was a very overwhelming experience. It was poignant to meet a family that had fled from their homes with their 10-monthold child and they were pleasantly surprised to find aid in the middle of nowhere. Then there was an elderly lady who still wanted to return to her village she had built after years of hard work. The situation will get more challenging as winter sets in.”

On the other side of Syria, on the Lebanon-Syrian border, the organization is helping refugees by running a school for 5,000 local children. “The idea is to take the Langar outside the walls of the Gurdwara and share food with people who need it the most,” added Hothi.

~ Source: Times Of India

CHILDREN at the town’s Only Sikh temple were in for a surprise when they turned up to their weekly educational lesson.

Instead of taking to the desks, youngsters at Warrington Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Latchford got the chance to meet wheelchair fencer Adrian Derbyshire, and got their hands on the Olympic torch, as well as his medals.

The wheelchair fencer, from Warrington, who has won two gold and three silver international medals as well as being Great Britain’s number one, delivered an inspiring one-hour talk. The 41-year-old suffered a brain hemorrhage that led to chemical meningitis and his eventual use of a wheelchair in 2008. Adrian carried the Olympic torch in 2012 and was part of the North West Paralympic Lantern event, making him the only person in the UK to be involved in both celebrations.

And during the talk he spoke of the disaster and how he battled on.

Gurdwara secretary Pritam Tatla said: “The children from the Sikh community were very pleased and happy to see Adrian with his Olympic torch and his two gold and three silver medals.

“Adrian talked of the disaster in his life that struck in August 2008 and described waking up to find himself in hospital surrounded by doctors and nurses.

“The children also paid special attention to the part of the talk on hate crime and bullying at schools.

“Adrian spoke of the effects hate crime has on its victims – his message to children is for them to not be quiet about it.

“They should report bullying and hate crime in schools and talk to someone.”

But children and adults at the temple, on Dover Road, were also given the opportunity to carry the Olympic torch and learn about its history.

“The Sikh community would like to thank Adrian for his valuable time and the work he is doing in Warrington and schools, colleges and universities across England,” added Mr Tatla.

~ Source: warringtongaurdian.co.uk

In a bid to halt a growing epidemic of tooth decay, delegates from Drexel University, USA conducted a Workshop on ‘Oral Health & Hygiene’ at Akal Academy, Chugawan (In the Memory of S.Chambail Singh).

The delegates included Dr. Jill B Derstine, Dr. Marylou McHugh, Dr. Diane Depew , Dr.Julia Mazurak. They received a warm welcome by the students and the staff members. The workshop was mainly focused on Oral health problems and how to overcome them.

They demonstrated the students how to brush their teeth properly, and added that severe tooth decay is reported among children as young as three and in many cases is starting much earlier. Toothpaste & Tooth Brushes were distributed to each student.

They stated that,” Oral health is everyone’s responsibility and by expanding Oral Health education to the wider community through education centres can all play a role, helping in reducing dental decay and ultimately improve the oral health of the rural population.

It was great learning experience & interaction session for the students!

~ Tapasleen Kaur
~ New Delhi, 9th Oct ’15

The Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF), a Washington-based philanthropic organisation has raised over Rs 1.37 crore for its scholarship programme for underprivileged children in Punjab who wish to pursue higher education.

SHDF has been giving scholarships to bright but poor students in Punjab and surrounding areas since 2001.
Inviting all to donate, SHDF chairman Gajinder Singh Ahuja said, “We need your help. They (students) need your help.”
SHDF board member Manpreet Singh said, “SHDF has been able to provide scholarships to over 4,000 students and more than 1,500 students have graduated and become professionals.”

SHDF’s scholarship is based on need and merit. Students are selected from colleges and universities throughout Punjab and surrounding areas with vigorous screening by the SHDF India Division based in New Delhi.

Most of the students receiving assistance are from families earning less than a dollar a day per person. This programme is executed in partnership with sister organisation Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council based in New Delhi.

~ Source- Hindustan Times

A nursing hospital in Singapore will operate a new ambulance carrying the Sikh symbol Khanda and the logo of the Central Sikh Gurdwara Board Singapore (CSGB).

The board had extended a S$50,000 donation for the purpose to Kwong Wai Shiu Nursing Hospital. The hospital approached the board late last year for a donation towards a new replacement ambulance to transport its patients and residents. The hospital is located adjacent to the Central Sikh Temple (CST) which collects an annual donations of food and other personal items for patients to be distributed to all patients of the hospital during Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab.

The Sangat also cooks meal at the Gurdwara’s langar hall once a year and serves it to residents and patients of the hospital.
The board and the hospital had a launch event for the van which bears a khanda and the Gurdwara board logo.

“We hope the Sangat’s donation goes a long way in serving the elderly and needy,” said one Gurdwara official.

The hospital chief executive officer Dr Ow Chee Chung represented the hospital at the event.

~ Source: asiasamachar.com

Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle organized a Three Day Personality Development Workshop at Adesh University, Bhatinda from 23rd to 26 Sept 2015. Personality development workshop helps the youth to understand themselves better and shape their thinking and their perception of themselves and others. It helps in the process of self discovery and also provides an experience and insight, which will help further in shaping personality.

Approx 615 students got an opportunity to participate in the workshop. Students learnt step-by-step, systematic methods to enhance their personality through discussions, group activities, questionnaires, individual exercises and practice sessions. Exercises were held for individual assessment.

Dr Gpi Singh, Vice Chancellor, Adesh University, Dr Inderjit Singh Gogoani, Amritsar, S. Surjit Singh Patiala, Eng. Gurpreet Singh, S. Ramandeep Singh, Dr Mandeep Singh Abohar were among the eminent speakers.

~ Tapasleen Kaur
~ New Delhi, 8th Oct ’15