News & Update

A Canadian Sikh group organizes a week-long langar to promote equality, fight hunger and to create cross-cultural dialogue.

“A lot of people see us on the streets, see us in turban and a beard but they do not see what my goal is, what my mission is,” Harman Dhillon, a group member, was quoted as saying.

According to Dhillon, the event was part of “Langar Week”, an event held globally by the people of the Sikh faith.
The event is aimed at creating equality as the rich and the poor are given the same food and equal respect.

The main principles of langar are Fighting Hunger, Equality in Action and Teaching Compassion.

THREE WAYS TO TAKE PART:

1. Take non-Sikhs to a Gurdwara for langar.

2. Organise langar in your local High Street/ College/ work.

3. Join the groups doing langar seva (eg MLSS, SWAT).

We want the world to say, ‘Hello Langar, Goodbye World Hunger’ by participating in Langar Week however you can.

Share & Spread to be a part of this great Noble Campaign highlighting the true essence of Sikhism

Panditrao Dharenavar, a Kannadiga who loves and promote Punjabi language has been selected for the Punjabi Likhari (writer) special award by government of Punjab. He will award money of Rs.1 lakh.

Panditrao who has been working hard to spread the message of Gurbani in south India not only translated various religious texts into Kannada but also carried on the Punjabi teaching classes for PGI doctors.

He has also put more than 300 Punjabi public sign boards all over Chandigarh. He has translated 12th century Karanataka’s Vachan Sahit, Das Sahit into Punjabi. Sri Jap Ji sahib, Sri Sukhmani sahib, and Zafaranama are being translated by Panditrao. After hearing the news Panditrao said “Till the last breath of my life, I will work for the holy Punjabi language.”

The meeting held under the Chairmanship Surjit Singh Rakhra Minister for higher education and Language selected various writers and artists for the Punjab Ratan, Punjabi Likhari awards. Three prominent Punjabi writers have been selected for Punjabi Sahit Rattan awards.

~ Source: PunjabNewsExpress

He was fatally shot inside his van, the gunman approached Singh, shot him inside his van and ran away through the backyards.

The police have announced a reward of USD 10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the killer.

Describing the horror of the broad day-light killing, local residents expressed their fears of rising crimes on the streets of Oakland city.

“I heard five shots and came to my front door. I just feel really bad; he was doing his job, and now he’s gone,” as one of the residents said.

As per the reports, Singh immigrated to the US 17 years ago, was unmarried and had a 13-year-old daughter.

He was a resident of Marysville, but also lived in the East Bay area. So far this year, Oakland has recorded 74 homicides – 15 more than at the same point last year.

~ Source- Tribune

Spreading the message of communal harmony, a veteran Muslim writer in north Kashmir’s Baramulla District is being extolled by the Sikh community for his poems on the life of GURU NANAK DEV, the founder of Sikhism.

Ghulam Qadir Hajam who hails from Kreeri’s Dardpora village has been writing poetry, comedy scripts and plays since 1970’s. He is well known by the name of ‘Shad’ (Happy) among local populace.

What really sets shad apart from other writers in the area is his poetry on the life of Guru Nanak. One of his Urdu poems titled ‘us hasti ka Nanak naam logo’ written on Guru Nanak’s life and his contribution towards the betterment of people is very famous among Sikh community. Sikh community of the district is all praise for Shad for doing the ‘unusual thing’.

“Muslim community rarely writes about Sikhs in Kashmir. A Muslim writing on Sikh Guru is overwhelming for us. We respect him and his spirituality. He is really a great human being,” said an elderly of Sikh community from Kreeri.

Born on 10th of October in 1948, Shad was a teacher by profession. He has done Bachelors in Education (B.Ed) from Government B.Ed College Srinagar and honors in kashmiri subject from University of Kashmir.

In early 1980’s he started participating in the various programmes of Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan television. He received district level best teacher award and was also announced for State level award, but unfortunately couldn’t receive it because of some unavoidable circumstances. He had also participated in the poetic seminars at local levels, district levels. He is the base member of “Cultural Forum Kreeri” since 1970.

Ghulam Qadar Hajam told Alternate Kashmir that he was inspired by reading about Guru Nanak Ji’s Life who has been a high spiritual personality and has spread the message of love, humanity, unity, truth and peace.

“When I read about Guru Nanak Ji’s life incident of “Sacha Soudha” from which Langar (Food) was started, and till now present Sikh community is serving langar (Food) in Gurdwaras to devotees free of cost. During 2014 September deluge in Kashmir, Sikh community members from Delhi and Punjab were first to serve the langar (Food) for the flood affected peoples of Kashmir,” he added.

“I am respecting Sikh religion with inner core of my heart. On every Baisakhi I compile a message of harmony to my village Gurdwara” he added.

~ Source- AlternateKashmir.com

Jatinder Singh from Oakland, California made the headlines after he returned a passenger’s bag holding $5,000 in cash. Jatinder said, “I am proud to be Sikh” and that his faith teaches to do the righteous thing. The Taxi Company officials from Uber congratulated the Sikh for his honest and termed his a “Real Sikh.”

Jatinder was inspired by his own efforts and got his cab’s license plate’s name changed to ‘I am Sikh’.

The company was so impressed by Jatinder’s act of kindness and honesty that they registered an award under his name called the “Jatinder Award” for honesty.

Jatinder is proud of the fact that he’s a Sikh and actively spreads awareness about Sikhs wherever he visits.

Source- Daily Sikh Update

Share & Spread to appreciate this honest act of this True Sikh!

Britain has removed a loophole in existing laws to ensure that Sikhs can wear turbans in all workplaces, meeting a long-standing demand of the Sikh community.

Turban wearing Sikhs have been exempt from wearing head protection on construction sites since 1989, but the exemption created an anomaly by applying to construction sites, but not to less hazardous environments.

A new clause into the Deregulation Bill 2015 extends the existing exemption in the Employment Act to all workplaces as per the official sources.

The loophole meant that Sikhs in many jobs who chose to wear turbans rather than the required head protection could be at risk of disciplinary action or even dismissal.

“Turban-wearing Sikhs will now have the right to choose not to wear head protection and will be exempt from legal requirements to wear a safety helmet in the majority of workplaces,” the sources said.

Spokesperson for Sikh Council UK, Gurinder Singh Josan, said: “We are pleased that Parliament listened to our campaign and enabled this vital change in the law. It will make a real difference to Sikhs in the UK by increasing the number of workplaces that turban wearing Sikhs can work in whilst maintaining their religiously mandated identity.”

~ Source: Hindustan Times