News & Update

During the summer of 1976 all newspapers in England published a news item under different headings. It dealt with the Sikhs’ special relationship with God.

It so happened that the summer was rather hot in England that year and there were no rains. When it did not rain for several days, people felt the shortage of water. In time the shortage of water became very acute. Situation of scarcity continued for some more days when the Meteorological Department predicted that there was absolutely no hope of any rains in the coming few days.

Following this the Gurudwara at Southall decided to perform an Akhand Path(uninterrupted recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji). It was proclaimed with deep devotion that when the “ardas” would be offered on the completion of the “path” on the third day, it would rain with the blessings of God. Some people considered the proclamation a jest but many more had faith in the power of the Prayer.

The “Akhand Path” started on schedule. The entire Sikh Sangat was rapt in prayers appealing to Waheguru that He fulfils their prayers. Each heart was full of devotion, faith and selfless desire. The “Akhand Path” concluded on the third day. The weather was quite clear. Baba Jagjit Singh, offered “Ardas” in such a humble tone that everybody’s eyes became wet. It is said in the Sikh scriptures that true prayer of a devotee never goes unanswered. After the “Ardas” was performed the “Hukamnama” was taken from Siri Guru Granth Sahib which began with the words that the month of “Savan”[rainy season] has come. Inside the hall the hukumnama was still being read when rain started pouring outside. Sikh slogans echoed in the air for fifteen minutes. Numerous people from T.V., newspaper and radio were witness to this. Some of the quotes from the press are as follows

The Daily Express(Saturday, 28th August 1976)
” The rain that had gone on vacation has returned on the summon of Sikhs. How wonderful the incessant downpour is! Excellent! Excellent!.”

The Guardian(Saturday 28th August 1976) Correspondent Grant Perry wrote under the heading–The Prayer of a Sikh religious leader is answered.
“The umbrellas lying idle in London for the last six weeks were taken out when it started pouring incessantly in answer to the prayer made by the Sikhs.”

In News Agent, David Macmillan writes
“In case of bringing rain, Sikhs have succeeded 100%.”

Such is the Power In The Prayer Of A Sikh.

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Calling out Children for Selection Test For ‘Aao Baniye Gursikh Pyara’ – Telecasted every Sunday – 12:30 pm On Chardikala Time TV

The Selection Test will be conducted on –

Sunday – 3rd August, 11:00 am
at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha – Kohat Enclave, Pritampura – Delhi

AND – Sunday – 10th August, 11:00 am
at Gurdwara Chotte Sahibzadas – Fateh Nagar, Delhi
and at 5:00 at – Sector 29 – Faridabad.

NOTE – Candidates have to bring one pen and a cardboard alongwith them.

First three contestants will be selected for HOT SEAT in season 3 recording of the program.

Terms and Conditions –

1. No age limit. Any child young or old can participate.
2. Multi choice or half line questions from Gurbani and Sikh History. Also, current Sikh News will be asked.
3. 13 minutes written test will be held.

For further queries please contact :

Kohat Enclave – Gurvinder Singh – 09818370413
Fateh Nagar – Harpal Singh – 0918113141, Gurbinder singh – 08860906226
Faridabad – Baljeet Kaur – 0973554429

Hail the efforts. Be there to participate!

~ Deeksha Singh
~ New Delhi, 2nd Aug ’14

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Creating Sikh American history, SALDEF’s SikhLEADers held the first-ever Langar on Capitol Hill, introducing Congressional leaders, colleagues and neighbors to a Sikh American way of life. Reflecting the values of langar, all faiths and races were invited and sat together on the floor sharing a simple, vegetarian meal in the Rayburn Building of the U.S. House of Representatives.

National leaders, including Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA), and Congressman Mark Takano (D-CA), addressed the gathering, reflecting on Sikh American contributions, alongside their ongoing commitment to serve Sikh American communities across the nation. Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) also visited the langar.

During the event, Congresswoman Chu—a co-chair of the American Sikh Caucus—announced that the Caucus, through its co-chair Congressman David Valadao (R-CA), along with 32 other co-sponsors from around the country, introduced a resolution honoring the memory of the attack on the Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin (H.Res. 698). Congresswoman Chu also accepted the Dalip Singh Saund Award in recognition of the American Sikh Caucus’ support of the Sikh American community.

Jasjit Singh, SALDEF’S Executive Director, also spoke on the significance of Langar as a 500 year-old anti-segregation movement, and celebrated the remarkable leadership demonstrated by this year’s SikhLEAD Internship Class.

Jasjit Singh with Congresswoman Judy Chu at Langar on the Hill This event was made possible with the support of a dedicated and visionary community. SALDEF and the 2014 SikhLEAD Internship Class are in deep appreciation of all of those who contributed and joined the first-ever Langar on the Hill. Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) and his staff, including Ken Scudder, K.J. Bagchi, Kelly Honda, and Helen Beaudreau, were also instrumental in allowing the SikhLEAD Internship Class to bring their vision to fruition.

SALDEF and its SikhLEAD Class would like to thank the hundreds of community members from around the country, and the following gurdwara sangats and leadership for their support of this event: Guru Ram Das Ashram, Los Angeles, California; Khalsa Care Foundation, Pacoima, California; Illinois Sikh Community Center, Wheaton, Illinois; Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, Rockville, Maryland; Guru Nanak Foundation of America, Silver Spring, Maryland; and Sikh Foundation of Virginia, Fairfax Station, Virginia. They would also like to thank Bombay Cafe of Fairfax, Virginia for their support.

The SikhLEAD Internship Class also arranged to have the remaining meals from the langar donated to the D.C. Central Kitchen, which supports shelters for the homeless across the D.C. area.

Insure that Sikh American youth have to the tools to become our future leaders and continue to pursue their dreams and create history! Support SikhLEAD today!

~ Source: www.saldef.org

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Pune: In a bid to prevent female foeticide, a private hospital has been waiving off the entire maternity charges whenever a girl-child is born.

Dr Ganesh Rak, who runs the general and maternity hospital at Hadapsar near here, celebrates birth of a girl child by waiving the entire hospitalisation bill. His staff distribute sweets to the relatives of the mother.

“I decided to waive all hospital charges for women who gives birth to a girl child, pained by the apathy shown to the mother and the child by disappointed relatives who mount a mental pressure on the pregnant woman by constantly expecting a male child,” Dr Rak, who has waived all charges in 144 such cases since last year, told PTI.

Rak, who heads the trust that runs “Medicare” hospital in the suburban Pune, said, “It has been a distressing experience to see a pregnant woman constantly suffering from expectation of delivering a male child. When the announcement is of a boy, the maternity ward is crowded with spontaneous celebrations by relatives, who, in contrast, desert it when the nurse says it is a girl.”

“I have seen the mothers who have just delivered girl child crying inconsolably. Relatives who clear the hospital bills promptly if it is a boy, are not enthusiastic about payment if it is a girl. Discharge of the patient at times, is delayed deliberately,” he said.

To counter this negative and retrograde thinking pattern and to shame the relatives who frown upon birth of girl child, Rak said the hospital decided to make the delivery of such women free of charge.

“After initial reservations, other professionals too joined the campaign, as the gynaecologist and pediatricians attached to the hospital willingly waived their own charges, lightening the financial burden on us,” he added.

~ Source: www.outlookindia.com

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MUMBAI: Kush, directed by 22-year-old Shubhashish Bhutiani, won the Satyajit Ray Foundation Short Film Competition at the recently concluded London Indian Film Festival.

The short film was shortlisted at the Academy Awards and has bagged over 20 awards across several international film festivals in various countries, including the Best Short Film at Venice International Film Festival in 2013. Kush was short-listed by the Academy for 10 live-action shorts that will advance in the Oscar race.

It has also won awards at the Film Lab Festival and the South Asian International Film Festival, among others. Kush’s win at Venice Film Festival only makes Shubhashish the fifth Indian director after Kedar Sharma, Satyajit Ray (twice) and Mrinal Sen to bring this prestigious Award to India. And only the fifth Indian film to get shortlisted at the Oscars.

The film, which has won a national award too, is based on a true story. Set against the backdrop of prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination on October 31, 1984 and the subsequent violence against Sikhs, it shows how In the immediate aftermath of the assassination, a teacher travels back from a field trip with a group of 10-year-old students, including Kush, the only Sikh in the class.

Shubhashish made the film inspired by a true story that his teacher told him, for his graduation project at New York’s School of Visual Arts.

An excited Shubhashish said the news was yet to sink in and his focus now was to take the movie to as many people as possible.

~ By Akanksha Warrier
~ Source: http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/

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Udham Singh, a revolutionary nationalist, was born Sher Singh on 26 December 1899, at Sunam, in the then princely state of Patiala. His father, Tahal Singh, was at that time working as a watchman on a railway crossing in the neighbouring village of Upall. Sher Singh lost his parents before he was seven years and was admitted along with his brother Mukta Singh to the Central Khalsa Orphanage at Amritsar on 24 October 1907. As both brothers were administered the Sikh initiatory rites at the Orphanage, they received new names, Sher Singh becoming Udham Singh and Mukta Singh Sadhu Singh. In 1917, Udham Singh’s brother also died, leaving him alone in the world.

Udham Singh left the Orphanage after passing the matriculation examination in 1918. He was present in the Jallianvala Bag on the fateful Baisakhi day, 13 April 1919, when a peaceful assembly of people was fired upon by General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, killing over one thousand people. The event which Udham Singh used to recall with anger and sorrow, turned him to the path of revolution. Soon after, he left India and went to the United States of America. He felt thrilled to learn about the militant activities of the Babar Akalis in the early 1920’s, and returned home. He had secretly brought with him some revolvers and was arrested by the police in Amritsar, and sentenced to four years imprisonment under the Arms Act. On release in 1931, he returned to his native Sunam, but harassed by the local police, he once again returned to Amritsar and opened a shop as a signboard painter, assuming the name of Ram Muhammad Singh Azad. This name, which he was to use later in England, was adopted to emphasize the unity of all the religious communities in India in their struggle for political freedom.

Udham Singh was deeply influenced by the activities of Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary group. In 1935, when he was on a visit to Kashmlr, he was found carrying Bhagat Singh’s portrait. He invariably referred to him as his guru. He loved to sing political songs, and was very fond of Ram Prasad Bismal, who was the leading poet of the revolutionaries. After staying for some months in Kashmlr, Udham Singh left India. He wandered about the continent for some time, and reached England by the mid-thirties. He was on the lookout for an opportunity to avenge the Jalliavala Bagh tragedy. The long-waited moment at last came on 13 March 1940. On that day, at 4.30 p.m. in the Caxton Hall, London, where a meeting of the East India Association was being held in conjunction with the Royal Central Asian Society, Udham Singh fired five to six shots from his pistol at Sir Michael O’Dwyer, who was governor of the Punjab when the Amritsar massacre had taken place. O’Dwyer was hit twice and fell to the ground dead and Lord Zetland, the Secretary of State for India, who was presiding over the meeting was injured. Udham Singh was overpowered with a smoking revolver. He in fact made no attempt to escape and continued saying that he had done his duty by his country.

On 1 April 1940, Udham Singh was formally charged with the murder of Sir Michael O’Dwyer. On 4 June 1940, he was committed to trial, at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, before Justice Atkinson, who sentenced him to death. An appeal was filed on his behalf which was dismissed on 15 July 1940. On 31 July 1940, Udham Singh was hanged in Pentonville Prison in London.

Udham Singh was essentially a man of action and save his statement before the judge at his trial, there was no writing from his pen available to historians. Recently, letters written by him to Shiv Singh Jauhal during his days in prison after the shooting of Sir Michael O’Dwyer have been discovered and published. These letters show him as a man of great courage, with a sense of humour. He called himself a guest of His Majesty King George, and he looked upon death as a bride he was going to wed. By remaining cheerful to the last and going joyfully to the gallows, he followed the example of Bhagat Singh who had been his beau ideal. During the trial, Udham Singh had made a request that his ashes be sent back to his country, but this was not allowed. In 1975, however, the Government of India, at the instance of the Punjab Government, finally succeeded in bringing his ashes home. Lakhs of people gathered on the occasion to pay homage to his memory.

~ Source: http://www.sikh-history.com/

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