News & Update

ਕਾਹੂ ਲੈ ਪਾਹਨ ਪੂਜ ਧਰਯੋ ਸਿਰ ਕਾਹੂ ਲੈ ਲਿੰਗ ਗਰੇ ਲਟਕਾਇਓ ॥
Someone worshipped stone and placed it on his head. Someone hung the phallus (lingam) from his neck.

ਕੋਉ ਬੁਤਾਨ ਕੋ ਪੂਜਤ ਹੈ ਪਸੁ ਕੋਉ ਮ੍ਰਿਤਾਨ ਕੋ ਪੂਜਨ ਧਾਇਓ ॥
Some fool worships the idols and someone goes to worship the dead.

ਪਾਇ ਪਰੋ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਕੇ ਜੜ ਪਾਹਨ ਮੈਂ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੯੯॥
O fool! Fall at the feet of Lord-God, the Lord is not within the stone-idols.99.

ਤੇ ਭੀ ਬਸਿ ਮਮਤਾ ਹੁਇ ਗਏ ॥ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਪਾਹਨ ਠਹਿਰਏ ॥੧੩॥
They also were overpowered by `mineness` and exhibited the Lord in statues.13.

ਪਾਹਨ ਪੁਜੈ ਹੈ ਏਕ ਨ ਧਿਐ ਹੈ ਮਤ ਕੇ ਅਧਕ ਅਧੇਰਾ ॥ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕਹੁ ਤਜਿ ਹੈ ਬਿਖ ਕਹੁ ਭਜਿ ਹੈ ਸਾਝਹਿ ਕਹਹਿ ਸਵੈਰਾ ॥
Worshipping the stones, they will not meditate on the one Lord; there will be prevalent the darkness of many sects; they will desire for poison, leaving the embrosia, they will name the evening time as early-morn;

ਤਾਸ ਕਿਉ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਹੀ ਜੋ ਹੋਹਿ ਹੈ ਅਬ ਹੈ ॥ਨਿਹਫਲ ਕਾਹੇ ਭਜਤ ਪਾਹਨ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਛੁ ਫਲਿ ਦੈ ॥
Why do you not pray to Him, who will be there in future and who is there in the present? You are worshipping the stones uselessly; what will you gain by that worship?

ਅੱਛਤ ਧੂਪ ਦੀਪ ਅਰਪਤ ਹੈ ਪਾਹਨ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਖੈ ਹੈ ॥
Rice, incense and lamps are offered, but the stones do not eat anything,

Gurudwara Panjokhra Sahib is dedicated to the memory of the Eighth Guru Sri Harkrishan Sahib Ji. He visited this place on his way to Delhi. It is situated on the Ambala-Naraingarh road. The Guru during his journey from Kiratpur to Panjokhra, travelled through Ropar, Banur, Raipura and Ambala.

There lived a learned Pandit, Lal Chand by name, who was proud of his caste as well as of his learning. He came to see the Guru with devotion and asked, “It is said that you sit on the gaddi of Guru Nanak, but what do you know of the old religious books?”

By chance Chhaju Ram, an illiterate dark-skinned village water carrier happened to pass by at that moment. Guru Harkrishan asked one Dargah Mal to call him. As Chhaju Ram came, the Guru enquired if he would explain to the Pandit the gist of Bhagavad Gita. On this GURU SAHIB blessed a Deaf & Dumb told him to take a bath in a Sarovar nearby, placed a stick on his head and finally he interpreted the Bhagwad Gita. On this Padit Lal Chand asked GURU JI to forgive him for his mistake and he became a follower of GURU JI after this episode. Thereafter, he spent all his life preaching Sikhism. Both he and Chhaju Ram became the disciples of the great Guru and traveled with him up to Kurukshetra.

It is said that Pandit Lal Chand entered the fold of Khalsa, in Guru Gobind Singh’s time and took the name, Lal Singh. He met with a hero’s death fighting in the battle of Chamkaur, on December 7, 1705.

According to historical records, Guru Harkrishan on reaching village Panjokhra, made a boundary of sand and said that anyone who wanted to see him, should stand there, make his supplication and he would have his desire fulfilled. A shrine has been built at the site.

~ Source: www.historicalgurudwaras.com

A successful business man has become the second ever turbaned Sikh to be elevated to the house of lords.

Ranbir Singh Suri, having been created Baron Suri of Ealing, was introduced to the Upper House on October 13 2014, supported by Lord Popat and Lord Leigh of Hurley.

The leading UK businessman and philanthropist delivered his maiden speech in the House of Lords on January 15 as part of the debate on Mental-Healthcare provision.

Lord Suri who has lived in Ealing for 36 years has been a resident of Hanger Lane for the last 36 years. During that time he has been a magistrate (Justice of the Peace) at Ealing and Acton Magistrates Courts, (1991-2005), a probation liaison committee member at Ealing Magistrates Court (1991-1993), executive committee member with Hanger Lane Residents Association, (1988-Present), Hanger Lane (Ealing) ward committee member (1979 – Present), area co-ordinator neighbourhood watch scheme for Ealing, (1981-1982) and executive committee member for the Ealing branch of the British Heart Foundation from (1991-2012).

He said: “I had established my business in the Central London W1 in 1977, which is still running strongly from there. At that time I was living in Hounslow, Middlesex. I decide upon moving to Ealing as it was closer to the West End and made the daily commute more manageable. Ealing has always been very well connected in terms of public transport and major roadways. I found Ealing very friendly and got on well with people whether working with them in political, social and cultural fields. I’ve participated in civic and local charities, including donating £5,000 to the first Sikh Temple built in Ealing.”

“I feel humbled and honoured on being elevated to the House of Lords. With my vast experience in voluntary, public services and business, the Peerage will give me a good opportunity for serving the country through this exciting role.

“Little did I know back in 1974 when I emigrated from Kenya to the UK, that I would be bestowed with this great honour to work alongside your Lordships to continue contributing towards building a cohesive multicultural society in this country. I am the second turbaned Sikh who has been elevated to the Upper House. This great British institution has taken a praiseworthy step by bringing into its fold people of different faiths.”

He is very keen to see more people involved in the UK political system and has worked with the Conservative Party to improve its engagement with members of all minority communities.

Lord Suri started his career in Kenya as an importer of educational supplies serving the needs of schools, colleges and students in the coastal city of Mombasa.

He has held posts such as Justice of the Peace, General Commissioner of Income Tax, Middlesex Probation Committee, Home Office Advisory Council of Race Relations, Member of Board of Visitors of HM Prison Pentonville and Mentor to The Prince’s Youth Business Trust.

As a Voluntary Associate at HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs, prior to commencing his voluntary career in Probation and Magistracy Lord Suri became passionate about the importance of mental health care provision.

~ Source: www.getwestlondon.co.uk

Surrey has the largest settlement of Sikhs outside of Punjab and is among the 3 of the Top Ten Cities in the World With a Significant Sikh Population. Surrey has Sikhs as second largest religion in the City.

The City of Surrey has been named as one of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities of 2015 by New York-based think tank Intelligent Community Forum. The ICF studies the economic and social development of the 21st Century community. Its mandate is to educate communities on how to build prosperous economies, solve social problems and enrich local cultures.

“As the most rapidly growing city in the region, investing in technology and innovation is crucial to building a city that is ready for the challenges of the future,” said Mayor Linda Hepner. “The Top 7 distinction given to us is fitting as the City of Surrey has been at the forefront in our use of digital technology to foster economic, social and cultural opportunities.”

Out of more than 300 nominations, the City of Surrey is the lone Canadian city in the Top 7 list and is now in contention for the prestigious designation of ‘Intelligent Community of the Year.’ The other six cities and towns on the list include three communities from the United States, and one from Taiwan, Australia and Brazil respectively.

“This is a significant milestone for Surrey as it acknowledges that the City is on the right track with sustainable economic growth, innovative service delivery, and sound infrastructure investments,” said Councillor Bruce Hayne, Chair of the Investment and Innovation Committee.

Surrey’s progressive approach is outlined in its “Smart Surrey Strategy” which provides a framework to build a city that uses technology and innovation to transform life and work within the region. Strategy initiatives include:

• Innovation Boulevard, an agile partnership of health, business, higher education and government which is creating new health technologies to improve peoples’ lives in the areas of medical devices, independent living and digital health.
• The City is building an Organic Waste Biofuel Processing Facility which will process the city’s organic waste into a 100% renewable fuel. This fuel will then be used to power Surrey’s waste collection vehicles, creating the only sustainable closed-loop system in North America.
• Surrey City Energy has been established to implement and operate district energy systems within the City. A district energy system distributes thermal energy (i.e. heated water) by way of a common heat source and pipe system to buildings in a defined neighborhood. These systems are an efficient and effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing low GHG-emission energy sources.

~ Source: DailySikhUpdate

An incredible story of a warhorse nicknamed Sikh that survived World War 1 has come out recently and amazed the curator of the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum in Britain.

The museum now wanted to commemorate the life and contribution of the horse “that survived shellfire on the bloodied trenches”, said curator Chris Chatterton, who came across the story last week and now plans a special display of the old photo albums of Sikh and her master using the multimedia and touch-screen techniques.

Bred in Australia, the warhorse was bought to India and sold to the 36 Sikh Regiment. When the regiment was posted in China, it took the horse along, where a lieutenant of the 2nd battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment, AC Vicary, bought the charger in 1913. “It was here that the brave warhorse was nicknamed Sikh, as it was bought from Sikh Regiment,” said Chatterton.

When World War 1 broke out, the 2nd Gloucestershire Regiment was called back to Europe. The soldiers left all their horses in China, except Sikh. It was Vicary’s association with the horse that he sought a special permission to take it with him.

“In an eight-week journey by ship to Europe, the horse was kept in a makeshift open box and allowed to stretch it legs only four times when the ships stopped for refuelling,” the British museum curator added. The horse remained a true companion to Vicary in the enormous war, from the time they first landed at Ypres in Belgium in 1915. Sikh delivered supplies to the troops, carried information from the headquarters, accompanied Vicary to victory on the Serbian and Bulgarian fronts, and then proceeded to Southern Russia when the war ended.

“The Sikh became a symbol of good luck for the soldiers after the war, as it was one of the 64,000 horses out of a million (10 lakh) that took part in it and survived,” said Chatterton. After the war, the Sikh accompanied Vicary to England and both of them retired from service to spend the rest of their lives peacefully at Vicary’s hometown in Devon.

~ Source: Hindustan Times

1) Born as Ramji Das, In his early life he would travel a lot from village to village and would stay overnight at Hindu Temples. One day when he was staying at one such temple, the Brahmins told him to clean the temple and then when he had done that, they sat in front of him and ate food without offering him anything.

The next time, he took shelter at a Gurdwara and the Gurdwara’s Giani ji (“priest”) not only gave him good hot food but also a cot and a glass of milk afterwards and all without asking for any Sewa (service) for the Gurdwara. Bhai Sahib ji wrote: “Every night 25-30 travellers would come to the Gurdwara to stay; they were all served food from the common kitchen. This culture of the Gurdwaras deeply affected me”. Following this incident, Ramji Das, the Hindu, decided to take Khanda-da-Amrit and became a Khalsa Sikh in 1923.

2) Bhagat Puran Singh Ji gave total selfless service to the terminal and mentally ill patients who had been abandoned by their families.

3) He gave his life to provide the last hope for these desperate patients. It is recorded that whenever and wherever he saw a deserted dead body (human or animal), he would immediately prepare by his own hand a grave and give the corpse a deserving burial or cremation as a sign of respect for the dead body. He is recorded to have said, “Dignity in death is a birthright of each living thing.”

4) Devotion to Nishkam Seva Bhagat ji wrote: “From my childhood, my mother had asked me to do personal service to all the creations of God. This tender and distinct feelings of virtuous tasks was ingrained in my mind. My mother had taught me to provide water to the animals, plant trees and water newly planted saplings, offer feed to the Sparrows, Crows and Mynahs, pick up thorns from the paths, and remove the stones from cart tracks. This had embedded the Name of the Almighty in my heart. She had entrusted me to the custody of Gurdwara Dera Sahib and started me on a path of virtuous living. By following this path your mind can never waver.”

5) In 1947, Bhagat ji founded the institute called Pingalwara meaning “the home of the crippled” with a few discarded crippled or sick patients. The word “Pingal” means “Cripple” and “wara” mean “home”. Today, this institute which is run by Bibi Dr Inderjit Kaur cares for over 1000 patients.

6) Bhagat ji was also writer as well as publisher and an environmentalist. Bhagat Ji’s contribution in spreading awareness about the global dangers of environmental pollution, increasing soil erosion, etc are now well recognised. For his dedication and unreserved service to humanity was awarded with heaps of honours from many quarters. Prestigious among these was the Padma Shri award in 1979, which he surrendered in the wake of the army attack on the Golden Temple in 1984.

7) Service To Humanity: One day, a visitor fell from the roof of the Gurudwara and got badly injured. Bhagat Puran Singh immediately rushed him to the local ‘Mu Hospital’. Experiencing inner joy after helping the patient, he took a man with badly bleeding leg full of worms to hospital where he expressed his thanks to Bhagat Puran Singh and said,”Son! Now I can die a peaceful death.” With this incident, the service of humanity became the mission of his life. Now he would wander here and there finding the injured, physically handicapped persons and toking them to the Hospital. He also took care of them as his pocket and capability allowed. Once, he even washed the clothes of an old and poor beggar who was suffering from loose motions.

8) Carried a boy on his shoulders for 14 years. On a moonless night of the year 1934, someone left a four-year-old leper boy on the door of Gurudwara Dehra Sahib who was handed over to Bhagat Puran Singh by the then Head Granthi of the Gurudwara, Jathedar Acchar Singh after performing prayers for his well being. He named the boy Piara Singh, who was taken care of by Bhagat Puran Singh. This incident completely transformed the face of his life.

9) No permanent dwelling for 11 years. From 1947 till 1958, Bhagat Puran Singh did not get a permanent dwelling. He could be seen outside the chief Khalsa Diwan, post offices, railway stations or under the tree outside the office of the Civil Surgeon. He would wander in the streets, asking for donations to help the needy. Some people offered to help him, but most of the others kept themselves from donating towards the noble cause.

10) Spread awareness of environmental concerns. He distributed free pamphlets and books to make the people aware of the impending dangers to the environment and society through the Pingalwara Society.

~ Source: dailysikhupdates.com