Blethee Bandher (",)

Congratulations :-)

2010-01-24T21:41:00.004Z

The new year starts with lots of blessings and happiness.

Congratulations to the Durhailay family and the Bahra family, who have been blessed with a beautiful baby girl and gorgeous baby boy respectively.

Congratulations to the babies born in 2009 as well. The Assi family, Mahon family and Panesar family have been blessed with new souls born into their families.

With Guru ji's Kirpa, they will grow up to make their parents proud.

BB is back!!!

2010-01-24T21:13:00.003Z

Happy New Year to everyone....More like happy belated New Year.

Apologies for leaving this blog stagnant for such a long time, almost two years....lol...I will try to post more often from now on.

Please watch this space...... :-)

Plashet in Dublin

2008-03-12T15:45:00.001Z

(courtesy of Sikhs in Ireland)

http://sikhsinireland.blogspot.com/2007/04/visit-of-uk-singhs-to-dublin.html

Always a winner – that’s Darsh Singh, By Justin Parker

2008-03-03T10:09:00.003Z

(Taken from On Trinity Hill)

Anyone who has been to Trinity’s men’s basketball games during the past four years has probably heard fans chanting for Coach Pat Cunningham to put fan favorite Darsh Singh in the game. This season, fans haven’t had to chant for Darsh – the team co-captain has appeared in every game, and every time he plays, he makes a statement.

As a follower of the Sikh religion, Darsh speaks volumes by wearing a turban and allowing his beard to grow. In fact, it’s believed that he is the only turbaned Sikh to play in an NCAA basketball game. The Sikh faith, which is around 500 years old, has more than 23 million followers, but it remains a mystery to some Westerners.

Darsh’s appearance can sometimes bring out the worst in people. At a young age, he was forced to come to terms with the fact that his appearance made some people suspect him of being involved in terrorism. But Darsh doesn’t let it get to him. He says those very prejudices helped to solidify his faith and make him the person he is today. His statement involves one of his firmest beliefs: “If you don’t believe in what you’re doing, don’t do it.”

Darsh also involves himself in numerous groups and organizations. He is not only a basketball player for the Tigers, but he is also a resident mentor and an active member of TUVAC. He serves on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, is a part of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur and Save Darfur, and he is president of the Students Creating Awareness of the Sikh Faith. He has volunteered in various Sikh organizations in Chicago, Maryland, and Washington D.C., and is a repeat guest lecturer at a leadership development program. Darsh also was recently selected as a Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges recipient.

He is an engineering science major who is affiliated with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and who has been on the SCAC Honor Roll (minimum qualification of 3.20 GPA) for three of his four years at Trinity. Following graduation, he plans to work while he pursues his professional engineering license and then go on to get his MBA. Darsh is minoring in mathematics to prepare him for a position involving investing and budget planning, among other things.

For now, he is enjoying his time as a Trinity student. Darsh is always eager to share his beliefs with those willing to listen, and he credits the Trinity community’s support and encouragement for enhancing his college experience. He no longer notices when fans of other teams point to his “different” look. He’s too busy trying to help his team win basketball games.

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/public_relations/oth/oth-feb08/pages/student_spotlight.htm

AkhandJaap Simran Stream

2008-01-31T16:08:00.000Z

Akhand Jaap - Listen to non-stop Simran 24/7

For the next 30 days you will be able to listen to Akhand Jaap Simran recordings from previous events, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Download Winamp (free) and play the following URL:

http://akhandjaap.serverroom.us:5444/listen.pls

Please email any feedback to akhandjaap@jsbc.co.uk

Please forward this email.

Anthony Nolan Trust Register

2008-01-18T11:10:00.000Z

(from an email forward)

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your interest in the Anthony Nolan Trust (Register).

The Nishkam Civic Association as a centre for community development has been approached by a Sikh family, who is suffering from Leukaemia and urgently requires a bone marrow transplant. Mrs Lall and her family are urging the Asian community to come forward and join the register. After discussion with the Anthony Nolan Trust we feel this is an excellent initiative that we should support and assist with. The Anthony Nolan Trust will be recruiting (screening) at:

Nishkam Civic Association,

6 Soho Road, Handsworth,

Birmingham

B21 9BH

22nd January 2008 between 5pm – 8pm.

We look forward to seeing you then. Please forward this message and the attached flyer to your contacts.

For further information please go to http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk or Tel: 020 7284 1234.

Kindest regards,

NCA Team

Registered Charity No: 1100307

Company Limited No. 4378505

Happy New 2008

2008-01-02T13:37:00.000Z

Happy New 2008 to all. Hope this year brings you peace and happiness.

Will be up soon...

2007-12-20T10:30:00.000Z

Hey sorry guys. I have not been posting lately and the blog seems a bit stagnant. I have been quite busy and am sorting out some stuff. I will start to my usual blogging as soon as possible. Just wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays. Enjoy

Nairobi Smagam, 6 - 9 December 2007

2007-11-22T13:55:00.000Z

Nairobi Samagam, at Simba Union Grounds, Nairobi, during 6-9 December, with setup during 3-5 December.

Random Shabad

2007-10-26T12:54:00.000Z

rwgu DnwsrI mhlw 5
raag dhhanaasaree mehalaa 5
Raag Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehla:

<> siqgur pRswid ]
ik oa(n)kaar sathigur prasaadh ||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

hw hw pRB rwiK lyhu ]
haa haa prabh raakh laehu ||
O God, please save me!

hm qy ikCU n hoie myry sÍwmI kir ikrpw Apunw nwmu dyhu ]1] rhwau ]
ham thae kishhoo n hoe maerae svaamee kar kirapaa apunaa naam dhaehu ||1|| rehaao ||
By myself, I cannot do anything, O my Lord and Master; by Your Grace, please bless me with Your Name. ||1||Pause||

Agin kutMb swgr sMswr ]
agan kutta(n)b saagar sa(n)saar ||
Family and worldly affairs are an ocean of fire.

Brm moh AigAwn AMDwr ]1]
bharam moh agiaan a(n)dhhaar ||1||
Through doubt, emotional attachment and ignorance, we are enveloped in darkness. ||1||

aUc nIc sUK dUK ]
ooch neech sookh dhookh ||
High and low, pleasure and pain.

DRwpis nwhI iqRsnw BUK ]2]
dhhraapas naahee thrisanaa bhookh ||2||
Hunger and thirst are not satisfied. ||2||

min bwsnw ric ibKY ibAwiD ]
man baasanaa rach bikhai biaadhh ||
The mind is engrossed in passion, and the disease of corruption.

pMc dUq sMig mhw AswD ]3]
pa(n)ch dhooth sa(n)g mehaa asaadhh ||3||
The five thieves, the companions, are totally incorrigible. ||3||

jIA jhwnu pRwn Dnu qyrw ]
jeea jehaan praan dhhan thaeraa ||
The beings and souls and wealth of the world are all Yours.

nwnk jwnu sdw hir nyrw ]4]1]19]
naanak jaan sadhaa har naeraa ||4||1||19||
O Nanak, know that the Lord is always near at hand. ||4||1||19||

New Exhibition Website

2007-10-15T10:13:00.000Z

(courtesy of sikhsocs@hotmail.com)

UKPHA has produced a new on-line resource called "Empire, Faith and Kinship : Exploring 150 years of the Anglo Sikh Relationship" . This is an online exhibition with images and text that explores a fascinating relationship that has touched and shaped the lives of millions.

Through illustrations and detailed captions, the key events and people concerned are presented in eight sections, from the rise of the Sikh kingdom of Lahore in 1801 to the settling of the Sikh Diaspora in Britain in the twentieth century. Sometimes as friends, other times as foes, the Sikhs and the British have had one of the most rich and intriguing of partnerships.

http://www.efk.ukpha.org/

Meet Monty Panesar

2007-10-10T15:46:00.000Z

(courtesy of email from sikhsocs@hotmail.com)

A Fantastic new Book "Sikhs In Britain"

http://www.sikhsinbritain.com/

Meet Monty Panesar

EC3, Waterstone's Leadenhall Market. Free Book Signing

Monty Panesar

Friday 19th October at 12:00pm

Widely rated as England's best spin bowler for 30 years, the Wisden cricketer of the year will be signing copies of his autobiography 'Monty's Turn: My Story So Far'.

Waterstone's 1-3 Whittington Avenue, Leadenhall Market, London, EC3V 1PJ, (020 7220 7882)
Underground: Old Street

St Tropez aka C.B.P.T

2007-10-09T14:11:00.000Z

St Tropez is definitely a place to visit, but you need to take lots of cash with you. Need to go between June and August as that is the season or can go for the Regatta. I will be posting pictures up soon.

Belated Happy Anniversary

2007-10-09T12:35:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish Gurcharan Singh and Preetkamal Kaur a 3rd happy belated anniversary.

YOUR AGE BY EATING OUT

2007-09-25T14:16:00.000Z

(courtesy of email from Sanjiv)

Don't tell me your age; you probably would tell a falsehood anyway-but your waiter may know!

YOUR AGE BY DINER & RESTAURANT MATH

This is pretty neat.

DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!

It takes less than a minute.
Work this out as you read ...
Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!
This is not one of those waste of time things, it's fun.

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to go out to eat.
(more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1757 ....
If you haven't, add 1756.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number

The first digit of this was your original number
(I.e., how! Many times you want to go out to restaurants in a week.)

The next two numbers are

YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)

THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2007) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO SPREAD IT AROUND WHILE IT LASTS

Sanja Smagam - 20th October 2007

2007-09-24T10:16:00.000Z

kljug mih kIrqnu prDwnw ]
gurmuiK jpIAY lwie iDAwnw ]
Awip qrY sgly kul qwry hir drgh piq isau jwiedw ]6]

Kaljug Mei Keertan Pardhana, Gurmukh Japie Lai Diyana
Esa Keertan Kar Man Mere, Eha Uha Jo Kam Tere
Sevi Satgur Apna, Har Simri Dins Sabh Rehn.

Aye Mil Gursikh Aye Mil, Tun Mere Guru Ke Pyare

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,
Khalsa Jio,
With Maharaj Ji's blessings, the 2007 Sanjha Akhand Keertan Smagam will be held in Birmingham on Saturday 20th October 2007 to coincide with the 299th Gurgaddi Divas of Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Address of venue:

Nishkam Educational & Cultural Centre (NECC)
Great King street
Hockley
Birmingham
West Midlands
B19 3AS

Supporting Organisations:
Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha
Akhand Kirtani Jatha UK
Damdami Taksal UK
Nanaksar Sampardai
Nihang Singh Jathebandia

Keertania invited from all jathe.

Random Shabadh

2007-09-20T12:27:00.000Z

This Shabad is by Guru Raam Daas Ji in Raag Gauree on Pannaa 167

gauVI bYrwgix mhlw 4 ]

gourree bairaagan mehalaa 4 ||

Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehla:

hmrY min iciq hir Aws inq ikau dyKw hir drsu qumwrw ]

hamarai man chith har aas nith kio dhaekhaa har dharas thumaaraa ||

Within my conscious mind is the constant longing for the Lord. How can I behold the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, Lord?

ijin pRIiq lweI so jwxqw hmrY min iciq hir bhuqu ipAwrw ]

jin preeth laaee so jaanathaa hamarai man chith har bahuth piaaraa ||

One who loves the Lord knows this; the Lord is very dear to my conscious mind.

hau kurbwnI gur Awpxy ijin ivCuiVAw myilAw myrw isrjnhwrw ]1]

ho kurabaanee gur aapanae jin vishhurriaa maeliaa maeraa sirajanehaaraa ||1||

I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has re-united me with my Creator Lord; I was separated from Him for such a long time! ||1||

myry rwm hm pwpI srix pry hir duAwir ]

maerae raam ham paapee saran parae har dhuaar ||

O my Lord, I am a sinner; I have come to Your Sanctuary, and fallen at Your Door, Lord.

mqu inrgux hm mylY kbhUM ApunI ikrpw Dwir ]1] rhwau ]

math niragun ham maelai kabehoo(n) apunee kirapaa dhhaar ||1|| rehaao ||

My intellect is worthless; I am filthy and polluted. Please shower me with Your Mercy sometime. ||1||Pause||

hmry Avgux bhuqu bhuqu hY bhu bwr bwr hir gxq n AwvY ]

hamarae avagun bahuth bahuth hai bahu baar baar har ganath n aavai ||

My demerits are so many and numerous. I have sinned so many times, over and over again. O Lord, they cannot be counted.

qUM guxvMqw hir hir dieAwlu hir Awpy bKis lYih hir BwvY ]

thoo(n) gunava(n)thaa har har dhaeiaal har aapae bakhas laihi har bhaavai ||

You, Lord, are the Merciful Treasure of Virtue. When it pleases You, Lord, You forgive me.

hm AprwDI rwKy gur sMgqI aupdysu dIE hir nwmu CfwvY ]2]

ham aparaadhhee raakhae gur sa(n)gathee oupadhaes dheeou har naam shhaddaavai ||2||

I am a sinner, saved only by the Company of the Guru. He has bestowed the Teachings of the Lord's Name, which saves me. ||2||

qumry gux ikAw khw myry siqgurw jb guru bolh qb ibsmu hoie jwie ]

thumarae gun kiaa kehaa maerae sathiguraa jab gur boleh thab bisam hoe jaae ||

What Glorious Virtues of Yours can I describe, O my True Guru? When the Guru speaks, I am transfixed with wonder.

hm jYsy AprwDI Avru koeI rwKY jYsy hm siqguir rwiK lIey Cfwie ]

ham jaisae aparaadhhee avar koee raakhai jaisae ham sathigur raakh leeeae shhaddaae ||

Can anyone else save a sinner like me? The True Guru has protected and saved me.

qUM guru ipqw qUMhY guru mwqw qUM guru bMDpu myrw sKw sKwie ]3]

thoo(n) gur pithaa thoo(n)hai gur maathaa thoo(n) gur ba(n)dhhap maeraa sakhaa sakhaae ||3||

O Guru, You are my father. O Guru, You are my mother. O Guru, You are my relative, companion and friend. ||3||

jo hmrI ibiD hoqI myry siqgurw sw ibiD qum hir jwxhu Awpy ]

jo hamaree bidhh hothee maerae sathiguraa saa bidhh thum har jaanahu aapae ||

My condition, O my True Guru - that condition, O Lord, is known only to You.

hm rulqy iPrqy koeI bwq n pUCqw gur siqgur sMig kIry hm Qwpy ]

ham rulathae firathae koee baath n pooshhathaa gur sathigur sa(n)g keerae ham thhaapae ||

I was rolling around in the dirt, and no one cared for me at all. In the Company of the Guru, the True Guru, I, the worm, have been raised up and exalted.

DMnu DMnu gurU nwnk jn kyrw ijqu imilAY cUky siB sog sMqwpy ]4]5]11]49]

dhha(n)n dhha(n)n guroo naanak jan kaeraa jith miliai chookae sabh sog sa(n)thaapae ||4||5||11||49||

Blessed, blessed is the Guru of servant Nanak; meeting Him, all my sorrows and troubles have come to an end. ||4||5||11||49||

Valencia - September 2007

2007-09-12T13:09:00.000Z

On the 8th of September 2007, a few of us went to Valencia for a Weekend break. I will be posting shortly a few pictures from our trip to Valencia.

Watch this space......

Day in Pictures

2007-09-06T16:18:00.000Z

(courtesy of BBC website)An Indian man works on a handwritten version of the holy book of the Sikh religion. He began work three years ago.

This is featured on the BBC's website. It is the third picture in the list.

Will be posting soon...

2007-09-03T13:49:00.001Z

I haven't posted for quite a bit now as I have been busy/lazy. I assure all of you that I will be posting very soon.

Watch this space. :-)

Comments on Bad Customer Service

2007-08-15T12:52:00.000Z

(From G-Singh's Blog)

These are some of the comments on G Singh's blog that people have left about the bad customer service he has received from KC Group in West London.

Anonymous said...

that so poor!

14 August 2007 07:22

Kamal said...

Just typical - never trust an Indian!

14 August 2007 08:32

Anonymous said...

You spent £2,500 for this pile of ****??!!!!!!!

This company needs a kick up their ***!!!!

14 August 2007 09:04

Anonymous said...

They need to go down for this. Need to be shut down.

14 August 2007 09:16

Anonymous said...

thats a whole lot of rubbish i am going to report this to watchdog or which magazine.

14 August 2007 09:36

Anonymous said...

Even my cheap Argos ones are better than this!

14 August 2007 10:02

Anonymous said...

That is terrible! I was looking fit out 2 of our bedrooms and believe it or not KC group was a company I was going to call for quotations......I'll scrub them off the list right away!

Companys like this should not be able to get away with shoddy customer service - go to Watchdog regardless of whether they fix your existing merchandise.

15 August 2007 02:00

Peter Atkins said...

Lord only knows how many customers have been fobbed off in the past - thank goodness for people like you who have the guts to take some action against dodgy outfits like this!

Well done!

15 August 2007 03:41

Bad Customer Service

2007-08-14T14:50:00.000Z

(from G-Singh's Blog)

Hello all,

We have had really bad service from this company so I have decided to put up my dealings with them on the internet; I have called them to give them the address to the site. Im hoping this will get them to do something for us and warn other potential customers of what they can expect from this company.

It would be great if you can forward to your friends and leave comments to support us on the blog too.

www.donotbuykc.blogspot.com

Power to the people!

Gurcharan S Durhailay

Bad Experiences with KC Group

2007-08-14T14:25:00.000Z

(From G-Singh's Blog)
Do not buy anything from the KC group, west London

Where do I begin, I think the pictures do all the talking. Just over three years ago I decided to get some fitted wardrobes im my room to create some storage for my wife to be at the time.

After going to a few companies and receiving quotes I decided to go with the quote from the KC Group who are a fitted cupboard specialist based in Hounslow West London.

The KC Group already had fitted wardrobes in two rooms of my uncles house and were recommended by a friend of the family who had a some rooms fitted prior.

The local fitter and agent for the KC Group was an eager and friendly chap, Mr R, obviously a salesman sweetening the client. At this point there were no signs that the company would refuse any sort of customer service in the future. We decided to have fitted cupboards with internal drawers, a dresser and mirror and a pair of bedside cabinets made at the cost of about £2500.

Click here to read more...

New Blog - http://sikhtalk.blogspot.com/

2007-08-13T12:04:00.001Z

I just wanted to let you all know about this new blog that G-Singh has started. It is quite funny and I think it has the potential to be a popular blog among the blogger community. Just click on the link to go to the new blog http://sikhtalk.blogspot.com/

Joke - Job Interview

2007-07-31T08:51:00.000Z

(Email from Sandeep)

An office manager was given the task of hiring an individual to fill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of resumes he found four people who were equally qualified.

He decided to call the four in and ask them only one question. Their answer would determine which of them would get the job. The day came and as the four sat around the conference room table the interviewer asked:

"What is the fastest thing you know of?"

Acknowledging the first man (A WHITE MAN), on his right, the man replied, "A THOUGHT. It just pops into your head. There's no warning that it's on the way.. it's just there. A thought is the fastest thing I know of."

"That's very good!" replied the interviewer.

"And now you sir?" he asked the second man (A COLOURED MAN). "Hmm....let me see. A blink! It comes and goes and you don't know that it ever happened. A BLINK is the fastest thing I know of."

"Excellent!" said the interviewer. "The blink of an eye ... that's a very popular cliché! For speed."

He then turned to the third man (A BLACK MAN) who was contemplating his reply."Well, out at my dad's FARM, you step out of the house and on the wall there's a light switch. When you flip that switch.... way out across the pasture the light in the barn comes on in less than an instant. TURNING ON A LIGHT is the fastest thing I can think of."

"The interviewer was very impressed with the third answer and thought he had found his man. "It's hard to beat the speed of light" He said. Turning to the fourth and final man (AN INDIAN ), the interviewer posed the same question.

"It's obvious to me that the fastest thing known is DIARRHEA." "WHAT!?" said the interviewer, stunned by the response. "Oh I can explain." said the fourth man. "You see the other day I wasn't feeling so good and I ran for the bathroom.

But, before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT , I had already shit my pants!"

HE GOT THE JOB

Happy 30 Birthday Jagdeep Singh ji

2007-07-24T09:28:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish a Happy 30th Birthday to one of the buffest dads out there, Bhai Jagdeep Singh ji. Hope you had a good time and hope you continue to have a joyful life ahead. I hope there are plenty of cakes coming my way :-).

Seeking out a Sikh with a tale to tell

2007-07-23T10:27:00.000Z

(Courtesy of Sikh Sangat News)

IT'S a fair bet that none of the Tour players who felt frustrated and sorry for themselves at The K Club yesterday have been forced to run for their life from a massacre.

Such was the fate of a gracious and dignified elderly gentleman named Milkha Singh who was in the gallery yesterday watching his son, Jeev Milkha Singh, playing alongside Pádraig Harrington and Soren Hansen.

Milkha stood out from the crowd as he was wearing the turban of his Sikh faith, but the golf fans following the group had no idea they were in the company of a remarkable man.

He was just a teenager living in a remote village of what became Pakistan following partition in post-colonial India when the madness came to his home.

Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs were stirred to bloody strife and Milkha's parents and other family members were slaughtered in a pogrom.

"That night I lost my my parents, three of my brothers, my sisters, all of them were killed.

"I managed to run away in the darkness when the killing went on. Almost 4,000 men, women and children were killed in my area. It was madness at that time," he said.

He found himself a refugee in India but from tragedy Milkha made his life a great success when he was introduced to running after joining the army.

There was no coaching, he ran barefoot, and knew nothing of Olympic Games, Asian Games or anything else about the sport, but Milkha Singh went on to become a hero in his country as an Olympian.

He ran in the Olympic Games at Melbourne, Rome, and Tokyo, and earned the nickname of "The Flying Sikh" for his athletic exploits.

Sadly, although he set a World record in the 440-metre preliminaries in Rome, he was to lose out on an Olympic medal by a fraction of a second, as the first four finished virtually in a dead heat and were separated only on a photo-finish.

Milkha, somewhat reluctantly, took up golf when his running days were over and though he got to single figures and still plays five days a week, at one stage he decreed that his son Jeev should concentrate on his studies and become an engineer or a doctor instead of a career in sport.

But now, at almost 80 years of age, sprightly Milkha delights in the success of Jeev and last year, took his son to, of all places, the Morton Stadium in Santry for an emotional return after 48 years.

Milkha had won Gold in the Commonwealth Games 440 yards at Cardiff in 1958 and was brought to Dublin by the late, great Billy Morton for the international athletics meeting which opened the new cinder track at Santry.

'I knelt down and touched the track. It had changed but the stadium was not so different'It proved to be an epic evening in front of a huge crowd. The feature race was the mile, in which Herb Elliott broke the world record by 2.7 seconds and the first five, including our own Melbourne '56 gold medal winner Ronnie Delany, all beat four minutes.

Milkha Singh won the 440 yards race on that memorable night and still treasures his medal.

The track is a modern synthetic surface now, justifying in one respect Billy Morton's proud boast to the press after the '58 event that "Gentlemen, grass is on the way out!"

Said Milkha: "I knelt down and touched the track. It had changed but the stadium was not so different. It was a very emotional moment. I told my son 'I ran here in 1958'.

"That brought special memories back to me."

Milkha and his wife Nirmal delight in the success of their son and the family has gained an unique honour: back in '58 Milkha was awarded the equivalent of a knighthood in India for his sporting exploits and son Jeev has been given the same honour, the "Padma Shri" after his four international wins last year, including the Volvo Masters.

Happy Belated Birthday Kiran

2007-07-17T10:00:00.000Z

Happy Belated Birthday Kiran. I know it is a bit late to wish you, but better late than never. Hope you had a great day and continue to enjoy life as you have been doing. I will be expecting some cake at some point. Don't forget to do your Riaz. Enjoy your trip to Canada and Malaysia.

Put on your Aprons - Eggless Donuts

2007-07-13T08:14:00.000Z

EGGLESS DOUGHNUTS By Manpreet Kaur from Germany

INGREDIENTS

Maida 2 heaped cups+ ¼cup
Milk Slghtly less than 1 cup
Salted butter ¼ cup
Fresh yeast 1 tbsp
Baking powder ¾ tsp
Powdered sugar ½cup
Salt, sugar, any jam, oil to fry

Method:

Heat the milk & pour over 1/4 cup sugar & 1/4 cup salted butter.
Let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile add 1 tbsp fresh yeast with little sugar to 1/4 cup warm water & sprinkle 1/2 tsp maida & keep for 10 mts.
Add this & 2 cups maida to milk mixture.
Beat well after each cup.
Let rise until double in bulk.
Now add 3/4 tsp salt&3/4 tsp baking powder to 1/4 cup maida, mix well & add to the dough.
Let rise again.
Roll, make small balls with a little jam inside.
Deep fry & coat with powdered sugar.

Gursikhs - Sant Sohan Singh ji

2007-07-09T01:03:00.000Z

(courtesy of Lakhvir Singh & Gurudwara Sahib Melaka)

Sant Sohan Singh, who left his mortal body in 1972 in Kuala Lampur, was a common man like any other Sikh hailing from a remote village in the Punjab. Over the years he so developed himself spiritually and so endeared himself to the Sikhs in Malaya and Singapore, that he became an institution by himself. He was head and shoulders above the average Sikh not only in matters spiritual but also in physical stature. Yet he moved about among them unassumingly, claiming no better place than the commonest of them and using no high sounding language to impress them with the spiritual stature he had attained.

Click here to read more...

Happy Birthday Sangreen

2007-07-06T10:02:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish Sangreen a very colourful and joyful Happy Birthday. Hope you continue to enjoy life as you have done till now. Sangreen also bakes very delicious cakes, so if you have any orders please don't hesitate to forward them here.

Happy Birthday Jazz & Randy

2007-07-06T08:49:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish Randeep and Jaspal a joint Happy Birthday. Hope you have/had a great day and continue to enjoy your success as you did before. BTW, both of these boys are single, so if there are any offers please feel free to leave a comment.

Hot New Spin - Chilli &Lemon

2007-07-05T09:18:00.001Z

(Courtesy of Northampton Chronicle)

Monty Panesar, England's first ever Sikh cricketer, is spearheading the introduction of new Walkers Chilli & Lemon flavour crisps, created specifically to appeal to the UK's South Asian communities and featuring a unique Asian-inspired pack design.COMING SOON: The HOT NEW SPIN on Walkers Crisps ...Chilli & Lemon flavour

New Site on the Block - Sikh Roots

2007-07-03T08:32:00.000Z

www.SikhRoots.com

Thanks to Randeep, I just found out that there is a new site on the web that will have a huge impact on us as 'ektaone' had over the past few years. Just wanted to thank the developers of the site for taking their time and effort for us. I also wanted to share this with probably the one user that views this blog.

Interview with Tarawati Sofat, Nairobi

2007-06-27T11:09:00.000Z

(Courtesy of Sevatothemax.com)
Yes, this is a photograph of Babaji. That's how we called him, 'Honoured Father'. His proper name was Puran Singh. He lived in Kericho where he had a furniture-making business. How did we meet? My late husband Baburam Sofat, who had come to Kenya when he was fifteen, worked in the Labour Department for 40 years! He would go to Kisumu and Kericho to give out pay. He met Puran Singh in Kericho and by 1942 they were fast friends. No, my husband was not a Sikh like myself, he was a Hindu Punjabi. He was an astrologer and palmist, so he was known as Jyotshiji. He had very many people coming to him. Even many Europeans. They were crazy about him. He'd be busy from morning until 6 pm. He didn't charge when he started. He wrote to his Guru (in India) about this. The Guru, Swami somebody, allowed him to charge 20/-. When my husband first met Babaji, he said to him, 'I want to read your hand.' When he saw Babaji's hand lines he said, 'You are a saint.' But nobody' else knew it.

For full article, click here - sevatothemax.com

Happy Belated Birthday Dharam Joda Singh ji

2007-06-25T12:29:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish Bhai Dharam Joda Singh ji(Shastar) a happy belated birthday who turned 27 on 20th June 2007. Hope you had a great time and may this year be as successful as was the last for you. Take care and be good. Three cheers for Dharam, "Heep Heep...Hurray!!! x3". Dharam is blessed with an amazing voice and can 'bring the house down' when doing kirtan with his melodious voice.

Article on Makindu Gurudwara by Lakhvir Singh

2007-06-25T09:59:00.000Z

(Courtesy of Lakhvir Singh, Nairobi,Kenya)

Sikh Temple Makindu was built in 1926, though its roots are believed to have been present way before then. When the Uganda Railway was completed in 1902 at Port Florence (which is now Kisumu, Kenya), Makindu played a prominent role as a service point on the railway's advance from Mombasa . Dozens of artisans and train drivers were Sikhs and the station at Makindu became a place of religious fervour. Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims would gather together in the evenings and sing the praises of God. They did so under a tree, the spot where the current Gurudwara now stands. It is also believed that the Gurudwara was funded by non-Sikhs along with Sikhs.In the years before 1926, the Gurudwara was a tin-roof little hut where the Sikhs used to pray everyday, and the Guru Guru Granth Sahib was housed there. But when the Railway moved on from Makindu, the service point went into disuse and became unimportant. The Sikhs naturally moved along too, leaving the tiny Gurudwara behind, under the watchful eye of an African servant who would clean the Gurudwara. Sikh devotees who passed along the Gurudwara would leave offerings of money by dropping it through the locked Gurudwara's window.As the years rolled on and the Railway complete, the Sikhs settled in Kenya. Slowly, they began to contemplate the idea of reviving the small Gurudwara in Makindu. Akhand Paths began to be organised on regular weekends, with families travelling 200 miles or so, in rough murram red-soil earth. There, they would gather and pray, prepare langar and socialise. Over the years, the Gurudwara began to be developed. It is in 1926 that a solid foundation was laid. The Gurudwara then became a fully-functional one - with a langar hall, prayer hall and tiny rooms of accommodation for the gyanis and sevadaars of the Gurudwara. It also began to provide free food and rest for weary travellers who would stop by at the Gurudwara for a night or two on their journeys to and from Nairobi and Mombasa.

Legend have been connected to this magnificent Gurudwara. It has truly been referred to as the 'Harmandir Sahib' of Africa. It is so amazing that even now, as i pen these lines, an electric current runs through me, just thinking about the power of that Gurudwara.

A copy of the Guru Granth Sahib that survived a mysterious fire which burnt down the whole Gurudwara (probably before 1926) is still there today. I was fortunate to obtain the darshan of the Guru Granth Sahib at a Sikh's residence in Mombasa. On it's first page, the then-Granthi of the Gurudwara recorded, in his own handwriting, exactly what had happened that day, and how miraculously, the Guru Granth Sahib was untouched by the tragedy to the Gurudwara.An African sevadaar of the Gurudwara once claimed that he saw, in the night awoken from his sleep, a figure on a white horse. The horseman approached him and spoke to him, telling him not to speak to anyone about the incident of his visit. The startled and shaken man could not believe his eyes and was so scared that he he told the first person he saw the following morning. Asked who the man on the horse was, the African man pointed to a painting of Guru Gobind Singh which was displayed in the Gurudwara and said, 'That was him! Exactly like the was is there and so was the white horse!' The incident spread through the Sikh community like wild fire and soon people began to come more often to the Gurudwara, regardless of the miles that separated them from it. The incident also prompted the Sant Baba Puran Singh Kerichowale (founder, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha) to lead Gursikhs to gather at the Gurudwara regularly, and serve it by prayer, langar and cleaning. The Gurudwara had been almost forgotten and neglected when Guru Gobind Singh's incident occurred.That was not the only incident of the darshan of Guru Gobind Singh at Makindu Sahib. People claim to have have heard, in the silent of night, to have heard the approach of horses, just outside the Gurudwara. The sounds were akin to an army, stopping for the night. They claimed that they heard sounds of a kitchen being put in place, like langar was being prepared. Evidently, the incident was believed to be another darshan of the Guru, stopping by the shrine.
In yet another event, an amazing first-time encounter happened with a member of the Istri Sabha during the early years of the Gurudwara. A lady who was reading the Guru Granth Sahib in the night, lit by only a kerosene lamp (there was no electricity there then), witnessed in the shadow falling on the Guru Granth Sahib. The figure, she recalled, was of someone doing the 'chaur' over the Sikh Scriptures. The figure was, by description, none other than Guru Gobind Singh.The Gurudwara today is among one of the most unique and beautiful ones outside India . Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike describe the same feeling when they step into the Gurudwara - that of peace. It is an indescribable peace and bliss. A aging European stranger i met at an art exhibition just the other day, began talking to me about the Gurudwara when she saw me wearing a branded jacket of the Gurudwara. 'Oh, I've been there,' she told me, 'a beautiful temple, i must say.' She explained how a decade ago, she had stopped there for the night on her journey from Mombasa back to Nairobi, and said she had never felt so peaceful in her life before. She even felt the presence of someone seated in the passenger seat as she prepared to drive on the following morning. 'I'm not sure who that was, but I am certain there was someone there,' she explained. 'I didn't get scared, though, I took it as a good omen, like someone was keeping a protective watch over me as i embarked on my journey.'Like this lady, there are thousands of people who stop by the Gurudwara on their journeys along the busy Mombasa Highway. The Gurudwara attracts people of all races and colour - Hindus, Muslims and Christians. They all drive in like it was home. They always find a meal waiting for them and accommodation to take rest in. They feel no discrimination, or even the slightest hesitation that they are walking through a Sikh temple. It's a power there, I believe, that brings them here - a power that sees no differences. All feel the same bliss, as though they are visiting a Sikh Temple, but walking through God's very own garden.
As for the Sikhs, it is a favoured Gurudwara. Politics have not touched this Gurudwara. Here, even the Managing Committees have been known to be part of the sangat and sevadaars. Every weekend, there is someone or the other, making their journey to pay their homage to the Gurudwara, or simply to be at one with the Guru. Whole families travel there, unlike witnessed in Nairobi. Sikhs from not only all over Kenya, but from as far as Uganda and Tanzania who make regular trips to this beautiful Gurudwara, built on the common African soil. It is to be believed by the individual, and there are plenty of testimonies, that whatever one asks for at this Gurudwara, it is granted. Wishes have come true, prayers have been answered, if you come with a clean heart, cloaked in humility. Akhand Paths are regularly done there, and requests come from as far away fro Europe and Australia where ex-Kenya Sikhs are now settled, and yet remember the beloved Gurudwara they had to leave behind. Had it been in their grasp, they surely would have taken it with them!
The setting of this Gurudwara is indeed a wonder. It is set in the wilderness, deep in the wild. Settlement has only recently sprang up around the Gurudwara. It is about 200 kilometers from Nairobi and yet you will find Sikhs gathering at the Gurudwara almost every weekend. Here they spend the whole day, resting, praying and simply witnessing the still air in its extremely well-kept gardens. Right across the road is the new Sikh Hospital - Mata Veera Kaur Hospital - which is a community establishment, serving the locals who have no immediate professional health care for hundreds of miles around.
On my most recent visit there in 2001, I could see the Gurudwara through the thorn bushes at the Railway Station. The sight was one to behold. There, right before you was a white structure, in the midst of all the browns and greens of the wilderness, standing tall, yet humble. The Gurudwara stands like the lotus flower that grows in the mud. The only was to describe the sight when I saw it was 'Bliss in the Bush'.

A note to make here is that there not a single Sikh family resident in Makindu and yet the Gurudwara continues to flourish, through the goodwill of non-Sikhs, the devotion on its Sikhs and abundant blessings of the Guru, who ceaselessly watches over this shrine that was built on the foundation of sincere faith, love and dedication to the WORD of GOD. And yes, do visit this Gurudwara, no matter what part of the world you come from, and you will experience all that we have, and who knows, the Guru awaits you too!

Lakhvir Singh, NAIROBI, KENYA
Read the full article: www.sikhnet. com
Some pictures taken from www.sikhiwiki.com

Trekking with the Singhs - Dublin, April 2007

2007-06-22T15:27:00.000Z

I know its been a while since I written anything about our hockey trip, but as they say, better late than never. During the Easter weekend, Plashet HC drove across to Dublin to play in the Corinthians Hockey Tournament. We all stayed at Dublin Internation Hostel thanks to Daljeet Cheema. All sleeping in one room, in bunk beds, one can imagine the amount of 'pange' that a bunch of boys can get up to. I would even talk about the smell..lol

I have to admit that it was a great choice to stay as we had the chance to bond with each other and get on each others nerves. Not to mention AJ's flaky feet or Tej's sleepathon. During this trip, we managed to find a Gurudwara, Guru Nanak Darbar, in Dublin to thank guru ji for a successful trip. We were well looked after by the local 'sangat'. It happened to be a public holiday and the birthday of one of the local lads. As a treat, the 'sangat' had made 'alloo wale prontey' for breakfast and mushy paneer, egg plant 'subji' and yogurt for lunch. It was definitely a delight after having to eat junk food for 3 days.

As we had some time to kill before our ferry back to England, the local lads decide to take us out to do some sight seeing. They were all really kind people and took us to a place where we would never had thought to go. I managed to take some videos of the trekking we done with the singhs in Dublin.

In the video above you can see that the nerves kicking in when just about to go down the cliff.

To be continued...

Panesar climbs to new career high

2007-06-21T15:55:00.000Z

(Courtesy of BBC Sport)

England's Monty Panesar has broken into the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time after his superb display in the victory over West Indies.

The left-arm spinner, 25, took 5-46 to help set up England's seven-wicket win and finish the series as England's man of the series with 23 wickets.

click here to read more...

Fauja Singh ji in Edinburgh 2006

2007-06-20T10:59:00.000Z

A collage of pictures that I took at the marathon.

In the above picture from you can see the group having a picture taken by one of the press photographers. I thought I would seize the opportunity and pretend to be a paparazzi by getting a few shots for myself.
Above is a picture of myself with my Kenyan Brothers. The one wearing a grey top at the left won the race in 2hrs 11 minutes while the others came second and third places.
Above is a picture from left to right : Myself, Karnel Singh, Fauja Singh, Nirmal Singh. This was taken by a press photographer as we were going to the car. It was a great day and was really good to see the amount of respect that other non sikhs have for Fauja Singh ji.
Fauja Singh ji and Ajit Singh ji having a bite to eat after the long run. It was really hot outside and it was really nice to sit in the shade after the long run while helping ourselves to delicious snacks courtesy of the organisers to their VIP guests.

Here is a video I discovered from the archives of Fauja Singh ji(96) running in the Edinburgh Marathon. It was a relay race which included other great sikh runners ; Ajit Singh ji(76), Amrik Singh ji(75), Karnel Singh ji(?) and one other whose name I cannot remember. Their combined age was over 400 years.

In the video you will see running along side Fauja Singh ji are Harmander Singh ji who is his personal trainer and Sulakhan Singh ji who is a regular runner of Team Fauja. Sulakhan Singh ji ran the full marathon in 4 hours 30 minutes where he caught up with the other two and finished the race in style.

Scottish Trip May 2007 Cont...

2007-06-20T10:43:00.000Z

So here are a couple more videos that I managed to upload from our Scottish trip in May of 2007. as we were cycling up one of the mountains in the Nevis range, we came across a herd of sheep. As I was equipped with only my phone , took a video on my phone. The second video is of the room I stayed at in Fort William.

To be continued...

Lisbon March 2007 Cont..

2007-06-18T16:50:00.000Z

I am just in the process of uploading videos I took in Lisbon from our trip in March. I know its been a while, but hopefully will share them with you slowly. I do recall the trip being lots of fun and it is always an honour to be around Bhai Fauja Singh ji.

Smashing on Wii

2007-06-14T21:52:00.000Z

The video below is of Indie P and Jatlee having a smashing session of Nitento Wii tennis. The video is slightly dark as the lighting was quite poor. As you might know, I am known for taking videos on my phone, so I do apologise for the poor quality of the video.

Scottish Trip May 2007

2007-06-14T21:20:00.000Z

I will be posting a few videos of when Binda, Bindi and myself went to Scotland in May 2007 and stayed at Fort William. The quality of the videos is not that great as I was using my mobile to take them.

to be continued...

Happy Birthday Davinder Singh!

2007-06-14T13:30:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish Davinder Singh Ji (Boldielox) a 30+ Happy Birthday. Now you can enjoy the joys of becoming old and bald. Hope you have a good time. ENjoy!

Shabad

2007-06-12T16:07:00.000Z

kabeer thoo(n) thoo(n) karathaa thoo hooaa mujh mehi rehaa n hoo(n) jab aapaa par kaa mitt gaeiaa jath dhaekho thath thoo 204

Kabeer, repeating, ""You, You"", I have become like You. Nothing of me remains in myself.When the difference between myself and others is removed, then wherever I look, I see only You. 204

Fruits of Working Hard

2007-06-08T10:32:00.000Z

If you hold onto your dreams for long enough, they just might end up coming true. A rikshawala's son does not necessarily have to be a rikshawala. Click here for full details

Jakara 2007 - Fresno, Cali: 21-24 June

2007-06-07T08:49:00.000Z

Join us at the 8th annual Jakara Sikh Youth Conference as we remember, revisit, and reignitethe spirit of the ‘Sarbat Khalsa: Discord in Harmony’.

Danger - Be Aware

2007-06-06T13:56:00.000Z

Just wanted to congradulate Jatinder Singh ( Jatlee) on passing his driving test. I also wanted to warn everyone about the new terror allowed to roam the streets of Britain. Keep a fair distance whenever Jatlee is driving... (only Joking)

Enjoy and drive safely. Will be waiting for the road trip to Rockys :-)

Few Jokes

2007-06-06T12:34:00.000Z

An Indian found the answer to the most difficult question ever -

What will come first, Chicken or egg?

O Yaar, what ever U order first, will come first.

A teacher told all students in a class to write an essay on a cricket match. All were busy writing except one. He wrote "DUE TO RAIN, NO MATCH!"

A person went into the office kitchen one morning and found a girl painting the walls. She was wearing a new fur coat and a nice denim jacket. Thinking this was a little strange, he asked her why she was wearing them rather than old clothes or an overall. She showed him the instructions on the tin, "For Best Results put onTwo Coats"

A man was drawing money from ATM, The person behind him in the line said, "Ha! Ha! Haaa! I've seen ur password. Its 4 asterisks (****). " The first person replies, "Ha! Ha! Haaa! U R wrong, Its 1258"

Shabad

2007-06-04T13:38:00.000Z

This Shabad is by Guru Angad Dev Ji in Raag Aasaa on Pannaa 463

mehalaa 2
jae so cha(n)dhaa ougavehi sooraj charrehi hajaar eaethae chaanan hodhiaaa(n) gur bin ghor a(n)dhhaar 2

Second Mehla:
If a hundred moons were to rise, and a thousand suns appeared,even with such light, there would still be pitch darkness without the Guru. 2

Heart Attacks and drinking Warm Water

2007-05-25T16:03:00.000Z

This is from an email I received ealier today from Rajinder Singh.

This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about heart attacks. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.

A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this & Send to a friend. It could save a life. So, please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.

Belated Happy Birthday

2007-05-21T10:06:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish Preet ( Himmat's Sister) a happy belated birthday. Hope you had a good time and enjoyed yourself. It was a good evening at chandni chownk restaurant and the food was delicious. Will be awaiting the cake that I didn't have enough of.

Mars bars get veggie status back!

2007-05-21T09:36:00.000Z

(post taken from BBC website)

Good news for those people who eat eggs but not animals.

Mars has abandoned plans to use animal products in its chocolate, and has apologised to "upset" vegetarians.

The firm had said it would change the whey used in some of its products from a vegetarian source to one with traces of the animal enzyme, rennet. The Vegetarian Society organised a campaign against the move, asking members to voice their concerns to parent company Masterfoods.

Mars said it became "very clear, very quickly" that it had made a mistake.

In just one week, more than 6,000 people bombarded the company, which produces the Mars, Snickers, Maltesers and Galaxy brands, with phone and e-mail complaints. Forty MPs also signed a petition to voice their opposition. Fiona Dawson, managing director of Mars UK, said the company had listened to customers and decided to reverse its decision.

"The consumer is our boss and we had lots of feedback from consumers who were unhappy about the change," Ms Dawson said.

"It became very clear, very quickly that we had made a mistake, for which I am sorry.

"There are three million vegetarians in the UK and not only did we disappoint them, but we upset a lot of the consumers."

'Principled decision'

The Vegetarian Society had called the move by Mars "incomprehensible" and "a backward step" at a time when consumers were increasingly concerned about "the provenance of their food".

"We are very pleased that they now recognise the importance of integrity to all their customers, especially vegetarians." Dr Annette PinnerVegetarian Society

Mars replied that, by admitting its products were no longer suitable for "extremely strict vegetarians", it was making a "principled decision".

Now it insists it will begin changing its recipes back immediately. Dr Annette Pinner, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said she was pleased Mars had been "honest enough" to admit it had "made a mistake".

"A Masterfoods representative has made contact with us and we are very pleased that they now recognise the importance of integrity to all their customers, especially vegetarians," she added.
Rennet is extracted from calves' stomachs and was to have been used in the ice cream versions of all Masterfoods' bars too.

CrackPot

2007-05-18T10:12:00.000Z

I got this in an email and I thought I would share will you. ( courtesy of fellow crackpot Rani Kiwi)

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots; each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could onlydo half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to bebitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream."I am ashamed of myself, because this crack inmy side causes water to leak out all the way back toyour house.

" The old woman smiled, "Did you notice thatthere are flowers on your side of the path, but noton the other pot's side?"

"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of thepath, and every day while we walk back, you waterthem."

"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, therewould not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it'sthe cracks and flaws we each have that make ourlives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for whatthey are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have agreat day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Vicky's path to Sikhism

2007-05-17T13:25:00.000Z

(Taken from BBC website )

Victoria Sheriff is a 20 year old student at Lampeter University. After years of spiritual frustration she has finally found her religion. Find out more as she explains the reason behind her conversion to Sikhism and the new found frustrations of finding a Gurdwara in Mid Wales.

To read more.... Click here

Allah Hoo - Part 2

2007-05-16T13:20:00.001Z

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Allah Hoo # (part 1 of 2)

2007-05-16T13:19:00.001Z

Qawali - Allah Hoo

2007-05-16T12:47:00.000Z

This is an extract from a qawali that I really like, Allah Hoo originally sung by the great qawali singer Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The lyrics are by Mohammad Iqbal Naqibi, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s manager and a disciple of his father, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan. Hailing from Baba Bulleh Shah’s town: Qasoor, he also goes by Iqbal Qasoori

Allah Huu! Allah Huu! Allah Huu!

Yeh Zameen Jab Na Thi Yeh Jahaan Jab Na Thaa

Chaand Suraj Na Thay Aasman Jab Na Tha

Raaz-E-Haq Bhi Kisi Per Ayaan Jab Na Tha

Tab Na Tha Kuch Yahaan Tha Magar Tu Hee Tu

Allah Huu! Allah Huu! Allah Huu!

Har Shay Tere Jamaal Ki Aainaa Daar Hai

Har Shay Pukaarti Hai Tu Parvardigaar Hai

Allah Huu! Allah Huu! Allah Huu!Allah Huu! Allah Huu! Allah Huu!

*****************Translation****************************

Allah Hoo, Allha Hoo, Allah Hoo--------

When this earth and the world did not exist
When there was no moon, the sun or sky
When the secret of the truth was yet unravelled
Nothing was here save YOU, none but YOU

Allah Hoo, Allha Hoo, Allah Hoo…………..

YOU praise is that you are God Eternal
For YOU the only example is YOUR peerless ness
YOUR Miracle is in every marvel of Universe
YOUR splendour is that in every Grandeur YOU are perfect

Allah Hoo, Allha Hoo, Allah Hoo…………

For the whole song, click here

Attention

2007-05-16T10:45:00.000Z

Posting this on request from a fellow blogger, Maria Papoila

(in portuguese)

Se viu esta menina, contacte 282 405 400

Madeleine McCann, com 4 anos(nasceu em 12-5-2003), desaparecida do resort The Ocean Club, Praia da Luz, em Lagos, Portugal, em 3-5-2007, à noite.

Pormenor inconfundível do olho direito de Madeleine (pupila derramada para a íris).Madeleine´s right eye is unusual! Não esqueçam que os raptores podem ter cortado e pintado o cabelo da menina, por isso, o pormenor do olho é importante!

If you saw this girl, contact 00 351 282 405 400

Madeleine McCann, 4 years old,disappeared from The Ocean Club resort, Praia da Luz, Lagos, Portugal, in the evening of May 3, 2007. Police says that she was kidnapped by an english man. There is also a russian suspect.

There´s a reward for those who find the girl, google it. You can also see more about this on youtube. She can be anywhere around the world.

The Videos in the Previous Post

2007-05-16T08:34:00.000Z

The videos of Ustad Rais Khan and Ustad Zakir Hussain in my previous posts are courtesy of past594 .

Ustad Rais Khan and Ustad Zakir Hussain Part 3 of 3

2007-05-16T08:30:00.003Z

Ustad Rais Khan Ustad Zakir Hussain Part 2 of 3

2007-05-16T08:30:00.001Z

Ustad Rais Khan Ustad Zakir Hussain Part 1 of 3

2007-05-16T08:29:00.001Z

A Tribute to Ustad Alla Rakha - 22 July 2007

2007-05-15T12:39:00.000Z

Featuring Pandit Zakir Hussain & Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia

Sunday 22 July 2007, 7:45 P.M. @ Queen Elizabeth Hall

Pandit Zakir Hussain is the son of Ustad Alla Rakha, world-renowned master of the tabla, and one of India's leading living classical musicians. Alongside Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Alla Rakha brought Indian classical music to Western audiences in the 1950s and 1960s.

Ustad Alla Rakha was one of the first musicians from India to play the Royal Festival Hall, and he also played the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock, influencing artists such as The Rolling Stones and The Grateful Dead. His son, Zakir Hussain, has gone on to perform with George Harrison and Van Morrison.

In this programme, Zakir Hussain pays homage to his father's musical legacy, together with other soloists and ensembles including Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, master of the bamboo flute, or bansuri. 'Alla Rakha is the Einstein, the Picasso; he is the highest form of rhythmic development on this planet' (The Greatful Dead's Mickey Hart).

Book Tickets

Say Goodbye to Chocolates

2007-05-15T10:30:00.000Z

Mars starts using animal products

Some of the UK's best-selling chocolate bars, such as Mars and Twix, will no longer be suitable for vegetarians.

Also affecting brands such as Snickers and Maltesers, owner Masterfoods said it had started to use animal product rennet to make its chocolate products.

Masterfoods said the change was due to it switching the sourcing of its ingredients and the admission was a "principled decision" on its part.

The Vegetarian Society said the company's move was "incomprehensible".

'Extremely disappointed'

Masterfoods said it had started using rennet from 1 May and non-affected products had a "best before date" up to 1 October.

Masterfoods' decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step Vegetarian Society Rennet, a chemical sourced from calves' stomachs, is used in the production of whey. It will now also be found in Bounty, Minstrels and Milky Way products, and the ice cream versions of all Masterfoods' bars.

"If the customer is an extremely strict vegetarian, then we are sorry the products are no longer suitable, but a less strict vegetarian should enjoy our chocolate," said Paul Goalby, corporate affairs manager for Masterfoods.

The Vegetarian Society said it was "extremely disappointed".

"At a time when more and more consumers are concerned about the provenance of their food, Masterfoods' decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step," it said in a statement.

"Mars products are very popular with young people and many will be shocked to discover that their manufacture now relies on the extraction of rennet from the stomach lining of young calves," it added.

Story from BBC NEWS - Click here

Published: 2007/05/14
09:23:28 GMT

Sikh Student Camp Trailor 2007

2007-05-10T08:26:00.001Z

Not to be missed

Shabad

2007-05-09T09:19:00.000Z

This Shabad is by Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Raag Maajh on Pannaa 133

In the month of Vaisaakh, how can the bride be patient? She is separated from her Beloved.
She has forgoten the Lord, her Life-companion, her Master; she has become attached to Maya, the deceitful one.
Neither son, nor spouse, nor wealth shall go along with you-only the Eternal Lord.Entangled and enmeshed in the love of false occupations, the whole world is perishing.
Without the Naam, the Name of the One Lord, they lose their lives in the hereafter.
Forgetting the Merciful Lord, they are ruined. Without God, there is no other at all.
Pure is the reputation of those who are attached to the Feet of the Beloved Lord.Nanak makes this prayer to God: Please, come and unite me with Yourself.

The month of Vaisaakh is beautiful and pleasant, when the Saint causes me to meet the Lord. 3

Shabad

2007-05-04T08:33:00.000Z

Bilaaval, Fifth Mehla:

The Lord saved me from Sulhi Khan. The emperor did not succeed in his plot, and he died in disgrace. 1 Pause The Lord and Master raised His axe, and chopped off his head; in an instant, he was reduced to dust. 1 Plotting and planning evil, he was destroyed. The One who created him, gave him a push. Of his sons, friends and wealth, nothing remains; he departed, leaving behind all his brothers and relatives. Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to God, who fulfilled the word of His slave.

2 . 18 . 104

UEFA Announcement

2007-05-03T13:04:00.000Z

Due to the immense interest in this year's Champions League, we have decided that there will now be a 3rd place play-off, to be contested between this year's losing semi-finalists.The match will be called the FA Cup Final.

2 for 1 @ Wagamama's

2007-05-02T16:09:00.000Z

Just print and cut out this voucher and you could be enjoying noodles and rice for half price.

For more info click here

Random Shabad

2007-05-02T15:23:00.000Z

This Shabad is by Guru Tegh Bahaadur Ji in Salok Mehl 9 on Pannaa 1428

sir ka(n)piou pag ddagamagae nain joth thae heen kahu naanak eih bidhh bhee thoo n har ras leen. 47

The head shakes, the feet stagger, and the eyes become dull and weak.Says Nanak, this is your condition. And even now, you have not savored the sublime essence of the Lord. 47

Ustaad Ghulam Ali Khan

2007-05-01T12:34:00.001Z

Will be similar to this at the concert on 22 July 2007

Birju Maharaj playing tabla and perfome at Gangis

2007-05-01T12:28:00.000Z

He dances only last moment that time but moment he dances I felt like all the air became very light as if no grabitation... (courtesy of Khalipon)

Concert @ Barbican Hall -> 22 July 2007 ( 7.15pm)

2007-05-01T08:52:00.000Z

Spectacular double bill, featuring the best of ghazal by Ustad Ghulam Ali and accompanists, followed by the great singers of Khyal - brothers Rajan and Sajan Misra who amaze audiences with their vocal skills and the legendary Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj.

A unique opportunity to see these artists performing together for the first time in the UK.

Ustad Ghulam Ali ghazal

------------------

Pts. Rajan/Sajan Misra vocals
Pt. Birju Maharaj kathak
Kumar Bose tabla

22 July 2007 / 19:15
Barbican Hall

Tickets: £10 / 15 / 20

For Box Office - click here

Seva for Parents

2007-04-28T09:44:00.000Z

bibi ji lying on her bed.

phua ji sitting down on her bed opposite to bibi ji's

I was reflecting on myself how I haven't done any seva for my parents as I should have. While thinking of that, I just thought about someone who served her parent for all her life. I would like to dedicate this post to my bibi ji (who passed away in 2004) and my phua ji. They live with my uncle who is lives a road parallel to ours. The above pictures were taken a three or four weeks before my bibi ji passed away.

Since childhood, my phua ji has not been able to talk properly. Over the years I have learnt how to understand her when she speaks. As she is disabled, she didn't get married and stayed with my bibi ji all her life. Where ever she went, my phua ji would go with her. I would see them together all the time. Over the years as my bibi ji started to show signs of old age, my phua ji started to do everything for her. She bathed bibi ji when she was not able to, made her food, got her water in the early hours of the morning, acted upon her every request. However much I try to put this into words, won't do justice to the amount she did seva for bibi ji.

I am so inspired by my phua ji on how to really look after one's parent. Someone really spiritual once told me that one of the greatest things someone can do is to fully look after their parents. I just hope that I can do the same with my mom.

Fookers @ Jump

2007-04-26T13:31:00.000Z

Full story coming soon...

Somethings you just can't explain

2007-04-24T13:27:00.000Z

This is a joke I came across on SPo and thought it was funny. I have a weird sense of humour anyways, here it is:

A farmer is sitting in the neighborhood bar slowly getting drunk. A man comes in and asks the farmer, "Hey, why are you sitting here on this beautiful day getting drunk?" The farmer says, "Some things you just can't explain." "So what happened that is so horrible?" the man asked.
The farmer then decides to try an answer, "Well if you must know, today I was sitting by my cow milking her. Just as I got the bucket about full, she took her left leg and kicked it over." That's not so bad, what's the big deal?" The farmer says, "Some things you just can't explain."

"So what happened?" the man asked again. The farmer relenting, continued "I took her left leg and tied it to the post on the left with some rope. Then I sat down and continued to milk her. Just as I got the bucket about full she took her right leg and kicked it over. " "Again?" The farmer says, "Some things you just can't explain."

" So, what did you do then?" the man asked, intrigued. "I took her right leg and tied it to the post on the right. I sat back down and continued to milk her, and just as I got the bucket just about full, the stupid cow knocks over the bucket with her tail." "Wow, you must have been pretty upset!" but that's no reason to just sit here getting all depressed."

The farmer says, "Some things you just can't explain." "So then what else did you do?" the man asked again. "Well I didn't have any more rope, so I took off my belt and tied her tail to the rafter. That's when my pants fell down and my wife walked in.
"Some things you just can't explain."

You and Dad

2007-04-23T15:10:00.000Z

-When you were 8 years old, your dad handed you an ice cream.

You thanked him by dripping it all over his lap.

-When you were 9 years old, he paid for piano lessons.

You thanked him by never even bothering to practice.

-When you were 10 years old, he drove you all day, from soccer togymnastics to one birthday party after another.

You thanked him by jumping out of the car and never looking back.

-When you were 11 years old, he took you and your friends to the movies.

You thanked him by asking to sit in a different row.

-When you were 12 years old, he warned you not to watch certain TVshows.

You thanked him by waiting until he left the house.

-When you were 13, he suggested a haircut that was becoming.

You thanked him by telling him he had no taste.

-When you were 14, he paid for a month away at summer camp.

You thanked him by forgetting to write a single letter.

-When you were 15, he came home from work, looking for a hug.

You thanked him by having your bedroom door locked.

-When you were 16, he taught you how to drive his car.

You thanked him by taking it every chance you could.

-When you were 17, he was expecting an important call.

You thanked him by being on the phone all night.

-When you were 18, he cried at your high school graduation.

You thanked him by staying out partying until dawn.

-When you were 19, he paid for your college tuition, drove you tocampus, carried your bags.

You thanked him by saying good-bye outside the dorm so you wouldn't beembarrassed in front of your friends.

-When you were 25, he helped to pay for your wedding, and he cried andtold you how deeply he loved you.

You thanked him by moving halfway across the country.

-When you were 50, he fell ill and needed you to take care of him.

You thanked him by reading about the burden parents become to theirchildren.

-And then, one day, he quietly died. And everything you never did camecrashing down like thunder on YOUR HEART.

(courtesy of email from Surjit Singh)

Without Meaning

2007-04-23T14:02:00.000Z

Once upon a time there lived a holy man in a village. He was quite old, wise and was loved by everyone in that village. The holy man would gather the villagers around every evening and address them about meaningful things in life. Sitting around a tree where he sat, they would all listen to his words of wisdom and contemplate on what was said.

It would start off with a few minutes of meditation in silence. All one could hear is the wind blow against the leaves and the river flowing down stream. One day a cat came disturbed the silence by running around everywhere and made everyone lose concentration. On seeing this, the holy man asked one of his disciples to catch the cat and tie it until the end of the gathering. The same cat came again the following evening similar time as the previous day and disturbed the silence. The holy man once again asked his disciple to tie the cat until the end of the gathering.

This started a new trend in the daily routine in the evening. The cat would come, the disciple would tie it and let it go at the end. It was not long after, that the holy man passed away. One of his disciples started to address the villagers every evening under sitting under the tree while the cat being tie. This went on for a quite a while and then the cat died.

At the following gathering they didn't know what to do. They had been tying the cat for such a long time and now there was none to tie. As they had forgotten the reason as to why, they just replaced the cat as they had been tying a cat for such a long time. Now the gathering would still take place, a cat would still be tied, but it would be without meaning.

*THE END*

Similarly, there are lots of things we do in our lives that are without any meaning. We do alot of things just because they had been done in the past. Once in a while we should challenge the reasons behind and not just do things without any meaning.

Mum's Love

2007-04-20T11:17:00.000Z

I came across this while surfing through SPo. (Courtesy of AnoopK)

My little boy came into the kitchen this evening while I was fixing supper and he handed me a piece of paper he'd been writing on. So, after wiping my hands on my apron. I read it, and this is what it said:

"For mowing the grass, £5

For making my own bed this week, £1

For going to the shop, £10

For playing with baby brother while you went shopping, £10

For taking out the rubbish, £1

For getting a good school report, £5

For raking the garden, £4"

I looked at him standing there expectantly, and a thousand memories flashed through my mind. So, I picked up the paper, and turning it over, this is what I wrote:

"For the nine months I carried you, growing inside me: No Charge.

For the nights I sat up with you, doctored you, & prayed for you: No Charge.

For the time and the tears, and the cost through the years: No Charge.

For the nights filled with dread, and the worries ahead: No Charge.

For advice and knowledge, and the cost of your college: No Charge.

For the toys, food and clothes, and for wiping your nose: No Charge.

Son. When you add it all up, the full cost of my love: No Charge."

Well, when he finished reading, he had great big tears in his eyes. He looked up at me and said, "Mum, I sure do love you."

Then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL"

Home Alone :-o

2007-04-20T10:59:00.000Z

My mom left for India on 7th April for my cousin's wedding. I am going to be home alone for two months. Need to learn to cook soon and not live off junk food. I have already put on alot of weight as it is and it is very visible as well. If you have any recipes for any vegetarian dishes, please feel free to post. I think my aim in these two months is not to burn the kitchen. Your help is most appreciated here.

Random Shabad

2007-04-20T10:19:00.000Z

Happy Belated Birthday's

2007-04-19T10:27:00.000Z

I was thinking of making individual threads for all the birthdays of friends of mine that I have missed, but thought I would wish them here collectively. I know there are probably some birthdays that I have forgotten about in the past three months, so please forgive for that as I am quite forgetful most of the time.Happy Belated Birthday to Dr. Kulraj Singh ji( with glasses) who turned 65 years young on 13th April.
Happy Belated Birthday to Bhai Fauja Singh ji who turned 96 on 1st April. Hope them all the best for the future and good luck to his hopes to break the record for the oldest marathon runner in a couple of years time.
Happy Belated Birthday to Mandeep Kaur ji( Ruby ) who turned 24 on 28th March. Good luck in your Masters. Hope you all the best for the future in persuing your career.
Happy Belated Birthday to Baljinder Kaur ji who turned 20 on 24th March. Good luck in your finals and hope you all the best for the future.
Happy Belated Birthday to Raminder Kaur ji ( Bhabi ji) who turned 30 on 23rd March. Hope you all the best in your new path with Bhai Davinder Singh ji and will be waiting on the good news soon...lol
Happy Belated Birthday to Simrit Singh ji (in yellow) who turned 2 on 1st March. Hope you a long, happy and properous life. Happy Belated Birthday to Gurpreet Kaur ji(Kiwi) who turned 31 on 16th March. Wish you all the best for the future.

Happy Belated Birthday to Kirandeep Kaur Rai ji who turned 23 on 15th March. Hope you have a long and wonderful life ahead. [picture to follow soon] Happy Belated Birthday to Amandeep Singh (Goony) who turned 25 on 11th March. Hope you all the best in your career and life ahead.

Happy Belated Birthday to Satpal Singh ji who turned 30 on 7th March. Wishing you all the best in your life and hope you can give us some good news in the coming future. [picture to be uploaded soon] Last but not least a warm welcome to the latest arrival in the Mohan family, Imaan Singh ji son of Diwan Singh ji son of Saroop Singh ji, who was born on 2nd of February.

Gurnoor Singh

2007-04-19T09:10:00.000Z

Congratulations to you and your family penji, for being blessed with a gorgeous baby boy. Gurnoor Singh was born on 3 April @ 1.am. I hope he brings all the joy in the world and grows up to be a top musician and a Gursikh like you all. Will be coming down for the pereh soon...yummm.... Stay in CK!

Mouse Calibration

2007-04-19T08:14:00.000Z

This really works. Is your mouse calibrated? You should do this every few days. More often if you spend a lot of time on computer. I was shocked to see that this works!

To re-calibrate your mouse, click and hold on the Y below. Then drag the Y toward the G and then to the smiley face :). If it doesn't work, you might want to clean your mouse.

You dumb ass !!!

You'll believe anythinG

No offence intended.Only light humour

Tanvi or Boo?

2007-04-18T14:42:00.000Z

I was just going through my pictures and I came across a picture of my niece, Tanvi Kaur. It just occured to me how much she looks alike to Boo, one of the main characters in Monsters Inc with those two pig-tails. Doesn't she look so cute??

Nishan Sahib Seva

2007-04-18T13:35:00.000Z

This was a picture of the week on Sikhnet in November last year. I think it was taken during vaisakhi at Anandpur Sahib. I can't stop being amazed by it everytime I look at it. If you look closely, there is a singh at the top of the nishan sahib changing the cloth. All this is done without any safety wires or nets. Simply amazing.

Golden Temple on Baisakhi Celebrations

2007-04-18T13:20:00.001Z

Golden Temple on Baisakhi Celebrations,

originally uploaded by Captain Suresh.

Happy Vaisakhi

2007-04-16T08:31:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy and fruitful Vaisakhi. Lets hope we all take something from this day and implement it in our lives for the better.

FREE Ben & Jerry's Cone Day, 17 April 2007

2007-04-13T14:52:00.000Z

This is totally awesome. FREE BEN and JERRY'S ICE CREAM. I shall be going down to investigate this interesting phenomenon. Below are some of the participating stores. Please click here for further details.

Ben & Jerry's -

369 Oxford Street,
London.
W1 2JW

Ben & Jerry's -

Unit Sub Cutty Sark Complex,
Greenwich,
London.
SE10 9SW

Empire -

Leicester Square,
London.
WC2H 7HA

Ben & Jerry's -

Tower Place,
Unit 5,
London.
EC3 5BT

The Donkey's Tracksuit

2007-04-13T09:44:00.000Z

There was a lion sleeping and lost in his dreams. A donkey came and started to piss on the lion and ran off. One of the lion's servants told him about the donkey and what it had done. On hearing this the lion got really angry and ran after the donkey. After running for a minute, then lion came across a zebra.

The lion says to the zebra, " Oi you kothaaaa! I am not dumb as you think. Only because you are wearing that tracksuit does not mean that you could fool me that easily."

The above joke was probably the best joke that Bhagat Singh ever told us during the trip. Obviously there was the cussing matches but that is a whole new story.

Plashet HC in Dublin

2007-04-11T13:30:00.000Z

This is the first time I have ever been on tour with Plashet Hockey Club. It was awesome both on the pitch and off the pitch as well. The above picture was taken after the final when we lost to Monktown, a team that is joint first in the Irish premier division. From left to right(top): Ajaypal(AJ), Verinder(V), Tejinder(T), Bhagat, Sandeep(Sandz), Inderjit(Indie), Sukhvinder(Sukh), Daljit(Dalj). Left to right ( bottom): Me, Nick (Mascot) & Mintu.

To be continued....

Congrats Jatinder (JatLee) & Gurpreet

2007-04-05T12:08:00.000Z

Our very own, the one and only, yes you guessed it, Jatinder Singh but widely knows by his alias Jatlee, has finaly been stricken off the bum list by earning himself with a job in a new sports shop in Knightsbridge. So ladies, for whom it may concern, the buff stud will be able to pay for dinner on your dates, as opposed to you paying for him...lol.

If that is not enough, Gurpreet has also landed herself a job in Knightsbridge a few blocks away from where Jatlee works. I have no picture as of yet, but will be upload a pic soon.

Congrats to the both of you and will be waiting for your treat to Chandni Chowks next month, after you get your pay checks. :-)

WW1 - Forgotten Heroes of The Somme

2007-04-03T13:41:00.000Z

Written by Amandeep Madra & Parmjit Singh

Thursday, 29 June 2006

The 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme is on 1 July 2006. This weekend will see an explosion of coverage about the military campaign that cost 1 million lives.

The Battle of the Somme was one of the most significant campaigns of World War One. The Allied Forces attempted to break through the German front line in northern France, 1916. Pictured (below) are Sikh despatch riders with their bicycles at the cross roads of Fricourt and Mametz Road during the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. The bicycles of the two men in the foreground are fitted with a special bracket to support their rifles. The man in front has the rank of Sergeant shown by the stripes on his right shoulder. The loss of life on the Somme was terrible: on the first day of the battle alone the British casualties numbered 60,000.

A Sikh soldier, Indar Singh, fighting on the Somme in September 1916, wrote home: 'It is quite impossible that I should return alive. [But] don't be grieved at my death, because I shall die arms in hand, wearing the warrior's clothes. This is the most happy death that anyone can die'.

In 1914 as war began to unfold, the drive began to enlist Indian troops to bolster the war effort, Sikhs joined en-masse to the ranks of the British Army. In the depressing trenches of the German and Turkish fronts thousands of young Sikh volunteers fought and lay down their lives, defending land unknown to them, against an enemy that was no threat to India for an ally that occupied their own country.

The world was to behold the largest voluntary army ever in action, Sikhs made up nearly 20% of the British Indian Army despite being only 2% of the population. It was the estimate of Sir John Maynard that the contribution of the Sikh community in men and material was ten times that of any other community of India.

Indian Troops were amongst the first allied troops to be dispatched to the Western Front, ill-equipped with dealing with the cold of a European winter and more accustomed to the desert terrain of the North West Frontier of India, France proved to be a shock. Sikh troops were sent to Flanders, were instrumental during the battle of Neuve Chapelle and were part of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. Little however is known of the role in the equally disastrous Battle of the Somme where over one million men died. So much so, that the British War memorial which commemorates the British dead fails to acknowledge the presence of any commonwealth soldiers.

Company of the 15th Sikhs perfroming kirtan in their billets after being relieved from the line. Flanders was a perpetual battleground in World War I. The Sikh regiment was the first Indian contingent to land in Europe. “Unique stalwarts from the east” remarked the press. One of their most memorable events occurred on 28 October 1914 when the regiment was detailed to capture the village of Neuve Chappelle in France. After bitter hand to hand combat the village was captured - of the 280 Sikhs who started assaulted only 58 survived.

Trench Life. Men of the 14th Sikh Infantry in the trenches during the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. The 14th Sikh was virtually wiped out in Gallipoli as it lost 379 officers and men in one days fighting on 4 June 1915 when, as part of the combined Anglo-French forces they tried to assault the Turkish defenses

“I am now about to return to the trenches. There is no hope that I shall see you again. For we are grain that is flung a second time into the oven, and life does not come out of it.”

From a Sikh at the front to his father in India (Gurmukhi, dated 17/3/15): Education Guides - Indian Soldiers and WW1 IOR lists 103c,OIOC Drawings by Paul Sarrut from the French postcard series Types de l’Armee de l’Inde or Men of the Indian Army

“The Sikhs did not turn even their noses. They were keen for the fight, and where one man fell, another from behind stood in his place. And we took pleasure in the battle... Until now God has preserved us, but there is no hope of any one of us returning to India. This is no war, but the destruction of the world.”

From a Sikh soldier in hospital, England, to his friend in India (Gurmukhi, dated 31/3/15):Education Guides - Indian Soldiers and WW1 IOR lists 103c,OIOC

Sikh Cavalrymen, Pys, France 1914.

“...The Germans are very frightened of our men, but they are sturdy fellows. Several times they have displayed the white flag and then attacked, but now we know their tricks and have taken many of them prisoner. Spread this news everywhere because this is the only letter that I can send you.”

From a Sikh cavalry soldier, written from Marseilles Depot, and sent by hand to India (Urdu, dated 15/2/15): Education Guides - Indian Soldiers and WW1 IOR lists 103c,OIOC

If God spares me to return, I intend to start new customs. Look, in our country people ruin themselves over marriages and lawsuits. In this country rich and poor, high and low, go to church together and worship, and there is no distinction between them there... The very best custom in this country is that a man chooses his own wife, and a women her husband.” [letter dated March 12, 1918] Punjab Past and Present, Essays in Honours of Dr Ganda Singh, ed. Harbans Singh and N. Gerald Barrier, 1976.

Commemorating Lt-Col Jackie Smythe of the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs in the memorial gates pavillion in London.

56 years ago I joined the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs in Loralai, Baluchistan and at once became embued with the teachings and the life of Guru Nanak. The Sikh Gurus, the Sikh religion, the Gurdwara, the Granth Sahib became part of my life. The British and Sikh officers of the Regiment were convinced that religion was an important factor in the make-up of a good soldier and we fostered that in every way possible.

An extract from a speech by Brigadier the Rt.Hon.Sir John Smyth, Bt.VC at a celebration of the 500th Birthday Anniversary of Guru Nanak, Grosvenor House, London, December, 1969. Men of the 1st Sikh in the trenches of Gallipoli. At one time of my life (1914-1915 in France) the Sikhs exerted me to wear a turban. This was kindly meant in an endeavor to prolong my life by making me less conspicuous to the German snipers. I hated wearing a turban - simply because it took a long time to put on - and once on I couldn’t ever take it off. However, on the most important day of my life, there wasn’t time to “make me up” and I wore my British Service cap. It was sad but true that all the 10 Sikhs with me were killed - while I survived. I never wore a turban again. Brig. The Rt. Hon. Sir John Smyth, VC. Letter to the Times.

Sikh prisoners of war in German captivity, 1916.

One aspect of combat that is overlooked in Sikh history is the plight of the prisoners of war, the subject of these rare images. They were taken from a German postcard series. Placed in the context of the typical German soldier’s belief that the Indian soldier was a superior fighting man, its true purpose becomes clear - to counter such a belief and to instil confidence in the ordinary German trooper who would inevitably meet the Indian soldier in the battlefield.Very few accounts of Sikh prisoners of war have been documented, but one that makes up for the dearth is the subject of a book called Hira Singh by Talbot Mundy (1918).:

“One hundred Indian troops of the British Army have arrived at Kabul, Afghanistan, after a four months' march from Constantinople. The men were captured in Flanders by the Germans and were sent to Turkey in the hope that, being Mohammedans, they might join the Turks. But they remained loyal to Great Britain and finally escaped, heading for Afghanistan. They now intend to join their regimental depot in India, so it is reported.” New York Times, July 1915.

In his preface, the author mentions this newspaper story which was the inspiration for the book and continues with a tribute to the Sikh soldiers whose story he tells:

“I take leave to dedicate this book to Mr. Elmer Davis, through whose friendly offices I was led to track down the hero of these adventures and to find the true account of them even better than the daily paper promised.

“Had Ranjoor Singh and his men been Muhammadans their accomplishment would have been sufficiently wonderful. For Sikhs to attempt what they carried through, even under such splendid leadership as Ranjoor Singh's, was to defy the very nth degree of odds. To have tried to tell the tale otherwise than in Hira Singh's own words would have been to varnish gold. Amid the echoes of the roar of the guns in Flanders, the world is inclined to overlook India's share in it all and the stout proud loyalty of Indian hearts. May this tribute to the gallant Indian gentlemen who came to fight our battles serve to remind its readers that they who give their best, and they who take, are one.”

“A remarkable people, the Sikhs, with their Ten Prophets, five distinguishing marks, and their baptismal rite of water stirred with steel; a people who have made history, and will make it again.”

Martial India, F. Yeats-Brown

(courtesy of Punjab Heritage & Muhafiz of SPo)

Begum Parveen Sultana, Awesome Thumri

2007-04-03T09:12:00.001Z

This is what you might expect at her concert on 20th April 2007. All details are in the post below

Begum Parveen Sultana, 20th April 2007 @ Vidya Bharti Bhavan

2007-04-03T08:57:00.000Z

Parveen Sultana is arguably the most sought-after female vocalist in the field of Hindustani music. She has brought star quality to classical music through her beautiful and sensitive presentation of top class music.

Principal artiste: Parveen Sultana

Accompanying artiste: Parthasarathy Mukherjee (tabla) Ajay Joglekar (harmonium)

Tickets: £15 (conc £10), £12 (conc. £8)

Click here for booking tickets

Impossible is Nothing - Fauja Singh

2007-03-29T15:45:00.000Z

I was just looking at a few pictures of Fauja Singh and I came across these couple of pics. I know it is quite an old campaign but thought I would upload it regardless. Fauja Singh started running again in his 80's and his dedication is an inspiration to all. Many people, young and old including myself, have taken up this new healthy lifestyle by getting inspiration from Fauja Singh. On the 1st of April 2007 he will be turning 96. He is hoping to beat the world record for the oldest marathon runner in three years time.

Plashet Hockey Club

2007-03-28T16:25:00.000Z

This is the official website for Plashet Hockey Club for whom I play for. This club has been there since the 80's but this year was the first time that it was entered in the winter league. The season is over and Plashet HC are the league winners. So a pat on the shoulder for all the players and fans who put in alot of effort throughout the season. A Speacial shout goes out to all the aunties who used to prepare the food for all the home games.

Please click here to enter the site

Anoushka Shankar - Concert for George (2003)

2007-03-28T14:50:00.001Z

A taste of what to expect in the Anoushka Shankar concert. Details are in the previous post.