Beginning of another momentous period for us with a very interesting first tour beginning in LA, then to Atlanta, Washington DC, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Florida, and finally Toronto. This month will see us up to Dallas. Florida and Toronto continues into May.

The prime question again is... can we make Sikhs value gurbani kirtan a little more? There is a common adage that whatever is free is not valued. I subscribe to this adage as far as gurbani kirtan goes. Listening to gurbani kirtan has become a 'ritual' and it is not used as a vehicle for spiritual elevation but as a routine, a ritual, because we are indoctrinated that Sikhs 'should' listen to kirtan. This was proved when I was confronted by a 'shirdhalu' (devotee) who accused me of 'selling' gurbani in the form of cd's in a gurdwara in USA. A gurdwara which freely records kirtan and distributes it free of charge. As we were talking, I spied a 'disk' lying in the dustbin close to us. It was a disk of kirtan which had been distributed freely that day. Someone had stuck one copy in a dustbin. I told the 'shirdhalu' that if that disk had been 'sold' at a value, one would not find it in a bin! 'Free' gurbani kirtan I believe is treated shabbily on the main, by so called majority of devotees, just like that free gurbani disk in a bin. Yes give gurbani cd's to those who cannot afford them but those who can should pay.

In the quest of taking gurbani mainstream we do programs in concerts, in festivals and in conferences etc. We get duly paid for our services and our cd's are respectfully purchased and heard. This in turn helps us to pay our way, make more cd's and gain more listeners etc. When we do a program in gurdwaras (and this is a general statement which does not apply to 'all' gurdwaras' but especially those where two or three 'jathas' are residing there temporarily and giving of their services at the whim and fancy of the committees and for token sums of 'bheta' and seropas'), we are not well received and not paid for our services, or are offered token sums of money like $21, $31, $51 or if very lucky $101, and of course a seropa !! At the same time, Sikhs then refuse to come to our concerts because they can see/hear us 'free' in a gurdwara! These same Sikhs are prepared to pay exorbitant sums to bhangra and dhol groups but refuse to pay a dime for kirtan, or maybe a dollar or two 'bheta'. So, someone please explain to me how we, who are placing a 'value' on gurbani kirtan, can be considered to be devaluing kirtan by charging for it? This shall always be my 'dharam-yudh' with those freeby hunting so called 'shirdhalus'. I talk of the ones who can afford it. Meanwhile, may Waheguru help us to spread the word of Nanak and gurbani far and wide on this planet, amongst youth and non-Sikhs. This month is going to be an interesting one from this issue ... once again. So, the Pp Singhs of this world who try and pee on us, be alert! We are back for more 'valuable' kirtan, and gurbani into the mainstream!

(For those not regular readers - there was a Pp Singh two years ago in St. Louis, USA who caused a near riot in a concert we were performing in a Hindu temple hall, of spiritual renditions and condemned us for mixing gurbani with other non-Sikh renditions and then made a great fuss on internet.)

Our 'host' in San Diego, California informs us that she has been threatened by three such 'shirdhalus' for organising our concerts in San Diego because that stops us from doing programs in the gurdwaras there and depriving them of free kirtan - why should they pay for it !!

Cllr. Baldev Singh Dhaliwal JP, of Riverland, South Australia, has been honoured by the Federation of Ethnic Coummunities Councils of Australia (FECCA) "for his contribution to promoting multi-culturalism in the Australian community". This is a national level award for a Sikh Australian on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of FECCA. Baldev Singh was elected a Councillor in Australia two years ago. Born in India, he did his schooling in Malaysia and further education in England, where he worked for 20 years as a senior Engineer with the British Telecoms. He migrated to South Australia in 1985 and settled in Riverland to run a family farm. He and his wife have been active members of the Riverland's multicultural community promoting a better understanding between the diverse cultures in the area. Cllr Baldev Singh is a Justice of the Peace (JP) and a designated Ombudsman Referral Justice. He continues to work on various committees and groups. (Baldev is our middle brother - I am the youngest. Oldest is Principal Gurmukh Singh of UK)

Los Angeles: 1April - University of California - Riverside Concert. A small but well attended 'mainstream' concert to kick off the tour. About 250 audience including university heads and lecturers and trustees of the Chair of Sikh Studies at this university. A bigger better publicised concert is now planned for next year including workshops.

2April - Saturday: Laguna Hills Hall 'Sikh' evening organised by California Sikh Council. Concert with a difference because some Sikhs are still wary about listening to gurbani in a social setting especially where there is a dinner served and there is gatka and bhangra afterwards, and even meat. Luckily, there are members of 'western dharma' involved and they appear to have less hangups. A special tribute number was requested for the passing away of the Pope and we duly provided a Raag Tukhari instrumental with some lines from gurbani about the passing away of a great soul. At the end we were requested for Mool Mantr by a family which had driven 200 miles to have their children hear us sing 'Mool Mantr' live - we duly obliged. Another touchy situation successfully negotiated -with those who have difficulty in hearing gurbani in a concert situation where people are sitting on chairs, with their footwear on and without getting everyone to cover their heads... and where food, with meat is served.

3April - Sunday: Am - Los Angeles Convention Center. Vesakhi Celebrations by Western Dharma. A grand celebration on the scale of the Malaysian Naujawan Sabha Vesakhi celebrations in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Quite ironic that two 'jathas' of the 'western dharma' namely Snatam Kaur and the Cherdhi Kala Jatha from Espanola are in Cheras, Malaysia for Malaysian Vesakhi celebrations, while we are in Los Angeles Convention Center. Now that is what I call an international exchange amongst Sikhs! The LA program was 'live' on internet and it was a 'high-octane' program! A very enjoyable day indeed. I also finally met Dr. Soram Singh Ji, who recently treated Endon (Mrs. Badawi) wife of Malaysia's prime minister, for cancer, about a year ago. Always a pleasure to do programs amongst members of Western Dharma. It was great to see old friends like Simran Kaur, Nirinjan Singh, Gurshabad and family, Gurjodha Singh, Menjit Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Kirtan Singh and Bibi Ji (wife of late Sri Singh Sahib), and family, and other members of the western Sikh dharma. Program was attended by around 15,000. Only frustrating part was the fact that there were so many politicians present who needed to be given seropas and plaques and 'had' to make speeches! A necessary evil I guess. Highlight was the number of youth and children jathas doing kirtan. We have been booked for next year - 16April 2006.

Monday and Tuesday evening: Two well attended programs at Sikh Center Orange County of laid back kirtan. '"Teha baikunth jai kirtan tera" (Heaven is that place where kirtan is being sung).

Wed : Buena Park Gurdwara Sahib. A surprisingly large sangat considering it was a Wednesday evening.Great reception by the committee and 'granthi/raagi' fraternity. It was good to see a great many youth and children. There were special requests for Mool Mantr and one 'raag-vich shabad'. There was apparently sangat from Los Angeles too.

My good friend Bicky Singh has preferred Malaysian Airlines for his annual 'pilgrimage' to India with his family, at least once a year for the last ten years without realising that the airline served halaal meat. He was astonished that he had not been cateforically told that. That is equivalent of serving pork to a Muslim without his knowledge and serving non-kosher meat to a Jew. He wrote to the authorities of MA a year ago and followed up with a second letter requesting that non-halaal meat be served to him on the basis that, as a Muslim carrier, if it served alcohol, surely they could serve such a regular customer, non-halaal meat. There has been no reply whatsoever. Now Malaysian Airlines is going to fly to Amritsar - and it will appear that the majority of passengers if not almost 'all', would be Sikhs. Are Malaysian Airlines still going to insist in serving halaal food and serve alcohol even though that is against the Sikh faith, and the majority of passengers are going to be Sikhs?

A Sikh gentleman who has agitated strongly against me in southern California in the past came to see me yesterday (April6). We are able to look in the same direction now because he now believes that there is a method behind my madness in attempting to popularise and mainstream 'gurbani-kirtan'. After making up and exchanging pleasantries we discussed the 'bigger picture'. Mainly how we can work together as Sikh brothers and sisters towards doing our collective best in putting Sikhi on the pedestal that this wonderful 'way of life' deserves, amongst as many human beings as possible and also inclucating a sense of pride in our young in Sikhi and especially love for the 'dastaar'. The topic also came up at Buena Park gurdwara amongst a group of learned gentlemen who were talking to me last night. One gentleman simply said - 'If you are not on TV then you do not exist !' In short, Sikhism and Sikhs need a 'positive' profile in the media. And the media does not just mean Zee TV, or Hindustan Times. He meant 'mainstream' western media and Hollywood, not even Bollywood. Every Sikh organisation needs a Media Liaison Officer. More 'open day' services' should be held in gurdwaras, and explanations must be given in English. Sikh events and achievements should be highly publicised. I am playing my part in taking gurbani kirtan into the mainstream. Are you doing your part in spreading the word of Waheguru through Nanak? Plenty can be written and discussed on this topic, but I think 'doing' is the key. A last word here. when two canadian sikh gentlemen were charged for the bombing of an air india flight which fell off the coast of ireland about 20 years ago, the whole world's media was ablaze about 'sikh terrorists'. a few days ago they were finally acquitted of the crime and set free - no mainstream newspaper, let alone tv, reported that fact. did 'you' know that? That is how far adrift we are in getting a positive profile in the mainstream media.

Thurs April7: SCOC - 'Open' service. Non-Sikhs had been especially invited and we were asked to do a set program and speak only in English. Much enjoyed program by all. As usual, the brunt of the Sikh sangat turned up at 8pm. when the program had finished! About 150 non-Sikh enthusiast and about 100 Sikh sangat had a very relaxed and enjoyable service which started on time at 7pm and smapti at 8pm. We did half hour of kirtan.

April 8.Friday: San Diego concert 8pm. About 250 strong mixed audience was treated to one of our best concerts on this tour in one of the finest auditoriums in San Diego. Shalini and Vijay are excellent hosts. God bless them.

April9.Saturday: Bahai'i Center, LA concert 8pm: Again about 300 strong audience of mainly western dharma Sikhs enjoyed a very spiritual but light and carefree concert. I wish both the last two concerts had been recorded. We could have produced an excellent double cd from the material which I felt was of a very high quality. I think the audiences thought so too. Nirinjan Singh did a marvelous job in organising this concert and next years event is expected to be double this year's.

April10. Sunday: Noon: Buena Park Gurdwara. Another 'high octane' one hour of kirtan as we had about 300 Punjabi school youngsters attending and we were expected to 'wow' them. I think we did. One loud speaker actually fell off its mountings as the didgeridoo blasted out! Luckily no one was hurt! Even conservative old folks enjoyed it thoroughly. One old gentleman commented that it reminded him of the Sikh balladeers (dadh/sarangi groups) of old in rural Punjab.

After my reporting of the girls netball team from Melbourne rumoured being given an open tab at one of the hotels because no other netball team had turned up (see last month), One gentleman wrote in ...

Apparently there has been some confusion or falsehood spread maliciously to take a dig at the girls' netball team. I have been told that the tab was opened at the bar by xxxxxxxxx (one of the organizers from Adelaide) and the tab was for all participants at the games, not just the girls. I was there that night and I can vouch that there were certainly a lot of people there with drinks in their hands, many of them participants who had come from interstate. I intend to speak to xxxxxxxxxx to verify this for myself. I personally think that these things should be verified as FACT when they are put out for so many people to read all over the world and not stated as RUMOURS. The girls in the netball team are daughters, sisters etc of Sikhs as well, some of whom are yr friends. I do not think you would want to intentionally hurt the feelings of them or their parents.}}}

The gentleman wrote again after I thanked him for clearing the facts ... He must have thought that he might as well take a dig at me - and he should for my spreading such malicious rumours!

I have spoken with xxxxxxxxxx and this is what he said. As is normal at these games, a bar tab was opened following the managers meeting and food (tit-bits) was also served. The total bill at the bar was $682/- and not $1200 as you said. There was no bar tab set up specifically for the netball girls. The tab was for participants and mangers (mostly interstate people) who attended the meeting.

I hope this clarifies the matter for you and closes the issue for me. What you wish to say in your April newsletter is entirely up to you. A humble plea from a Sikh brother - PLEASE DO NOT CARRY ANY MORE RUMOURS. THE LESS RUMOUR MONGERING WE ALL DO, THE BETTER.

My comment: So there you have it - straight from one of 'the horses' mouths' as they say. My apologies for the 'rumour' but thanks to my fellow brother for clarifying that alcohol openly flows at such 'Sikh' gatherings including for Sikh girls netball teams!

Our tour started with five - Dheeraj, Keith, Harsel, Andrew and I. Andrew had to leave to go back immediately after Los Angeles and new member Lucy joins us in Atlanta onwards.

Wednesday - Friday: Atlanta. A very pleasant visit to Atlanta starting with a small quiet gurdwara program at the Sikh Study Circle gurdwara and then two very warm programs at the SEWA gurdwara which has a strong accent on youth. Stayed with the grandson of the legendary Ragi Samund Singh - Dr. Inderpal Singh and family - wife Virinder (also doctor), oldest daughter Ravi (about 9?) and younger Jessie (about 5?) and little Sumeet ( a very cheeky 3?). Special thanks to Jai Hari Khalsa for all his sewa and also Navneet ( a former tennis junior pro from India) and now a successful businessman and sewadhar. He had just returned from Nikobar island doing sewa amongst tsunami victims, living on porridge and potatoes for 6 weeks (!!!) A young man with plenty of 'get-up-and-go'!

Thanks to Gurmeet Kaur and Jai Hari for taking us for a walk (and a picnic) to some falls with an unspellable and unsayable name (!) but close to the Appalachian trail, about an hour out of Atlanta. There was a climb of a steep slope of about quarter of a mile and 650 steps! My legs were still complaining after three days!!)

New group member, young Lucy has settled in well - on the flute. It will take her some time to settle in with us but she has the right temperament. She is already drawing high praise from many and sangats are astonished that she has only just joined us!

SMITHSONIAN SECOND APPEARANCE! Saturday - a 5am start from Atlanta to get to airport by 7 to catch flight to Washington DC. A concert I had been looking forward to - at the Smithsonian (Ripley Hall) organised by SALDEF (formerly SMART). Guest-of-Honor was a Mr. Acosta - Deputy Attorney General. Also met the famous Dr. Ganga Singh Dhillon and also Dr. Harbans Lall. We received a standing ovation from (at last!) a Sikh audience who appreciated gurbani and other spiritual renditions and also a couple of well aimed jokes! It felt good. No objections - a first I think! I must be slipping - no objections from hardliners - no Pp Singhs! Waheguru be praised!

Sunday - two gurdwara programs - Herndon (western dharma gurdwara) and new Washington DC gurdwara - Gurdwara of the Capitol! Had to cancel a third because we were just too tired and I had strained my voice.

Monday - flight to San Francisco. Good to meet friends Chani and Gugi Pangali who have also arranged programs for the rest of the week including Sunday in Bay area plus watching a professional baseball game on Monday.

Tuesday night. A 'Dya Singh' evening organised by SACHAA at Masala Hutt Fiji/Indian restaurant in Fremont. Full house and a very appreciative mixed audience were treated to what eveyone said was one of our best concerts. Great sound system by Suresh who has become a fan.

Rennu, who heads SACHAA to help Sikh and non-Sikh families by focussing on the elderly and the kids is quite a character. She runs special day programs for the elderly and has opened a special school for kids. She is fiercely 'Sikh' in her own way. Some Sikh 'leaders' were not happy that her organisation was operating independently of any other Sikh organisation - they need 'control'! In a meeting they questioned the fact that she might not be a 'Sikh' as she is very fair, has pretty but unusual features for a Sikh and trims her hair. So she was asked to prove that she was a Sikh. Now, if you are a Muslem, perhaps you can prove you are a Muslem by dropping your decks and showing a circumcision or something to that effect. She came up with a novel idea to prove that she was a Sikh. She approached one of them and told him to allow her to slap him. From the force of the slap he would surely be able to vouch that that was the hand of a 'Sikhni'! I think the Sikh 'leaders' decided hurriedly that she was a Sikh just with the mere fact that she had come up with such a novel idea to prove that she was a Sikh!

Rennu has been a great fan of our music for a long time and affectionately calles me 'Uncle'. We did justice to her by producing one of our best concerts! The concert was a mix of an invocation from Ardaas in Raag Madhuvanti, ghazals, Punjabi folk songs with a spiritual bent, a bhajan, a few old Hindi songs, a Sufi qawali and 'Jo tao Prem khelan ka chao'. Pity it was not recorded.

Programs every evening with two programs on Saturday in the Bay area and a private program on Sunday morning in Berkeley. The two gurdwara 'hajri's' at Hayward and at the new gurdwara of San Jose were a breath of fresh air. We were well received and shown around the new premises of the San Jose gurdwara. A gurdwara built lovingly and on a great spot overlooking the bay. Congratulations to the committee! There is great personal satisfaction in doing programs here as we are doing them amongst people who appreciate them. We do not have to do programs especially in gurdwaras which treat us indiferrently or do not want us. More and more youngsters and parents with young children are buying our cd's as they find that their kids are listening to our kirtan. It has been a tight schedule thanks to Gugi and Chani Pangali. We are almost a part of their family now. We celebrated Chani's 54th. birthday on Sunday night at the Outback Restaurant - felt a little like home, Australia! No kangaroo meat on the menu though! Also met Dr. Kapany, who had invited us to the Smithsonian opening of the Sikh Arts Exhibition last year and has a few other projects for us in mind into the future.

"I want to drop a short note of thanks to all the families that hosted the Dya Singh Group in the Bay area this year. Each function was well organized and conducted with the proper blend of reverance for the sacred Gurbani Kirtan, good sound systems and a relaxed atmosphere. Thank you for that special extra effort.

In a small way we are building an important legacy for our children. We are connecting them to an important part of our culture that is sure to resonate with them the rest of their life.

It was truly moving to hear accounts from parents of children who had (a) skipped a class to attend kirtan, or (b) begged their parents to be allowed to go to multiple Dya Singh functions during the week, or (c) asked their college professor if they could sit the bar exam at a later date, or (d) scraped up pennies to buy a Dya Singh CD with their OWN money.

Thank you for giving encouragement to Dya Singh for his noble and commendable mission. If you can, please consider an additional grant to him so he can donate free CDs and booklets at youth camps and produce more cd's.

Our feedback to Dya Singh improves the program from year to year. Encourage your children to talk to him, to ask him tough questions. His discourses aim to answer the most burning questions that youth pose to him.

Each of us can make a difference. All it takes is a little bit of our time. If your schedule does not permit you to host a function next year, please do make an effort to come to the functions that others have organized . Publicize the availability of his CDs. When thinking of a special gift for a Sikh friend, consider giving a Dya Singh CD (or even the complete set!).

My own comment - Kirtan and services in gurdwaras that we visit 'appear' to have become very ritualistic and do not appear to enhance spiritual upliftment and self betterment. My group members including my daughters find that doing programs in gurdwaras are rather tense, with poor sound systems, poor seating arrangements and a lack of cordiality from committee members and especially the 'granthi/ragi' fraternity. Their mannerisms and body language always seem to suggest that they are 'checking us out' or looking for fault. Whereas private programs and mixed concerts are 'happy' and spiritually uplifting and enjoyed by all especially the youth.

April 28. A lovely small private program of kirtan at our good friends, the Vohras in Dallas. A small sangat enjoyed one and a half hour of blissful kirtan and discourse followed by langgar. Vohra's 25th. wedding anniversary. Waheguru give them Cherdhi Kala, Sikhi-dhaan, Naam-dhaan and health.

Friday:Garland Gurdwara, Dallas - evening program. Small but enthusiastic sangat. We enjoyed the company of some youngsters after the program who wanted to ask us searching questions and showed great enthusiasm towards kirtan.

Saturday April 30. - Houston concert. Mad rush first thing in the morning to airport to fly to Houston for ASP concert - American Sikh professionals Association. A glorious way to round up a wonderful and fulfilling month. About 300 professionals with spouses, from sixteen states of USA attended, I am told. The organisation collects monies for worthwhile Sikh/Punjabi projects like SALDEF, scholarships etc. New project is to help raise edeucation standards in Punjab. A very noble organisation.

We were honored with a one and a half hour concert. No restrictions on us - as Dr. Soin - President told us - 'show us what you are all about!' ... and we did! We started with an invocation of Ardaas - first stanza as an Invocation followed by a night of spiritually inclined Punjabi (Indian and Pakistani), Bulle Shah etc., and Hindi songs and a qawali. A resounding standing ovation told us that we had been well received! Cd's sold briskly afterwords. Program and our stay organised by ASP was at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown. We stayed the night and left at 6am to get back to Dallas to honor our final two programs in dallas on Sunday May 1.

A big and grateful 'thank you' to Ramneek - President of garland gurdwara, Dallas and family for putting us up for almost a week with 'prathas' every morning or egg sandwiches loving made by Ramneek's mother and wife. A fine example of a traditional Sikh family with grandparents, couple and children living harmoniously under the same roof. The 'home' is big enough to house one more family! Waheguru Ji's blessings upon them. We have made many many friends - good friends in Dallas and Houston.