After a tremendous start to the tour in the LA/Orange C. area we headed for San Francisco on May 26th. Unlike my Guru Ji, Nanak, we comfortably flew...dhan dhan Guru Nanak!

We had only two gurudwara programs - in Hayward on Wednesday 28th and at San Hose on Friday 30th . We have decided that we should only go to gurudwaras in which we feel wanted.

There are gurudwaras where 'raagi jathas' and lined up to do kirtan and we feel our presence an intrusion - I guess a little like my Sachay Patshah felt when he went to Multan and the sadhus, pandits and sages fraternity sent him a brimful pot of milk as a sign that he was not wanted there as Multan was brimful of spirituality and did not need any more!! We were certainly not going to Fremont where I was threatened two years ago for bringing kirtan into disrepute by having non-Sikh musicians and that my daughters sometimes danced! A 'raagis' daughters should not dance said one supposed committee member - it is a 'mena'!

We did numerous private programs notably Dr. Kapany's residence and also discussed future plans with him. He is playing a very important in furthering a greater awareness of Sikhs and Sikhism worldwide with his Sikh Arts Exhibitions and also missionary work through The Sikh Foundation.

Next stop - the troubled Phoenix, Arizona. Two weeks earlier, a Sardar, Awthar Singh, was shot twice in a hate incident. One year earlier we had come for a memorial concert for S. Balbir Singh Sodhi...

The Phoenix organisers organised a four-day (mornings only) youth camp for about 45 youngsters. A great time was held by all - youngsters, parents, sewadhars, prabhandaks and our group members. Evenings were taken up by private programs or to enjoy the ranch (with swimming pool) of Mr. and Mrs. Rangi - grandpa and grandma as they are affectionately called.

The children were coached in Sikh maryada and history of the 'masters' and sing in choir format, to be able to accompany us for a Saturday (June 7th) media publicised 'Sikh Awareness Concert' which also became a S. Awthar Singh Charity Concert - to help pay his hefty medical bills.

The concert was a tremendous success and well attended but created some controversies, which must be noted.

Some organisers, who are cleanshaven and label themselves, as 'sehajdharies' wanted me to portray a more balanced view of Sikhs as being partly cleanshaven and partly turbanned. A very tricky situation for me as, even though I have a great deal of support from 'sehajdharies', I find it hard to compromise on the correct image of a Sikh being - 'saabat surat destaar sira' - unshorn hair, bearded and with a turban!

Firstly, they felt that I should not ask the cleanshaven youngsters in the group from having even a 'romal' on their heads when I was insisting that they tie a patka and ideally tie a full dastaar - which strangely all the youngsters wanted to! The youngsters were going to sing 'Mool Mantra' and our group anthem - the 'Game of Love' (Jo thao prem khelan ka chao).

Secondly, they did not want the five 'jekarays' especially with raised fists because that would show that we were militant and inadvertently be linked to terrorist groups. I accepted that no clenched fists will be raised but perhaps we could have open hands rose - to denote peace.

Fortunately sanity prevailed and we were able to carry out the program as planned but I have a sneaky suspicion that our attendance was delayed as the last part of the program so that the TV cameras could not catch the full impact of our performance. Initially we were supposed to come on first...

Nevertheless, the Phoenix sangat should be congratulated on their efforts in staying together and also helping to raise the profile of Sikhs generally and also doing a great deal in organizing youth programs and camps.

It was a pleasure to see the Sodhi family in full CherdhiKala, Gursikhi and playing a very active part within the Sikh community. The American Sikh community also must be commended for the part they are playing in promoting Sikhi.

Florida

We flew from the dry heat of Phoenix to the humidity of Florida on Monday June 9th. The Orlando sangat organised a two-day children's camp attended by 25 youngsters, parents and sewadars. A great first effort. I think parents benefited even more than the kids. Youth Camps should encourage parents to come too as they need Sikhi as much as the youngsters! Some were glad that they were not part of the Quiz on the last day - it would have been very embarrassing for most!

The weekend saw a Saturday morning program at the Gurdwara Sahib Ft. Lauderdale and a Sunday morning program at Gurdwara Sahib, Orlando

I must comment that the sangat comes rather late. The reason/excuse being that some sangat comes from as far as over 100 miles sometimes! I remember travelling over 200 km. in Australia, from Adelaide to the Riverland region, one Sunday per month for almost two years with my family - three daughters ranging from 3 years to 10 years and starting Assa-Dhi-Var at 6am! Bapu Ji used to say that if you lose Amritvela then be prepared to lose your Sikhi. He considered 6am to be too late!! Here sangat turns up at Noon!

Another program of interest was a private program at Sriman Kapoor Sahib's abode in Melbourne, Florida (not Australia). Kapoor Ji is a family friend of the famous ghazal gayak - Jagjit(Chitra) Singh. I have long admired Jagjit and if I have a regret - it is that I believe that Jagjit Singh Ji can leave a very rich legacy of 'Sikh' music if he recorded shabads in their raags. He has tremendous God-given ability. I hope he does. He says, that is my job. I take that as a compliment!

We left for Atlanta from Orlando, Florida on Friday June 20th by road...

Atlanta

We received a warm welcome at the palatial residence of S. Gurcharan Singh.

Atlanta has two gurudwaras - one main gurudwara and one, in an old church on a five-acre very picturesque block. This second gurudwara is the SEWA (Sikh Education and Welfare Association) Gurdwara Sahib set up for the specific purpose of getting the youth to run it! A commendable venture, as youth must be made to have a sense of belonging to our institutions especially gurudwaras. They conduct the service, kirtan etc. We did a Saturday evening program at the main Gurdwara Sahib and a Sunday kirtan at the SEWA Gurdwara Sahib to tremendous enthusiasm by sangat and especially youth. We like to thank Jai Hari Singh Khalsa for organizing our trip to Atlanta, our wonderful host Gurcharan Singh and Mrs. Gurcharan Singh and Dr. Jagjit Singh Sandhu, one of the prime movers of the SEWA gurudwara who showed great interest in our mission and was very encouraging.

The group had four 'off' weekdays from July 23rd. to 26th and decided to drive to Virginia Beach while I travelled back to SF for a meeting with Dr. Kapany about plans for next year.

On Thursday 26th we travelled from Washington DC to Baltimore (Gurdwara Sahib) for a program.

Concert in Chester, Virginia on Friday July 27th, then an overnight dash to Washington DC transported by my very good friend Dr. Gurpal Singh Bhullar to catch an early morning flight to St. Louise to do a 11am program at their temporary gurudwara there. We also did two concerts at the Hindu Bhavan Hall organised by friends S.Drs. Ajit Nagra and Gurcharan Singh who i thank for being wonderful hosts and firm friends into the future.

St. Louise was the scene of an unsavoury incident at one of our concerts, which I shall elaborate, in the next edition...

sewak,

Dya Singh (Australia)

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