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Simran House: Multifaith Opening Ceremony
 
 
 
"It was one of the most moving and overpowering ceremonies I have witnessed". The sentiments of Reverend Mary Pearson, the representative of the Council of Churches NSW.

Simran House, at Minto, Campbelltown, Sydney, Australia, was opened on Saturday 16th. June 2007 with a small but touching afternoon ceremony attended by about 200 Sikhs, non-Sikhs and representatives of various faiths. Sydney has been blessed with drought breaking rains over the last two weeks and they were not going to let up except for about one hour between 2.30pm and 3.30pm for Pastor Bill Simmons of the Aboriginal people to conduct a sacred fire blessing ceremony which had to start in the open.

The ceremony was preceded by two days of 'Akhand Jaap' from Thursday morning where individuals, groups, families and jathas took turns over a 48 hour period to do meditation (naam simran of Mool Mantr or just 'Waheguru'). We had the pleasure of a South Indian gentleman, Mr. Chockalingam who slept on the premises and recited 'Waheguru' Jaap every moment he was allowed to!

The 48 hour Akhand Jaap concluded with the singing of Aarti shabads and Ardaas at 7am. on Saturday.

Our music group - Dya Singh World Music then started kirtan at 12.45pm. to 2pm. leading to a one hour break for light food and refreshments.

At 3pm. Pastor Bill Simmons lit a fire in a bowl and walked thru the whole property invoking the blessings of his ancestral people giving us permission to use the site for our own Sikh sacred practices. The fire was then used to light a candle which was placed on the premises as indication of the permission given.

The congregation then came inside and 'parkash' was done in full pomp and ceremony with five representatives of our youth acting as the Panj Pyaray.

Pastor Bill then made a welcome address followed by a Christian prayer of blessing from Reverend Mary Pearson of the Unitarian church representating the Christian faith. This was followed by a prayer by Brother Voraveth of the Lao Buddhist Society.

Pastor Bill then requested that he be allowed to conduct a prayer in his Aboriginal language and duly obliged. Sister Dany Culemar of the Jewish faith then sang a song of praise assisted by her little daughter who handed out slips of paper with the Jewish psalm written on them for everyone to follow. Brother Shankar, who also conducts Yoga classes every saturday morning, conducted a Hindu prayer of blessing assisted by three other members of the Divine Life Society.

A message was also received from Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs urging all communities to follow such examples of programmes which foster inter-racial and inter-religious harmony.

A young Hindu student, Vasudev then sang a song which acknowledged the commonality of all religions and God being one and being above all religions and not just belonging to one.

Three Sikh youth jathas them presented shabads followed by one shabad - 'Koyi bole Ram Ram, koyi khudha' by the Dya Singh World Music Group followed by Ardaas and HukmNama. It was noteworthy that Guru Ji acknowledged the various faiths coming together with the HukmNama being the four 'lavan', the basis of the Sikh marriage ceremony, the Anand Karaj. It was like all faiths had come together in holy matrimony before Guru Ji.

Simran House is now ongoing and with God's grace shall continue in this vein where sewadhars carry out all functions and it becomes a vital tool in the spiritual upliftment of Sikhs and non-Sikhs not only of the region but as an example for Sikhs to set up such places of worship which are less ritualistic but more meaningful in the lifes of our people. They must also be more welcome to non-Sikhs so that we can encourage love and harmony between the various races and peoples of different religious and spiritual backgrounds.

On Sunday 17th. we had full Asa Di Var from 6-8am after naam simran which was onging from 3am. Dhan Dhan fifth Guru Ji, Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji's martyrdom was celebrated with great pomp, ceremony, kirtan and especially 'naam simran'.

More informaton on Simran House is on website www.simranhouse.com

Simran House. like all organisations needs donations and 'dhaan' to operate. If interested, please speak to sewadhar Jasvinder Singh on phone Simran House: 02 98245792 or write to sikhsimransociety@gmail.com . We conduct special services for 'all'. The only condition is that we ask 'all' to do 'naam simran' as directed for all blessings to bear fruit.



Dya Singh CD’s available for sale now at www.ethnicisland.com
 


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