The group is performing in Melbourne, Australia from 8 to 11 June 2006. There is a weekend youth camp in Adelaide from 23rd to 26th. and we fly for the Yepoon Music Festival in Queensland at the end of the month. Now lets see what Waheguru has in His itinerary for us!

It turned out to be a sensational concert, much appreciated by all and possibly leading to our involvement into the future providing 'spiritually uplifting breaks' for delegates at conferences, seminars and business forums. Entertainment of a spiritual nature is of far greater benefit than entertainment for the sake of entertainment. An interesting development. Deepak Chopra be warned! Lets see how we can utilise Sikhi as a modern management and self-improvement tool, especially kirtan.

Saturday - Day off for the group - Andrew Clermont, Dheeraj, Keith, Parvyn and Harsel. Great to be performing again and seeing the group together again.

Sunday - Gurdwara Blackburn. Noon. Blackburn Gurdwara, the premier gurdwara in Victoria has become the centre of Sikh activity here. At least a thousand (!!!) sangat every Sunday with at least half that on Wednesday evenings besides other ongoing activities all week. The theme was 'Shahidhi Month' with the shahidhi of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and the attack on the Akal Takhat of 1984. It is always a pleasure to have 'hajri' at homebase - after all Melbourne is now homebase. Nevertheless, as expected in gurdwaras, there were rumblings due to my mentioning the name of a gentleman who has taken the trouble to write a book about the history of Sikh presence in Australia but whose name is 'mud' within the present committee, not without justification apparently - but I did not know of course!. So, looks like I am in the black books of this committee too! Shoot!

More and more, I am finding that doing kirtan 'concerts' for non-Sikhs is a much more fulfilling and enjoyable experience all round than doing kirtan in gurdwaras. In gurdwaras I have to keep justifying myself, but in open concerts there is only appreciation and fulfillment.

It was great having the group together again and finding bliss in kirtan.

VISITORS FROM NEW ORLEANS, USA

Good friends Noni and Raj Pannu are in town for a week of sight-seeing. These are our 'hosts' in New Orleans who have lost a great deal materially after typhoon Katrina but happy to be alive and well. I think they enjoyed their stay here in Melbourne. They did not exactly pick a good time - deepest darkest winter here! But then, winter has its own charm. They enjoyed two trips to the south-east. One to Phillip Island to watch fairy penguins come in for the night - a wonderful sight. The second trip was to the abandoned goldmining town of Walhalla into the mountains.

Weekend Retreat in Adelaide. (24/25 June)

Sangat and committee 'devotees' had asked us to 'share' a weekend in Adelaide's new gurdwara. (I wrote about it in April and it appeared in June's Sikh Review.) Melbourne sewadhars Sarjit Singh and Jasvinder Singh Mann organised this 'retreat' and middle daughter Harsel decide to come with us.

Saturday. 5-6am:Naam Simran.
6.30 - 8.30am Asa Di Var.
10am-1pm : Session One : Power of Ardas and Guru personalities
1pm. Langgar.
2.30-5pm: Session 2 : Power of Ardas (continued) & 'The priorities in Sikhism'.
5-6pm : Interaction
6-7.30pm Rehras and Divan, Samapti
Sunday : 7-8am - Naam Simran.
8.30-10.30am: Asa Di Var
11- Noon: Kirtan, Samapti and Langgar followed by general interaction.

My brother-in-law S. Charan Singh who has been the 'caretaker in Adelaide for many many years, joined us for all kirtan including Asa Di Var, on tabla. Group member, Josh Bennett on guitar.

This proved to be a unique Sikh retreat' which was attended by about forty youth and adults with plenty of interaction which is always very important. Cd's of Nitnam and handouts were given out including a booklet, 'Dialogue between (Sikh) father and son'. I believe this was a very successful 'retreat' and it is hoped that more 'sangats' would take such opportunities to make optimum use of their premises. We stayed in the gurdwara and bliss was experienced by all. Some comments which give an idea of its impact...

"We have forgotten our 'basics' like simple Naam Simran and its power."
"Simple! Yet we cannot find the time to do it."
"How come we have drifted so far from the 'truth'?"
"The KISS principle takes on a new significance." (Keep It Simple Sardar Ji!)
"Suddenly the 'Ardas' seems to be such a powerful tool for communication with Waheguru, if done properly."

I have helped conduct youth camps and have been involved in seminars, forums and discourses all my life. In Adelaide we focused just on Naam Simran - one hour of 'just' Waheguru simran in the morning and half an hour in the evening. I have not found such bliss in any other spiritual activity except maybe doing kirtan before a responsive and meditative sadh sangat. I believe that we appear to give greater credibility to Nitnam (which no doubt is important) when throughout the Guru Granth Sahib we are exhorted to do 'naam'. Nitnam is a 'panthic' requirement, Naam Simran is our 'Guru Ji's' requirement. Something to think about.

Last word, and on a lighter note, goes to Australia blossoming as a footballing (soccering) nation. Well, we got into the final 16 of the 'world cup' and were 'robbed' by a dubious penalty, against soccer powerhouse, Italy, in the very last minute : 1-0.

More at July end Waheguru willing. Friday June30 - we leave for the Yepoon Folk festival in Rockhampton, in far north Queensland.

Guru Rakha,

Dya Singh