RESPONSE OF MY MENTION OF 'ART OF LIVING'

In response to my remarks about 'Art if Living' in last month's (September 07) 'Dyaries', I must say I am amazed at the amount of responses I have received from Sikh friends who say that they prefer, and go to 'Art of Living', or other 'spiritual self-improvement' programs rather than go to gurdwara because these other programs are more meaningful - for spiritual progress.


Some say that they 'only' go to gurdwaras when there are family or friends' invitation obligations, but for their own physical, mental and spiritual progress they go to 'Art of Living' programs, or other organisations including the Brahmakumaris, the Hare Rama Hare Krisna mob, Buddhist organisations, etc..

A number of responses say that they have even started going to weekend 'retreats' of other denominations notably 'Art of Living' and the Buddhists. Remember, I am talking of staunch Sikh families. One lovely lady goes to a 10 day annual Buddhist retreat for silent meditation. The alarm bells are ringing. Are we going to look at this issue more closely and see what we can do towards 'improving' what we do in gurdwaras with the growing ritualism and fundamentalism that is creeping into gurdwaras rather than look at positive ways of introducing activities towards self-improvement / elevation the Sikh way?

An example of email received...

Such a shame :( on these Gurdwaras, It's all politics, I personally go to Art of Living Kirtn every Saturday then Gurduras, It's more of a business then a symbol of love or equality.

Love,

Rupinder

Another interesting one... (high-lighting/italics my own)

Fantastic Trip!!!!!!!!!! Oh and CONGRATULATIONS for
being banned in certain Gurudwaras. It means that
certain cages are being rattled by the truth of the
Banis as they should be and not as the money hungary
granthis would like it to be!
I would like more information on the Art of Living.
Where would I find it. I used to live in Fort McMurray
in Alberta Canada and have just moved to Toronto,
Canada.
Have a great day

Something for all of us who are concerned, to think about ! Why are we 'Sikhs' not capable of organising such 'self-improvement' modules the Sikhi way and attract at least Sikhs to attend? AND, if someone tries to do something about it, why do we then try to condemn such initiatives?

Simran House
...in Sydney, set up by a few friends, is going well because of genuine support from local devotees and others around the world who can see that such an institution is necessary to explore and practice true Sikh practices. Some necessary ritualistic practices have crept back (for example, Akhand Paths), for financial reasons, because it will take time and more importantly, financial well-being for such practices to be totally obliterated ...

Yoga, Naam Simran and Seva are the three main ingredients and devotees are truly enjoying the benefits. Sewadhar Jasvinder Singh has done an excellent job in holding fort and ensuring that the service, kirtan, simran and perchar is of a high quality. More and more enthusiasts are flocking in and contributing towards its success. The 'knockers' are backing off because there is nothing to criticise. The is nothing 'Brahminnical' about this organisation. In fact if there is anything 'Brahminnical' it is in the other gurdwaras! Those in Sydney, check it out.

Negotiations are now complete to move into our own premises as the current one was 'owned' by one devotee and he has just passed away. (Done! Friday 26th. Nov. - a few doors away, same suburb - Minto.)

October has kicked off enjoying 'home' and the last few weeks of winter here.

Dyary: Week 1 : (6 Oct.)In Melbourne with 'Simran' on Saturday morning at home attended by two 'sherdhalus'.


'Yatra' to the Red Centre of Australia (13Oct. to 23rd.Oct.)

My two older brothers, Principal Gurmukh Singh of UK and Councillor Baldev Singh Dhaliwal, their wives (my Bhabi Jis) and I spent a week driving 5000 km. from Adelaide in South Australia, through the Opal Centre of the world - Cooper Pedy, to the famous Australian monolith Ayers Rock, to the capital of the centre of Australia - Alice Spring, and came back along the old Cameliers route right through the desert over dirt tracks, the most famous of which we travelled is called the Oodnadata Track. (Other famous ones are the Birdsville Track and the Strezeclki Track.)

Normally, there is a tendency for visitors who land at either Sydney or Melbourne airports, see a couple of sights like Harbour Bridge or Opera House and brag about having seen Australia. I say that until one has not experienced a drive to the desert to Alice Spring and seen, or even climbed Ayers Rock, and has not swum among the corals of the Great Barrier Reef, then one has not 'seen' Australia. This was one of those memorable trips. To me such a trip becomes a spiritual experience as it means being within the wonderment of creation - the vast expanses of semi desert bushland, the beautiful landscape, canyons, chasms, gorges, the bright clear sky at night with millions of stars, the beautiful hills, small friendly towns, the kangaroos, emus and other wild animals of the desert and ... the very sacred Ayers Rock, Uluru.

It was, firstly, a chance for us three brothers spending some time together discussing/arguing about Sikhi, about kirtan, about 'ritualism', about spirituality, and also sharing some personal favourites of kirtan like Bhai Sahib Bhai Balbir Singh Ji Ragi, Bibi Gurinder Kaur of Delhi, Bhai Sahib Bhai Avtar Singh Ji of Bangla Sahib and so on.

Secondly, with my personal interest in the history of Sikhs in Australia (especially South Australia) we were able to travel along the routes and stay in towns where Sikhs have lived and worked from just after the times of Maharajah Ranjit Singh. Some are even buried in these towns! Though I have done some preliminary research on the subject when I was doing my degree in Aboriginal Studies, this was an opportunity to refresh my memory and also ignite the desire to complete this research and hopefully publish a book on the subjest one day.

Some basic facts...
1. The first official cremation in Adelaide in 1901 was a Bishen Singh.
2. The first official bank account of the State Bank of South Australia, in 1847 was a Croppo Singh (probably Kirpa Singh).
3. The first official sundry store established on Kangaroo Island (island off the coast of South Australia) at the turn of the century was established by an Otim Singh (Utam Singh?)
4. There is proof of at least 26 graves of Sikhs in South Australia.
5. Some famous Sikh cameliers were Rhoda Singh who died at the ripe old age of 110 (in the town of Marree) and a Kan Singh. (We came through this town which is only approached by a dirt track even today.)
6. There are at least five aboriginal families in the riverland region of South Australia with the surname 'Singh'

The above is some information just from the top of my head, and there is much much more and hopefully Waheguru will give me the opportunity to complete this research. I have been able to fire up the imagination of my two brothers to help me in this. This will help establish a history of Sikhs in South Australia and the hinterland of Australia and establish the part played by Sikhs in the building of Australia. And we took plenty of pictures of sights, of kangaroos, emus and snakes in the wild and some beautiful sunsets,especially the one at Ayers Rock!

It is spring now, which means pollen and for me that means hay fever! So, it is not the best time of the year for me to be in south Australia!

28th. Sunday. Four hour Drive starting at 7am. to Wodonga/Albury on the Victorian/New South Wales border to conduct a 'semagam' (service) and Ardaas (prayer) for the opening of a new Indian restaurant by Manraj Singh and family and partners. This region only has 5/6 Sikh families and related Hindu families and need to meet regularly for prayers. This visit with a few close friends including dhan dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib was, in a way, to encourage them, firstly, to house at least one Babay-dhi-bir and also meet regularly for prayers, and especially simran. Anyway, for our own purposes, we now have a half-way stopover place between Melbourne and Sydney on the Hume Highway !!! Parkash, followed by Sukhmani Sahib and half an hour of simran followed by a lovely Guru-Ka-Lunch !!


BIG FAT SIKH WEDDING

I was going thru some old files and came across a 'Sikh' Wedding card I had received from 'apna des' India. In one oversized card there are eight (yes EIGHT!) 'ceremonies' for the one wedding. The eight separate cards are as follows: (I shall not mention names to embarrass anyone.)

1. Semapti Sehaj Path : 15Nov. in Mumbai
2. Ring ceremony : 19Nov. in New Delhi
3.Shagan :20 Nov. in New Delhi
4.Mahendi : 20 Nov. in New Delhi
5.Sehra Bandi & Baraat : 21Nov. in New Delhi
6.Marriage ceremony : 22Nov. in New Delhi
7.Golf : Dec. 9, in Mumbai. (Please inform handicap)
8.Reception : Dec.9, in Mumbai

Yes! The Golf is a separate card and one must inform of playing handicap. This folks, is an example of a Big Fat Sikh Wedding. Dhan Sikhi! A Sikh wedding these days is no more a small, meaningful, sacred 'Anand Karaj'. It is a big public spectacle and a vulgar display of wealth. Poorer parents are known to take out second mortgages for the 'weddings' of their offsprings - 'Loke ki kehengay!'

Preparations are underway to go to Bangkok for a few days at the invitation of a S. Dalbir Singh to do kirtan. The group leaves on Saturday 3rd. November.

Sukhmani Sahib recording is coming along well. I was able to verify Raag Gaudi Sukhmani which will be pivotal in the recording. A preliminary recording is complete - now, for further adjustments. Hopefully, the recording will be on sale in early January.

A very happy Bendhi Shod Devas, Avtar Dehada - Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj, and Martyrdom of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to all, in the month of November.

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Dya Singh