Nagar Keertan Update

GTA:
Malton - Rexdale Nagar kirtan will take place April 23rd departing Malton at 12pm. So those interested in volunteering or helping out. Please arrive at Malton by the main Khalsa School entrance no later then 10:30 am on Sunday April 23rd.

TORONTO:
COSS will have a float at the downtown nagar kirtan. We are requesting all volunteers to contact us. We will also require kirtanees so please book your time ASAP. Toronto Volunteers are requested to meet at CNE location for 8:30 sharp on Sunday April 30th (day of the nagar kirtan)

IF INTERESTED PLEASE EMAIL:
WesternSSA Exec: westernssa@gmail.com
COSS Exec: parmsc@yahoo.com or parminder.j@gmail.com

GTA Nagar Keertan!

MALTON - REXDALE: Sunday April 23rd
Malton - Rexdale Nagar kirtan will take place April 23rd departing Malton at 12pm. So those interested in volunteering or helping out. Please arrive at Malton by the main Khalsa School entrance no later then 10:30 pm on Sunday April 23rd

ALL INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS PLEASE EMAIL ASAP

DOWNTOWN TORONTO: Sunday April 30th
We will also have a float for the downtown Nagar Kirten @ CNE, which will be arriving in the morning. For anyone that may be interested in helping set up and decorate the float, please make plans to come early or feel free to contact Parm Singh for additional information. An exact time will be soon emailed out again as the date nears. If anybody is interested in doing kirten on the float, again contact Parm Singh. We will be having COSS t shirts ready @ both Nagar Kirtens, so please be prepared to wear a Tshirts to show our unity.

We may also be able to get a Table at City Hall grounds to help serve food as they do each and every year, however this can only be done if we have sevadaars willing to get to City Hall ahead of time, and be dedicated to that seva for the majority of the afternoon. If you ARE seriously interested please contact (PARMINDER OR PARM), and if we have enough devoted sevadars we will let you know the status as the day nears.

ALL INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS PLEASE EMAIL ASAP

IMMORTAL SHAHEEDI:
Listen to the upcoming tracks at http://www.shaheedi.com book your copy today. COSS is the official distributor of the CD in Canada and assisting with its Launch. CD's will be on sale at the Nagar Kirtan on a first come first serve basis. However, volunteers will be given first choice.

check for updates on www.sikhstudents.ca

CONTACT INFO:
WesternSSA Exec: westernssa@gmail.com
Parm Singh - parmsc@yahoo.com
Parminder Singh - parminder.j@gmail.com

The Panthic Otrpeka

The recent popularity of blogging has hit home with the sikh community and without a doubt blogging and Sikhi have proven to provide a rather large spectrum of focus, ranging from sikh student associations to being purely news based and informational. However, one of the most informative and revolutionary Sikh blogs finds home at thepanthicotpreka.blogspot.com. The Panthic Otpreka consistently catches ones attention and stimulates the mind from a perspective that would normally be ignored given current societal pressures on Sikh Youth. The Panthic Otpreka is hands down one of the best "nothing-but-sikhi" blogs on the net... check it out for yourself.. here is a copy of the most recent post

Monday, April 17, 2006

The Whole World is Born of Sikhs

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,

Below is an extract from a speech by Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindrawale.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh


This issue come up every day; regarding the Sikhs being a separate Nation. I like to make another humble statement. They say Sikhs are extremists. I asked those leaders: "If the Sikhs are extremists, you should accept the Sikhs are a separate Nation (inasmuch as extremism is their exclusive characteristic). If Sikhs are a part of Hindus, then you should write Hindus as extremists (the characteristics of Sikhs and Hindus being the same on that hypothesis)." When they want to abuse us or use foul language towards us it is exclusively towards people with turbans, but when we ask for our rights, we are told: "You are part of us." they say: "You are born out of us." I humbly submit that the whole world is born of Sikhs. In a Pundit's home, in a Muslim's home, or in a Sikh's home, no one is born without hair. If all people stayed as they were born of their parents and kept the appearance given them by God, they would not be called Chhalli Ram or Gulli Ram. Everyone would address them as Sardar Ji. Tell me who is born? Who is created by Nature? Don't get into misunderstandings over this.

Happy Baisakhi!

The Western Sikh Students Association would like to wish everyone a Happy Baisakhi! For those that are not familiar with the historical significance of Baisakhi in Sikhi, we have attached a brief historical recount taken from www.anandpursahib.org...enjoy!

History of Baisakhi

Baisakhi Day: March 30th, 1699

Click to watch a video telling the story of Baisakhi

RealPlayer software required

The Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, installed himself as the Emperor of India in 1657. To achieve his aim he had annihilated almost all his family opposition. Immediately after consolidating his power he embarked on a policy of religious persecution and set upon the process of Islamization of India. The Brahmins were his primary target. He levied unethical religious taxes against Hindus, and shut their temples and places of learning. He had been convinced by his clerics that once the Brahmins accepted Islam the others would follow. The Brahmins, particularly the inhabitants of Kashmir, looked for some dynamic leadership to fight this subversion.

The Brahmins of Kashmir approached Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675), the ninth in the line of Sikh Gurus, who was on the throne of the Sikh religion. They asked him for guidance on combatting the atrocities committed by the Mughal Emperor. At the time of their meeting, Guru Tegh Bahadur's nine year old son, Gobind Rai, was sitting beside him. As Guru Tegh Bahadur went into a deep state of contemplation, his young son asked the reason of his repose. Guru Tegh Bahadur said that the matter was of vital importance; the world is aggrieved by oppression; and no brave man had yet come forward who was willing to sacrifice his life to free the earth from the burden of' Aurangzeb's persecution of Hindus. Young Gobind Rai replied: "For that purpose who is more worthy than thou who art at once generous and brave." So after entrusting the Guruship to Gobind Rai, Guru Tegh Bahadur proceeded towards Delhi, the seat of the Mughal Empire.

Upon reaching Delhi, the Guru and his loyal attendants were immediately imprisoned by Aurangzeb. While in prison, Guru Tegh Bahadur foresaw the beginning of his ecclesiastic journey. To test his son's courage and capability to carry on the Guru's mission, he wrote him saying, "My strength is exhausted, I am in chains and I can make not any efforts. Says Nanak, God alone is now my refuge. He will help me as He did his Saints." In reply young Guru Gobind Rai wrote: "I have regained my Power, my bonds are broken and all options are open unto me. Nanak, everything is in Thine hands. It is only Thou who can assist Thyself."

Guru Teg Bahadur offered his life for the freedom of conscience and conviction of anyone belonging to a faith other than his own. His spirit of sacrifice and courage was kindled into the heart of Gobind Rai.

Hundreds of people gathered around the place where Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred in Delhi. The executioner abandoned the Guru's body in the open. No one came forward openly to claim the body to perform religious rites. Even ardent disciples withdrew unrecognized. Taking advantage of the stormy weather that followed the execution, two persons covertly took the body of Guru Tegh Bahadur for cremation. This cowardice fomented in Gobind Rai an urge to endow his Sikhs with a distinct identity.


With the criteria of courage and strength to sacrifice, Gobind Rai became the tenth Sikh Guru. He wanted to instill these principles in his downtrodden followers. He wanted to uplift their morale to combat the evil forces of injustice, tyranny, and oppression.

He was 33 years old when he had Divine inspiration to actuate his designs. Every year at the time of Baisakhi (springtime), thousands of devotees would come to Anandpur to pay their obeisance and seek the Guru's blessings. In early 1699, months before Baisakhi Day, Guru Gobind Rai sent special edicts to congregants far and wide that that year the Baisakhi was going to be a unique affair. He asked them not to cut any of their hair -- to come with unshorn hair under their turbans and chunis, and for the men to come with full beards.

On Baisakhi Day, March 30, 1699, hundreds of thousands of people gathered around his divine temporal seat at Anandpur Sahib. The Guru addressed the congregants with a most stirring oration on his divine mission of restoring their faith and preserving the Sikh religion. After his inspirational discourse, he flashed his unsheathed sword and said that every great deed was preceded by equally great sacrifice: He demanded one head for oblation. After some trepidation one person offered himself. The Guru took him inside a tent. A little later he reappeared with his sword dripping with blood, and asked for another head. One by one four more earnest devotees offered their heads. Every time the Guru took a person inside the tent, he came out with a bloodied sword in his hand.

Thinking their Guru to have gone berserk, the congregants started to disperse. Then the Guru emerged with all five men dressed piously in white. He baptized the five in a new and unique ceremony called pahul, what Sikhs today know as the baptism ceremony called Amrit. Then the Guru asked those five baptized Sikhs to baptize him as well. He then proclaimed that the Panj Pyare -- the Five Beloved Ones -- would be the embodiment of the Guru himself: "Where there are Panj Pyare, there am I. When the Five meet, they are the holiest of the holy."

He said whenever and wherever five baptized (Amritdhari) Sikhs come together, the Guru would be present. All those who receive Amrit from five baptized Sikhs will be infused with the spirit of courage and strength to sacrifice. Thus with these principles he established Panth Khalsa, the Order of the Pure Ones.

At the same time the Guru gave his new Khalsa a unique, indisputable, and distinct identity. The Guru gave the gift of bana, the distinctive Sikh clothing and headwear. He also offered five emblems of purity and courage. These symbols, worn by all baptized Sikhs of both sexes, are popularly known today as Five Ks: Kesh, unshorn hair; Kangha, the wooden comb; Karra, the iron (or steel) bracelet; Kirpan, the sword; and Kachera, the underwear. By being identifiable, no Sikh could never hide behind cowardice again.

Political tyranny was not the only circumstance that was lowering peoples' morale. Discriminatory class distinctions (--the Indian "caste" system--) promoted by Brahmins and Mullahs were also responsible for the peoples' sense of degradation. The Guru wanted to eliminate the anomalies caused by the caste system. The constitution of the Panj Pyare was the living example of his dream: both the high and low castes were amalgamated into one. Among the original Panj Pyare, there was one Khatri, shopkeeper; one Jat, farmer; one Chhimba, washer-man; one Ghumar, water-carrier; and one Nai, a barber. The Guru gave the surname of Singh (Lion) to every Sikh and also took the name for himself. From Guru Gobind Rai he became Guru Gobind Singh. He also pronounced that all Sikh women embody royalty, and gave them the surname Kaur (Princess). With the distinct Khalsa identity and consciousness of purity Guru Gobind Singh gave all Sikhs the opporunity to live lives of courage, sacrifice, and equality.

The birth of the Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs every Baisakhi Day on April 13. Baisakhi 1999 marks the 300th anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh's gift of Panth Khalsa to all Sikhs everywhere.

Blog Updates coming soon!

Apoligies go out to all those who have been visiting the blog recently and to their dismay, frequent updates have not been made. Although the year has come to an end, that does not mean that the blog will. You can be assured that regular updates will begin once again at the end of April! Also, if anyone has ideas or topics for discussion, feel free to leave comments. Good luck to all of those individuals with exams.

Dasaray,

WSSA blogger

What a Finale it was!!

With our Satguru’s Kirpa the annual langar held by the WSSA- the final event, was a perfect way to end the year.

The langar preparations went very smoothly and one could say, rather successfully as many of the university students volunteered and strengthened their domestic skills experiencing a mere day in the life of our mothers. Even WSSA exec member Gurpreet Singh was witnessed participating in the preparations-a rare yet reassuring occurrence.

The day of the langar itself was beautiful. The sun welcomed everyone to the Gurudwara putting them in good spirits from the start. The Sangat was able to hear various types of kirtan ranging from the sweet voices of young children to more refined and regal kirtan done by the older individuals. The Gurudwara was packed as if it were a religious day. To make things even better, Western Alumni joined us.

Many thanks go out to everyone who attended to make this kirtan what it was. It went as smoothly as it did simply because of the seva and effort put in by Western students and of course all of the parents who’s continued support lays the foundation for all of this success.

Immortal Productions...

Every Vaisakhi
it grows stronger and stronger
the hype
the antincipation
and the hunger...

Yet Again Immortal Productions has delivered, creating possibly the greatest shaheedi immortality compilation ever to be released. Although, we have yet to get our hands on all official and full length tracks, the samples are mind blowing and rather than satisfying the thirst for Dharmik Albums have fuelled a fire and burning desire for more!

The new wave of inspiration created by these tracks is unmatched reaching the youth through an avenue that trescends all barriers, music. The lyrical content of these tracks leaves the listener in awe and exploding with emotion! If you haven't heard of Shaheedi Immortality 400 yet check it out @ www.shaheedi.com!

Here are some sample tracks...

Mukhon Satnaam Bolda

Reet Khalsay Di

Chamakde Taare

The Legend of Jinda Sukha

Azaad Sherni Bibi Deep Kaur


THE REVOLUTION IS HERE...