Sunday 25th October 2009 - this is a date that will stay in the memory of the residents of Leamington and Warwick for sometime. If you are Sikh living in Leamington or Warwick then its safe to say that the events of Sunday 25th October will stay with you for the rest of your life.
The aim of the Gurdwara committee was to put together a series of events that would be a fitting and respectful tribute to mark the consecration whilst also getting the whole congregation involved as much as possible and furthermore providing an opportunity for the wider community to find out more and get involved.
The day started at the existing Gurdwara Sahib by reciting scriptures for the Guru Granth Sahib. After that it was all hands on deck to make sure that the preparations for the Nagar Kirtan (procession) were in good order. Nagar Kirtan literally means "Neighbourhood Kirtan".
The term refers to the possession of Sikh Congregation through the town singing holy hymns. The concept of a Nagar Kirtan is to bring the message of God to the doorstep of the community particularly during times of happiness and celebration. The Nagar Kirtan began at 1130 and it was a sight to behold.
On the day we estimate that approximately 6,000 people attended the celebrations. The majority were from the Sikh community but there were also a considerable number of non Sikhs. We were humbled by this degree of support and were also proud of how the wider community of Leamington and Warwick got behind us on the day.
On many occasions we have stated that we wanted the whole community to understand and benefit from this project. In order to help us to achieve this aim a team of volunteers will be running tours of the Gurdwara Sahib every Saturday from the 7th November up to December
5th 2009. The tours will run between 10.00 AM until 3.00 PM on the hour. If you would like guided tour during these times or even alternative dates, then please email tours@gurdwaraleamingtonandwarwick.
co.uk
General Secretary Jagtar Singh Gill described the atmosphere; "Despite the grey skies and the constant threat of rain, nothing could dampen the spirits of the people that had come together to celebrate this great day. The site of all those people, young and old, men and women, sikh and non sikhs alike was truly awe inspiring."
The Nagar Kirtan arrived at the New Gurdwara Sahib at 1430. As the Guru Granth Sahib was carried into the Gurdwara Sahib five white doves were released into the sky - it was a truly beautiful site, at the same time the children of the congregation showered the path with a dazzling array of rose petals.
Once the Guru Granth Sahib was in the Prayer Hall the volunteers sprang into action and started the process of getting the congregation through the prayer hall in a safe and respectful way. It was vital that the flow of the thousand's of attendees was carefully managed, so that they could pray and also go to the Langar Hall (congregation dining area) and eat. The programme carried on late into Sunday evening.
General Secretary Jagtar Singh Gill summed up the day; "For those that were there I've no doubt that they will remember this remarkable day for the rest of their lives. Days and events like this are only possible thanks to the huge efforts that volunteers make. In this case we had a core of some 180 members of the congregation who gave up their time not only on the day to man car parks, prepare the food, man the route etc but also those people who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes. To cap it all off I'd like to thank everyone that attended on the 25th October and contributed towards the £90,000 that was raised on the day."
There are still more events to come at the Gurdwara sahib. Monday 2nd November is another big day for us, we will be celebrating the birth of the founder of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, there will be religious programmes throughout the day. And to mark the end of Consecration Week, there will be Grand Fireworks Display at around 7.50pm. All are welcome to attend. Attendees will be served freshly made Jalebi (Indian Fried Sweets) and cup of tea. On Sunday 8th November a programme will take part in the afternoon to commemorate remembrance day. Details will be provided nearer the time.
Gurdwara Sahib Leamington & Warwick
Key Contacts Gurdwara Sahib Leamington & Warwick
Tachbrook Park Drive, Warwick, CV34 6RH
Tel: 01926 424297
web: www.gurdwara-leamingtonandwarwick.co.uk
email: [email protected]
Rajvinder Singh Mann Press Officer
07590 839422 [email protected]
Sarbjit Singh Madar Media and Communications Secretary
07881 916242 [email protected]
Jagtar Singh Gill General Secretary
07956 838413 [email protected]