SGPC President Honors Siri Singh Sahib on his 74th Birthday

Harbhajan Singh Yogiji left his homeland of India and traveled to Canada in the middle of the cold and brutal winter of 1968 to begin teaching Kundalini Yoga at one of the universities in Toronto. By the time the plane landed on Canadian soil, the professor who had invited Harbhajan Singh to teach had been tragically and suddenly killed in a car accident and the airline had lost all of Harbhajan Singh’s luggage. The 39 year-old Sikh and Kundalini Yoga Master found himself alone in a strange land with nowhere to go and no means with which to support himself. For the next three months, he worked odd jobs in Toronto, eating day-old bagels for breakfast and tying newspaper around his shoes to stay dry in the snow. Yet, out of such humble and extreme conditions, the teachings of the Sikh Gurus took root in North American.

In the 35 years since his arrival, Harbhajan Singh has shared both the ancient teachings of Kundalini Yoga and the progressive spiritual lifestyle of the Sikhs with hundreds of thousands of people in North America, South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and Africa. Through his selfless service to humanity, these teachings have given hope and direction to thousands and brought countless people world-wide to the feet of the Guru. This work has earned him the title “Siri Singh Sahib” and has inspired an entire ministry dedicated to sharing the Guru’s teachings with the world. He has been a teacher, a diplomat and a tireless advocate of Interfaith work and the promotion of peace. But most of all, he has been a man of love and compassion, sharing Guru Nanak’s simple message of the oneness of humanity and the right of all people to live healthy, happy and holy lives.

On August 26th, the Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji celebrated his 74th birthday in his residence in Espanola, New Mexico. In honor of this special occasion, the President of the Shriomani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Gurucharan Singh Tohra, sent him the following letter. (Click here to see original.)

Gurucharan Singh Tohra
President, Shriomani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
Amritsar

Most Respected Sardar Harbhajan Singh Yogiji,

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa.
Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.

On your 74th birthday, I send you and all members of your Sikh Dharma family congratulations.
My prayer to God is that He bless you with sound health and long life, so that the Sikh teachings
planted by you on American soil should continue to flower more and more. This is the way the
fragrance of Sikh principles, Sikh traditions and the Sikh way of life can flourish in the whole world.

Yogiji, you are sitting a thousand miles away from the Punjab, and you have unfurled the flag of
Sikhi, blessed by Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh, on the land of the greatest power of the
world – America. This is a unique service and this has been done only by you. In my heart, I have
great regard for this service you have rendered the Sikh religion and the Khalsa Panth.

I wished that we both should celebrate this birthday. But the responsibilities of the Presidency
of the SGPC does not allow me to go anywhere. But Guru has blessed both of us with the
leaves of life and this trust of the Guru should be accounted for. For this, I will sit with you
and make plans. Next year, the coming centenaries should be celebrated in the Khalsa Spirit.
This needs planning and programming. How Guru wishes it and will plan it, I cannot say.

With regard,

Gurucharan Singh Tohra

8.26.2003

On August 30th, the sangat of Sikh Dharma’s Siri Singhasan Gurdwara in Espanola, New Mexico honored the Siri Singh Sahib by hosting a special birthday party. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Bibiji Inderjit Kaur, his eldest son and daughter-in-law, Ranbir Singh and Dr. Avnesh Kaur, his younger son Kulbir Singh, and his daughter and son-in-law Kamaljeet Kaur and Sat Pal Singh Kohli. There were over 700 people in attendance at the party, including many long-time friends of the Siri Singh Sahib. Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, Senior Advisor to the Managing Director’s Office of the World Bank, US Congressman Tom Udall, former U.S. Secretary of Interior Manuel Lujan , former Governor of New Mexico Bruce King, and former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson were among the dignitaries who came to celebrate the day. There were also representatives from the New Mexico Cabinet, legislature and court of appeals.

Governor Gary Johnson just returned from a successful campaign to the summit of Mount Everest, a tribute to his strength of character and love of adventure. He said in his birthday wishes, “I have explored this planet earth and seen its immense wonders. Yogiji, you have taught me that the inner world of meditation is even more vast than the physical world, and I know of no greater explorer of that world than you.”

The party was a colorful blend of people from different religious and cultural backgrounds, different countries and lifestyles, different political parties – all united in their common love and respect for a man who has worked tirelessly for thirty-five years to give hope to thousands and who has shared the wisdom of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and the dharma of the Sikhs with the entire world.