| Chalda Vaheer Jatha |
| Bhai Rajinder Singh speaks about the history of Chalda Vaheer Jatha and how it was established by Bhai Fauja SIngh. He speaks about the mission of Chalda Vaheer in promoting Sikhism across the world through kirtain, naam simran, amrit sanchars and gurmat camps. The footage includes Bhai Sahib's trips to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Fiji. |
|
In Bhai Sahib’s Memory:
|
Since 2010, sewadars from across the world have been collating information
and conducting interviews to write the biography of Bhai Rajinder Singh
‘Chalda Vaheer Jatha’ (Dudley, UK). We are in the final stages of the
writing the chapters and are seeking additional information regarding Bhai
Sahib's trips to USA and Canada in 1988, 1989, 1992 and 1993. In the USA he
travelled to San Francisco and Los Angeles and Sacramento. In Canada he
travelled to Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton and Vancouver.
If you have any stories, footage (audio and video), please contact Bibi Jatinder Kaur on [email protected] or contact Bibi Balbir Kaur (UK) 01384-237341 or visit (under construction) http://www.chaldavaheer.com/
Below is summary of Bhai Sahib's life story
10 November 2012 was the twelfth anniversary of Bhai Rajinder Singh, Jathedar (Chaldha Vaheer Jatha) passing. There are many of the next generation of Sikh youth who may be unaware of Bhai Sahib’s seva and contribution to the Sikh Panth. This article aims to raise awareness and inform the next generation. Over the past the two years sevadaars across the world are working on gathering stories, video and audio footage from Bhai Sahib’s parchaar across the world covering 40 countries over 28 years.
In Memory of Bhai Rajinder Singh (Chaldha Vaheer Jatha) 1952-2000
Summary of Bhai Rajinder Singh's Life ~ (1952 – 2000)
Childhood
Bhai Sahib was a pioneer Parcharak who travelled across the world
spreading the word of Sikhism. He was born in 1952, the village Poonia (Nava
Sher district), Punjab. His father Sardar Gulzar Singh and mother Bibi
Surjeet Kaur were both Amrithdhari gursikhs. Bibi Surjeet Kaur’s father
Sardar Makand Singh had fought in Free India movement and played an integral
part in the ‘Babbar Akali Dal’ movement before Independence. As a condition
of his daughter’s marriage he insisted that the boy must be Amritdhari and
that is how Sikhi came into the family. From an early age Bhai Sahib was
engrossed and attracted to the spiritual life and enjoyed doing seva
(sweeping shoes) at the local gurdwara and being amongst nature and animals.
Migrating to the United Kingdom (UK)
Bhai Sahib was 15 years old when he migrated to United Kingdom, his father
and brothers lived in Dudley (West Midlands, UK). He studied science at the
Dudley College of Technology, later he went on to complete Bachelor degree
in Metallurgical Science from Sheffield University. He would regularly join
with his father and visit the Smethwick High Street Gurdwara. In the early
1970’s there were very few gursikhs in Birmingham area and they would travel
by bus to reach the gurdwara as many families did not own cars during those
early days.
Taking Amrit and Adopting Sikh way of life
When Bhai Sahib Rajinder Singh was approximately 19-20 years he approached
one of the Naam imbued Gursikhs (Bhai Shingara Singh ‘Nihang’) after an
Amrit Sanchar at Smethwick Gurdwara. Bhai Rajinder Singh was doing ‘joriya
thi seva’ (cleaning the shows) and Bhai Shingara Singh had just entered the
foyer areas. Bhai Rajinder Singh approached him and asked him “when should a
Sikh take Amrit?”, Bhai Shingara Singh replied that when the Sidhas had
asked Guru Nanak Dev Ji this question, Guru Ji replied that:
pvn ArMBu siqgur miq vylw ]
pavan ara(n)bh sathigur math vaelaa ||
From the air came the beginning. This is the age of the True Guru's Teachings.
sbdu gurU suriq Duin cylw ]
sabadh guroo surath dhhun chaelaa ||
The Shabad is the Guru, upon whom I lovingly focus my consciousness; I am the chaylaa, the disciple.
(This Shabad is by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Raag Raamkalee on Pannaa 942) Which meant, that as soon as the body has breath, you should think about the guru.
Bhai Rajinder SIngh was so moved by this gursikh’s bachan. Over a 6 month period, Bhai Rajinder SIngh would go to Bhai Shingara Singh house and discuss gurmat. Bhai Shingara SIngh gave Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh ‘Jail Chetia’ book for Bhai Rajinder Singh to read.
Eventually Bhai Raijinder Singh became ready to take Amrit and this happened during the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (AKJ) Rehnsbahi at Smethwick High Street Gurdwara in April 1972 along with his younger brother Bhai Ajaib Singh, Bhai Kuldeep Singh and his sister Bibi Kirpal Kaur and brother in-law Bhai Surjeet Singh.
Bhai Shingara Singh was in the Panj Piyaray along with Bhai Rama SIngh and many other Naam imbued gursikhs at that time. Bhai Rajinder Singh was very close to Bhai Shingara Singh ‘Nihang’ and was actively involved in the seva with AKJ during the 1970’s in the UK through organising kirtan and Rensbahiand Amrit Sanchar seva.
Jathedar of Akhand Kirtani Jatha (1978 to 1984)
Bhai Sahib became blessed with the naam ras and kirtain from that time
onwards. In 1978 he was appointed the Jathedaar of Akhand Kirtani Jatha
(U.K.) and served in this role until 1984. During this time Bhai Sahib
played an active role in kirtain parchaar in the UK and Europe. He was self
taught kirtani and had a sweet and melodious voice, he was softly spoken and
touched many lives. As there were very few gurdwara’s at that time Bhai Shib
would organise regular rehnsbahi kirtain and amrit sanchaar’s at his home
residence.
His family
Bhai Sahib was married to Bibi Balbir Kaur in 1973, at Barking Gurdwara,
London. He has three children, his eldest daughter Bibi Jatinder Kaur, who
is married to Bhai Ranjit Singh (Brisbane, Australia), his second daughter
Bibi Daljit Kaur, who is married to Bhai Jaspal Singh (son of Bhai Onkar
Singh, Leicester) and his son Bhai Kulwant Singh who is married to Bibi Gursunder
Kaur (from Italy).
Chaldha Vaheer Jatha
Seeing the footage and carnage from the 1984 attack on the Akaal Takht, Bhai
Sahib made a conscious decision which compelled him towards undertaking
Sikhi parchaar (tatt gurmat parchaar). Particularly, he was conscious that
the Indian government would do whatever it could to exterminate Sikhs, the
only option to counter that attack was to create more Sikhs who lived in the
western countries (outside of Punjab). At this point he established
‘Chaldha Vaheer Jatha’ with its key mission to undertake International Sikh
missionary work. At this Bhai Sahib resigned from his employment and self
funded all of the travels and expenses with parchaar. He spread the word of
Sikhism through Kirtain, parchaar, countless amrit sanchar's and youth
gurmat camps. During the 20 years of seva Bhai Sahib was a Pioneer Sikh
Parcharaks (Missionary) who travelled to many countries including: Europe
(Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France,
Belgium, Luxemburg, Ireland, Italy, Spain). Bhai Sahib resided in Amsterdam,
Holland from 1980 to 1982 and assisted the sikhs there to establish the
first gurdwara in Holland.
In 1986, Bhai Sahib undertook his first world tour with a small jatha including the late Bhai Rama Singh (who was very close to Bhai Sahib), Bhai Prithipal Singh, Bhai Hardiyal Singh and Bhai Shabeg Singh (Sydney). The world tour included: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia and Singapore. Bhai Sahib was the first parcharak to have ever travelled to these countries, as a consequence many sikhs took amrit during that time. From 1986 to his last days in 2000, Bhai Sahib travelled around the world including the following countries as well: USA, Canada, Kenya, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, Pakistan and Bangladesh. His parchaar includedgurmat camps for children and youth as he believed it was critical to ensure that the next generation remained in Sikhi saroop and hold strong Sikh identity.
| Bhai Rajinder Singh (chalda vaheer jatha) Kirtain in Australia 1986 |
| Bhai Rajinder Singh (Chalda vaheer jatha) doing kirtain parchaar in Australia (December 1986). This was the first world tour. |
In November 1994, Bhai Sahib travelled to Nankana Sahib (Pakistan) for the first time and so moved at being at the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, that he continued to visit each year until 2000. Bhai Sahib from his daswandwould take gurmat parchaar material for the Sikhs living in Nankana Sahib, who lived in harsh poverty (e.g. clothes, gutka (in Urdu), keertin audio, books).
They loved Bhai Sahib dearly as he would converse with them and explain to them about Guru Nanak Dev ji’s and how to be a sikh. Bhai Sahib established the ‘Guru Nanak Model School’ for the Sikh children of Nankana Sahib, this school provides Sikh children (approximately 100 Sikh families reside at Nankana Sahib) to learn about Gurbani, Gurmat, Kirtain, Tabla and Sikh History. He enjoyed listening to the children recite gurbani when he visited each year.
Bhai Sahib’s final Journey 10 November 2000
Bhai Sahib always remained humble and never eluded that he had attained
certain spiritual levels. He was very close to many gursikhs (Bhai Jeevan
Singh, Bhai Rama Singh, Baba Takur Singh (Damdami Taksal), Bhai Harbajan
Singh Yogi. He did not engage in petty politics of jatha-banday, he
maintained that respect and love for gursikhs regardless of which maryadathey followed. During the days leading up to him leaving the UK for his
annual yatra to Pakistan, Bhai Sahib requested for his family to meet him.
He had also phoned gursikhs indicating that this was his “akree fateh”. His
health deteriorated while he was on the yatra at Nanakana Sahib and Bhai
Sahib insisted that he wanted to return to his home village (Poonia).
However, his health became worse, Bibi Balbir Kaur took him to Jallandhar
Hospital, and he suffered a heart attack at the Jalandhar hospital. Bhai
Sahib had always desired to be cremated the ‘proper’ way and this was
maintained by many gursikhs (Bhai Talwara Singh, Bhai Mehar Singh, Bhai Ram
Singh, Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode) arriving for the antam sanskar. The former
Akaal Takt Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti performed the Antam Ardaas.
Bhai Sahib’s contribution to the Sikh Panth was given the highest honour
in April 2004, whereby he was the first non-resident of India (foreigner) to
have their portrait installed at the Ajayab Ghar Sikh National Museum in
Amritsar.
Bhai Sahib in Fiji - official portrait which was presented to
Sikh National Museum (Ajayab ghar), Amritsar in 2004: Friday, October 30, 2009
Bhai Sahib's portrait amongst other respected Sikh Leaders in Ajayab Ghar.
The former Akaal Takt Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti and the
former head granthi and now current Akaal Takh Jathedaar Bhai Gurbachan
Singh performed the ardaas and unveiling of Bhai Sahib’s portrait.
Some photos of the Chalda Vaheer Jatha (above & below)
