| Vaisakh 543 | April 2011 IN THIS ISSUE Vaisakhi Celebrations
Sikh Research Institute P: 210.757.4555 Upcoming Events 24 April 26 April 29 April 30 April 30 April May 2011 7 May 8 May 21 May June 2011 25 Jun - 9 Jul July 2011 23 July
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Vaisakhi Celebrations
BC, Canada From 14 through 16 April Sikh Research Institute Canada (SRIC) fulfilled a whirlwind schedule of events to encourage understanding and involvement in the celebration of Vaisakhi. On 14 April, Harinder Singh gave an interview on OMNI TV on the topic, "Understanding Vaisakhi" which you can watch here. Also on 14 April, two forums were hosted where members of the local non-Sikh community were invited to attend discussion sessions lead by Harinder Singh. The forums covered a basic overview of Sikhi as well as placing the celebration of Vaisakhi in historical and cultural contexts. About 30 people attended the first forum at 2pm, and 65 attended the second, which was held in the evening. Those in attendance were encouraged to ask any questions they had. On 16 April, Inderpreet Singh hosted a Liv webinar to take the Vaisakhi message global. "From Panjabi Festival to Sikh Ideal" explored the ideological context of the Khalsa Inauguration of 1699 beyond the Panjabi context. Also on 16 April, Harinder Singh and Inderpreet Singh hosted a Saneha (community development session) on the topic of "Guru Khalsa Panth." The three-part workshop, which about 50 people attended, covered the history, inspiration and revolution of the Khalsa as a way to further celebrate Vaisakhi, and reinvigorate the community spirit. "This workshop was very fun and interactive," said Diveena Kaur Sidhu. "I left with a much clearer understanding of who the Khalsa is and with a greater appreciation for Vaisakhi. My favourite part of the workshop was the Sarbat Khalsa activity. It was interesting, and exciting to learn the Sikh way of decision making." The next morning SikhRI was interviewed on Sher-e-Panjab Radio on the Dilaan Di Sanjh show, which is hosted Kuldip Singh. Afterwards, there was a talk at Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar on the topic, "Khalsa Mera Satigur Pura," and a second talk at Guru Nanak Temple on the theme of "Vaisakhi."
Delhi, India On 3 April, Harinder Singh represented SikhRI at Vaisakhi Fest - Nihaal 2011, which was held at Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur College at the North Campus of the University of Delhi. About 500 people attended his presentation on the topic: "Vaisakhi: Panjabi Festival to Sikh Ideals." The talk followed the ways that the celebrations of a cultural festival transformed through Guru-inspiration, the mission and purpose of the Sikh Revolution as initiated by Guru Nanak Sahib, and how this ultimately led to the formation of the Khalsa faternity on the Vaisakhi of 1699. The presentation focused on the attitude and lifestye change that this revolution brought about for the general public at that time, and explored how to tackle contemporary issues with those same tools. "It was not just a presentation but a journey into our past to make us realize the idea behind Vaisakhi and contemplate and re-plan the way we celebrate Vaisakhi these days," said Taranjit Singh, a coordinator from Sikhi Sidak who attended the talk. "It's the need of the hour to take a look into the history and see why are we not able to make an impact as we did in the past so that Vaisakhi in it's real sense does not lose its sheen." Virginia, USA On 9 April, Harinder Singh reprised the talk, "Vaisakhi: From Panjabi Festival to Sikh Ideals" in Richmond, VA, at the Fourth Seminar on Sikhism. The event was held at the Gurdwara Sahib and about 100 people attended. The presentation covered the cultural significance of Vaisakhi, the relationship of the festivities to the development of Sikh ideals, the milestone of the Vaisakhi of 1699 when the Khalsa was inaugurated. The presentation ended with a passionate plea to audience members to "answer the call" and take action on a variety of fronts which affect Sikh communities everywhere. The next day Harinder Singh presented "Gurmat: Following the Infinite Wisdom" to an audience of 300 people at the Gurdwara Sahib. The talk explored ways to identify Gurmat, despite the fact that some interpretations are in opposition to each other, and gave ideas for methods to use when separating Gurmat from personal opinions.
Spotlight: Kaviraj Singh Kaviraj Singh volunteers his time with Sikh Research Institute, helping regularly in a wide variety of areas. He assists in managing SikhRI's social media as well as components of SikhRI's web presence. He also assists with planning and carrying out events in the Boston-area and helps promote SikhRI events everywhere. His time and effort over the years has been invaluable to SikhRI and are greatly appreciated by the staff and board. When he isn't posting an update to Facebook or Twitter for SikhRI, Kaviraj Singh is a financial software consultant with the Bank of New York Mellon. He has a Masters Degree in Investment Management from Boston University and lives in the Boston Area. Growing up in the United States, Kaviraj Singh has been active and involved with Sikh youth camps for a large part of his life. After attending camps when he was younger, in the past 10 years he has moved onto serving as a counselor and also a camp administrator. His passion lies in creating bonds between Sikh children and Sikhs who are in high school or in college, in the hope they can share their experiences and help each other grow together as Sikhs.
A Weekend of Workshops Over the weekend of 25-27 March, SikhRI hosted two workshops, one for children and one for parents. "Nurturing a Sikh Child" was held 25 March, in Union City, CA. The 2-hour workshop is designed especially for parents and caregivers of Sikh children. Participants engage in a Sabad, group discussion and other activities, including writing a letter to their child in the future and goal-setting, to explore ways to keep Gurbani a vibrant part of daily life for the family. Thirty-five parents attended the workshop, which Jasmine Kaur facilitated. "This was an exceptional workshop that connected me back to the Gurmat of parenting," said Manpreet Kaur. "Our family appreciated the practical suggestions on how to incorporate Gurbani into our daily lives and child rearing." On 27 March, 70 young children, between the ages of 3 and 6, and 40 parents attended "Getting to Know Vahiguru," one of SikhRI's popular kid's workshops, which was held at San Jose Gurduara in San Jose, CA. The session encourages children to be more Vahiguru-like by incorporating qualities of Vahiguru. The highly interactive session, lead by Jasmine Kaur, featured hands-on activities, visual demonstrations and lots of audience participation. Additionally, participants sang a Kavita together from the upcoming book by Kikli "Ik Chota Bacha and Other Sikh Nursery Rhymes." Haroop Kaur, mother of one of the attendees, shared afterwards that she found the workshop to be very appropriately executed at at the children’s level, such that the presentation held the kids’ attention and conveyed an integral concept of Sikhi to them in a way that they will be able to incorporate into their lives. Are you interested in the possibility of scheduling a workshop for kids or parents in your area? Please browse our list of offerings in each category and contact us at [email protected].
Digging In at the San Antonio Food Bank On 2 April a group of 11 volunteers headed out to the garden at the San Antonio food bank as part of the series of events SikhRI hosted to celebrate Sikh Environment Day. San Antonio volunteer Preeti Kaur Malik coordinated the event.
The Environment: Creator in Creation (Especially for kids!) On 19 March, Jasmine Kaur and Harliv Kaur presented a Liv webinar designed especially for children. The session explored the ways it is natural for a Sikh to care for the environment and took lessons from Gurbani and the wisdom of the Gurus, especially the teachings of Guru Harirai Sahib. The webinar included a kavita just for kids and ended with suggestions to make environmental stewardship a fun part of everyone's daily routine! Sixty-three young ones and their parents attended the webinar. Did you miss out on "The Environment: Creator in Creation"? It doesn't have to be that way! We upload archived recordings of our Liv webinars to our Vimeo account, so you can catch up on what you've missed. Liv webinars are offered at least once a month, and SikhRI covers all registration costs! So all you have to do is show up for a topic that's interesting to you and join in the global learning experience! While webinars are offered to the public free of charge, they are not free of cost to SikhRI. Donations of any amount in support of Liv are always gratefully accepted. There is also the option to sponsor a webinar as an individual or organization! A great team-building exercise in the workplace or a gift in honor of someone special!
Panjab: Addressing 5 Challenges On 26 March, Harinder Singh spoke on behalf of SikhRI at an event hosted by the Panjab Digital Library which was held at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The presentation, "Panjab: The Five?" investigated five of the most significant challenges facing the Panjab region today: water shortages, economic stagnation, drug & alcohol addiction, steep decline in education and female foeticide. Then, giving ideas for successful lobbying and participation in progressive politics, he urged audience members to take action to preserve the culture, heritage and people of the region. What Are You Up to This Summer? You've probably got some fun stuff planned, but what do you have on the calendar that will stay with you through the rest of college, into your career? Where could you spend two weeks that would serve not only you, but your friends, family and community? Need a hint!? We're talking about Sidak! Sidak is Sikh Research Institute's annual leadership development retreat especially for older teens, college students and young professionals! It's a two-week adventure that will take you to the Hill Country of San Antonio, where your days will be filled with divans, classroom sessions and presentations to help you develop useful leadership and life skills. You'll be surrounded by the natural beauty of the southwest, meet lots of new friends and teachers who will be a part of your support network for years to come, eat home-cooked meals and develop your talents and passions in a way that will translate into real action when you head back home! But don't just let us tell you about Sidak, we want to show you!
The deadline for Sidak applications is 31 May. This past month SikhRI has had a number of articles published in the blogosphere. If you missed them, here are the links so you can catch up! Harinder Singh had a piece up at thelangarhall.com reflecting on the celebration of Holi in the context of his recent relocation to Bangalore: "Holi: Color Me What?" Harinder Singh also has a memorial up on sikhchic.com, "Patwant Singh: An Ambassador for All Seasons." He shares anecdotes from his friendship with Mr. Singh which illustrate his contributions to the community as an author, researcher and activist for Sikhs. Also on sikhchic.com, Harinder Singh and Inni Kaur penned "Two Bouquets: In Memory of Sardarni Mohinder Kaur," who passed away on 22 March of this year. Sikh Research Institute exists to serve the community's education needs. As we strive to fulfill our mission of empowerment through education, we cannot be successful without the endless support of volunteers. Thank you to all of our volunteers this month who continue to inspire us with their strength, dedication, and passion! Anu Bal, Avtar Bhooey, Banjot Singh, Dasmesh Darbar, Divina Sidhu, Dr. Baljit Singh Sidhu, Dr. Gurpal Singh Bhuller, Dr. Jotinder Mann, Dr. Mandeep Singh Dhalla, Dr. Neena Kaur Bhuller, Dr. Rupinder Dhesi, Dr. Shailinder Bhullar, Gugan Sidhu, Gurvinder Singh, Hardeep Singh, Hardeep Sidhu, Harliv Kaur, Harmeet Singh, Harpreet Kaur, Harpreet Singh Chohan, Hershdeep Singh, Jasdeep Singh, Jasvir Singh, Jessi Kaur Sidhu, Kiran Bal, Kirpa Kaur, Meeta Kaur, Nav Rakhra, Parminder Mann, Preeti Kaur Malik, Ravpreet Singh, Rob Bhullar, Sabeena Kaur, Sheena Sawhney, Sikhi Sidak, Surjit Mann, Taranjeet Singh, and Yadwinder Malhans. |
