Every year on 4 May, the Netherlands commemorates the victims of war. On 5 May we celebrate the fact that we were liberated.
Dr Bilkhu, 68, of Radcliffe-on-Trent, has taught at the University of Nottingham and took on the role of Postgraduate Medical Dean for the East Midlands, which involved overseeing the postgraduate training of doctors.
Clearly, in Sikhi, the flesh of the Guru-Founders is not important; the ideas and teachings are paramount and eternal. Sikhi and Nanak's message needs to travel outside the four walls of gurdwaras, our community TV, and radio media.
The Prime Minister today gifted the Canadian Prime Minister a miniature painting, painted in the traditional Indian miniature style, titled Guru Nanak Dev.
Sikhs around the world celebrated on Tuesday the Vaisakhi New Year festival, one of the most important dates on the Sikh calendar. Vaisakhi, also spelled Baisakhi, is marked annually on either April 13 or 14 with large public processions known as Nagar Kirtans.
These teachings are embedded into the painting in symbolic representations. Perhaps that's why this painting is huge - it is seven feet tall - or perhaps Guru Sahib's larger than life personality requires a larger than life portrait!
Sikhs have a very straightforward but still very inspirational and practical initiation rite. Only problem is that we seem to be surrendering it to more flashy and more socially rewarding ones.
This February, Sikh holidays were included in the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Calendar, which goes out to over 1,500 schools. For the first time in history, thousands of students and public school faculty will know about the Sikh observance of Vasakhi.
What I figured over time is that if you are truly listening you are not thinking. If you start to think, you’re not listening. You can’t do both at the same time. So the power of listening to your own voice while you are chanting, the power of listening to your beloved friend, rather than thinking about the next thing you are going to try to say is an incredibly healing way to move through the world.
Congratulations to the entire Sikh world and our friends in other faith communities on the sacred and joyous occasion of the 316th Baisakhi that falls this year on April 14th. Baisakhi, some people say Vaisakhi, is the most important and transformational event in Sikh faith history.