Patiala, 18 October, 2013-The department of Gurmat
Sangeet of Punjabi University here has awarded Bibi Jasbir Kaur Khalsa fellowship
to Bhai Gurmej Singh, Hazoori Ragi of Darbar Sahib, for translating the entire
Sri Guru Granth Sahib into Braille script. Bhai Gurmej Singh, who himself is
blind, had started transcription of the holy book of Sikhs into Braille script
in 2000. It took him 12 years to accomplish the task. "I retired from my
job in 1998 and started working on the project. However, I felt the need to
transcribe Sri Guru Granth Sahib after I faced trouble over correct
pronunciation of some words during my job. Hence I had decided to transcribe
the holy book into Braille language, so that all blind people could read
it," Bhai Gurmej Singh said.The transcribed version was produced in 18 volumes
and had already been made available at five centres, including three blind
home-cum-schools. Dr Gurnam Singh, head of department of Gurmat Sangeet, said
the scholarship would be around Rs 96,000 and would be provided for one year.
Friday 18 October 2013
Three Sikh professors to make Rs 115cr Valmiki shrine
Amritsar, 18 October, 2013(Rohan Dua)-In its bid to boost the 'secular' poll campaign,
Punjab government has roped in three keshdhari Sikhs ( who do not trim their
hair or beard), working as professors at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar
to design the Rs 115-crore Valmiki temple in Amritsar.
The professors — Karamjit Singh Chahal, Sarabjot Singh Behl,
and Rawal Singh Aulakh — work in the department of architecture in the Amritsar
university.Desperate to strengthen its political fortunes ahead of the
Lok Sabha polls, the Akali Dal-BJP government in the state has embarked on this
move to construct the temple to woo the 22-lakh-strong Valmiki community, which
makes for 40% of the scheduled caste (SC) population in Punjab. The Punjab
government, on Friday, held a mega stone laying ceremony in Amritsar, that was
attended by several renowned people including spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar, yoga guru Baba Ramdev among others.
Sikh student not allowed on bus for wearing kirpan
New York, 18 October, 2013-A Sikh student in the US was not allowed to board a bus because he was wearing a knife called kirpan, a symbol of his faith, media reported. Harsimran Singh, a student of University of California in Davis, said he was not allowed to board an Amtrak bus Saturday because the driver was against Singh wearing the ceremonial knife. The student said he has travelled for the last two years with the knife in full view and had not had any issues till the incident Saturday, CBS News reported Wednesday.
“They don't say anything. They always wish me safe travel, and they continue on with their business... they didn't see me as a potential threat,” Singh said.
“They don't say anything. They always wish me safe travel, and they continue on with their business... they didn't see me as a potential threat,” Singh said.
SGPC rues treatment of Sikh student in US
Amritsar, 18 October, 2013-Not letting an Amritdhari Sikh student board a bus at Amtrak in Davis city of US state California was distressing, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar has said. In a statement issued here Makkar requested the Indian government to take up the issue of attacks on Sikhs with various foreign governments at the diplomatic level. "Everyday, Amritdhari Sikhs abroad were insulted on some pretext or the other," he said, adding that the SGPC intended to deal with the issue. The SGPC planned to open International Sikh Centre at Yuba City in the US to disseminate information about the distinct Sikh identity, Makkar said.
AIR seems set to set up FM radio station in holy city
Amritsar, 18 October, 2013-All India Radio (AIR) seems set to
set up its FM radio station in the holy city, Amritsar.In a reply to Right to
Information (RTI) application being filed by a local resident, Sandeep Kumar,
Prasar Bharati and All India Radio said that they are going to set up their FM
station in the border district of Amritsar in the coming months. Through his
RTI he had asked the authorities whether the government proposes to set up any
FM radio station in Amritsar.Kumar, a lecturer in DAV College of Amritsar said that radio always fascinated him but due to poor reception of
AIR, Jalandhar, here his interest waned. ‘’It was my dream that Amritsar would
have its own FM station,’’ said Kumar.He said that he also wrote to a number of union
ministers and government officials in this regard but he never received any
positive response.
Through his RTI application, he wrote to the
authorities that the radio stations of Pakistan are clearly audible to the
Indian audience while our own radio stations were barely audible.
Three-days-old girl was abandoned at a carcass dump now new guest at Swami Ganga Nand Bhuriwale International Foundation
Ludhiana, 18 October, 2013(Harashraj Singh)-Three-days-old
Ambika, who was abandoned at a carcass dump (called hadda roori in Punjabi) is
the newest member of SGB Bal Ghar, an orphanage run by Swami Ganga Nand
Bhuriwale International Foundation, at Dham Talwandi Khurd, on the outskirts of
the city. Ambika was abandoned at the carcass dump, a wandering ground for
stray dogs, near Sardoolgarh in Mansa, after a few hours of her birth. When
some villagers heard her crying, they rescued her and took her to the civil
hospital in Mansa. She has now reached SGB Bal Ghar that houses 50 children,
eight of who are abandoned babies that reached here in the last two months
alone. According to the NGO members, “The parents usually abandon these
new-born children at garbage dumps, parks, fields, hospitals or other such
places.”
Khalsa College alumni meet postponed due to clash with date of Gurpurab
Amritsar, 18 October, 2013-Khalsa College Amritsar’s first alumni meet, which was slated for November 16, has been postponed, due to clash of the date with Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab and ‘Nagar Kirtan’ (religious procession) to be taken by the college. The new dates for the Alumni Association Meet will be announced later, said KCA Principal Dr Daljit Singh in a press statement issued here. He said that the college would provide an opportunity to hundreds of ex-students to go down the memory lane at the college campus as there was huge demand for such programme and thus they had decided for the alumni to come for the meet. “We had to postpone the event due to the clash with the celebration of Guru Nanak Jayanti’’, said Dr Singh.
SGPC curtails fireworks’ duration to cut pollution on Bandi Chhod Diwas
Amritsar, 18 October,
2013(Nikhil Bhardwaj)-After conducting several trials of smokeless firecrackers
and laser shows with the motive of reducing pollution around the Golden Temple,
the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has given its nod to continue with
the practice of traditional fireworks to celebrate Bandi Chhod Diwas (Diwali)
this year too.However, showing concern over the rising pollution around
the Golden Temple because of the fireworks’ shows, the SGPC has decided to
curtail the fireworks’ duration this year.Darbar Sahib manager Partap Singh said the step was taken to
curtail pollution, which would also come as a relief to the people residing
near the Golden Temple.
“Otherwise, there was a practice in the past to keep the fireworks’ show on for half an hour, which was causing huge pollution in and around the Darbar Sahib’s vicinity. Now, the fireworks’ show timing will be curtailed to 12-15 minutes at the most,” he added.
“Otherwise, there was a practice in the past to keep the fireworks’ show on for half an hour, which was causing huge pollution in and around the Darbar Sahib’s vicinity. Now, the fireworks’ show timing will be curtailed to 12-15 minutes at the most,” he added.
Function held to mark Baba Banda Singh Bahadur birth annivesary
Barnala, 18 October, 2013-A function was organised by the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Welfare Bairage Maha Mandal at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in connection with the 343rd birth anniversary of Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur had defeated the Mughal army in the battle of Sirhind and took revenge for the brutal killing of Guru Gobind Singh’s minor sons.Akali MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was the chief guest, while hundreds of locals from the Sikh and other communities attended the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Dhindsa threw light on the life, struggle, sacrifice and achievements of the Sikh warrior. He said that Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’s birth anniversary was celebrated all over Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country.
He announced Rs 1 lakh for the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Welfare Bairagi Maha
Principal Kanwaljeet Kaur's efforts : Dearth of funds is no hurdle for Lallian Khurd Government Middle School
Jalandhar October 18 2013(Dharmendra Joshi)-Lallian
Khurd Government Middle School is a school with a difference as dearth of funds
has never created any hurdle in its overall development. Thanks to the
villagers and NRIs who keep on donating generously from time to time. As a
result, this school has proper infrastructure with a beautiful and attractive building
with separate toilets for boys and girls. The school is also equipped with a
proper science laboratory, set up. The school has infrastructure which is no
less than many private schools. However, this school was no different from
other government schools till 1997 when Kanwaljeet Kaur (now principal) joined
here.At that time, only the primary school was existing
and classes were conducted in the open due to lack of proper building. Instead
of waiting for the government funds, Kanwaljeet Kaur organised a meeting of the
villagers and encouraged them to donate and the villagers gradually started
donating for the school. As a result 12 rooms have been constructed. Three
rooms were constructed in 1998. Later the school was upgraded to the middle
level and other nine rooms were constructed in 2004.As many as 196 students
including 127 in primary and 69 in middle are availing the benefit of proper
infrastructure and science lab.
Ravinder Singh and Lakhwinder Kaur offered their one and a half month old child to Mahant Malkiat Nath
Amritsar, October 18, 2013(Neeraj Bagga)-In this era
of globalisation when old customs and traditions are gradually fading into
oblivion from public memory, there are some families continuing the age old
tradition of donating children at Nath Yogi sect, which originated in ancient
India, at Ram Tirath Temple.At present there are three children with the sect
which is headed by religious leader Mahant Malkiat Nath. Youngest of these is
two-year old Bhandari Nath. He was offered by his parents Ravinder Singh and
Lakhwinder Kaur when he was one and a half month old. His family hails from
Khankot village near Verka, on the outskirts of Amritsar. Oldest among these
donated children is Satnam Nath, 15. He is studying at an English medium
private school situated nearby. He is also learning to play harmonium. Another
offered child is Masya Nath. He dropped out of the school after finishing class
seventh and is now learning the Yog Riti, a code of conduct of the Nath Yogi
sect.
After the wishes of parents are fulfilled they offer
their son at Nath Yogi sect. Once initiated into the sect the child is given a
new name and ‘Nath’ is added as suffix to the name.
Students sensitised on social evils
Ludhiana, 18 October, 2013-The volunteers of Guru Nanak National College, Doraha were sensitised on various social evils which were eating into the vitals of the social setup in the existing scenario. Prof Darshan Singh, a visiting professor of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, while sharing his views on the topic 'Art of Living' said man has forgotten the art of living. He wants to live for his own. Prof Darshan Singh discussed various social evils as eve teasing, drug abuse, dowry, female feoticide, corruption and degradation of moral values.
Historical play ‘Sirhind di Deewar’ staged in Mohali
Mohali, October 18, 2013-A play, ‘Sirhind di Deewar’, was staged at the open-air theatre of the Baba Banda Singh Bahadar Jangi Yadgar at Chappar Chiri, near here. The staging of the much-acclaimed play, written by Harpal Tiwana, opened with the lighting of the lamp by Mohali Deputy Commissioner Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu. The historical play is dedicated to the martyrdom of Baba Zorawar Singh, Baba Fateh Singh and Mata Gujar Kaur. The role of Wazir Khan, the then Sirhind Governor in the play, was performed by Manpal Tiwana. The other actors of the play included Tarshinder Soni (Zafar Beg), Rashpal Bharti (Dewan Sucha Nand) and Sukhwinder Sohi (Nawab of Malerkotla Sher Mohammed Khan). Director Manpal Tiwana said this was the first time the play had been staged at this historical place and on a historic Day, the birth anniversary of Baba Banda Singh Bahadar.
Volunteers of the Guru Nanak Ekta Mission organised the ‘Gurmat Sant Samagam’
Punjabi-origin Canadian MLA gets clean chit
Toronto, 18 October, 2013-Canadian investigative authorities have given a clean chit to an independent Indo-Canadian member of legislative assembly (MLA) on the charges of making legislative changes to benefit his company. Ethics commissioner of the Alberta province Neil Wilkinson, in a written judgment, absolved Edmonton MLA Peter Sandhu of all charges revealed in a CBC investigation involving unreported liabilities and improper lobbying.
The written statement of the commissioner also said it was not a conflict of interest because other home-building companies would benefit as well from the change in the legislation.
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