Bangla Sahib Gurdwara: Sikh shrine that was once a haveli

Delhi’s list of tourist attractions is incomplete without the mention of Bangla Sahib Gurdwara. Located on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, near Connaught Place, this prominent Sikh shrine is alive with visitors and tourists all the year round. The name — Bangla Sahib — hardly matters to the devout, but a general visitor is curious about its origin. This was originally Jaisinghpura Palace, a haveli of the Jaipur kings. It was in 1664 that Sawai Raja Jai Singh of Amber (Jaipur) hosted Guru Hari Krishan — the boy prophet who became the eighth Sikh Guru in 1661.

“It was a typical haveli and a bangla (an enclosure especially made for special guests) was erected for the guru. The place of guruji sangat (where he addressed the devotees) is now the takht sahib (decorated platform on which Guru Granth Sahib is kept),” says Gyani Kuldeep Singh of the gurdwara. 

The guru stayed for about 8-10 months at a time of cholera and chicken pox epidemics. “He sat with his feet dipped in a small pond of water, which people — both Hindus and Muslims — partook and was saved. It is still there next to the shrine,” Singh said.

After Independence, the place saw rapid changes. An artificial pond was added. Beautiful golden filigree work adorning the sanctum sanctorum were also put in place. 

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINk

Gurdwaras in Pakistan observe Sikh Environment Day

Washington, March 16 (IANS) For the first time, 35 gurdwaras in Pakistan mainly in Sindh and Balochistan, and in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, joined Sikh institutions in India and abroad in observing Sikh Environment Day, according to information received here.

Tens of thousands of Sikhs across the world celebrated the Day Thursday, according to Washington based Sikh organization, EcoSikh which had appealed to all Sikh groups to observe the day with environmental action programmes.

The day when Guru Har Rai, known for his deep love and sensitivity towards nature and its preservation, became the seventh Sikh Guru in 1644, is observed by the community as Sikh Environment Day to garner support from various faith communities and officials.

EcoSikh president Rajwant Singh, said: "It is amazing to see so much enthusiasm among the Sikh communities all around the world, and we believe that this is the largest direct action by the Sikhs for the environment in the history of Sikhism."

Ravneet Singh, Programme Manager of Ecosikh in India, said some 1,550 Sikh gurdwaras, organizations and institutions from India and abroad had held special Gurbani recitals on the theme of nature and organized herbal plants and flower shows.

"For the first time, Sikhs in the British Army are also organizing their special observances on environment." he added.

Gurdwaras across Punjab and other parts of the world also pledged to reduce the use of Styrofoam and disposables at gurdwaras and religious ceremonies.

"Many gurdwaras have begun projects on implementing solar panels, composting systems, and steel utensils during langar (free community meal in the Sikh tradition) for more comprehensive environmental sustainability," said Paramjeet Kaur, EcoSikh programme administrator in North America.

with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK

Mobile Tower Radiation in East Delhi checked

Gurdwara Mandi Sahib : Pics

Manikaran Sahib : Pics

Assault at Sikh temple

 

Police have arrested a 26-year-old man over an attack at a Sikh temple in Melbourne's north last night.

Police allege a man, who was not known to other worshippers, punched another man in the face after he was asked to leave the Craigieburn temple.

As he was leaving through the main entrance, he allegedly set fire to some rope which was on the door, and then assaulted the 31-year-old.

A number of scarves were also set on fire.

The victim suffered a suspected broken nose.

A Broadmeadows man was arrested early this morning and has been charged with assault and other offences.

He will face court later today.

with thanks : abc.net : LINK

Punjab Police ?

Shocking Accident in Jallandhar yesterday killed atleast 11 school kids

Drunken thug, 25, ripped Sikh man's turban off his head for a joke causing the victim to be shunned by his own community

A man ripped a Sikh supermarket worker's turban off his head and told friends to film the incident and put it on YouTube during a drunken joke, a court has heard. 

Ashley Cicatello, 25, had spent the afternoon drinking beer and Jagerbomb shots when he spotted the victim in a Sainsbury's supermarket on December 27, last year.

Cicatello, from Dunkirk, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, told his friends: 'Get this on record. This is going on YouTube' before running up behind the victim and yanking the turban off his head.

The prank caused the victim to be ostracised from his own community, it was claimed. 

Cicatello sprinted off with the turban and was chased through the store before being wrestled to the ground by security guards.

He later admitted to police that he had 'been an absolute prat' and had done it because he wanted to be the 'class clown.'

with thanks : DAILYMAIL : LINK : for pics & detailed news.

Sikh shot at in USA in suspected hate crime

Press Trust of India 

WASHINGTON, 26 FEB: In an apparent hate crime incident in the USA, a Sikh man was shot at several times by truck-borne unidentified gunmen in Florida. 

Kanwaljit Singh, 46, was attacked by the truck-borne assailants near Daytona Beach on Saturday night. He was later admitted to a hospital where he is undergoing treatment. 

Mr Kanwaljit, who was accompanied by his son, received multiple bullet injuries in his thigh and torso, officials said. His son managed to escape unhurt. 

“Although no clear motive (behind the attack) has been established, initial indications are this shooting was not a random act. There was no previous confrontation between occupants of either vehicle,” Mr Wayne Miller, Port Orange's assistant chief of police, was quoted as saying by local daily Daytona Beach News Journal. 

Meanwhile, the authorities yesterday said that the incident will be probed by the agencies as a hate crime. 

Condemning the act, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund and 'Sikh Coalition' called on the law enforcement officials and requested them to conduct a thorough probe into the incident. 

The shooting incident comes days after US lawmakers asked the department of justice and the FBI to track the hate crimes committed against Sikhs, Hindus and Arab Americans. 

So far more than 40 Congressmen have signed onto the letter addressed to the department of justice and the FBI, with lawmakers Judy Chu, Eliot Engel, Bill Pascrell, Adam Schiff, Gary Peters, Tulsi Gabbard, Ami Bera, Michael Honda, and Eric Swalwell being the original signatories. 

with thanks : THESTATESMAN : LINK

Manjit Singh GK is DSGMC chief, Sirsa general secretary

Manjit Singh GK (54) is new president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). 

The new-elected members of the committee on Tuesday elected him president unanimously. GK, son of late jathedar Santokh Singh, had led the the Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) to victory in the committee's elections, defeating Paramjit Singh Sarna and his SAD (Delhi).

GK's election was held in the presence of the Akal Takht jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, who is ex-officio member of the committee without the voting right. The jathedars of Keshgarh Sahib, Patna Sahib and Hazoor Sahib are also ex-officio members of the committee.'

Manjinder Singh Sirsa (39), youth president of SAD (B) in Delhi, was obvious choice for the committee's general secretary, and he got his reward for defeating Sarna, outgoing president of the committee, in the election held on January 27. Sirsa is considered close to the Badals, whose family rules Punjab.

Party patron Parkash Singh Badal, who is also chief minister of Punjab; and party president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is deputy CM of Punjab, cleared the names of the committee president, general secretary and other office-bearers. As per the provisions of the DSGMC Act of 1971, the director of gurdwara elections, GP Singh, nominated Kulmohan Singh as house chairman, who asked for names for the post of the committee president.

Avtar Singh Hit proposed GK's name, which was supported by Onkar Singh Thapar first before all member gave their unanimous consent. The SAD (B) had bagged 37 of the 46 seats in the January 27 elections, ousting Sarna-led SAD-Delhi, which could win just eight seats (an Independent got one). Of the eight winners from the Sarna group, only two were present in Tuesday's meeting, where the 51-member house elected the president and other office-bearers. Of the 51 members, 46 were elected directly by 4.5 lakh Sikh voters in Delhi, while five were nominated.

Hit, who was DSGMC president from 2000 to 2002 and Delhi-unit president of the SAD (B) for many years, was in the race for the top post but failed to garner the support of his party leaders. Once close to Parkash Singh Badal, he was distanced from the party after GK was given reins in 2008. Other than Hit, Sirsa and first-time member Onkar

Singh Thapar also were contenders for the top post. The SAD (B) regained control of the DSGMC after an 11 years. It lost consecutively in 2002 and 2007.

The post of senior vice-president went to Ravinder Singh Khurana, while Dhanwant Singh became vice-president and Harmeet Singh Kalka secretary of the DSGMC. A 10-member executive committee was also named.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK