Soha Ali Khan, Vir Das to act in film on 1984 Sikh riots

Patil recounts, “I was in Delhi for the National Awards when a gentleman came to me and told me his family’s story, he told me how they were affected by the violence when he was just seven years old. When I heard about the ordeal they went through after Indira Gandhi was assassinated, I was moved by it all.’’

He adds that his film will tell the story about this Sikh family that lived in Janakpuri with their twins and how three Hindu families helped them escape death. It is a story of three nights of ordeal.

It seems that the person who approached Patil has chanced upon letters written by his father that chronicle their ordeal in detail. It is said that the film will draw heavily from these letters. Patil reveals that Vir Das will play the husband’s part while Soha Ali Khan will play the wife.

“Delhi is not the same anymore so we are shooting in Ludhiana, which looks similar to the Janakpuri of 1984. Our art director Bhupinder Singh has managed to get hold of old Ambassador cars, burnt DTH buses and other items that were needed to make it look real,’’ he added.

Producer Harry Sachdeva plans to release the film on October 31, the day when Sikh riots broke out in Delhi.

with thanks : Post Jagran : LINK

Free treatment to 4 year old boy with life - threatening disease : Hindustan Times

चीन में पहली बार अखंड पाठ का प्रकाश, चीनी महिला ने अपनाया सिख धर्म

चंडीगढ़। दशकों से कम्युनिस्ट शासन और नास्तिकता के प्रभाव में रहने वाला चीन भी अब अध्यात्म की तरफ जा रहा है। ऐसे माहौल में चीन के कई हिस्सों में विभिन्न धर्मों का प्रभाव बढ़ रहा है। सिख धर्म को भी पहली बार चीन में आध्यात्मिक शांति के लिए अपनाया जाने लगा है। धर्मजोत कौर पहली ऐसी चीनी महिला हैं जो कि सिख धर्म को अपना चुकी हैं और अब अपनी बेटी को भारत में मीरी पीरी एकेडमी में सिख धर्म को समझने के लिए भेजा है। 

 

चीन में सिख धर्म की शुरुआत छह साल पहले सतमुख सिंह ने की थी और आज उनका मिशन कई सौ चीनियों को अपने साथ जोड़ चुका है। अब अजाए अलाए सेंटर, शेनझेन में श्री गुरुग्रंथ साहिब जी का प्रकाश हर सुबह-शाम किया जा रहा है। शाम को सुखासन की परंपरा भी निभाई जा रही है। फ्रांस से आए सतमुख सिंह ने शेनझेन में योगा सेंटर की शुरुआत कर चाइनीज योगा फेस्टिवल शुरू किया। उसके बाद सिख धर्म का प्रचार आगे बढ़ाया। इससे चीनियों की दिलचस्पी बढ़ी और काफी लोग इससे जुडऩे लगे। सतमुख सिंह ने बताया कि उन्होंने कुछ स्थानीय लोगों से सिख धर्म से जुड़े कुछ तथ्यों का चीनी भाषा में अनुवाद भी किया है और उससे भी लोगों को तेजी से सिख धर्म के बारे में जानने का अवसर मिल रहा है।

 

गुरुद्वारा बनाने के लिए मंजूरी का इंतजार

 

अभी एक छोटी सी जगह को गुरुद्वारा साहिब में बदलने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है और उसके साथ ही लंगर शुरू करने की भी योजना है। प्रशासनिक तौर पर अभी इस संबंध में अनुमति मिलने का इंतजार किया जा रहा है।

 

हांगकांग में कई गुरुद्वारा साहिब
 

मेनलैंड चाइना में सिख धर्म का प्रसार बीते सालों में ही हुआ है, लेकिन चीनी शासन वाले हांगकांग में सिख धर्म बीती एक सदी से मौजूद है। ब्रिटिश काल में पंजाब से गए सिख प्रवासियों ने हांगकांग में कारोबार स्थापित किए। वहां अभी भी कई गुरुद्वारा साहिब हैं। मेनलैंड चाइना में गुरु ग्रंथ साहिब का प्रकाश पहली बार हुआ है। लंबे समय से धर्म से दूर रहे चीनी अब धर्म की तरफ मुड़ रहे हैं और सिख धर्म उनकी इस आध्यात्मिक जरूरतों को पूरा कर रहा है। 

with thanks : Bhasker : LINK

Visit to Gurdwara Sangat Sahib,Stockholm Tullinge ,Sweden

On 1st June 2014,Swedish Indian Association(Svensk-Indiska föreningen ) organised an exciting visit to a Gurdwara Sangat Sahib (Stockholm Tullinge ,Sweden ) to learn about Sikhism. All particiapted with full devotion in Kirtan and Ardaas ceremony and enjoyed Langar ( Community food ).

Prof. Heinz Werner Wessler from the Department of Linguistics and Philology at Uppsala University ,Sweden gave an informative lecture/presentation on Sikhism,its history and philosophy for the Swedish Sangat .Prof. Heinz has translated a selection of hymns from the Guru Granth sahib and other holy scriptures in German together with Tilak Raj Chopra: Aus dem Gurū Granth Sahib und anderen heiligen Schriften der Sikhs. Verlag der WELTRELIGIONEN. Berlin,2011 and published articles on Sikhism.

The other prominent delegates were representative of Indian Ambasador,Embassy of India , Sweden and Latvia -J. P. Meena Deputy Chief of Mission (Consular & Political) and Ms Bimla Chandra ;Chairman ,Vice- Chairman ,Members of Swedish -Indian Association- Henrik Sundbom, Mohinder Singh, Nadia Sundbom,Prof.Peter Schalk and Dr.Gurdeep Kaur, Associate Professor ,Delhi University ( Currently in Uppsala University ).

www.svenskindiska.se

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Svensk-Indiska-f%C3%B6reningen/114353238651908

Sikh refugee’s plea to Delhi government for free treatment to save his son

The Delhi High Court Friday issued notice to the central and Delhi governments and AIIMS on a plea filed by Afghan refugee parents of a four-year-old boy suffering from aplastic anaemia, a life-threatening disorder.

Justice Manmohan sought response from the governments and hospital July 24. The kid, Kulraj is in dire and immediate need of bone-marrow transplant to save his life, which would cost around Rs.10 lakh, as per the estimate given by AIIMS, advocate Ashok Agarwal appearing for the parents told the court. The plea said that as per the last examination, his platelets have come down to 2,000 and are dwindling, against a minimum normal of 150,000. 

Since the kid’s parents are not in a position to afford the cost of the treatment, AIIMS, the central and Delhi governments, jointly as well as severally, have a constitutional obligation under article 21 to bear the entire cost of the treatment of the patient in order to save his life, argued Agarwal.

The kid’s health has been deteriorating and the doctors have warned that he is not responding well to the current treatment. The boy has lesions appearing all over his body, particularly in the mouth and he has stopped eating for the last two days, the plea stated.

Kulraj’s father, Sujan Singh is a Sikh refugee from Afghanistan. His family had come to India in 1992 and settled here. He works as a salesman and earns around Rs.8,000 a month. Unable to afford the hefty cost of treatment of his son, he approached the court, submitted the plea.

with thanks : healthsite : Link : for detailed news.

The First Akhand Paath in China!

Most of the Chinese ladies cried reading the Guru. After decades of communism and atheism the need to experience spirituality is so strong that emotions overflow.

Now, at Ajai Alai Center, we are doing prakash of the Guru every morning and sukhasan every evening.

Also, the prashad recipe is now part of the new born 3HO Chinese community.

Satmukh Singh, who started all this process in China six years ago must be honored for the mission.

These are the comments of some of the Chinese ladies who participated to the Akhandh Path.

Saibhang Kaur : “Reading the Guru was indescribable, and sometimes feeling taken over”

Ramdev Kaur : “It felt like a new beginning, an opening and I am honor to be here for the first of what may be many to come”.

Devinder Kaur : “A Divine and Miraculous experience. I feel really close to God.”

Ajeet Dev Kaur : “Moving. When you make some mistakes, you feel guilty but someone didn’t judge you and saw the good part of you and treated you gently, just like the Guru’s love.”

Sukh Meher Kaur : “Amazing experience. When I was reading the book, I entered a space where I was worry free, care free. I could leave everything behind. I felt protected. I got much deeper understanding about the Sikh religion. In that space, I feel very comfortable, I just wanted to stay by the Guru. Also, one time, reading the Guru, I was crying.”

How it was achieved :

Here in China we are having the Chinese Yoga Festival. The Yoga Festival was organized by Satmukh Singh, from France, in the Ajai Alai Yoga Center in Shenzhen and Satmukh Singh wanted to have an Akhandh Path.

So Karta Singh from France gave to the new Gurdwara a Guru in one volume (made by binding the 4 volume translation together.)

Atma Singh (myself) gave the Victory and Virtues (Sikh Dharma ceremonies) book. Sat Siri Singh, from London, was our Minister for the whole process.

We just finished the Akandh Path this morning at 4:30. 29 different people read it for 110.5 hours. We started on May 1st, at 14h.

The experience was very inspiring and also fun: at the beginning, all the Chinese, with great devotion, did multiple bows, like the Muslims are doing, in front of the pictures of the Gurus on the wall. We educated them to bow in front of the Guru Granth Sahib only.

Blessings,
Atma Singh

SAD to discuss anti-Sikh riots issue with Union Home Ministry

"SAD will soon discuss the ongoing legal proceedings with the Union Home Minister to ensure proper investigations and early hearings of the cases to put the perpetrators of heinous crime (1984 anti-Sikh riots) behind bars," said Badal.

He asserted that the time has come to punish the architects of "Sikh genocide".

Accusing previous UPA led Centre of shielding "culprits" of anti-Sikh riots, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister said the new NDA led government at the Centre has build up the trust of Sikhs who have been fighting for the last 30 years to get justice.

Badal said SAD was confident that Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would deliver justice as early as possible by adopting every legal and administrative measure.

Answering a query regarding recently concluded Lok Sabha poll results, SAD President said they accept and respect the mandate of people in Punjab.

He said SAD-BJP will soon start introspection exercise to gauge the performance of government vis-à-vis parties.

He said the main focus of the ruling combine will would all round development of state and welfare of all sections of society.

Badal also reviewed Rs 78.08 crore Golden Temple Plaza project and issued directions to the authorities concerned to conclude the construction before given deadline.

with thanks : Jagran : Link : for detailed news.

US Sikhs Hire Hillary Strategist to Change Perception

WASHINGTON : American Sikhs have hired a political consultant, who served as a strategist for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, for the first-ever exploration of creating positive perception about Sikhs among Americans.

Geoffrey Garin, who also served as the pollster and strategic advisor to Priorities USA, the super PAC supporting President Barack Obama’s re-election in 2012, will take an in-depth survey of feelings and misperceptions towards Sikhs for the newly formed National Sikh Campaign (NSC).

This research will lay the foundation for the largest promotion of Sikhs in the western world coordinated by NSC with messaging that will deliver new information and visuals that can positively change attitudes toward Sikhs.

Gurwin Singh Ahuja, executive director of NSC who was part of Obama’s two election campaigns in Ohio, said, Sikhs have been part of American scene since they first immigrated to North America 100 years ago.

“There is no one better than Garin to properly conduct a study that can show how Sikhs can dispel the misperceptions about our community and portray us as part and parcel of American society,” he said.

With thanks : MizoNews : LINK : for detailed news.

Golden Temple Pic at Auckland Airport !

New book explores Sikh weddings

If you visit a Sikh temple you may be lucky enough to attend a wedding while you’re there.

Families who host Sikh weddings must be ready to feed more people than they actually invite because Sikh temples are open to the public and it is not uncommon for strangers to join the celebration.  

This is just one of many customs that non-Sikhs may be unaware of.

Arvinder Grewal’s book, Weddings Around The World: Sikh Weddings, is a guidebook inspired by her own experiences with weddings growing up in Vancouver. She wrote the book for the Sikh-Canadian community when she realized that some customs were being lost.

“I intended it for the generation who have lost this information, who don’t have this information passed down to them,” said Grewal. But she added that the book is for anyone who is interested in Punjab culture or the Sikh religion. “I hope that it gives people an idea of the beauty of a Sikh wedding, the richness, the culture,” she said.  

She noted a distinction must be made between Sikhism and Punjab. Sikhism is a religion, whereas Punjab is a region in northern India that extends into eastern Pakistan.

According to a 2011 Statistics Canada report, 11 per cent of Vancouverites self-identify as South Asian, 10 per cent speak Punjabi at home and 6.5 per cent follow the Sikh religion.

With thanks : vancourier : LINK : for detailed news.

Akali Dal to implement Nanavati report on 1984 riots: Harsimrat

IANS

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal will get the Nanavati Commission report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots implemented to bring those behind the riots before law, newly appointed Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Tuesday.

Harsimrat, who assumed charge as minister, said that justice has eluded victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots for the last nearly 30 years.

"The NDA government under prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had constituted Nanavati Commission to investigate the riots but unfortunately its report was not implemented by the Congress government. The Akali Dal would get this report implemented in letter and spirit to bring all those perpetrators of this heinous crime behind the bars," she told media persons after taking charge.

Hundreds of Sikhs were targeted and killed in Delhi and other places across India by mobs in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh security guards in October 1984.

with thanks : IANS : LINK : for detailed news.