Saadh Sangat Ji,

The pictures of the events and aftermath of June 1984 (operation Bluestar) will evoke a variety of emotions amongst Sikhs of all generations. Seeing the holiest Sikh shrine turned into a battlefield, and the Akaal Takhat almost demolished was always going to hurt sentiments of the Sikhs. The innocent pilgrims who had come to observe the "shaheedi" of Guru Arjan Dev Ji were mercilessly killed by the Indian Army.

What followed in the state of Punjab was utter turbulence. Fake encounters became order of the day. A whole generation of Sikh youth went missing. There were many opportunists who took advantage of the unrest and maligned the sikh freedom movement by carrying out acts in the name of Sikhs.

In Late October of the same year, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh assasinated Indira Gandhi for her role in Operation Blue Star. In response government backed thugs ran riot in the Indian capital, where they had a free licence and helping hand from politicians and police to pretty much do as they please to the local Sikh population.

Seeing these injustices many Sikhs raised arms against the state. As a Khalsa we can never sit back and see injustices take place whether they are against us or anyone else.rally

The Chief Minister of Punjab who was elected in a dubious manner to say the least, Beant Singh, along with KPS Gill were responsible for the deaths of many Sikhs – many of whom had nothing to do with the freedom movement.

Dilavar Singh and Balwant Singh Rajona, could not see these daily fake encounters anymore. They had been working in the police force and had witnessed many of these dark deeds. They assassinated the chief minister.

We have all heard of the case of Balwant Singh Rajoana, which has once again seen the Panth rise from deep slumber. Bhai Sahib has practically been leading the panth from a prison cell. Sikhs all around the world have rallied together on his one call. His letters are anticipated eagerly by the Sikh community. It seems he is doing what our leaders have failed to do. He has urged all Sikhs to take pride in the unique Sikh identity, and also connect to our Guru.

Why are Sikhs wanting to Save a murderer?

Sikhs are against the death penalty. We want justice and a level playing field. Bhai Sahib himself has no fear of the gallows, and will happily accept the death sentence, as he has already expressed he has no faith in the Indian Judicial System as a Sikh. 

The murderers of Sikhs are given promotions (Tytler and Sajjan Kumar) and are being protected, or in certain cases their sentences are being reduced (Kishori Lal). Yet it seems the noose has been specifically made for the Sikhs only.

1984 is a dark chapter from our history, but it is something we all need to research and educate ourselves about. We need to understand the reasons for the Sikh agitation, which can be traced back to the partition of Punjab. What made these sikhs who had given their all for mother india, then rise against that very same state. Please read around the subject so we can also educate others and eliminate the misconceptions which has been and continues to be propogated.

Gurdwara Sahib has organised a coach to the Rally in Trafalgar Square, which will be leaving 7:00am and setting off back from London at 4:00pm.

If you would like to go to this event then please contact Maadho Singh on 07850947723 to book your seats. Seats will be on a first come first serve basis

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Saadh Sangat Ji,

We would like to inform you about the details about the divaan this Sunday:

Bhai Jagjit Singh Ji
11.20am – 11.45am

Bhai Jagjit Singh Ji will be highlighting some of the great contributions of Sikh Bibia of the Past. Inspiring and uplifting insights into the lives of our great Mothers and Sisters from the not too distant past.

Bhai Surjit Singh Ji
11.45am – 12.15pm

We are pleased to inform you that Bhai Surjit Singh's flies back from his Europe tour on this morning and he will be arriving at Gurdwara Sahib to share Gurmat with Sangta.

Bhai Baljit Singh Ji (Dadu Sahib)
12.15pm – 1pm

Please also take note that Bhai Baljit Singh Daduwal Sahib vaale will be attending Gurdwara Sahib this Sunday and will talk about his recent activities in Panjab.

Bhai Sahib has been at the forefront of the the battle against the fake babas and their dera's, which has resulted in him being arrested on several occassions, whilst the fake baba's are continuing to roam free and spread their anti-Sikh parchaar.

More recently Bhai sahib was arrested just before the Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana protests which were observed in Panjab.

What was the reason for this arrest? Why were so many Sikh activists arrested? what were the authorities fearing?

Attend the divaan this Sunday to find out the answers.

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

We would like to inform the sangat about an upcoming event:

Bhai Harjinder Singh Ji Romy

Bhai Harinder Singh Ji will be reciting Keertan at GNG on Tuesday 15th May 2012. The normal Tuesday program (childrens Rehraas) will continue as normal from 6:00 to 6:30 followed by a short story for the kids. Bhai Sahib will then recite Keertan from 6:45 to 7:30pm.

Please attend and let all friends and family know about this event.

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Saadh Sangat Ji,

This upcoming weekend there will be special programmes on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday there will be keertan recited by amongst others Bhai Malkit Singh Ji (Nottingham) from between 9 – 12am. Please try and attend this event if possible.

On Sunday there will be katha from Bhai Giaanroop Singh Ji, who has come into Sikhi from a non sikh background. The talk will be in English and Bhai Sahib will describe his journey into Sikhi in depth. The talk is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am prompt.

Bhai Giaanroop Singh Ji

Sanpooran Designs Leeds

Also on Sunday Sanpooran Designs from Leeds will be putting a stall on at the Gurdwara Sahib. They have produced key rings which each represent a victim and are all under the "i pledge orange" banner. Key rings are priced at £2.50 each and all money will go to Khalsa Aid. Lets support the cause, and help raise awareness.

We sincerley hope you are able to attend some of the events this weekend.

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Saadh Sangat Ji

First of all we would like to wish everyone a happy Vaisakhi. The sangat of Bradford participated in the annual nagar kirtan on Sunday 15th April. We would like to thank all the sevadaars from all gurdwaras who helped on the day and during the planning stages. Local media covered the event, please find links below:

10,000 Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi in Bradford

Nagar Kirtan News footage

Some of you may have noticed that the Seeq team and immortal productions team were also attending the Nagar Kirtan and had also set up a stall at Guru Nanak Gurdwara and later at Gurdwara Singh Sabha. Immortal Productions have for the past decade been involved in dharmik music projects concentrating on the Sikh freedom struggle, whilst also celebrating the contributions of our great Sikh heroes from the past. The projects have brought together a variety of artist from the music scene aswell as many renowned dhadhi jathas. The projects are not for any profit, and any money raised is always used for future projects or for charities such as Khalsa Aid. This year inparticular the latest release has material dedicated to the current Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana situation in Panjab. Please support the cause, as the sevadaars gain no personal financial rewards from running these projects and they are run to raise awareness within the youth especially. We currently have copies of the latest CD if you were unable to purchase during the Nagar Kirtan, please contact Nandeep.singh@gmail.com if you require a CD.

For more information on immortal productions click here

Please find a video from the album below

Please do not forget to sign the e petition to put a stop to the death penalty in india below

e-petition

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Saadh Sangat Ji,

Following on from the huge success of Bhai Taru Singh, Vismaad are back with their next offering – "Bhai Subeg Singh and Bhai Shahbaz Singh". Vismaad have for many years been producing high quality animated movies to raise awareness of Sikh history, in the past you may recall they have produced movies on the younger Sahibzaadey, Banda Singh Bahadhur, and Sundri. I'm sure everyone will agree that this is a very important seva, and the quality of the product they bring improves significantly each time. The Vismaad sevadaars need the support of the sangat, and it is the sangats responsibilty to support such causes inparticularly in terms refraining from buying pirated copies of the Vismaad DVDs.

The latest offering tells the story of the father and son bhai Subeg Singh and Bhai Shahbaz Singh. In the Daily Ardaas Sikhs mention "Charkhriyaan te Charhey", many Sikhs from that era were tortured on the dreaded wheel in an attempt to break their will and to encourage them to falter from the path of Sikhi. These two Singhs are just one of many examples from our glorious history who stood firm and took this punishment as simply the will of God.

For more info on Bhai Subeg Singh and Bhai Shahbaz Singh please click here.

The movie will be shown at GNG on Sunday 4th March 2012 at 1pm. Please show your support and bring along your families to learn about our martyrs.

Also Bhai Surjit Singh Ji will be returning on the same weekend to continue his parchaar.

You can view a trailer for the movie here.

You can also download the shabads and Vaars from the movie from here.

                                                                                                      SEE POSTER HERE

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Saadh Sangat Ji,

Please find below the audio recordings of shabads recited by Bhai Sukhjinder Singh at GNG recently.

Nanak Tinha Basant Hai

This Shabad is by Guru Angad Dev Ji in Raag Soohee on Pannaa 791

nwnk iqnw bsMqu hY ijn@ Gir visAw kMqu ]

naanak thinaa basa(n)th hai jinh ghar vasiaa ka(n)th ||

O Nanak, it is the spring season for those, within whose homes their Husband Lord abides.

ijn ky kMq idswpurI sy Aihinis iPrih jlµq ]2]

jin kae ka(n)th dhisaapuree sae ahinis firehi jala(n)th ||2||

But those, whose Husband Lord is far away in distant lands, continue burning, day and night. ||2||

Click to download mp3 file.

Har Jio Nimaanian Tu Maan

This Shabad is by Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Raag Sorath on Pannaa 624

hir jIau inmwixAw qU mwxu ]

har jeeo nimaaniaa thoo maan ||

O Dear Lord, You are the honor of the dishonored.

Click for full shabad

Click to download MP3 file

Please find below the audio recording of Bhai Sukhjinder Singh reciting the Bani of Guru Tegh Bahadhur Ji during the bhogh of a recent Sehaj Paath at GNG.

Salok Mehl 9 by Guru Tegh Bahaadur Ji on Pannaa 1426 to 1429

gun goibMd gwieE nhI jnmu AkwrQ kInu ]

gun gobi(n)dh gaaeiou nehee janam akaarathh keen ||

If you do not sing the Praises of the Lord, your life is rendered useless.

khu nwnk hir Bju mnw ijh ibiD jl kau mInu ]1]

kahu naanak har bhaj manaa jih bidhh jal ko meen ||1||

Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord; immerse your mind in Him, like the fish in the water. ||1||

View whole shabad

Download audio file

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Saadh Sangat Ji,

Please find below an Audio Recording by Bhai Surjit Singh at GNG. The topic was around Naam.

1) Naam Japahu

This Shabad is by Guru Raam Daas Ji in Raag Aasaa on Pannaa 366

nwmu jphu myry swjn sYnw ]

naam japahu maerae saajan sainaa ||

So chant the Naam, O my friends and companions.

nwm ibnw mY Avru n koeI vfY Bwig gurmuiK hir lYnw ]1] rhwau ]

naam binaa mai avar n koee vaddai bhaag guramukh har lainaa ||1|| rehaao ||

Without the Naam, there is nothing else for me. By great good fortune, as Gurmukh, I have received the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||

Full Shabad

2) ek shabad mere praan basat hai

This Shabad is by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Raag Bilaaval on Pannaa 795

eyku sbdu myrY pRwin bsqu hY bwhuiV jnim n Awvw ]1]

eaek sabadh maerai praan basath hai baahurr janam n aavaa ||1||

The One Word of the Shabad abides within my mind; I shall not come to be born again. ||1||

Full Shabad

Download MP3 File

Bhai sahib discusses the two shabads that he has recited, and explains how Guru ji himself could not live without chanting naam, and  how we should be constantly remembering Vaaheguru. Gurbani reminds us that:

AwKw jIvw ivsrY mir jwau ]

aakhaa jeevaa visarai mar jaao ||

Chanting it, I live; forgetting it, I die.

but in reality how many of us abide by this?

Guru Sahib further states in Gurbani that only those are truly alive, whose minds are filled with the lord:

so jIivAw ijsu min visAw soie ]

so jeeviaa jis man vasiaa soe ||

They alone are truly alive, whose minds are filled with the Lord.

nwnk Avru n jIvY koie ]

naanak avar n jeevai koe ||

O Nanak, no one else is truly alive;

The Guru's came to this world to inspire us all to meet the Lord

jIA dwnu dy BgqI lwiein hir isau lYin imlwey ]2]
jeea dhaan dhae bhagathee laaein har sio lain milaaeae ||2||

They give the gift of the soul, and practice devotional worship; they inspire others to meet the Lord. ||2||

A sikh of the guru will be thirsty for 'naam rass' and will chant and meditate on the name for may years before this thirst is quenched.

Bhai Sahib then talks about Amrit Vela and how Gurbani states:

PrIdw ipCl rwiq n jwigEih jIvdVo muieEih ]

fareedhaa pishhal raath n jaagiouhi jeevadharro mueiouhi ||

Fareed, if you do not awaken in the early hours before dawn, you are dead while yet alive.
 

jy qY rbu ivswirAw q rib n ivsirEih ]107]

jae thai rab visaariaa th rab n visariouhi ||107||

Although you have forgotten God, God has not forgotten you. ||107||

Bhagat kabeer goes even further:

kbIr sUqw ikAw krih auiT ik n jpih murwir ]

kabeer soothaa kiaa karehi out(h) k n japehi muraar ||

Kabeer, what are you doing sleeping? Why not rise up and meditate on the Lord?
 

iek idn sovnu hoiego lWby gof pswir ]128]

eik dhin sovan hoeigo laa(n)bae godd pasaar ||128||

One day you shall sleep with your legs outstretched. ||128||
 

We have been given this human form to chant on the Lords name, but what do we do – we waste it on wordly affairs. If we remember the lord we will be content, without it we are helpless and in reality no one is there to help us.

If we depart from this world without remembering the lord its as useless as adourning a corpse with jewellery.
 

nwm ibnw jyqw ibauhwru ] ijau imrqk imiQAw sIgwru ]2]

naam binaa jaethaa biouhaar || jio mirathak mithhiaa seegaar ||2||

Without the Naam, all occupations are useless, like decorations on a dead body. ||2||
 

If we do not remember the lord then what do we have to look forward to?

kbIr jm kw TyNgw burw hY Ehu nhI sihAw jwie ]

kabeer jam kaa t(h)ae(n)agaa buraa hai ouhu nehee sehiaa jaae ||

Kabeer, Death's club is terrible; it cannot be endured.
 

But Guru ji has shown us a way to avoid this treatment by receiving amrit, but wemust not only receive amrit but also keep our rehit. This is very important, and keeping our amrit vela.

cauQY phir sbwh kY suriqAw aupjY cwau ]

chouthhai pehar sabaah kai surathiaa oupajai chaao ||

In the fourth watch of the early morning hours, a longing arises in their higher consciousness.

But if we spend the day working and the night sleeping then what time have we made for the Lord. When our accounts are read out in his court, and we are told we were sent to meditate and chant his name. What answer can we give?

It is only with Guru Ji's kirpa that one can meditate on this name, and that one can listen to the name.Otherwise in this dark age it is difficult to sit and listen to this name. To those that do not like the chanting it is like being stung by a scorpion.

Bhai sahib then reiterates the reasons why we come to the gurus darbar and how we should behave when we get there. We have come to meet the king of kings, not our friends and relatives. We should sit and listen to gurbani and chant the lords name. He further explains that we should take time out and come to the gurdwara as much as possible, the more we attend the more we will benefit spiritually.

The Guru is the great giver,and will shower us with blessings. In Gurbani, Guru Ji says those mothers are blessed who give birth to children who remember the lord.  

iqn DMnu jxydI mwau Awey sPlu sy ]2]

thin dhha(n)n janaedhee maao aaeae safal sae ||2||

Blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them, and fruitful is their coming into the world. ||2||

but on the flip side if they do not remember the lord, then Guru sahib is equally harsh on the mothers

ijh kuil pUqu n igAwn bIcwrI ]

jih kul pooth n giaan beechaaree ||

That family, whose son has no spiritual wisdom or contemplation

ibDvw ks n BeI mhqwrI ]1]

bidhhavaa kas n bhee mehathaaree ||1||

- why didn't his mother just become a widow? ||1||

In our glorious history many thousands of brave warriors were born to those mothers who contemplated and meditated on the lords name. Which shows the impiortance of elders setting an example for the children.

To conclude the divaan Bhai Sahib recites the following shabad and Anand Sahib

ijnI gurmuiK nwmu iDAwieAw iqnw iPir ibGnu n hoeI rwm rwjy ]

jinee guramukh naam dhhiaaeiaa thinaa fir bighan n hoee raam raajae ||

Those who, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Naam, meet no obstacles in their path, O Lord King.

Full Shabad

Saadh Sangat Ji,

Sevadaars From the Gurdwara held a dastaar Clinic on the 8th January 2012. The idea was to encourage members of the sangat to participate and have a dastaar tied. There was a great amount of enthusiasm from the sangat, and peopleof all ages attended and benefitted from the clinic. A selection of pictures have been uploaded to the GNG flickr account.]

Click here to view pics