This evening lots of the local Sikh kids came over to our house. They dressed up in all kinds of difference costumes. We ate dinner and then made went around our little circle here. After we got back the kids dumped all their candy out to see what they got. It was quite a fun thing for the kids! Nothing like loads of candy. When I think of candy….I think "Sick to my stomach". I remember in India when I was in boarding school, one sikh friend brought a huge trunk of candy. We ate so much that we were all sick. In any case…the kids have fun dressing up and taking baths of candy (even if they don’t get to eat it all)! This holiday is quite the opposite of healthy eating, that is for sure!
The Trick-or-treat Gang
Talk about junkfood… here is some of one of the kids stash of candy
Today our sangat celebrated Guru Gadhi Day (The day when the Siri Guru Granth Sahib became the Guru for the Sikhs). We started with a yummy breakfast hosted by Sat Want Singh and Kaur and then had a Nagar Kirtan procession to the Gurdwara. Winter really is starting to set in! It was quite windy today so it was very cold being outside. Brrrr….
This year the children again made an offering to the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Each child had a square cloth which they painted or drew on and was then sewn together to make a ramalla for the Guru. Then today during Gurdwara the kids together presented it to the Guru and placed the ramalla on the Guru. They all looked so proud. I love things like this that get the kids involved in our celebrations and help teach them. Too often the kids take a back seat and don’t have a chance to be involved. Here are a few pictures.
Nagar Kirtan Procession
Some of the kids sitting on the truck
Harogbind Kaur looking beautiful. (it’s also her birthday)
Siri Chand and Gurujot watching the kids do some Gatka.
This morning starting at 4 AM the sangat did 2.5 hours of chanting the Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru Shabad. This was in celebration of the Birthday of Guru Ram Das ji. As always it was a beautiful and meditative morning. For the past two weeks or so in preparation there has been nightly Gurbani kirtan at different people’s house from the Sangat. Every evening the sangat goes to someone else’s house and we all chant, meditate and then eat together. It’s such a cozy and nice time for everyone to come together.
Here are a few pictures from this morning…
JAITSREE, FOURTH MEHL, FIRST HOUSE, CHAU-PADAS: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: The Jewel of the Lord’s Name abides within my heart; the Guru has placed His hand on my forehead. The sins and pains of countless incarnations have been cast out. The Guru has blessed me with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and my debt has been paid off. || 1 || O my mind, vibrate the Lord’s Name, and all your affairs shall be resolved. The Perfect Guru has implanted the Lord’s Name within me; without the Name, life is useless. || Pause || Without the Guru, the self-willed manmukhs are foolish and ignorant; they are forever entangled in emotional attachment to Maya. They never serve the feet of the Holy; their lives are totally useless. || 2 || Those who serve at the feet of the Holy, the feet of the Holy, their lives are made fruitful, and they belong to the Lord. Make me the slave of the slave of the slaves of the Lord; bless me with Your Mercy, O Lord of the Universe. || 3 || I am blind, ignorant and totally without wisdom; how can I walk on the Path? I am blind . O Guru, please let me grasp the hem of Your robe, so that servant Nanak may walk in harmony with You. || 4 || 1 || Page 696
Guru Ram Das Dev Ji’s Birthday - October 9, 2007 - Sadhana Gurdwara Hukam - Espanola NM
This past Saturday morning after Sadhana myself, Hari Bhajan Kaur and Sat Hari Singh (Germany) walked up onto the top of one of the hills which is near the Gurdwara. Our purpose was to take some pictures which Sat Hari Singh could use in a German promotional booklet for his new CD called "Servant of the Heart".
We couldn’t have asked for a better morning since it had just rained a lot the night before and there were still clouds in the sky as the sun peaked over the horizon. It was so beautiful! I love taking pictures! Especially when there are good environments/lighting. After we were done we munched on German chocolate and talked about how we should plan something in the future to have Kirtan/Meditation up on this hill another time. There is nothing like being outside in the fresh air with beautiful environments and meditation!
(Ps. If you want to see the pictures properly, click on the picture and then when you are on flickr click the option that says "All sizes" which is on the top of the picture)
This past weekend we celebrated and remembered the life of SSS Harbhajan Singh Khalsa (aka: Yogi Bhajan). This birthday event has always been a joyous occasion and serves to bring many people together. It is especially a great event for inviting the local community to learn more about us as Sikhs. There are normally quite a few political figures and local citizens who have a chance to get to know us better.
This year the Langar hall was transformed into a beautiful gallery for the event. There were all kinds of pictures, art work, jewelry, stories, videos, magazines, etc. showing the history of Sikh Dharma in the west and the life of Yogi Bhajan.
The entry way to the gallery with the "introduction"
A week or so ago my good friend Siri Amrit Singh got married to Nirinjan Kaur here in Espanola. It was a great wedding and there were so many people here to celebrate with them. I took lots of pictures so have a few to share with you all. Check them out by clicking the following link.
Sorat’h, Ninth Mehla: O man, grasp this Truth firmly in your soul. The whole world is just like a dream; it will pass away in an instant. ||1||Pause|| Like a wall of sand, built up and plastered with great care, which does not last even a few days, just so are the pleasures of Maya. Why are you entangled in them, you ignorant fool? ||1|| Understand this today - it is not yet too late! Chant and vibrate the Name of the Lord. Says Nanak, this is the subtle wisdom of the Holy Saints, which I proclaim out loud to you. ||2||8|| ( Pannaa 633 )
The shabd was right on with my thoughts today. The past few days I have been thinking about how quickly time passes by and how we are just here for a "blink" of time. My mother recently turned 60 years old, I’m now 32, married, and with two kids. At the same time I am thinking how quickly Narayan is growing up and will be an adult before I know it. Meanwhile at Gurdwara I was seeing so many of my friends and classmates who I have known since I was a little kid with their own children. It was only yesterday that we were all little kids going to boarding school in India. Today many of the kids from Miri Piri Academy who are now home for summer vacation got saropas from the sangat. I remember when I used to get this saropa from the sangat every year. It seems like a long time ago, yet at the same time only yesterday. We aren’t kids anymore. It’s strange seeing us all as adults and realizing how fast time passes you by. Then I thought about how 35+ years ago SSS Harbhajan Singh Khalsa came to the USA and started teaching about Sikh Dharma, spirituality, etc. Look what has happened in that time! It’s just a "blink of time" yet so much has happened. I then tried to imagine myself 60 years old and realized that I will be there in the not too distant future.
These thoughts always bring me back to who I am now and what I am doing. I know in my day to day life I sometimes think I’ll be able do some things later (the "I’ll do it tomorrow" which never comes). There is always that feeling like there is plenty of time to catch up and do certain things. One never knows when your time is going to be up. I’m sure many of the older generation have experienced this as they look back on their life so far.
At the same time I am grateful for the many blessings that I have received and try to always remember that. I am grateful that I have been able to learn and experience the things that I have, and be able to teach these things to my children as well, who will in turn pass on to their children.
Happy Birthday Arjan!
Chardikala Jatha - Rae Nar Eh Saachee Jeea Dhaar Download
Picture Above: Prabhu Singh in the wilderness near his work place
Shortly after the catastrophic events of 9/11 a Sikh, Balbir Singh, was murdered in Arizona. Other Sikhs have been severely beaten, Sikh Gurdwaras vandalized, and countless taunted with labels of “Arab,” “Osama,” and the like. The misplaced blame for terrorism on Muslims and any one appearing Middle Eastern has hits Sikhs as well. The idea of a "collective guilt" is paltry, but it is ironic that Sikhs are targeted because Sikhism is completely separate from Islam and the current conflicts in the Middle East. Some Sikhs believe that they have gotten even more discrimination than other groups because of their distinct attire of turban and beard. Challenge is not new for the Sikhs who have historically protected the religious freedom of all people against extreme odds. Additionally Sikhs have faced massacres at the hands of Mughal and Afghani invaders in 1746 and 1762, as well as British officers in 1919, communal rioters in 1947, and the modern Indian Government in 1984. Sikhs, who have always been a visible minority, have faced times when a price was placed on each head of a Sikh. Now, many Sikhs have cut their hair and have taken off their turbans to avoid discrimination.
In the remote location of Los Alamos, New Mexico, four Sikhs work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This high security laboratory is most recognized as the birthplace of the atomic bomb, and has been recognized as one of the premiere scientific institutions of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Well, the first year in Narayan’s school is done. Yesterday was his last day of KG class and he is on vacation for the summer! Yipppeee! He did really well in school and learned a lot. The past few nights Charanjeet has been sleeping better so we have all gotten some rest. This morning I woke up an actually got to do some meditation and yoga before the kids woke up! Narayan doesn’t have any school so we can just let him sleep in. Ahh… Summer is here. I’m looking forward to our little vacation in New York with the family. 10 days….and we are off to NY. It’s a three day weekend coming up so we’ll have to find something fun to do. I need to get out and have some fun. We might go hiking to some local natural hot springs and relax in the springs. Ahhh… I can already feel my tension releasing. :)
Narayan with some of his friends…
Narayan is so lucky to have so many “uncles”. After the graduation we had a small party and a bunch of his uncles came over to our house to celebrate…and then watch a movie with Narayan.
Narayan and Uncle Harbhajan back from India for a visit.
Charanjeet trying to break free from Narayan’s hug. These days Narayan seems to pester Charanjeet from time to time. I guess that is just part of being siblings.
Meanwhile at Gurdwara I was seeing so many of my friends and classmates who I have known since I was a little kid with their own children. It was only yesterday that we were all little kids going to boarding school in India. 
