President s Message. Punjabi School, Adelaide

Transcription

1 UPCOMING PROGRAMMES: Kirtan Darbar Daily From 6.30pm 7.30pm with Langgar Sewa on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday 10:00am pm 3 November 2018 Diwali The Omni 6:30pm 11.30pm 7 November 2018 Bandi Chor/Diwali 10.00am-9.30pm Children s Kirtan 6.00pm-6.30pm Dr.Dashdeep Singh 6.30pm-7.30pm Ragi Jatha Bhai Ravinder Singh 7.30pm- 8.30pm Sukhasan 11.00pm Langgar served from 10.00am -9.30pm 10 November 2018 Amrit Sanchar 16 November 2018 Sangrand 23 Nov 25 Nov 2018 Guru Nanak Dev Ji Birthday Akhand Path Bhog: 9.30am November 2018 President s Message Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh Many people have come up to the committee and myself in the past few weeks regarding contractual status of Giani Kuldeep Singh. To negate the spread of rumours, I would like to bring some clarity to the matter. G. Kuldeep Singh will no longer be serving as a Volunteer Sewadaar with effect from 18 November Gianniji was informed in March 2017 that the Punjabi School, Adelaide The Punjabi school final term has commenced and the school is busy preparing for the annual Ethnic Schools Children Parade scheduled for 3 Nov 2018 and upcoming Gurudwara events. As the 2018 school year comes to a close matters regarding the school in terms of audits and funding for 2019 are now being established and finalised. volunteer position would only be for one year with no option for extension. As the MC was focused on the legal proceedings against the Society, an opportunity to find a replacement for him was delayed and he was thus allowed an extension till now. On behalf of the MC, I would like to reassure the Sangat that this decision was not of any personal nature or made under coercion by members of the Society and we have and will continue to extend all/any support to him. The MC acknowledges that the needs of the Society have The school is looking for members and Sangat to join the school Committee in various positions that are open for For more information on what is required to join and be involved in the school committee please speak to any current school committee member. Chairperson Amardeep Singh The Punjabi School Adelaide changed and we must move forward to meet this needs accordingly. We recognise that Gianniji has been a respected leader of our Sanggat,who has contributed significantly to our Society and would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all members of the SSSA and the general Sangat, sincerely thank Gianni Kuldeep Singh for all the services he has given to the Society in the last 8 years. We greatly appreciate his dedication and his contributions and wish Gianiji and his family all the best for their future endeavours. S.Balwant Singh Legal Matters The legal matter between the Society and Mr Pirthipal Singh has now been resolved. An unconditional settlement has been agreed by both parties. The final Deed of Settlement has been signed by both parties and the final Notice of Discontinuation has been lodged and approved by the Courts. The MC would like to thank all parties who contributed towards the settlement.

2 ` Guru Nanak (29 November October 1539) Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Kartik Pooranmashi, the fullmoon day in the month of Katak, October November. major prayers being the Japji Sahib, the Asa di Var and the Sidh-Ghost. and early years of Guru Nanak's life were marked with many events that demonstrated that Nanak had been marked by divine grace. Commentaries on his life give details of his blossoming awareness from a young age. Guru Nanak travelled far and wide teaching people the message of one God who dwells in every one of His creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. He set up a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternal love, goodness, and virtue. Guru Nanak's words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns in the holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib, with some of the The Sikh religious belief is that the spirit of Guru Nanak's sanctity, divinity and religious authority descended upon each of the nine subsequent Gurus when the Guruship was devolved on to them. According to Sikh traditions, the birth At the age of five, Nanak is said to have voiced interest in divine subjects. At age seven, his father enrolled him at the village school as was the custom. Notable lore recounts that as a child Nanak astonished his teacher by describing the implicit symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet, resembling the mathematical version of one, as denoting the unity or oneness of God. Source: Gurdwara Maintenance An Update We have recently completed the salt damp repairs to the office wall at a cost of $4,200.00, however there is substantial maintenance works that is required across the Gurdwara. Below is a list of significant repair and maintenance issues that require attention and are with associated costs from quotes received. 1. Replacement of the sound mixer speakers in the Darbar Sahib $8, Replace & repair the window in the Gianni s room $3, Replace & repair the gutters & downpipe on the veranda facing Mount Barker Rd $ Cut & replace 4 timber posts of the veranda $2, These maintenance issues need to be resolved and we request the Sangat to dig deep and come forward with donations to allow us to close out these issues at the soonest. Please note all donations are tax deductible. Gurdwara Contacts The following members are the point of contact in raising any issues or providing continuous improvement ideas. They have volunteered to lead the respective areas in the operations of the Gurdwara. Kiranjit Singh (Langgar), Balbir Kaur (Darbar Sahib) & Manjeet Singh (Facilities Management) can be contacted via to secretary@sikhsssa.org.au Langgar Sewa times: from 2:30pm on Wednesdays & from 8:00am on Sundays.

3 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING Saturday 1 December 2018 Eliza Hall 1.00pm An EGM is being called to elect 2 members into the Governing Council. Your attendance is appreciated. Announcements Subscriptions All members are reminded that the subscriptions for financial year 2018/19 are now due. The MC requests that all members make payment at the earliest opportunity to be recognized as a financial member. Please see the Treasurer about making the payment if you have any queries about your membership. GC positions At the last AGM a motion was passed that if, there were any abnormalities in the nomination of any member to the GC, then fresh elections would be called. This motion was carried. As such the position of Ms Sharmil Randawa was declared vacant. Additionally, GC member, Mr Sukninder Sangedha has also resigned due to work and time constraints. An EGM has therefore been called by the MC to fill the vacant positions on the GC on 1 st December Notice of the EGM together with the Nomination forms were ed to all members on the 25 th October 2018 and the closing date for all nominations is the 16 th November The MC urges all members to attend this important EGM. Sound system We have been advised that the sound system/mixer in Darbar Sahib is close to collapsing and with the services of Mr. Savant Singh, the MC is sourcing to replace this with a brand new system. The cost of this is expected to be approximately $8, Donations are requested to fund this replacement. Jathas The current performing Jatha services of Bhai Ravinder Singh will finish towards the end of November Visas for the next Jatha of Bibi Sandeep Kaur have been approved and they will serve at the Gurdwara for 3 months beginning 1 st December All members and Sangat are encouraged to give Petha to Jathas to assist with their stay.

4 Guru Nanak Dev Ji Prakash Purab Celebrations 23 rd 25 th November 2018 BhoG Akhand Path 9.30am Sikh Society of South Australia For Sewa Enquiries please contact secretary@sikhsssa.org.au Housekeeping Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Turn off mobile phones before entering the Darbar Sahib. Maintain silence in the Darbar Sahib. Parents are requested to supervise their children and take them out of the Darbar Sahib if they are unsettled, to maintain silence in the Darbar Sahib. This includes the foyer outside the darbar Sahib. Wait outside of the Darbar Sahib when the Ardas and the Hukam-nama is being read. To assist with this, the MC will place barriers at the entrance during this time. Parents to ensure their children are not running / playing in the foyer area outside the Darbar Sahib even after the program is finished. GURU-KA-LANGGAR Guru-ka-langgar should not be wasted - only take the amount you are able to eat. Parents are asked to supervise their children during langgar to avoid wastage and spillage. Sangat can take home leftover langgar but only after ALL have eaten please consider that there may be Sewadaars involved in cleaning / washing the dishes, counting the Golak monies or attending a meeting after the prayers. The Gurdwara does not supply food containers they are donated by the Sangat. Please recycle and return or donate new containers to the Gurdwara. CAR PARK Do not block any cars in the car park. If the car park is full, please seek parking in the side streets.

5 Society of South Australia Guru Ramdas (9 October September 1581) His Early Life One day Jetha came across a party of Sikhs who were on their way to Goindwal to pay homage to Guru Amar Das. Jetha decided to join them and also travel to Goindwal. Upon their arrival and meeting, Guru Amar Das at once noticed the young Jetha with his pleasant manner and sense of devotion. While his fellow travelers returned to Lahore, Jetha decided to stay and become a disciple of Guru Amar Das. Bhai Jehta worked hard in Goindwal in the various construction projects that were taking place. Guru Amar Das was very impressed with the Sewa performed by Bhai Jetha and susequently a marriage was arranged between Bibi Bhani, his daughter and his dedicated devotee, Bhai Jehta. The marriage took place on 18 February After their marriage, the couple remained in Goindval which was an upcoming Sikh town and carried out voluntary service (Sewa) in the construction of the Baoli Sahib(sacred well), serving the Guru and the congregation (Sangat). Sewa of Guru Amardas Jetha became a trusted disciple of Guru Amar Das ji. He undertook many sewas and also successfully represented Guru Amar Das ji before the Mughal royal court to defend charges by some jealous Hindus who had taken exception to some of the wording of the Sikh teachings, saying that Sikhism maligned both the Hindu and the Muslim religions. The following is a translation of what Jetha said in the Court of Akbar: "Birth and caste are of no avail before God. It is ones deeds which make or unmake a man. To exploit ignorant people with superstitions and to call it religion is a sacrilege against God and man. To worship the infinite, formless and absolute God in the form of a totem, an image or an insignificant time-bound object of nature; to lead people to believe that they can wash away their sins, not through compassion and self-surrender, but through ablutions; to insist upon special diets-what to eat and what not to eat; to say that a certain language and dress allows access to God and to condemn masses of human beings, men, women and children, to the status of sub-humans, who are not even allowed to learn to read the scriptures that they are told rule their lives; never allowed to enter a house of worship; who are allowed to do only the lowest degrading work, is to tear man apart from man. This is not religion nor is it religion to deny the world by becoming an ascetic, for it is in the world alone that man can find his spiritual possibilities." Impressed by the tenets of Sikhism as explained by Bhai Jetha Emperor Akbar dismissed all of the charges. Construction of Ramdaspur Eventually Bhai Jetha was ordained as Guru Amar Das's successor and named Guru Ram Das ji. (Ram Das means servant of God). Guru Ram Das ji now eagerly continued the building of the city of Ramdaspur (the abode of Ram Das) by the digging of the second sacred pool as he had been instructed by Guru Amar Das ji. Pilgrims came in ever growing numbers to hear the Guru and to help in the excavation work of the tank. The holy tank would be called Amritsar meaning pool of nectar. Today the city of Ramdaspur, which now is the holiest center of Sikhism has come to be know as Amritsar. Guru Ram Das ji urged his Sikhs that one could fulfill one's life not merely by quiet meditation, but by actively participating in the joys and sorrows of others. This is how one could also rid oneself of the prime malady - Ego, and end their spiritual loneliness. Guru Ram Das Sahib composed a beautiful bani called Laavan about the meaning of marriage to a Sikh couple Effectively, the Guru defines a Sikh marriage in these 2 lines: "They are not said to be husband and wife who merely sit together. Rather they alone are called husband and wife, who have one soul in two bodies." Source: ru_ram_das