| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 28 Aug 2017 | Asia Samachar |
Match Day 4 action for Akaal Premier League (APL)
By Jagdesh Singh
The Seremban Lions recorded their first win of the season in the Akaal Premier League (APL) which got them lifted from the bottom of the table to seventh spot, now occupied by Beruntung Hill Twin Lions.
It was a bad day for the Kampung Pandan Lions with their squad plagued by injuries. The loss of their enigmatic Captain Rahul to a reoccurring ankle injury cost them dearly as well. Adding to the blow was the absence of Taran Jr. due to a knee injury but they were glad to get Nishaant back from an earlier injury.
Rawang Akaal Warriors suffered an equally bad day, losing both of their games on Matchday 4. Meanwhile, Selayang Sardars and the Klang Rangers were back in their winning ways recording both wins each for the day.
Surprisingly, Kg Pandan Lions and Pulapol Eagles saw the first match in this this season to end with a scoreless draw.
We are now half way through a total of eight match days but its still too soon to say who the eventual champions are going to be, as well as who would don the Golden boots. Stay tuned for more coverage.
APL, a Malaysian-made futsal league held in Kuala Lumpur for Sikh boys and girls, is organised by the Akaal Sports Academy (ASA), a sports non-government organisation headquartered at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Kampung Pandan in Kuala Lumpur. Asia Samachar is the tourney’s media partner.
Pulapol Eagles topped the league in 2015 and 2016.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
Kartar Singh Dalamnangal – Photo / SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
The story of the late Mr Kartar Singh Dalamnangal is fraught with a number of perilous occasions. Like any outstanding individual worth his or her salt, Kartar always prevailed in the end. Moreover, it seemed that the compassionate man undoubtedly had superhuman powers, given his proclivity for making the most of his circumstances.
Hard work and the spirit of enterprise featured prominently in Kartar’s life story. At the young age of just eight years, his mother made the difficult decision of sending him to Singapore with his uncle in the hope that he would get an education and make a better life for himself. She bet on his prospects and future being better in Singapore than if he stayed on to become a farmer in Dalamnangal, a small village in north-western Punjab.
His hopes of attending school were quickly dashed when, shortly after arriving in Singapore, his aunt fell ill and was incapacitated until the time of her death. As his uncle had to work full time to support the family, Kartar took over the responsibility of caring for his two younger cousins. The lack of a formal education did little to dampen the spirits of the young Kartar, as his later life would attest.
COFFEE BOY
In 1942, Kartar was only 17 years old when the Japanese occupied Singapore during World War Two. His wife, Bibi Mendro recalled that her bold and bright husband started serving the tea her mother made to the Japanese. Eventually, he found favour with them and got a permanent position as a ‘coffee boy’ for a Japanese trading firm.[1]
The street smart young man quickly realised that if he was going to make any progress, he would have to learn to speak the language of the Japanese and that was precisely what he did. Before long, he had impressed his bosses with not just his linguistic abilities, but also his trustworthiness and work ethic. He was then given a promotion with an assignment to start providing labourers for the construction of the Jurong shipyard. It was here that Kartar first displayed his business acumen – while the other suppliers were only paying labourers on a monthly basis, Kartar paid them on a daily basis. It is no surprise then that he became the agent of choice for many of the labourers and this just at the fresh young age of 20 years. In a short period of time, he became responsible for a few hundred workers.
I met Mr Kartar in the early 1980s through one of his daughters. I am a paraplegic and wheelchair bound. Right from the start, he welcomed me into the family and treated me like his own. He felt that it was very important for me to be independent and, as such, supported me in my business venture. When I went into insurance, he bought insurance from me for his family as well as introduced his friends to me. He did not just serve those in his community, but also those outside his community.
Mr Kartar was also a generous donor to the Society for Aid to the Paralysed (now known as Society for the Physically Disabled). Like me, he inspired many of my disabled friends through his support and his ability to relate to them.
Englebert Eagle Alan Ho Society for the Physically Disabled
Kartar Singh Dalamnangal in an undated photo – Photo / SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
Unfortunately, after the surrender of the Japanese, all the money he had prudently acquired during the war was worth nothing. However, this did not get him down at all. His keen sense for creating opportunities meant that he would rise again through determination and self-belief. Just after the war, Kartar decided that he wanted a job that would sustain him beyond peace time just in case war broke out again. He became a mechanic with the British Army and slowly built up his savings.
FIRST HOUSE
In 1957, he had saved up enough money to make a down payment on his first house. On one account, this is how his real estate business started. Despite now owning his own house, Kartar continued to live in the British quarters, choosing instead to rent out his house to earn some additional income. On another account, his real estate business started after he lost everything he had for the second time when an earlier family home, with all his hard-earned savings and belongings, was razed to the ground on Diwali day and the family was left with nothing but the clothes on their back.
Before long, however, Kartar bounced back from this tragedy and never look back. Bibi Mendro shared that when the house burned down, they met a Mr Raju who ran a junk store. In order to furnish their new house, they bought furniture from him cheaply and then cleaned, varnished and restored the furniture till it looked good as new.[2] In typical fashion, this crystallised into another business plan for the savvy entrepreneur. He and his wife began to repeat this process en masse and started a small concern furnishing houses in the Fu Yong Estate. Eventually, from just looking to him to help furnish their houses, the owners entrusted him with finding tenants to rent and then sell their properties. And these were the humble beginnings of Kartar Singh Realty Pte Ltd. At the height of his success, Kartar owned more than 10 properties and held a portfolio of over 200 properties all over Singapore. In 1985, he built the now iconic Kartar Apartments (or Kartar Ghar) which still stands proud along Thomson Road.
LEARNING
Another important facet of Kartar’s personality was his insight into the notion that education was a key to bettering one’s self so that one would be able to achieve the maximum out of life. It was this that led Kartar to finally enroll in adult education classes in his twenties. Bibi Mendro recounted that her husband would go to class, learn new English words and then diligently come home and teach her all those new words.[3]
She admitted though that she was not always as patient as him when it came to understanding the more difficult ones. Beyond that, he also ensured that each of his four children acquired tertiary education. In fact, the forward-thinking man ensured that all his children studied Mandarin. On their part, his children understood his belief in the value of education and the insistence that everyone should strive to better themselves. Mr Jagjit Singh, one of his sons, shared an account of a time after Kartar had passed away: “A Malay man came to the house to pay his respects. The family did not know who he was at all. On speaking to him, they found out that in his younger days, the visitor had been lost in life but had crossed paths with Kartar, who had motivated him to go back to school. The man then went on to make something of himself.”[4]
STAUNCH FAITH
Throughout all the ups and downs in Kartar’s life, the one unshakeable constant would undoubtedly be his staunch faith in God. His favourite verse from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Book, is ‘If God is above you, who can harm you?’ This manifested itself in a number of ways, including the immense amount of sewa (service) he did throughout his life. In the words of the late Justice Dr Choor Singh, “Since the end of the Second World War, he put his heart and soul in sewa at this [Silat Road] gurdwara (temple).”[5]
The Silat Road Temple held a special place in the heart of Kartar because he personally supervised the reconstruction and renovation of the temple. In fact, the conceptualisation and construction of the Bhai Maharaj Singh[6] shrine, containing his samadh (tombstone), was Kartar’s idea.[7]
According to the late Justice Choor Singh, he was politely addressed as jathedar (leader of the community. Far beyond the sizeable donations he made to the building fund for the temple, he volunteered much of his time to serve the community. However, his community work was just not confined to his later days when he was comfortable in his own life and enjoying the fruits of his hard work. Bibi Mendro attested that, from the onset, for every S$100 they made selling refurbished furniture, S$25 would be set aside to be donated to needy individuals.[8]
Kartar was truly a selfless man who lived his life in the service of others. There are stories abound of the numerous times that he benevolently gave freely so that others would have a roof over their heads. The moniker he earned of jarabanwala (the stocking man) immediately conjures the image of his humble all-white attire, complete of course with the knee-high socks, which was essentially the uniform of a British Admiral. His family shared that the success in the form of wealth he had achieved personally “was never as important to him as the good that he could do with it.”[9]
In an article written on the Silat Road Temple, the late Justice Choor Singh concluded: “Men like him [Kartar] serve to inspire.”[10] He forsook his studies to look after his young cousins, exercised ingenuity to survive the Japanese occupation, built and then rebuilt his business and contributed selflessly in the service of his fellow beings. Long after his passing, the jarabanwala continues to remain an inspiration in and outside the Sikh community.
Kartar Singh Dalamnangal – Photo / SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
[4] Interview with Mr Jagjit Singh, June 16, 2015.
[5] History of Silat Road Sikh Temple. See http://www.sikhs.org.sg.
[6] Bhai Maharaj Singh was a Sikh saint-solder and hero of the Sikhresistance to the British occupation of Punjab. He was tortured by the British and exiled to Singapore where he died in captivity in 1856. See http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia.
[This article is courtesy of SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, a book published in 2015 by the Young Sikh Association, Singapore (YSA) in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th birthday]
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 28 Aug 2017 |Asia Samachar |
Kanchen undergoing media training which is part of the Astro Kembola programme.
Sisters Asheesh Kaur, 12, and Kanchen Kaur, 11, have once again made it to the final pool of players at Kem Bola Astro, giving them a shot to an all-paid football coaching trip to Barcelona, Spain.
Last year, both sisters made it to the final 72 players from Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore of the campaing organised by the satellite television provider. Asheesh made the cut.
Not giving up, Kanchen is back again this year. And she’s once again competing 71 other young footballers at a five-day football camp that is now on-going in Seremban, Malaysia. Here, she will have a chance to showcase her talent, both on-field and off-field, for a spot to train football the Barca way in Barcelona Spain in November.
Ever since being dropped from the last year, Kanchen took it as a challenge and began training to give it another go.
“Coming back for the second time doesn’t make it any easier. But I’m going to give my best,” Kanchen tells Asia Samachar.
Elder sister Asheesh made it last year to Barcelona. This year, she is joining the pool as a mentor, along with seven others. The mentors guide and run the football clinic under the watchful eyes of local and Barcelona coaches.
She is delighted at being selected as a mentor and is confident of her leadership qualities to lead her team.
“I must thank my school teachers who have guided and trusted me by giving me many leadership roles in school – both academics and sports,” she said. One of the mentors will get a chance to join the players to Barcelona.
More details of the annual programme can be gleaned at the Astro Kasih’s social media accounts.
Kanchen undergoing media training which is part of the Astro Kembola programme.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh: Dera Sacha Sauda head – Photo / Dera Facebook
The controversial self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim – who headed a Haryana-based deraa wielding considerable political clout and financial muscle – will serve a 20 year jail term for raping two two women followers in 2002.
The Dera Sacha Sauda head was found guilty on Friday, and sentencing was done today (28 Aug 2017), but not before a violent reaction from his followers, at Panchkula in northern Haryana state, that killed some 38 people.
He will serve 10 years each for two rapes that will run consecutively, and not concurrently as was understood initially.
Special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh announced the sentence in the special court created at the Sunaria Jail in Rohtak, reports The Tribune, adding that the dera chief has also been slapped a fine of Rs 30 lakh.
Defence lawyer S K Garg Narwana said the court fined the dera chief Rs 15 lakh in each rape case. Of the Rs 30 lakh, Rs 14 lakh each would go to the two victims who were part of his sect and were coerced into having sex with him, the report added.
The case took 15 years to complete.
The 50-year old Ram Rahim was not taken to court to hear his sentence. Instead, the judge who convicted him was flown to the prison in the town of Rohtak where he is being held.
A lawyer for the victims said 50 women had come forward with allegations of rape and they would be seeking further investigation in the case.
“We believe there are at least 48 more victims who were sexually abused and who may have been killed or are too scared to come out and testify against Ram Rahim,” lawyer Utsav Singh Bains told AFP.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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On 7 Feb 1956, Tunku Abdul Rahman made the first announcement of Malaya’s impending independence at the Kirkby College, Liverpool. Malaya had sent a big number of students to be trained as teachers. Malaya gained independence on 31 Aug 1957.
Who’s the turbaned Sikh behind Tunku? Photo courtesy of The Star
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Some Sikh teacher trainees at Kirkby in 1959: Sarabjit Kaur (seated, third from left), Manjit Singh (standing, left most) and Sukhdev Singh (standing, second from left, with turban) – Photo courtesy of Ooi-tee
A number of Sikh ladies from Malaya had ventured to studies abroad as far back as the early 1950s, years before the nation attained its independence. It was a grand and a joyful event, with one Sikh organisation throwing them a farewell tea party.
On 1 December 1951, the Malayan Sikh Educational Board threw the tea party for the first Sikh women – three of them— to leave Malaya for studies overseas. They were headed for the UK teacher training college in Kirkby, Liverpool.
“These women, with three other Sikh youths, are the successful candidates for the Kirkby Course. They will leave Malaya with the other Kirkby scholarship winners early this month,” reported The Singapore Free Press (First Sikh women for overseas study, 1 December 1951).
The report did not mention their names.
Scanning the pages of newspaper achieves, Asia Samachar found a The Straits Times report in 1952 carrying a photo of another Sikh lady about to make her way to the UK-based teacher training centre.
“Miss Patwinder Kaur, aged 18, a teacher at the Malacca Sacred Heart Convent has been chosen for -the Kirkby training course,” says the report (The Straits Times, 2 August 1952).
The first group of 148 students from Malaya were sent in the winter of 1951 to train at the emergency teacher-training college in the tiny hamlet about six miles from the city of Liverpool, called Kirkby Fields. The place was literally farm followed by farm, serving as a munitions factory in the Second World War.
They sailed on S.S. Chusan on a 21-day journey, according to a New Straits Times report. The later batches would go on flights that would break journey in cities like Bangkok, Calcutta, Karachi and Rome before reaching London.
The selection for the two-year training course at Kirkby looked for able candidates, with the potential for a degree course, who would on their return serve as teachers in the Education Department for at least five years, it added.
Know any of them? If you do, do tell.
Karachi Stopover before Kirkby in 1959: Standing, L to R-Manasseh, Ramakrishnan, Tan Ooi Tee, Balwant Singh Kneeling- Cheng Swee, Ajit Singh Photo courtesy of Ooi-tee
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| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 30 Aug 2017 | Asia Samachar |
Kushwin Kaur: Eventda CEO
By Anandpreet Kaur
She was planning her cousins wedding and, boy, was it a pain. So many things to do and so many calls to be made. For some, organising events can be a nightmare.
The wedding ended up more than Kushwin Kaur’s cousin getting married. It sparked a business idea. Helping others to plan and run events, booted by the use of technology. This gave birth to Eventda, a Malaysian-born startup looking to reinvent and digitalise the event industry.
“It started with searching all over the internet, making multiple calls and then waiting patiently for quotations hoping it would match my budget. The entire process was really time-consuming and I figured, there had to be a better way where all the information of these service providers could be on one single platform or website,” she tells Asia Samachar when asked what inspired the business.
But Eventda is more than mere event planning. The start-up team, led by Kushwin as its chief executive officer, is offering a real-time platform which match-makes event service providers with customers.
It attempts to provide anyone who’s planning an event with an accessible and cost-effective way of discovering and instantly booking a broad selection of venues, photographers, videographers, caterers, performers, make-up artists, and other event service providers.
“Entrepreneurship has always been something I wanted to explore. I found my calling after attending a startup bootcamp,” she said.
In May 2016, Kushwin and fellow co-founders Dabraj Singh and Sukh Godrei, attended the Startup Bootcamp in May 2016 organised by the Coalition of Malaysian Sikh Organisations (CMSO), a Malaysian-based Sikh non-governmental organisation (NGO).
“The bootcamp opened up many doors as we emerged as winners at the start-up pitch competition where we presented the Eventda idea. It was then that we decided to take the plunge with the idea and dive into the start-up world,” she said.
The Eventda platform allows event organisers – be it weddings, corporate events or birthday parties – to check out the array of options displayed on the website, and an easy booking process.
“There’s so much potential to tap on in the digital economy, and it’s about time that the event industry sets its stage to make a mark in the realm of the e-commerce world,” she said.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 31 Aug 2017 | Asia Samachar |
G.S. Gill’s widow, Puan Sri Harwant Kaur, showing the biography ‘A Life Lived to Serve’ at its launch in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – Photo / Bernama
The life and times of Malaysian sports equipment icon G.S. Gill, who passed away at the age of 92 in August 2016, is captured in a biography released some months ago..
Authored by Gill’s niece Nikki Lugun, the biography entitled A Life Lived to Serve was launched in February 2017.
“My uncle talked about writing his memoir with me, but towards the end of his life, he had Alzheimer’s disease. This book is a collection of scrapbooks my cousins (Gill’s daughters) and I had compiled many years ago….I think he (Gill) was one of the heroes who was a part of the country’s nation-builders. He was passionate about developing sports in the country,” the report quoted Lugun. (News Straits Times, 5 February 2017)
It was launched by Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tunku Imran Tuanku Jaafar.
Gill, who was bestowed the state title of Tan Sri, was the man who brought German sports-wear brand Adidas to Malaysia. “He landed the distribution rights for Adidas in Malaysia and Singapore and later expanded his business to Indonesia and Thailand.”
Gill was born in Kampung Benggali, Brickfields, on Feb 4, 1924. In 1946, he took out all of his savings and opened a small shop at No. 108, Batu Road (now Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman), selling everything from jam to cigarettes and textiles.
His lifelong association with sporting goods began at the suggestion of a friend and he started off by selling shuttlecocks. His name became synonymous with sports equipment and the nation’s sport development in 1957, when he supplied sportswear and equipment to the national football team free of charge. In 1983, his shop moved from its No. 108 premises to its new building at Wisma Harwant, named after his wife, the report said.
He is survived by his wife, Harwant Kaur, and daughters Ranjit and Premjit, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The business built by Gill is still thriving. The throngs of shoppers trawling Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, the ‘grande dame’ of Kuala Lumpur, on weekends will not miss Wisma Harwant which houses the most popular sporting goods shop in the capital, G.S. Gill.
While shoppers are enamoured by sparkling new shops and department stores arraying Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman or Jalan TAR, they cannot help but notice the imposing Wisma Harvant towards the end of the road, noted Bernama in a reported ‘GS Gill’s flexibility wins hearts of shoppers across decades’ (Bernama, 29 Aug 2017).
The Gill sporting goods store started from a small shop in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Batu Road then) in 1946 before expanding to an 11-storey Wisma Harwant which was named after his wife.
The sports equipment and accessories retailer G.S. Gill Sdn Bhd is now run his grandson Mahaveer Singh along with Gill’s two daughters.
Gill – maharajah of the sports world, New Straits Times (17 Sept 1989)
More from the Bernama report:
Mahaveer, who is determined to continue the legacy of his grandfather, said the most crucial point in sustaining the brand, while others had moved on or closed down, is flexibility that his grandfather instilled in them when running the business.
“No drastic change but transition. No revamp and be more flexible in terms of pricing our product range, streamlining our direction as we want to cater to everybody. But at the same time we are focusing on our in-house brand, Eider,” he said.
For Gill’s daughter, Premjeet Gill, who used to assist Gill at the shop, her father had his own ways of running the business and it took time for her to persuade him to implement new ideas.
“For Mahaveer, I told him, you run it (the business). Just keep me in the loop of what you want to do. I’m ready for new ideas and he (Mahaveer) is keen to do online trading which is good, something that we should move into,” she told Bernama in an interview.
Premjeet, who used to be in the same shoes as Mahaveer before, said, “My dad adapted to a lot of things which had not seen in the sporting industry before. We were among the first who put security tag on our products and garments.”
The shop, which prospered through decades, was abruptly halted during the May 13, 1969 racial disturbance. But when it resumed operations, business was as usual.
Mahaveer said everyone in the family shared the same wavelength in terms of maintaining the business and carrying his grandfather’s legacy as the family were well aware of the hardship that he had endured.
He said G.S. Gill products were now offered on online platforms, namely Lazada, 11 street and Facebook, while its inhouse brand, “Eider”, comprised jerseys, shorts and socks.
On challenges confronting the company, Mahaveer said the domestic scene was crowded with sporting equipment chain stores, but the company would continue to focus on academies, schools and companies besides expanding its product line under the in-house brand.
“We are not depending solely on the shop. We have corporate clients, international schools, including Fairview, a football academy (Negeri Sembilan), a police squad once in a while.
“And we occasionally get new customers but these are our loyal customers,” he said, adding that 50 per cent of G.S. Gill’s revenue comes from new customers while another 50 per cent from existing customers.
Of the amount, the corporate client segment stood at between 20 per cent and 30 per cent, while the rest is contributed by the retail segment.
On brand awareness among the new generation, Mahaveer said the challenge needed to be addressed, thus GS Gill was considering opening a second outlet.
“However, we have to see how things goes, hopefully by next year,” he added.
Celebrating the spirit of the SEA Games 2017, he said GS Gill was sponsoring apparel for junior and senior squash teams, who would adorn “our jerseys if they are not in conflict with the main sponsors.”
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
| Event Listing | Malaysia | 31 Aug 2017 | Asia Samachar |
Dhin Sabahi Satsang Semagam at Gurdwara Sahib Parliament, Kuala Lumpur | 31 Aug – 2 Sept 2017 (Thurs-Sat). On Thurs,11am-8pm. On Friday & Saturday, 5am-8pm. Also present jatha from Dodra.
Har Jas Semagam | Kuala Lumpur | 29 Aug – 1 Sept 2017 | Programmes in conjunction with Parkash Dihara of Sri Guru Granth Sahib | Amrit Sanchaar, 12pm, 1/9/17 at Gurdwara Sahib Titiwangsa | Kirtan Programmes: 31/8 (Thurs) 6.30pm-10pm at GS Ampang; 1/9 (Fri) 7am-10am at GS Parliament | Rehansebhai at GS Titiwangsa starting 1/9, 6.30pm to 2/9, 4am.
To add programmes, please send poster/details to editor@asiasamachar.com or via Facebook messenger.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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| Opinion | Malaysia | 31 Aug 2017 | Asia Samachar |
Dera Sacha Sauda – Photo by RajKumarSirohi, 2011
By T Singh
To market a fake product, you must use an authentic name. Hence, Dera Sacha Sauda!
That is the story of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the head of the Haryana-based Dera Sacha Sauda, who has been thrown behind bars for raping two women. They were his followers, young ladies left under the care of his spiritual centre.
Guru Nanak’s odysseys records ‘sacha sauda’. To hoodwink, you have to use historically reputed names and titles. So, this chap has latched onto it and runs “Dera Sacha Sauda”. He is a simply conman, like so many others around. Except that this one made it!
We have had many charismatic “saints” who appealed to the poor and the so-deemed lower caste people in caste conscious India. The charisma is used to lead the flock. Needless to say, abuses aplenty.
Politicians latch on to them for support. The allot them free land. This chap’s centre is reportedly more than 1,000 acres!
With numbers, you have strength. With strength, you have power. And we have all heard the adage: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Most such babas run their fiefdom with an iron fist, disguised as loving discipline. It develops into a cult. Humans have desires; women are brought to satisfy their desires. Most of them are probably unwilling and intimidated; so its rape.
Rural folk dare not report it. They fear it will bring you shame. If married, husbands may divorce you. If single, you can’t get married. Rape goes unreported.
Then someone braces it and reports. The cult leader commands a vote bank, so he has political support and patronage. Police will refuse to act. Until his luck runs out, then even his imagined spiritual powers will fail to protect him. Trial. Jail.
In the ensuing period, you may have riots, as with the Dera Sacha Sauda chap. Lives are lost, many get injured. The state security apparatus are stretched, a sheer drain on public finances. Who pays? The people, themselves, as it paid out of the taxes they pay.
In Malaysia, ‘babadom’ is hard to fault. Most baba groups are prayer based and centred on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. They usually have a local sponsor. By and larger, their practices do not comply with the Panthic-approved Sikh Reht Maryada (SRM), but generally do not dabble in malpractices like liquor and women. And any wealth accumulated is used for their centres and not for personal use. That’s my cursory understanding. I stand corrected here.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh: Dera Sacha Sauda head – Photo / Dera Facebook
These ‘babas’ command their centres. That gives them power.
Their mantra is usually naam japo, simran karo. They define these as repeatedly saying and chanting Satnam Waheguru.
They are capable of greatly influencing their followers. They can get patits to be kesadharis; to stop consuming liquor and go vegetarian. They can “convert”. We (those involved in Sikhi parchaar) try but fail to get an audience.
Of course, the huge influence poses the risk of abuse. In the Malaysian context, however, such abuses are rare. It could be due to immigration issues. The desi [a parlance referring to Sikhs hailing from India] saints fear deportation or being blacklisted should the local Sanggat lodge a complaint.
One “saint” or “guru” has been brought to book, but dozens continue to thrive. India is the land of Gods and Saints. History keeps repeating itself. Pray Sikhs are spared such a fate.
T Singh has been involved in Sikh-related activities in Malaysia for many years. He will occasionally share his thoughts on issues that may matter to Sikhs. But he asks readers not to take him too seriously!
* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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THE QUEST CONTINUES: LOST HERITAGE The Sikh legacy in Pakistan’ by Amardeep Singh
The passion is still burning strong in Amardeep Singh, a corporate executive turned self-taught expert on the Sikh legacy in Pakistan.
After pouring his heart into his first book, Lost Heritage: The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan, he reached out to the people via dozens of talk sessions at numerous cities in India, Pakistan, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States, amongst them.
He then went back to Pakistan in January 2017 to dig deeper. The second research trip took him to 90 cities and villages across Sindh, Balochistan, Pakistan Administered Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Punjab. In his maiden visit in 2014, Amardeep had covered 36 cities and villages.
The second exploration, documented in a sequel entitled ‘The Quest Continues: Lost Heritage – The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan’, will be released in October 2017.
The book is simply the quest of the author to record as much as possible of the Sikh legacy in Pakistan, an area that has not been given much attention by the Sikh world after the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. Post-partition, most Sikhs moved eastward, to the Indian side of Punjab.
In 2014, Amardeep undertook a journey across Pakistan to visit the native lands of his parents in the present Pakistan Administered Kashmir.
Inquisitive, during the journey, he questioned, could the heritage in the lands where Sikhism was founded and the Sikhs had created an empire be limited to just a few functional gurdwaras? This led him to go beyond his personal motive to travel across 36 cities and villages, researching the remnants of the Sikh Legacy. The findings were compelling to document in a book entitled, ‘LOST HERITAGE The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan’, which was published in January 2016.
“After having elevated the research to a global platform, the passage thereafter, stirred Amardeep towards an obsessive quest to further research the tangible and intangible footprints of the Sikh legacy in Pakistan,” according to a statement announcing the launch of second book.
“The research in the sequel provides a continued strong impetus to those curious about their roots or interested in the rich historical era. The text of the second narrative too is interspersed with photographs of the remnants of the legacy that continues to bear mute witness to the heart-wrenching partition of the subcontinent.
“In addition, it brings focus to the life and practices of forgotten communities which continue to thrive and evolve across Pakistan.”
Over a period of two and a half years, Amardeep has now researched the remnants of the Sikh legacy at 126 cities and villages in Pakistan, now published in the two volumes.
Amardeep has approached the subject holistically to cover, among others, religious places, arts, architecture, forts and living cultural aspects. He believes the ‘humane approach’ to the subject is resonating with members of all communities.
His aim through the study of the abandoned legacy of one community is to motivate all communities to become aware of their past and through it, learn to live in harmony for mutual progress, the statement added.
When launching the first book in Kuala Lumpur in January 2016, Amardeep said that Sikhs in the diaspora should consider preserving selected historical places connected to the Sikh heritage in Pakistan rather than pouring money into slapping marbles at gurdwaras elsewhere.
“We have money in the diaspora. We should get local [Pakistan] artisans to do the job, and not bring the Babas from Punjab… they will destroy it,” he then said. “Later, we can develop a heritage trail.”
Amardeep, 50, had been in the corporate world for 25 years when he left American Express in 2013 as the head of regional revenue management. He was then based in Singapore. Born in India, he now lives in Singapore.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
thaal vich tiňn vastoo pa-ee-o sat saňtokh veechaaro.
Upon the divine platter (of Guru Granth Sahib), three valuable things have been placed: truthful conduct, contentment and contemplation. -Guru Arjan Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 1429
Message: Guru Granth Sahib is a large platter of spiritual food. It contains three delicious dishes or values: namely truthful living, a state of inner satisfaction and deep reflection.
The nourishment of the mind is essential for spiritual enlightenment and growth. Day after day, we need to partake of this food and relish it.
If we regularly read, reflect, and act on the lessons learnt, we realise that all creation is an expanse of the Divine. We learn to live in harmony with the will of the Divine and will thus obtain nirvana on this earth.
Notes: This verse is from the closing hymn in Guru Granth Sahib followed by a couplet which is an expression of gratitude to the Divine for help in completing the enormous task of compilation. Ragmala is as an appendix.
Etymology: From Sanskrit gaḍḍar (sheep) → Prakrit gaḍḍaree → Sindhi/Gujarati/Hindi gaaḍar. This also gave us gaḍariyaa (shepherd).
Summary of the Week:
Guru Granth Sahib is probably the only Scripture that was written by the Gurus themselves. The compositions were handed over to the successive Gurus who kept adding their writings to the compositions of their predecessors and including other contributors until these were compiled into Pothi Sahib or Adi Granth by the fifth Guru.
Sikhs might not have survived and prospered through many adversities and genocides without their firm faith and application of the wisdom enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Granth Sahib is the Gurus’ greatest gift to humankind. Engaging with its wisdom enables us to seek solutions to the multiple challenges we face in modern society. It is as relevant today as it was more than 500 years ago.
This can be done by overcoming duality within our lives and creating a dignified, just and open-minded society based on holistic understanding, love and compassion – the central mission of the Gurus.
Notes: Certain collections of hymns exist in other volumes (known as Mohan Pothis or Goindwal Pothis or Ahiyapur Vali Pothis) and some scholars believed that they are the sources from which the first version of Guru Granth Sahib was compiled.
However, these sources have been examined by some prominent Sikh scholars and they have verified that their inferences are at variance with the above beliefs. The story of these volumes being the source for compilation of Guru Granth Sahib also fails the touchstone of Gurbani.
For example, it is claimed that these volumes were written under the supervision of the third Guru, however, they also contain some hymns of the fourth and the fifth Gurus. Some hymns of the first and third Gurus have been shown as those of the fourth and fifth Gurus. This shows that they represent later collections and could not have been the source for compiling the first version of Guru Granth Sahib.
In fact, the descendants of Baba Mohan, the elder son of Guru Amar Das (who didn’t acknowledge Guru Ram Das as the fourth Guru) wanted to project Baba Mohan as the guru and that they are the custodians of Gurbani. Many scholars mistakenly believe this concocted story.
The definitive view is that the compositions, including the collection of Bhagat and Bhatts, were passed down the line, from the first to the fifth Guru by the successive Gurus themselves. Passing on of the compositions was considered the sign of anointment or guruship.
The work of Prof Pritam Singh, an eminent Sikh scholar and an expert on “Ahiyapur Vali Pothi,” is quite significant in separating the Bani of Guru Granth Sahib and various spurious writings attributed to the Sikh Gurus. He proved that Guru Arjan never used Goindwal or Ahiyapur Vali Pothi for the preparation or as a source for Guru Granth Sahib in 1604.
Source: A Word A Thought (AWAT), Vol. 4, Iss. 35, Pt. 5 (Sep 01, 2017)
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
Dera Sacha Sauda head Ram Rahim with his adopted daugher Honeypreet Insan on one Twitter entry by the later. They are hundreds of such photos.
By Hb Singh
They should have seen it coming, but they were blinded in the name of sharda.
Meet Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan. Yes, believe it or not, that’s how a website aligned to the convicted rapist Indian baba addresses him.
They should have seen it coming. But when you put on the blind sharda blinkers – oozing unending loyalty without question, following silly one and all edicts from the head – you end up a fool. And much more. You can end up hurting your family, friends and the community.
In the chase for a baba in their lives – let’s call it babadom – stories are emerging on how people were simply ‘gifting’ their wealth to this self-styled godman running a religious centre called Dera Sacha Sauda. Some families even left their daughters, young and innocent, in the supposed care of the centre.
For now, the story does not seem to have a happy ending. On 28 Aug 2017, an Indian court threw a spanner into the seemingly amazing life and times of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The head of the Haryana-based dera, wielding considerable political clout and financial muscle, has been given a 20-year jail sentence for raping two women followers in 2002.
What are the lessons for Sikhs in India, and in foreign lands? The dera has attracted Sikh followers. And Sikhs are no strangers to babas and deras. We have thousands of them – in India and abroad.
“There are good, decent man of God out there. But there may be an equal, if not more, opportunists disguised as babas,” a Kuala Lumpur-based Sikh who was actively involved in Sikh preaching told the writer.
Another Sikh, who had always been active in Sikh activities, said: “Stick close to the teachings of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS). Take care of yourself and your family.”
But don’t these self-styled babas themselves peddle messages from SGGS, the Sikh scriptures?
“If we have cultivated the right teachings for ourselves and our kids, we have no reason to fear. The problem is that a huge percentage of us do not attempt to do our bit to equip ourselves. We then blame the babas,” he said.
But the power babadom is immense. Let us return to the ‘baba’ under discussion.
“Pitaji’s thinking begins where your science and education ends.”
These words of an elderly follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda in Tehsil office of the Bathinda district in October 2012 echoed in the mind of Tribune News Service (TNS) journalist Jupinderjit Singh.
The elderly man, sporting a white turban that matched his flowing white beard and kurta-pyjama, went on: “You can never fathom him or his actions. You don’t have the faculty to do so, as you journalists are cynics.”
The elder man and 130 followers of the dera had queued up at the Tehsil office to ‘gift away’ some part or whole of his property to the dera. The dera management had given a call to them to do so, he writes in an article entitled ‘Then and now: Mind of a Dera Sacha Sauda follower‘.
The article adds:
Today, the same man while talking to me over the phone begged not to be identified, “I am in state of a shock. I don’t know what is right or wrong and whether the man we revered as father (Pitaji) was really guilty or not? But I definitely feel betrayed. I wonder if I will get my property back. But I don’t know if I will seek it,” he said without any authority or conviction about his faith in the dera.
Within a few days in October 2012 nearly 150 followers like him had ‘gifted’ their land — in rural as well as urban areas ranging from few kanals to several acres — to the dera. The sale deed was done in favour of the Shah Satnam Ji Green ‘S’ Welfare Force Wing of the dera.
Another man, a father of five daughters, had told this reporter that he won’t bat an eyelid before giving away his life and that the house and shop he was “gifting away” was nothing before the dera head. Another follower even gifted 13 acres of land. Both could not be traced now.
These followers still have some hope. As per records of the dera land gathered by the state government, many properties were in still the name of the followers only, though they had executed the sale deeds.
LIFESTYLE
The lifestyle of the baba and his close associates should have sounded the alarms bells. A cursory look at their social media platforms – websites, facebook, twitter – is enough to suggest that something was not quite right at Sirsa, where the Dera Sacha Sauda is headquartered.
Take Honeypreet Kaur, the supposed adopted daughter of the Pita Ji, which is how they address the head.
In one website checked by Asia Samachar (www.honeypreetinsan.me), she is described as ‘a great Daughter of an amazing Father. We are talking about none other than the multi-talented Indian Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan and his equally talented daughter, Honeypreet Insan.’ Notice the uppercase for the words daughter and father, the accolades for the head.
The Haryana Police have issued a lookout notice for her, along with dera spokeman Dr Aditya Insan, for their alleged involvement in inciting violence and possible role in a conspiracy to free the dera chief soon after he was convicted by a CBI court on August 25, according to Indian media reports.
Honeypreet accompanied Ram Rahim in the AgustaWestland helicopter after he was sentenced. The police are now investigating who allowed her to accompany the convict, according to the reports.
The likes of Ram Rahim, booted by sidekicks like Honeypreet, are not new. They are many others out there, waiting to seduce their victims. The people must be vigilant against life’s easy-fixes that babadom peddles.
* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
Mansharan Singh Gill in an undated photo – Source: SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
One of the oldest military formations in Singapore is the Singapore Artillery. With a rich history since its conception in 1888, the Singapore Artillery has played a crucial role as a deterrent against any threat to Singapore’s sovereignty.
Although command of the unit has changed countless times since its formation, one commander particularly stands out from all these great leaders. He is the late Colonel (Retired) Mancharan Singh Gill. Living true to the motto of the Artillery formation, ‘In Oriente Primus’, which means ‘First in the East’,[1] Mancharan was the first Chief of the Singapore Artillery and he played a critical role in the rise of modern-day Singapore Artillery.
One of 11 children, Mancharan was born in Muar in Malaya in 1934. He completed his early education in Malaya. Despite the Japanese invasion of Malaya during the Second World War, which led to a disruption of his studies, Mancharan persevered and continued studying after the war, graduating from Saint Xavier’s College in Penang. Following the completion of his early education, Mancharan came to Singapore in 1952 and enrolled in the University of Malaya.
In 1955, Mancharan graduated from the university and became a teacher before joining Singapore’s Metrological Service. During his stint at the metrological service, the Indonesian Konfrontasi broke out and Mancharan joined the Singapore Volunteer Artillery where he served to protect Singapore and Malaysia which had merged at that time.
In 1965, when Singapore separated from Malaysia, Mancharan was in Sabah. Along with the other officers in the army, he was given the option to choose between the Singapore and Malaysian armies. Although most of his family members were in Malaysia, Mancharan chose to remain in Singapore. His time spent here, his interactions at university (where he was housemate with Singapore’s former President, Mr S R Nathan, and others) and thereafter imbued in him a sense of commitment sophistication needed by the troops. His men were also not trained well and many did not know how to handle the artillery pieces properly. His first tenure as the Chief of the Artillery formation was from the end of 1969 till May 1971.
In this short time, Mancharan built up the Artillery formation from scratch. He utilised many of his old comrades from the volunteer artillery as instructors in the Singapore Artillery units and they trained the pioneer batches of soldiers in handling the various types of artillery pieces effectively and confidently. Mancharan also knew that, on top of his men being well-trained, to defend Singapore effectively, they needed modern guns. As such, he approached several countries to discuss the sales of artillery to Singapore.[2]
At the end of his first tour, Mancharan was sent to Fort Leavenworth in the United States for training at the Command and Staff College where he excelled in his batch and was promoted to the rank of Colonel. Upon his return to Singapore in 1973, Mancharan was appointed the Chief of the Artillery formation for the second time. He had the opportunity to further carry on his work in developing Singapore’s artillery capability. During his two tours as the Singapore Artillery Chief, Mancharan set in place plans, policies and processes for the modernisation of the Singapore Artillery.[3] At that point in time, the Singapore Artillery used a simple ‘aim the mortar tube and fire’ system. Having personally experienced the Second World War, Mancharan was fully aware that for Singapore to avoid such a catastrophic scenario again, the SAF needed to be a top-notch entity with modern equipment and well-trained men.
TOUGH LOVE
When it came to his men, Mancharan was extremely disciplined but fair. It was very common to see him mingling with his men as often as he could so that he could build rapport with them, and motivate and push them to their limits. To his officers, Mancharan was a hard taskmaster who was always demanding the maximum to the newly independent country and he wanted to contribute to its development.
As the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) had not been formed at that point in time, Mancharan served in the precursor of the SAF, the Singapore Military Force, where he held the rank of Captain. When the SAF was formally set up and the various units were formed, Mancharan was appointed Singapore’s first Chief of the Singapore Artillery in 1969. He was a committed, experienced and highly capable ground officer.
When Mancharan became the Chief of the Artillery formation, he was faced with many challenges. The British had left Singapore in a hurry and did not leave any proper equipment for use by the Artillery. The Singapore Artillery consisted of simple mortars, which lacked the range and from them at all times.
Mancharan was convinced that the Singapore Artillery officers’ leadership was crucial to the effectiveness of the formation and he expected much more from them. His officers acknowledged that his methods were highly effective and those under his charge were willing to go that extra mile to ensure that the formation excelled in the quickest time possible. It was due to his dedication, efforts and contributions that he became famously known as the ‘Father of the Singapore Artillery’.
Mancharan Singh Gill: Served as first Chief of Artillery from December 1969 to May 1971, and again from September 1973 to January 1976. He was Director of Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) from 1971 to 1973 – Source: SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
Mancharan was the first Chief of the Artillery in the SAF. Armed with little knowledge, he built up Singapore Artillery, together with the Artillery formation pioneers. This marked the development of MODERN DAY Singapore Artillery. He worked very hard, never seemed to rest and was a real hard taskmaster. He strove for excellence and always demanded the best from those under his command. As his OFFICER, I learned greatly from him. He remained dedicated and committed to his job and his position till he retired. He was a great OFFICER.
Colonel (Retired) Chan Jwee Kay
Former Chief of Artillery
After completing his second tour, Mancharan took up various positions in the SAF. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Assistant Chief of General Staff (Logistics) and the Assistant Chief of General Staff (Training). From 1979 to 1982, he was Commander of the 3rd Singapore Infantry Division. During his tour here, alongside other officers from the various SAF formations, Mancharan was a core member of the Combined Arms Division planning team. This Division housed the various units of the SAF which worked together to achieve full effectiveness on and off the battlefield. His last command was Deputy Chief of General Staff from 1982 until his retirement in 1986.
LIFE AFTER ARMY
After leaving the SAF, Mancharan joined the Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS), known today as ST Kinetics. He focused on the artillery aspect within CIS and was heavily involved with artillery equipment development for the SAF.
One particular weapon system that Mancharan helped developed was the FH-2000 gun system. This was an advancement of the existing FH-88 system, which was fast becoming outdated. Mancharan saw the FH-2000 system as a critical factor in the defence of Singapore as it was one of the most modern gun systems at that time. He was aware that one of the reasons Singapore fell to the Japanese was due to its ineffective or outdated guns so he strongly believed that the FH-2000 would change that.
In addition to helping with production of the FH-2000 system, Mancharan acted as a representative of CIS to other governments and arranged for the sales of Singapore manufactured arms and equipment to them.[4]
Mancharan finally called it a day in the late 1990s. He felt that he had contributed immensely to the SAF and Singapore, and that it was time for the younger generations to carry the torch forward. After years of working constantly and always on the go, he finally could sit back and enjoy his free time doing activities that interested him, such as reading.
Colonel Mancharan Singh Gill: The first Chief of Artillery from December 1969 to May 1971, and again from September 1973 to January 1976. He was also Captain of the 20 People’s Defence Force (Artillery) (August 1966); Commanding Officer of the 20 Singapore Artillery Battalion (1969); Director of SAFTI or Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (1971-1973); Assistant Chief of General Staff (Logistic); Assistant Chief of General Staff (Training); Commander of the 3rd Singapore Division (1979); Deputy Chief of General Staff (1982-1986); and President of the Singapore Armed Forces Veteran’s League (1995). He was promoted from LTC to the rank of Colonel in May 1972. He was conferred the Public Administration Medal (Silver) and the Public Administration Medal (Gold) (Military) by the Government of Singapore in 1971 and 1982 respectively. Title devised by Library staff. – Source: The Singapore Artillery 100th year commemorative book
Over a period of 40 years, Mancharan was instrumental in transforming the Singapore Artillery both when he was in charge of it and as part of the CIS establishment. When some of the systems he implemented were replaced with more modern ones, rather than feeling aggrieved, Mancharan was extremely proud that the Singapore Artillery was always upgrading itself based on the principles of the early years of its formation. Importantly, to continue to remain a potent force, it must have the best equipment to bring out the best in the soldiers.
In spite of being out of the army, Mancharan kept abreast of developments in the Artillery formation. Sadly, Mancharan passed away in 2008. However, his legacy lives on in the Singapore Artillery. He firmly believed in a strong sense of principle, discipline and pride, and he infused these values into the Singapore Artillery. For Mancharan, failure was not an option in matters concerning the defense of the nation. He practiced what he preached and led from the front.
Today, the Singapore Artillery plays a crucial part in the defense of Singapore. It is highly indebted to the ‘Father of the Singapore Artillery’ for its development and success.
[This article is courtesy of SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, a book published in 2015 by the Young Sikh Association, Singapore (YSA) in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th birthday]
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
Muslims offer prayers at a gurudwara in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath. – Photo / Hindustan Times
Muslims and Sikhs on Saturday (2 Sept 2017) set an example of communal harmony in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath, 300 kilometres from New Delhi, when the local gurudwara offered Muslims space to offer Eid prayers.
Muslims had gathered at a local ground in large numbers to offer prayers on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Zuha, but could not proceed due to incessant overnight rains. This is when Gurudwara Singh Sabha stepped in and welcomed them to the gurudwara, reports Hindustan Times.
“Be it Hindus, Sikhs or Muslims we have a strong bonding in Joshimath. The senior management from the Gurudwara sahib and the Muslim community held a short meeting on Saturday morning and made quick arrangements for the prayers,” Buta Singh, manager, Shri Hemkund Sahib gurudwara, told the newspaper on phone. More than 500 Muslims offered Namaaz in the retiring hall of the gurdwara, he said.
Salim Raja, an office bearer of Joshimath Muslim Committee, was also quoted as saying: “The incessant rains for the past couple of days had rendered offering Bakr-Eid Namaaz at the traditional Gandh Maidan and local municipal board hall difficult. This led us to approach Govindghat-based gurdwara management committee senior manager Seva Singh for permission to offer Namaaz there. The gurdwara has ample space to accommodate sizable devout.”
This is not the first time that Sikhs have offered space for Eid prayers. On 20 Aug 2012, the Muslims prayed at the same gurudwara. Joshimath is believed to be the last place in the state towards the China border where Muslims offer Namaaz. Beyond Joshimath lies Badrinath, one of four shrines of the Chardham pilgrimage of Hindus, the report added.
“Though we keep hearing stories about growing hatred in the society, by Allah’s grace we never witnessed such negative things here,” said Rais Ahmad (50).
Joshimath falls in the Chamoli district home to revered Hindu shrine – Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, the Sikh Gurudwara.
This is not the first time gurdwaras have flung open their doors to assist people of other faiths. In January 2017, gurdwaras in West London joined mosques and churches by opening their doors to offer assistance to the survivors of a huge fire that engulfed a 24-storey residential tower block killing six people and injuring over 50 others.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s former permanent representative of India to United Nations (UN) and now a retired ambassador, was a surprise pick in the latest Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 65 year old retired diplomat, who joined the Indian Foreign Services in 1974 and held ambassadorial level assignments in London and Brasilia, took oath of office today (3 Sept 2017).
His diplomat career spanned over 40 years, including as the permanent representative of India to the UN from 2009 to 2013. He was also India’s ambassador to Brazil and the United Kingdom.
Hardeep, who studied at The Hindu College, Delhi, is also a prolific writer. In 2016, he had released ‘Perilous Interventions: The Security Council and the Politics of Chaos‘, a book that captures his experiences during the UN days.
In the book, he showed how some recent instances of the use of force – not just in Libya but also in Syria, Yemen and Crimea, as well as India’s misadventure in Sri Lanka in the 1980s – have gone disastrously wrong.
“A perilious intervention is about whimsical and reflexive decision making, and about taking decisions with far-reaching consequences without thinking through their consequences,” he writes in the book.
In the case of Libya and Syria, he writes that the UN decision makers ‘did not weigh the consequences carefully, shut out sound advise and better judgement because they seemed inconvenient, and ignore perfectly feasible alternatives’.
In a July 2017 entry at his Facebook page, Hardeep announced that Penguin Random House India will be publishing his next two books, ‘Delusional Politics’ & ‘The Perfect Storm’, in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Hardeep has also been actively contributing articles to magazines and newspapers. In one of his latest articles, ‘The importance of trade’ published in the Business Standard last month, he writes: “We do ourselves and India great disservice if we continue to perpetuate a flawed narrative on trade, one based on myths rather than facts.”
Hardeep Singh Puri at the appointment ceremony
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
Many of you have written or called me to ask, “I am pregnant. Can I colour my hair? Is it safe? Will my baby be safe? Will my baby get cancer?”
This article is drawn from studies done. Please share this article with your friends and loved ones, too.
A study done in 2005 suggested an association between the use of hair dye during pregnancy and the development of childhood cancer neuroblastoma. However, other studies haven’t reached the same conclusion. Most researchers say it’s unlikely that maternal use of hair products before or during pregnancy would increase the risk of childhood tumours.
Doctors at Mayo Clinic belief that, if necessary, precautions are taken then there is no harm but they also caution that the mother should speak to her gynaecologist.
The American Cancer Society, Harvard School of Public Health and American Journal of Epidemiology belief that there is an association between chemical hair dye and certain types of cancer in young children.
Other studies, however, haven’t reached the same conclusion. Many researches argue that it’s unlikely that a woman having her hair coloured before, during or after her pregnancy may increase her child’s risk to cancer.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada had published an article regarding the safety of hair products during pregnancy.
My suggestion to all expecting mothers would be this: It is best that you avoid colouring your hair until after 13-weeks of pregnancy. The reason is that your first trimester is when all the major organs of the child are being developed. Speak to your gynaecologist and ask for his/her advice. Voice out your concerns to him and make an informed decision.
Compared to chemical colouring, naturally organic colouring and henna hair + herbs is a friendlier alternative. I believe in ensuring that clients are aware of the pros and cons of organic hair colouring and henna hair + herbs. The decision is ultimately yours as to what you are comfortable with and what you believe is right for you and your child.
Gurjit Kaur Sekhon is founder of Simran Beyond Beauty, an organic hair, beauty & waxing spa
* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
On 7 Feb 1956, Tunku Abdul Rahman made the first announcement of Malaya’s impending independence at the Kirkby College, Liverpool. Malaya had sent a big number of students to be trained as teachers. Malaya gained independence on 31 Aug 1957.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook 
By Gurjit Kaur
Gurjit Kaur Sekhon is founder of