Sikhi Week Photos: Sikh Women and Sacrifice talk and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji Talk

Here are the photos from the first two Sikhi Week events. Sorry they've took so long.

Sikh Women and Sacrifice at University Of Birmingham


Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji talk at Aston University



More sikhi week photos soon

Event: National Kirtan Darbar (and transportation)

har keerathan sunai har keerathan gaavai this jan dhookh nikatt nehee aavai 2
Listening to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and singing the Lord's Kirtan, misfortune shall not even come near you

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji - Ang 190)

National Kirtan Darbar - An evening of Kirtan and Katha by various renowned Keertanee. There will be Katha in English, displays and the BOSS Stall which includes books on Sikhi, Hoodies, T-Shirts and CD's.
6 till late at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick

Transport: The Sikh Society have arranged transportation from the University Of Birmingham. Anyone wanting to go with the sikh society please meet them behind the Guild at 7pm. They'll also drop you back at uni at 10pm.For those who want to stay longer, they can. Any further questions please don't hesitate to contact Nick Singh at 07859 905652.

To get to Smethwick Gurdwara you could either catch the train from New Street to Smethwick Rolfe Street (train stop opposite the gurdwara) or catch the 87 bus (also stops right infront of Guru Nanak Gurdwara). The 87 bus stop is just outside of New Street next to the 61 bus stop.

Remaining Sikhi Week Events

Thanks to everyone who helped out at the langer. The event was a huge success and we got some great feedback from both the sevadars and the university students. We'll be putting the best comments up on the blog at the end of the week. We'll also put up photos of the langer, along with the other Sikhi Week event's photos, on the blog at the end of the week.

Note: SikhSoc 6 a side football: thursday at 4pm on the pitches by Bristol Road.

Remaining Sikhi Week events:

Wednesday :
Candlelight Vigil - As an act of remembrance, the Sikh community will be holding a candlelight vigil to mark Remembrance Day in memory of thousands of Sikhs soldiers who fought in the World Wars. Also to remember the dark days in history during the Anti-Sikh Programs with killings of thousands of innocent Sikhs across India from the 80's to the present.
5 - 8pm at Chamberlain Square, Birmingham City Center

Directions to Chamberlain Square:
1) Catch train(/bus) to Birmingham New Street(/Birmingham City Center).
2) Next, head out of the Pallasades and turn left onto New Street.
3) Head down New street until you reach Victoria Square. Go down the road on the left hand side of the Council House.

Friday:
Sikhs and Diwali - Seminar led by a Bibi Kiranpal Kaur on the difference between Diwali and Bandi Chor, why we celebrate Bandi Chor and what this day signifies and really means to Sikhs. 2 - 5pm at Wolverhampton University, Room MN110

If anyone wants to go there with the Uni of Bham Sikh Society please be outside the Guild on Friday at 12.45.

Saturday:
National Kirtan Darbar - An evening of Kirtan and Katha by various renowned Keertanee. There will be Katha in English, displays and the BOSS Stall which includes books on Sikhi, Hoodies, T-Shirts and CD's.
6 till late at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick

Directions: To get to Guru Nanak Gurdwara you could either catch the train from new Street to Smethwick Rolfe Street (train stop opposite the gurdwara) or catch the 87 bus (also stops right infront of Guru Nanak Gurdwara).

This Weeks Events

Monday:

LANGER ON CAMPUS


The langer on campus is coming up this Monday. On Sunday at 2pm we will be setting up the tent just outside the clock tower so if anyone is free and wants to help please do come down. We'll need sevadars throughout the day so whenever you're free please come down. For anyone wanting to help on the monday, please come down Sunday at 4pm and we'll brief you on the seva required. You can also turn up on the day and our organisers can assign you seva which is required at that moment.

lµgru clY gur sbid hir qoit n AwvI KtIAY]
The Langar - the Kitchen of the Guru's Shabad has been opened, and its supplies never run short. (Ang. 967 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)

History:

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji started of the tradition of the langer. His father Mehta Kalyan Chand Ji gave Guru Ji 20 rupees to start off a business in trade. As Guru Ji made his way to the city, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji came upon a group of Sadhus (spiritual men) who, engrossed in meditation, had not eaten in several days. Guru Ji felt the best allocation for this money would be to buy these spiritual beings food. Whilst given the food, Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji also served the Sadhus any way he could. A Gurdwara has been built where this event occured (Sacha Sauda Gurdwara in Pakistan). The langer continued on and was futher developed on by Sri Guru Angad Dev Sahib Ji. Guru Ji's wife, Mata Khivi Ji, did seva of making the langer and helped serve it. Due to her devotion and service she is mentioned in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji:

blvMf KIvI nyk jn ijsu bhuqI Cwau pqRwlI ] lµgir dauliq vMfIAY rsu AMimRqu KIir iGAwlI ]
balava(n)dd kheevee naek jan j is bahuthee shhaao pathr aalee || a(n)gar dhoulath va(n)dd eeai ras a(n)mrith kheer gh iaalee ||

Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee, is like sweet ambrosia.
(Ang. 967 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)


So, again please do come down and tell as many people as possible about the langer. By the clocktower, 11am-4pm.

Meditation - There will be a medition session at St Francis Hall, Chaplaincy at 6pm.


Wednesday

Candlelight Vigil - As an act of remembrance, the Sikh community will be holding a candlelight vigil to mark Remembrance Day in memory of thousands of Sikhs soldiers who fought in the World Wars. Also to remember the dark days in history during the Anti-Sikh Programs with killings of thousands of innocent Sikhs across India from the 80's to the present.

5 - 8pm at Chamberlain Square, Birmingham City Center

Thursday

Sikh Society 6-a-side Football Tournament on Thursday at the football pitches by Bristol Road. The tournament will start at 5pm and it'll be £1 per person. For more information get in touch with Nick Singh on 07859 905652.

Friday

Sikhs and Diwali - Seminar led by a Bibi Kiranpal Kaur on the difference between Diwali and Bandi Chor, why we celebrate Bandi Chor and what this day signifies and really means to Sikhs.
2 - 5pm at Wolverhampton University, Room MN110

Saturday

National Kirtan Darbar - An evening of Kirtan and Katha by various renowned Keertanee. There will be Katha in English, displays and the BOSS Stall which includes books on Sikhi, Hoodies, T-Shirts and CD's.

6 till late at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick


Loads of events happening this week, and all not to be missed.

This Weeks Events

Monday 29th October

West Midlands Sikhi Week 2007 will commence on monday and University of Birmingham will be hosting the first event.
There will be a talk on Sikh Women and Sacrifice which will take place in the St Francis Hall in the Caplaincy (the place where the Cha n' Samosa event was held) at 2pm till 5pm .
There will also be the meditiation session after the event at the same place starting 6pm.


Wednesday 31th October

The next event for Sikhi Week will be taking place at Aston University. The talk will be on Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji and will start at 2pm. Members of the Sikh Society will be commuting there by train/bus. Anyone who wants to go with them, please be at the clocktower for 1 pm sharp. Alternatively, for those who would like to make there own way there, the 61, 62 and 63 buses stop outside of Aston University.

Thursday 1st November

There will be a Gatka demonstation at Aston University. This will take place 1pm - 3pm just outside Aston University Guild. If anyone would like to go with the sikh society then e-mail us back on this e-mail address.

There will also be a Sikh Society 6-a-side Football Tournament on Thursday at the football pitches by Bristol Road. The tournament will start at 5pm and it'll be £1 per person. For more information get in touch with Nick Singh on 07859 905652.

Langar on Campus

The langer on campus commemorating Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Gurpurb will be on the 9th November and we need as many sewadars as possible. If anyone is free for a few hours on Monday please come down and help by doing whatever sewa needs doing. This event has been a huge success in previous years with the university, students and sikh community praising the event and the sewadars.

Everyone is welcome to the events.

There's loads happening next week so please come down and make these events a success.