The week's events

Meditation and Youth Simran

This weeks Meditation will be held at Flat X9 of Victoria Halls Phase II on Monday at 5.30pm . Meditation is for everyone and a great way to ease the stress of studying, so why not try it for a week and bring a friend with you. After this, a few of us will be going to Guru Nanak Gurdwara on Smethwick High St, where there is a simran programme for youth. If anyone is interested in going, we will be leaving straight after meditation , so come along to the flat. Great chance for those who are living away from home to have some dhaal and roti!!


Bhaji Sukhwinder Singh Talk

On Wednesday afternoon, we are very lucky to have Birmingham's Resident Comedian, Sukhi Singh giving a talk on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee . This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to learn about Sikhi and what values a Sikh holds. The talk will be held at the Aston Webb Building at Bham Uni (big central building with a dome opposite clock tower), in room WG5. The room isn't too hard to find, and there will be signs to help, but in case you do get lost, the receptionists in the entrance to the building will show you. The talk will start at 1.30pm, and will last approximately 45mins. You will also have the chance to ask Sukhi Singh questions at the end - exciting!!!!!!

Football

The will be football at 4pm on Thursday at the football pitches by Bristol Road (by Mech Eng building) .£1 members, £2 non-members.

This Week's Events

Thanks for everyone who came to the Sikh Week Events and made them a success. Aston Sikh Society are currently organising the photos and they should be up on the blogs very soon.

After suggestions from the Sikh Society members, the weekly Meditation has been moved to an earlier and more suitable time of 5.30pm on Mondays.

This weeks meditation will be at the Strathcona building at room SR12 at 5.30pm. For anyone that is unsure of where this building is, please go to the following links where the Strathcona building is R18 on the map.

As all West Midlands Sikh Societies are linked with one another, over the coming weeks, there will be some meditation sessions where the members of Aston uni Sikh soc will be joining us, and sessions where we will be going to the Aston uni meditation. Transport will be available for pick ups and drop offs. Details of this will be coming up shortly once dates are confirmed.

http://www.bham.ac.uk/documents/B1796_Edgbaston_red_zone.pdf

http://www.bham.ac.uk/about/maps/edgbastonmap.shtml

Remember meditation doesn't have to be just religious meditation, its a technique we can use to ease the stresses of studies and a great way to meet people from your Sikh soc. From next Wednesday, we will be holding midday prayer, meditation and keertan sessions, more about this in the next email.

BCU University (aka UCE) will be having an event on Wednesday at 1.30 - 3.30pm (in the Kenrick Theatre). The talk will be on Guru Nanak Dev Ji and there will be free Soda and Samosas afterwards.

To get to BCU you can either catch a train to Perry Barr (leaves New Street at 27 and 57 minutes past the hour every hour - Paltform 3a usually) or catch the 51 bus (bus stop in Bham City Center by Marks and Spencers)

There will be 6 a side football on Thursday. It will start at 4pm at the pitches by Bristol Road.

Anyone who has yet to join the Sikh Society for the academic year can do so at any of the Sikh Soc events this week. Remember this is your Sikh society, so any ideas and suggestions are welcomed.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

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.

This week's events (Week 4)

Events coming up:

On Monday 22nd October we will be starting the Meditation sessions.
Time: 6.30pm
Place: Worship room, St. Francis Hall chaplaincy
Everyone welcome

On Wednesday 24th October, the SikhSoc will be going bowling at AMC.
We'll be going by train or bus most likely - depends on how many people with gaddiya wanna come ; )
The plan: meet at the guild for 1.30pm and make our way to AMC
For more details and to let us know you're coming, please get in touch with Nick Singh on 078599 05652, or alternatively Satnam Kaur on 07743 433146.

West Midlands Sikhi Week is also just around the corner. This is where there are events throughout the space of a week or 2 at the different W Mids Universities, including Wolves, UCE, Aston and of course Birmingham. There will be more details to follow.

The West Midland Sikh Society's have also created a joint website. SikhSoc events from around the West Midlands will be put up on this website. Aston University's Soda n' Samosa event has just been uploaded with some hilarious videos from Bhaji Sukhwinder Singh's talk at the event. Check the site out:
http://wmsikhsoc.blogspot.com/

Weekly Events (last week semester 2)

NEXT YEARS EVENTS

If anyone wants to help next year in any way please come to the meeting in Victoria Halls Room P15 at 1pm this Wednesday.

If you have any suggestions for events for next year please leave them in the comments section below.

Also;

MEDITATION CLASS
Thursday
6pm
Cadbury Room
St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)

AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)
Friday
4am-6am
Victoria Halls P15 Room 3

Weekly Events (week 7)

MEDITATION CLASS

Thursday
6pm
Cadbury Room
St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)


AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)

Friday
4am to 6am
Vicoria Halls: P15 Room 3

Weekly Events (week 6)

MEDITATION CLASS

Thursday
6pm
Cadbury Room
St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)


AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)

Friday
4am to 6am
Vicoria Halls: P15 Room 3

Everyone welcome to both events

Weekly Events (week 5)

MEDITATION CLASSES

Meditation class will be held this week at the same time but different location to last year. Remember this is the perfect opportunity to relieve some stress and do something productive at the same time. Anyone who has not had the chance to come to one of the classes, Thursday is a good a time as any to make it to your first class. Everyone is welcome. See you there!

THURSDAY
Location: Cadbury Room, St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)
Time: 6pm

For more info contact 07878471453

AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)

Sikhs are encouraged to get up early and pray as often as we can so for one day in the week. The Sikh Soc organises a comunial worship which will start at 4am with "Waheguru" meditation followed by morning prayers. We encourage all people to come as it has to be experienced to really understand its benefits.

FRIDAY
Location: Victoria Halls P15 Room 3
Time: 4am to 6am

Please phone Balraj Singh on 07878471453 if you need to be picked up or if your waiting outside and need to be let in.

Weekly Events (week 4)

ASTON UNIVERSITY SIKH SOCIETY FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Aston Uni Sikh Soc have organised a 6 a side football tournament open to all of the West Midland Sikh Societies. Even if you aren't partisipating please do come and support University Of Birmingham ( Aston uni beat us on UoB turf so we need to win for payback). Every team gets a guaranteed 3 games.

Location: Aston University - GEM sports center
Time: Wednesday 12-5pm

MEDITATION CLASSES

Meditation class will be held this week at the same time but different location to last year. Remember this is the perfect opportunity to relieve some stress and do something productive at the same time. Anyone who has not had the chance to come to one of the classes, Thursday is a good a time as any to make it to your first class. Everyone is welcome. See you there!

THURSDAY
Location: Cadbury Room, St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)
Time: 6pm

For more info contact 07878471453

AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)

Sikhs are encouraged to get up early and pray as often as we can so for one day in the week. The Sikh Soc organises a comunial worship which will start at 4am with "Waheguru" meditation followed by morning prayers. We encourage all people to come as it has to be experienced to really understand its benefits.

FRIDAY
Location: Victoria Halls P15 Room 3
Time: 4am to 6am

Please phone Balraj Singh on 07878471453 if you need to be picked up or if your waiting outside and need to be let in.

Weekly Events (week 3)

MID DAY PRAYERS

An earlier time has been made available for those who can't attend the 6pm meditation class. Each week a new prayer will be recited with a informal talk on it's meaning after.

TUESDAY
Location: Chaplaincy: Worship Room (Behind the Guild)
Time: 2:15pm

Contact Balraj Singh on 07878471453 for more info

MEDITATION CLASSES

Meditation class will be held this week at the same time but different location to last year. Remember this is the perfect opportunity to relieve some stress and do something productive at the same time. Anyone who has not had the chance to come to one of the classes, Thursday is a good a time as any to make it to your first class. Everyone is welcome. See you there!

THURSDAY
Location: Cadbury Room, St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)
Time: 6pm

For more info contact 07878471453

AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)

Sikhs are encouraged to get up early and pray as often as we can so for one day in the week the Sikh Soc organises a comunial worship which will start at 4am with "Waheguru" meditation followed by morning prayers. We encourage all people to come as it has to be experienced to really understand its benefits.

FRIDAY
Location: Victoria Halls P15 Room 3
Time: 4am to 6am

Please phone Balraj Singh on 07878471453 if you need to be picked up or if your waiting outside and need to be let in.

Weekly events (week 2)

NEW EVENT: MID DAY PRAYERS

Due to demand we are now starting mid-day prayers at 2.15pm on Tuesdays. This will give the opportunity to the sangat to listen to and read some of the sikh prayers and after discuss the meanings and relevence of them. This, like all sikh soc events, is open to all. From the most devout Sikh to someone totally new to Sikhism all are welcome.

TUESDAY
Location: Chaplaincy: Worship Room (Behind the Guild)
Time: 2:15pm

Contact Balraj Singh on 07878471453 for more info

AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)

Sikhs are encouraged to get up early and pray as often as we can so for one day in the week the Sikh Soc organises a comunial worship which will start at 4am with "Waheguru" meditation followed by morning prayers. We encourage all people to come as it has to be experienced to really understand its benefits.

FRIDAY
Location: Victoria Halls P15 Room 3
Time: 4am to 6am

Please phone Balraj Singh on 07878471453 if you need to be picked up or if your waiting outside and need to be let in.

MEDITATION CLASSES

Meditation class will be held this week at the same time but different location to last year. Remember this is the perfect opportunity to relieve some stress and do something productive at the same time. Anyone who has not had the chance to come to one of the classes, Thursday is a good a time as any to make it to your first class. Everyone is welcome. See you there!

THURSDAY
Location: Cadbury Room, St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)
Time: 6pm

For more info contact 07878471453

Weekly Events

AMRIT VELA (Morning Prayers)

Sikhs are encouraged to get up early and pray as often as we can so for one day in the week the Sikh Soc organises a comunial worship which will start at 4am with "Waheguru" meditation followed by morning prayers. We encourage all people to come as it has to be experienced to really understand its benefits.

New Day!!! FRIDAY
Location: Victoria Halls P15 Room 3
Time: 4am to 6am

Please phone Balraj Singh on 07878471453 if you need to be picked up or if your waiting outside and need to be let in

MEDITATION CLASSES

Meditation class will be held this week at the same time but different location to last year. Remember this is the perfect opportunity to relieve some stress and do something productive at the same time. Anyone who has not had the chance to come to one of the classes, Thursday is a good a time as any to make it to your first class. Everyone is welcome. See you there!

Thursday
6pm
Cadbury Room
St Francis Hall (Behind Guild)

For more info contact 07878471453