Useful Gurbani Audios

I have come across some great Gurbani audio files which are worth sharing with the Sangat.

Nitnem & other Baani Audios
Beatuifully recited Paatth by Gurmukh Pyaare.

Nitnem - Raagi Baldev Singh (GNNSJ)
Nitnem - Raagi Baldev Singh (GNNSJ) and Sangat
Nitnem - Unknown Gurmukh
Nitnem - Dr. Pritam Singh "Anjaan"
Nitnem - Bhai Sahib Jeevan Singh


Sukhmani Sahib - Raagi Baldev Singh (GNNSJ)
Sukhmani Sahib (Keertan) - Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa
Sukhmani Sahib - Prof. Satnam Singh Sethi
Sukhmani Sahib - Bhai Raghbir Singh



Sehaj Paatth Audio

For anyone who is doing a Sehaj Paatth it is a very good tool to have, particularly when reading difficult Baanis. You can listen to the audio and try reading along.

Santheaa Paatth - Giani Harbhajan Singh
Sehaj Paatth - Bhai Balbir Singh "Sidki"

ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਬਾਣੀ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁਣਾਏ ਸਚਿ ਰਾਤੇ ਰੰਗਿ ਰੰਗਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੪॥
anḏin baṇī shabaḏ suṇāe sacẖ rāṯe rang rangāvṇiā. ||4||
So, night and day, listen to the Word of the Guru's Bani, the Guru's Shabad, and let yourself be coloured by this love. ||4||
(Ang 114)

Audio Book! ( What is Amrit)

I came across the audio book of "What is the Meaning of Sikh Baptism" on SevaToTheMax.com, which includes commentary by Bhai Joginder Singh jee. Firstly, it's great if you don't like reading books yourself; secondly, Bhai Sahib gives commentary, explains and expands upon things in the book in simple English; and thirdly, even if you read the book, it's nice to hear it!

I hope that more audio books are made like this one! It's a brilliant seva, which many can benefit from (e.g. you can easily listen to a book and be inspired on a long car journey). With Guru Sahib's Kirpaa, it would be great if Bhai Sahib Veer Singh jee's classic novels based around Sikh history like "Sundree" and "Bijai Singh" and other great classics in Sikh literature were all gradually made into audio books, perhaps with special effect sounds added (similar to the SikhNet.com stories by Gurliv Singh). May Waheguru bless all the sevadaars who are doing seva in whichever ways and mediums they can in spreading the word and message of Guru Sahib with more seva and inspiration! Waheguru.

Audio Book:

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 1 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 2 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 3 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 4 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 5 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 6 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 7 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 8 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 9 [open] [download]

The Meaning of Sikh Baptism (What is Amrit) Part 10 [open] [download]



Fore more audios of stories click here

Episode 4: Sri Anandpur Sahib (Part 2)

Continued...

When travelling to go to Sri Anandpur Sahib it was nice to see plants and trees had been planted on the sides of the road. We first of all visited 'Viraasat-E-Khalsa' (Khalsa Heritage Museum), which is a new museum/exhibition that has been made to show case Sikh history to the public. In photos and the news the building looks like an eyesore because you can see it from an aerial view. However, in person you cannot realise that much and it doesn't look too bad. Although it is nicely made, it definitely does not reflect Sikh culture and could easily be mistaken for a building in any Western country.

To visit Viraasat-E-Khalsa is free of charge, however you need to get a ticket from the ticket office. There were three lines to queue. One was for men, the other for women and the third was for NRIs and Old Aged Pensioners. There was one man who had a red Dastaar and a  black tied up beard who asked me where the line for the OAPs was. I told him it was the third line and that it is only for 60 years or over people. The guy replied back, "I am over eighty-five years old." A Singh standing next to me and I were shocked that someone of the age of 85 had gone to so much trouble to dye his beard black and 'tried' to look so young. The English saying "Growing Old Gracefully" didn't apply in this case. Chalo.

Sadly as my flip flops had been stolen earlier on in the day, so I was walking around barefooted. It was quite embarrassing going into the Viraasat-E-Khalsa as everyone else had their shoes on and there was me barefooted! Waheguru. When you enter the Viraasat-E-Khalsa the first light, image and sound exhibition is based on village or town scenes of Panjab. Then you are given earphones. You can choose which language you would like. As you walk around the remaining exhibitions on the history of the Sikh religion you are given an audio guided tour. It was pretty impressive and I think the artwork was very creative. The audio tours are available in English, Hindi and Panjabi.

The only criticisms I would have (which are very serious and worrying!) are the following:

1. The pictures depicting Guru Nanak Dev jee showed Guru Sahib wearing a Selhi Topi (hat), a Tilak (red frontal mark) on his forehead) and earrings in his ears. It looked like the images had been heavily influenced by Hinduism/Sanaatanism.
2. When explaining the 5 Ks, they had an animation of a Sikh man who was wearing earrings whilst combing his hair.
3. The pictures depicting the 15 Bhagats showed the majority of them with cut hair and wearing hats. Something I am sure the RSS and other anti-Sikh forces would love.
4. In the English audio tour they refer to Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee as 'The Holy Book'. 

If those four things could be sorted out by the SGPC then the exhibition would be awesome. Unfortunately they didn't have a suggestion box or a place where we could feedback our comments.

Afterwards we had darshan of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and made our journey back home. During the journey back there was a heavy storm. Looking through the car screen I saw so many people nearly getting run over. I suppose the one plus point of travelling by car in India is that you always have "Waheguru" on your lips! Waheguru.

What happens when Gatwick Airport stopped a Sikh?... Story of Bhai Jagmeet Singh

Bhai Jagmeet Singh with his wife and baby meeting Bhai Jagraj Singh and his 2 children. 

 

On 11th January 2017, Bhai Jagmeet Singh was stopped on the way to picking up his wife and baby from inside the terminal of Gatwick Airport. Staff had stopped him after been alerted that a man of his description had a knife.

 

Bhai Jagmeet Singh explained to the staff that he was a Sikh and he was within the law to wear the Kirpan. After a lengthy conversation it appeared that that senior staff of Gatwick Airport wear not familiar with who Sikhs are, and furthermore had been given no diversity training that included knowing about Sikhs.

 

It is quite shocking to know this, as there is a lot of focus on equality and diversity training in all fields of work. Bhai Jagmeet Singh requested to speak to the Senior Supervisor, which he recorded the conversation with the permission of everyone involved. During the conversation, Bhai Sahib learnt that you can take a 3 inch Kirpan through security screening and on the plane if traveling via Gatwick, similar to Heathrow and Luton airports allowing 6cm sharps (2.36 inches) that allows Kirpan blades of that size.

 

Bhai Sahib has urged all the UK Sangat and all concerned individuals to email the management of Gatwick Airport to highlight your concerns and request they amend their official policies and correctly train all staff so incidents like this or worse do not happen in the future. E-mail: customer.services@gatwickairport.com

 

 

Audio of the conversation below. From the audio we can say that handled the situation very well and represented Sikhs in a good light.

NASA & Gurbani

I came across this audio on DiscoverSikhi.com of vichaar by Bhai Bhagwan Singh Johal, a panthik Sikh scholar and Kathaavachik. If you can understand Panjabi then please listen to the audio below:

Download

In short, Bhai Bhagwan Singh's talk is the affects of Gurbani on individuals' lives. In one example, he mentions that there have been two Panjabi sisters who have worked as Astronauts at the NASA space station in America - Kalpana Chawla and Sunita William.

Kalpana Chawla was a space shuttle mission specialist. She was the first Panjabi to travel into space. Unfortunately, she was killed on 1st February 2003 with 7 crew members in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Whilst in India, Bhai Bhagwan Singh was in Uttranchal (Haryana) where he met Kalpana Chawla's father, Banarsi Lal Chawla. As you would do, Bhai Bhagwan Singh offered his condolences and shared the grief of the loss of a fellow Punjabi sister.

Kalpana's father was a Hindu, however the family have devotion (shardaa) for the House of Guru Nanak. Bhai Sahib asked Kalpana's father to share something about Kalpana's life with him. He replied that she did Nitnem (daily prayers) every morning (as well as being a vegetarian). The family were fortunate enough to have darshan (glimpse) of the late Baba Nand Singh jee in Uttaranchal. Baba jee had an affect on the family and since then they have practised Nitnem and had love for Gurbani.

"Tell more," said Bhai Bhagwan Singh. The father replied, "Kalpana also recited Japji Sahib whilst she worked, and she recited Japji Sahib in space as well." Guru Nanak Sahib Ji explains in Japji Sahib:

ਪਾਤਾਲਾ ਪਾਤਾਲ ਲਖ ਆਗਾਸਾ ਆਗਾਸ ॥

Pāṯālā pāṯāl lakẖ āgāsā āgās.
There are nether worlds beyond the nether worlds and lacs of skies over skies.

ਓੜਕ ਓੜਕ ਭਾਲਿ ਥਕੇ ਵੇਦ ਕਹਨਿ ਇਕ ਵਾਤ ॥

Oṛak oṛak bẖāl thakė vėḏ kahan ik vāṯ.
The scriptures say one thing: searching for God's limits and bounds, (without success) people have grown weary.
(Ang 5)

Not only did she read this, but she experienced this. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was also present in space (whilst she read Japji Sahib).


Her father said that he had an opportunity to visit the NASA centre at San Jose, America (in September 2004). During his visit he was shown a volume of an English translation of Guru Granth Sahib jee kept at the NASA library. Her father was told that when scientists get tired of searching and searching the universe, when they seek inspiration and need to uplift their souls they turn to read the translations of Guru Nanak's poetry and divine-songs which magnificently describe the awe and wonder of the Universe. There is no other poetry, no other divine-song, no other Scripture, such as the Bani of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji -- Guru Granth Sahib jee.

Italy Trip

Last weekend Bhaji Sukhwinder Singh and Daas were invited to Italy for the opening of a new Gurdwara in Sabaudia, which is one hour away from Rome. We went on Friday morning and came back Monday morning. A Sri Akhand Paatth Sahib was held from Friday to Sunday with a Keertan and Kaveeshree (poetry) Darbaar after the bhog (completion) of the Sr Akhand Paatth Sahib. Guru Sahib caused us to meet a few Gurmukh Pyaare that are the hidden jewels of the Panth. These Singhs shared so much spirit and reminded me of Puraatan (old) Singhs.

Here are some photos from the trip:


Gurdwara Sahib.


Gurdwara Sahib entrance.


Langar Hall.


Nishaan Sahib.


This is the road on which the Gurdwara Sahib is built on. It reminded me of India.



Gurdwara's Darbaar Sahib.


On Friday we went shopping with the local Singhs. We were in the supermarket and came across a HUGE block of cheese for sale!


Just to put into perspective how big the cheese was!


On Saturday morning we went sight seeing in Rome.

I cannot remember the names of most of the buildings because on the tour bus they didn't have a tour guide! Instead they gave us ear phones which we had to plug in and listen to a recording. Firstly, the recording was slightly delayed in relation to the bus moving. So after going past a Church the recording would say "On your right you can see this magnificent Church..." But when you looked left there was no church because we had driven past it! Also the audio tour guide was confusing because it would say "On the left hand side you can see..." So we would look left and there was nothing there! We would look right and the building that the audio was mentioning was there. So they had left and right mixed up because no one knew whether he was talking about the left and right of the people sitting on the bus or left and right of someone who suppose was standing in front of us and explaining the tour. Waheguru!

St. Peter's church. It was disappointing that we could not enter the church because of our Kirpaans. They had metal detectors at the entrance.

Standing on top of a palace building with Colosseum in the background.



Outside the Colosseum. Again, we couldn't go inside because of our Kirpaans.



Sangat at the Sunday diwaan.


Kaveeshree Jatha from Italy. They sang really well! Beautiful voices and great poems.


Sewadaars eating Langar.

Bhai Jagtar Singh jee, student of Damdami Taksaal, who is serving as an unpaid voluntary Granthi Singh of the Gurdwara. Bhai Sahib is inspirational and shared many stories from his experience of coming abroad and his other associates which shows Sikhi Sidq and resting full faith in Kalgee Dhar Paatshaah, Guru Gobind Singh jee.

A Chardi Kalaa young child I met. He must be about 7 years old. On Saturday he came up to me and said Fateh. He was wearing a Patkaa and with a beaming smile he said, "Bhaji, I always come to the Gurdwara wearing a Pagh. Today I am not wearing a Pagh because I was in a rush and my dad did not have enough time to tie it on me. But see me tomorrow. Tomorrow I will wear a pagh." So much Sikhi Sidq at such a young age!

Dhan Hai Guru, Dhan Hai Teree Sikhee.