Saturday, December 30, 2006
The Last Post Of 2006
The Last Post Of 2006

When I look back I feel 2006 was a really blessed year . I attended many kirtan darbars and was fortunate to come in contact with all of you. But two incidents left me perplexed ! I share both with you all.
First was on the night of 5th and 6th Jan 2006 ,when I was returning home after Gurpurb celebrations at Gurdwara Rakab ganj Sahib. It was almost 1.30 AM and temperature had dipped to less than 2 degrees Celsius. I had never been out on roads at that time and that night I was shocked to see hundreds of poor people sleeping on footpath. It was so cold… it made me shiver. That night I could not sleep as my warm bed seemed to have grown thorns. But we forget and soon I forgot all about it and life was normal again.

Next was on 28th December when I had gone to Gurdwara Bangla Sahib to attend Raj Academy kirtan. It was around 10am and as I was moving towards jora ghar I saw a man fishing out something from the dustbin . At first I ignored , taking him to be a regular rag-picker. But I noticed that he was eating something. I stopped and what I saw left me totally poignant. That man was taking out left-over food from paper-plates ( thrown in the dustbin after prabhat pheri prashad distribution) and was eating it. Right in the Gurdwara premises where free langar and karhah prashad is available almost round the clock, why should any one eat leftover food?
I could not stop myself and walked up to him and said, “Bhaiya, yeh kyon khaa rahe ho? Langar hall mein jaa ke langar khaa lo agar tumhein bhookh lagi hai.”
( Why are you eating this? Go to the langar hall if you are hungry).
The man dropped the plate and stood up like a child caught stealing some thing. I looked hard at his face trying to make a diagnosis. My mind racing fast from psychosis to drug addiction. Or may be he was a simple hungry street urchin . He stood looking down like a culprit waiting for punishment. I took out some money and told him to go and eat something. He quickly took the money and vanished. I realized my mistake because a drug addict may not buy food with the money. But I didn’t have time to get food for him.
Now, I’ll keep thinking about this incident for some days, and then… forget it…

ਇਕਿ ਤੁਝ ਹੀ ਕੀਏ ਰਾਜੇ ਇਕਨਾ ਭਿਖ ਭਵਾਈਆ ॥ (566-12, ਵਡਹੰਸੁ, ਮ: 1)

Some, You have made kings, while others go about begging.
The kirtan was amazing you can down load from this site
 
posted by upinder kaur at 12/30/2006 02:29:00 pm | Permalink | 11 comments
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Alaahanees or the Songs Of Mourning
Alaahanees or the Songs Of Mourning:
Gurbani has songs for all occasions.
The purpose was to replace the usual mourning with praises of lord.
Guru Nanak has written Alaahnees in Vadhans Raag.
Prof Sahib Singh ji writes this about this Bani:

ਅਲਾਹਣੀਆ: ਕਿਸੇ ਦੇ ਮਰਨ ਤੇ ਗਾਏ ਜਾਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਗੀਤ। ਜਦੋਂ ਕੋਈ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਮਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਦੀਆਂ ਜ਼ਨਾਨੀਆਂ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਰੋਂਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ। ਮਿਰਾਸਣ ਉਸ ਮਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ ਵਿਚ ਕਵਿਤਾ ਜਿਹੀ ਵਾਂਗ ਕੋਈ ਤੁਕ ਸੁਰ ਵਿਚ ਪੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਦੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਉਹੀ ਤੁਕ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਜ਼ਨਾਨੀਆਂ ਰਲ ਕੇ ਸੁਰ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ ਪੜ੍ਹਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਨਾਲ ਥੋੜਾ ਪਿੱਟਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ। ਉਹ ਪਿੱਟਣਾ ਭੀ ਤਾਲ-ਸਿਰ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਮਿਰਾਸਣ ਦੇ ਉਸ ਗੀਤ ਨੂੰ 'ਅਲਾਹਣੀਆਂ' ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਇਸ ਰੋਣ ਪਿੱਟਣ ਵਲੋਂ ਵਰਜ ਕੇ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦੀ ਰਜ਼ਾ ਵਿਚ ਤੁਰਨ ਤੇ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
On 2nd December 2006 when everyone had collected to remember Bhai Avtar Singh ji at Rakab Ganj Gurdwara, Baldeep Singh ji sang Alaahnees. I have a video clip to share with you all



ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੫ ਅਲਾਹਣੀਆ ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਧੰਨੁ ਸਿਰੰਦਾ ਸਚਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਗੁ ਧੰਧੈ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਮੁਹਲਤਿ ਪੁਨੀ ਪਾਈ ਭਰੀ ਜਾਨੀਅੜਾ ਘਤਿਚਲਾਇਆ ॥
ਜਾਨੀ ਘਤਿ ਚਲਾਇਆ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਆਇਆ ਰੁੰਨੇ ਵੀਰ ਸਬਾਏ ॥ ਕਾਂਇਆ ਹੰਸ ਥੀਆ ਵੇਛੋੜਾਜਾਂ ਦਿਨ ਪੁੰਨੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਏ ॥
ਜੇਹਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਪਾਇਆ ਜੇਹਾ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥ ਧੰਨੁ ਸਿਰੰਦਾ ਸਚਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਗੁ ਧੰਧੈ ਲਾਇਆ ॥੧॥

 
posted by upinder kaur at 12/27/2006 05:09:00 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Sikh Musical Heritage
Prof. Surinder Singh (Raj Academy- UK)with his students at Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib Delhi.






leaflets distributed by delhi Sikh gurdwara Prabandhak Committee for promotion of Traditional Gurbani Kirtan
Kirtan was amazing and it was blissful to have been present in the sangat.

I recorded some of the kirtan and would like to share with you all.



I would like to share more in future...

Labels:

 
posted by upinder kaur at 12/19/2006 09:53:00 am | Permalink | 0 comments
Friday, December 15, 2006
Visit to Shri Keshgarh Sahib
Last weekend I visited Shri KeshgarhSahib.It became really cold when it started raining. I share a few photos here.
The front view
Main building of GuruDarbar

As it was raining the wet marble floor had the reflection of main building.I couldn't keep my hand very stable as I was almost shivering...


River Satluj near Kiratpur Sahib




 
posted by upinder kaur at 12/15/2006 06:46:00 pm | Permalink | 8 comments
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
In loving memory of Bhai Avtar Singh ji
from the left- bhai Kultar Singh ji, Bhai Gurcharan Singh ji and Bhai swaran Singh ji
Bhai Baldeep Singh ji leaving the stage after kirtan with his taus

As the sun went down lights were put on and Guru Maharaj's palki glowed



Bhai Baldeep Singh Singing Ram kali Sadd


Saturday 2nd December 2006 a kirtan darbar was held at gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in loving memory of Bhai Avtar Singh ji.
Every one had some thing to share. But what I found most touching were words of Bhai Gurcharan Singh ji. This is what he said," Avtar Singh was 10 yrs younger to me.Till date I remember his first cry when he came in this world.That day when I returned home after playing I had to wait outside as my mother was inside and after a while a heard a loud cry... ( here he also immitated the cry)... That was my new born younger brother. It was most painful to bid him good bye but I am happy he went laughing and saw that last smile on his face. so now in my memory I'll have his first cry and last smile."
Many remebered his kirtan at Gurdwara Sis ganj Sahib. He did kirtan at this Shahidi asthan for 52 years and left the world on this shahidi dewas.
Nothing can fill the gap he has left but such souls should never be mourned for...
ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਜਨਮ ਸਵਾਰ ਦਰਗਹ ਚਲਿਆ॥ਸਚੀ ਦਰਗਹ ਜਾਇ ਸਚਾ ਪਿੜ ਮਲਿਆ॥
guramukh janam savaar dharageh chaliaasachee dharageh jaae sachaa pirr maliaa
Spending this life fruitfully gurmukh goes to the other world.There in the true court (of lord) he gets his true place.

 
posted by upinder kaur at 12/06/2006 02:55:00 pm | Permalink | 7 comments