Vaisakhi Kamloops 2017

Kamloops

2017

Have a prosperous & happy Vaisakhi!

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Celebrating 46 years at Cambridge temple In 1971, Sikh Cultural Society members gathered at 700 Cambridge St. on the North Shore to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new Sikh Temple.

The temple fund was created in 1967 and collected an initial $20,000. About $26,000 more was needed to complete the project, with the final cost of the temple upon completion being $46,000.

It was fully paid off.

At the front of the photo to the left are Khushdev Heed, Indira Heed and Ranjeet Heed, son and grandchildren of Sher Singh Heed, donor of the land for the temple.

Looking on in the background are (left to right) Avtar Chahal, Dalbag Heer, Surjit Heed, Gurbachan Heed, Banta Dhaliwal, Inder Krod, Dr. Gur Singh, Kartar Ghag, Naranjan Sangha, Lashkar Ollek and Anup Jubbal.

Members of the original committee that worked on creating the Cambridge Sikh Temple were Kartar Ghag (president), Avtar Chahal (secretary), Dalbag Heer (treasurer), Lashkar Ollek, Inder Kroad, Gurnake Pannu, Rajinder Sidhu, Sewa Dhaliwal, Hardial Pannu, Balbir Ollek and Nirbhai Dhaliwal.

HAPPY VAISAKHI!

Office of the Mayor City of Kamloops

Kamloops City Council wishes you and your family a very Happy Vaisakhi Mayor Peter Milobar Councillor Donovan Cavers Councillor Arjun Singh Councillor Dieter Dudy Councillor Marg Spina Councillor Ken Christian Councillor Pat Wallace Councillor Tina Lange Councillor Denis Walsh

T

HE KAMLOOPS SIKH CULTURAL SOCIETY

welcomes you to join the Sikh community in celebrating the birth of Khalsa (the Pure One) at the 2017 Vaisakhi Celebration. Festivities will take place at the Kamloops Sikh Cultural Society, located at 700 Cambridge Street, Kamloops, BC. The celebration will start on Friday, April 14th, 2017 at 10 am with the commencement of the Akhand Path Sahib (a continuous reading of the Sikh Holy Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib) and carry on until

Sunday, April 16th, 2017 at 1 pm.

On Saturday, in the presence of the Panj Pyare (the Five Beloved Ones), the Nishan Sahib is taken down ceremoniously, bathed with water and milk, and adorned with a new flag.

Festivities will include shabad kirtan (spiritual music) and langar (a traditional, vegetarian meal).

President Kulwinder Singh Kular and the Board of Directors of the Sikh Cultural Society encourage the attendance of you and your family in this wondrous occasion.

Kamloops Sikh Cultural Society | 700 Cambridge Crescent

www.kamloops.ca

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All are welcome to take part in Vaisakhi

KTW FILE PHOTO

Many hands contribute to washing the pole that holds aloft the Nishan Sahib, the Sikh triangular flag.

Once the pole is washed, a new Nishan Sahib is attached and flown for all to see.

The Kamloops Sikh Cultural Society welcomes you to join the Sikh community in celebrating the birth of Khalsa (the Pure One) at the 2017 Vaisakhi Celebration.

Festivities will take place at the Kamloops Sikh Cultural Society, at 700 Cambridge St. on the North Shore.

The celebration will start on Friday, April 14, at 10 a.m. with the commencement of the Akhand Path Sahib (a continuous reading of the Sikh Holy Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib) and carry on until Sunday, April, 16, at 1 p.m.

On Saturday, April 15, in the presence of the Panj Pyare (the Five Beloved Ones), the pole carrying the Nishan Sahib (Sikh triangular flag) is taken down, ceremoniously, bathed in water and milk and adorned with a new Nishan Sahib.

Festivities will include shabad kirtan (spiritual music) and langar (a traditional vegetarian meal).

Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is an important day for Sikhs and one of the most colourful events in the Sikh calendar.

It occurs in mid-April every year and traditionally concurs with the harvesting of the first crops for the year in Punjab.

Historically, Vaisakhi has been a joyous occasion and a time for celebration.

However, since 1699, it had marked the significant religious event of the creation of the Khalsa.

Vaisakhi falls in the Nanakshahi calendar on the first day of Vaisakh month and marks the sun’s entering Mesha Rasi (this fact is called Mesha Sankranti, i.e. the solar transit into Aries).

Vaisakhi is therefore determined by the solar calendar.

It is not, as is commonly believed, a new year for the Sikhs.

The Sikh New Year is celebrated on the first day of Chet, which usually falls on March 13, a month earlier.

Kamloops Sikh Cultural Society president Kulwinder Singh Kular and the board of directors of the Sikh Cultural Society welcome all to the annual celebration.

Wishing everyone a prosperous & happy Vaisakhi!

“A BIG THANK YOU to all our Board of Directors, Sponsors, Donors and Volunteers for raising over $565,000 for the much needed equipment for the Royal Inland Hospital.

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Timeline leading to the birth of Vaisakhi April 15, 1469: The birth of Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak, at village Talwandi (Punjab, India; now in Pakistan).

1507 Guru Nanak proclaims, “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim” — and Sikhism is founded.

1606 Following Guru Arjan’s execution and martyrdom in Lahore by Jahangir, Guru Hargobind (1595-1644) takes over and runs affairs from Amritsar (1606-1628) and Kartarpur, Jalandhar (1628-1634). Facing persecution from the Mughals, in 1634 he establishes the town and community of Kiratpur in the Shivalik foothills and remains there until his death.

Gobind Singh, Sikhism’s 10th and final personal guru, innaugurated Sikhism’s orthodox Khalsa order on Vaisakhi Day in 1699.

1644 Guru Har Rai (1630-1661) takes over and runs affairs from Kiratpur.

1522 Guru Nanak establishes the town of Kartarpur (now in Pakistan) on the banks of the river Ravi and the first Sikh community begins to take shape.

1539 Guru Angad (1504-1552) takes over and, given Guru Nanak’s eldest son Sri Chand’s claim on Kartarpur (Pakistan), decides to run affairs from his hometown of Khadur.

1552 Guru Amardas (1479-1574) takes over and, with Kartarpur (Pakistan) still under Guru Nanak’s lineage, establishes the town and community of Goindval (also known as Gobindval or Govindval or Goindwal).

1574 Guru Ramdas (1534-1581) takes over and establishes the town and community of Ramdaspur or Amritsar.

1581 Guru Arjan (1563-1606) takes over and continues to run

affairs from Amritsar. He also establishes the towns and communities of Kartarpur (Jalandhar) in 1593, Hargobindpur and Tarn Taran.

1601 Guru Arjan completes the compilation of the Adi Granth (or the Guru Granth). Construction on the Darbar Sahib (or Harmandir, now also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar is completed.

1604 The Adi Granth (or the Guru Granth) is installed at the Darbar Sahib (or Harmandir, now also known as the Golden Temple).

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1661 Guru Harkrishan (1656-1664) takes over at the age of five and remains in Kiratpur until his untimely death from smallpox at the location now marked by Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi, where he was staying following a summons from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

1666 Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675) founds the city of Anandpur (near Kiratpur) in 1664.

1675 Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) takes over, following Guru Tegh Bahadur’s execution and martyrdom in Delhi.

April 13, 1699 Sikhism’s 10th and final personal guru, Gobind Singh, innaugurates Sikhism’s orthodox Khalsa order on Vaisakhi Day (marking the annual harvest season) at Anandpur.

HAPPY VAISAKHI 874 Notre Dame Dr · (250) 372-1991 750A Fortune Dr · (250) 376-6252 www.westcanauto.com

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What you should know about the Sikh religion

T

he Sikh religion is the fifth-largest in the world, with as many as 30-million adherents.

There have been Sikhs in Canada since the late 1880s, when hundreds arrived from the Punjab, seeking a new life and employment in mines, mills and construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Today, according to the 2011 census, there are 468,673 Canadian Sikhs. More than 201,000 live in British Columbia.

The basic tenet of Sikhism is expressed in the words “Ik Onkar” (One God).

Guru Nanak Dev founded Sikhism in the Punjab in the 15th century, though at the time it was not his intention to form a standalone new religion.

He preached the equality of all humans and spoke against tyranny, social injustice, and religious hypocrisy.

Sikhism advocates equality for men and women of every race and religion.

The Guru Granth Sahib is a compilation of the teachings of all of the early Gurus and is the main scriptural source.

Worship is conducted in a place known as the gurdwara — doorway to God. The kirpan, one of five articles The Five Ks are the articles of faith of faith worn by Sikhs. worn by Sikhs.

Most wear one or more, although those who have taken amrit — similar to baptism — wear them all: • Kesh, unshorn long hair, protected by a dastaar, better known as a turban; • Kangha is a small wooden comb used to comb the hair twice a day; • Kara is an iron bangle worn on the dominant hand; • Kachera is an undergarment; • Kirpan is a short dagger.

The Nishan Sahib, the Sikh triangular flag, rises above the Cambridge Street Sikh Temple during a previous Vaisakhi celebration.

KTW FILE PHOTO

The Gill Family wishes everyone a Happy VAISAKHI! 176 Comazetto Road

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Kamloops, BC V2C 6L6

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(E. Trans Can. Hwy.)

(E. Trans Can. Hwy.)

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Ph: 250.372.2800 Fax: 250.372.9466 TF: 1.800.661.6630

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A coin for Vaisakhi To celebrate Vaisakhi, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) last year introduced a limited edition, one-ofa-kind pure silver coin to commemorate one of the most important observances in the Sikh religion.

The one-ounce silver Vaisakhi coin, illustrating the symbols of Ik Onkar and Khanda, is certified to be 99.99 per cent fine silver and was minted exclusively for CIBC. Retailing for $59.95, the coin can be ordered online at preciousmetals.cibc. com or at any CIBC bank.

Every April, Vaisakhi, traditionally

seen as a harvest festival, is celebrated by millions of Sikhs and Punjabis around the world.

It recognizes the creation of the Khalsa fellowship by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru.

“As a community bank and one of Canada’s top diversity employers, we embrace multiculturalism and continually look for ways of providing products and services that not only meet the needs of our clients but also resonates with them in today’s fast-paced, connected world,” said CIBC’s Vineet Malhotra.

KTW FILE PHOTO

Raman Basran helps get the pole ready during a recent Vaisakhi celebration in Kamloops.

Happy Vaisakhi to our friends and customers.

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Our staff at Holiday Inn Express wishes everyone a

Happy Vaisakhi 2017!

Punjab Sports Club of Kamloops WISHES EVERYONE

LAKH LAKH VADHAIAN!

Happy Vaisakhi!

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OUR ANNUAL SPORTS FESTIVAL DATES BACK TO 1984 AND HAS GROWN IN POPULARITY TO BECOME A MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENT IN KAMLOOPS.

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A look at Sikhism’s rites and rituals

I

n addition to worship, there are other important rites and rituals within Sikhism.

The Sikh Rehat Maryada is the Sikh Code of Conduct, giving instructions for all ceremonies: Baptism-Amrit: Initiation into the Sikh religion is called the Amrit ceremony.

Sikhs undertake the Amrit ceremony when they are ready to do so and understand the commitment they are making to the religion.

The ceremony is held in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. It is conducted by five baptized Sikhs, called Panj Pyare, who wear the five Sikh symbols.

The five Sikhs prepare the Amrit (holy water) in a round ironvessel containing fresh water and sweets called patasas.

They recite the five Banis (Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Ten Swayyas, Chaupai Sahib and Anand Sahib) and stir the water with a doubleedged sword, called a khanda.

“‘Kaur,’ meaning ‘Princess,’ is added to a girl’s name; ‘Singh,’ meaning ‘lion,’ is added to a boy’s name.”

After preparation, the Amrit is drunk by the initiation candidates, then sprinkled on their eyes and hair.

The ceremony concludes with the eating of the ceremonial karah parshad.

Marriage-Anand Karaj: The Sikh marriage is called Anand Karaj, meaning ‘blissful union. Sikh weddings take place in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Anand Karaj consists of the couple revolving around Guru Granth Sahib four times as the Lavan (marriage hymns) are being recited.

The marriage ceremony may be performed by any Sikh, male or female, who has undergone the Amrit initiation.

Sikhs practice monogamy.

Widows or widowers may remarry.

Child marriage is forbidden.

Naming of children: After a child is born, the baby is often taken to a gurdwara for a naming ceremony.

Prayers (ardas) are recited for the newborn child.

After reciting ardas, the Guru Granth Sahib is opened at random. The hymn on the opened page is recited.

The first letter of the first word of the hymn is selected as the first letter of the child’s name.

The word “Kaur,” meaning “princess,” is added after a girl’s name; the name “Singh,” meaning “lion,” after a boy’s.

L A K H L A K H VA D H A I A N !

KTW FILE PHOTO

Sunita McPharu, Jessica Nath, Raman Sangra gather in brightly coloured clothing while celebrating at the 2014 Vaisakhi celebration.

Happy Vaisakhi!

HAPPY VAISAKHI! Sikh Cultural Society Women’s Group of Kamloops Pictured are women from the Sikh Cultural Society. They are part of a much larger group of women who’s behind the scene volunteer work is essential but often goes unnoticed. By juggling work and family they have always found time to prepare meals for temple programs, social events and charities including JDRF Diabetes, Red Cross Blood Donation and the Gur Singh Golf Tournament. Photo member names are as shown below.

Kulwinder Basran Baldish Hothi Amarjit Thakar

Ambo Dhaliwal Gurdev Dhillon Balbir Heyer

Gurshan Sidhu Balbir Sangha Inderjit Mattu

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HAVE A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY VAISAKHI! 778.471.9013 sales@phihotelgroup.com

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