THE RISE OF KHALSA

The Rise of Khalsa Animation Movie will be shown at various Gurudwaras in Toronto

Schedules:

Sikh Spiritual Centre - Rexdale
Friday June 2nd @7 pm

Gurudwara Tapoban Sahib - Brampton
Sunday June 4th at 10 am

Gurudwara Jot Parkash ( Sunpac Blvd.)
Sunday June 4th @1 pm

View Trailers @ http://www.riseofkhalsa.com/index.asp

You can make a difference ...

An old man was walking along the beach, when he came upon a part of the sand where thousands of starfish had washed ashore. A little further down the beach he saw a young woman, who was picking up the starfish one at a time and tossing them back into the ocean.

"Oh you silly girl," he exclaimed.
"You can't possibly save all of these starfish. There's too many.You wont make much of a difference."

The woman smiled and said, "I know. But I can save this one - that would make a lot difference to it " and she tossed another into the ocean, "and to this one", toss, "and to this one..."

Taken from www.sikhsangat.com

WATERLOO SSA'S SPORTS DAY

FREE FREEZIES!!!!!!!!!!

THIS WEDNESDAY MAY 31st!! WATERLOO SIKH STUDENTS ASSOCIATION WILL BE HOLDING A SPORTS DAY!!

We will be playing sports such as SOCCER and ULTIMATE FRISBEE!!

EVERYONE is invited to come out and participate!!

We will be heading out to the fields after Rehraas Sahib @ our Weekly Meetings in the SLC Multi Faith n' Prayer Room

Please contact uwssa@yahoo.com if you have any Questions/Concerns

Kaurs Toronto Potluck Picnic -- Saturday May 27th

This is just a reminder to all that our informal get together is planned for this week Saturday. The poster is attached. We hope to see you all there for an afternoon of fun and relaxation and feel free to bring anyone else who is interested. If you need to get in touch with someone on the day of the picnic you may call 416-525-7094. Take care and we hope to see you all!

Kaurs Toronto Sewadars

Ontario Sikh community loses founding member

Ontario Sikh community loses founding member
By SSNews

To the province's Sikh community, he was a pioneer. Kuldeep Singh Chhatwal was the first Sikh to move his family into Ontario in the 1950s.

In the 1960s, the Kitchener resident was a founding member of the local Golden Triangle Sikh Association. In the 1970s, he helped establish the first Sikh temple in Toronto and in the 1980s, he did the same in Kitchener.

Chhatwal succumbed to cancer last week at 85 years old.

"By the time he died, he was considered the godfather of our community in Ontario," Kan, 58, said. "He was a very gentle man and a spiritual man."

Chhatwal came to Toronto ahead of his family in 1953, wearing his turban and a long beard.

At the time, people weren't used to seeing a man in a turban and they were reluctant to hire
him, Kan said.

It wasn't until Chhatwal shaved his beard and took off the turban that he found a job as an electrical engineer, Kan said.

"He never held a grudge," he said. "That was just part of life."

But the experience motivated Chhatwal to help other new Canadians adjust to their surroundings. Chhatwal's extensive community involvement included providing refugee services through the Kitchener Waterloo Multicultural Centre.

He was also a long-time member of the Liberal Party, the Kitchener Waterloo Kiwanis Club and the Waterloo Regional Police Citizen Advisory Board.

Police chief Larry Gravel described Chhatwal as "a community leader and visionary who devoted his life to helping others throughout Waterloo Region."

"He had a tremendous impact on our Police Service and community," Gravill said in an e-mail.

"Kuldeep's accomplishments will be a part of our community history forever, and his actions will serve as a model for all to follow."

Chhatwal also fostered religious understanding through his work for Interfaith Grand River.

Chattar Ahuja, president of the Golden Triangle Sikh Association, said Chhatwal's charm and respect for people of all faiths and races were some of his greatest strengths.

"He was a caring person," Ahuja said. "People respected him and looked up to him as a leader."
Chhatwal moved to Kitchener from Toronto in the early 1960s.

He was trained as an engineer but spent his career in sales, first for encyclopedia-giant
Britannica Foundation, and then for Pitney Bowes Canada, an office equipment company.

Kan Chhatwal said sales appealed to his father because it meant he was always meeting people.

"He was a very social person," he said. "He would establish an immediate and genuine connection."

When he working for the community or visiting friends and family, Chhatwal would focus on poetry. Kan said his father appreciated all kinds of poetry but it was verse in Urdu, an ancient language, that he liked the most.

Ahuja said that for all of Chhatwal's wisdom, he was funny and down to earth. His passing is a loss for the community, Ahuja said.

"It's a big loss for me," Ahuja said. "I always looked up to him for guidance and courage.
"He was my guiding light."

Anyone wishing to make a donation in Chhatwal's honour is asked to consider a contribution to the Golden Triangle Sikh Association or Lisaard House.

http://www.sikhsangat.org/publish/article_1049.shtml

Power Of Gurbani

A young child went to a Gursikh and stated that no matter how hard he tried to keep Gurbani in his heart, he just could not understand or keep it. He stated that his mind was not a bucket, but a strainer, which let everything pass through and did not contain the meaning of gurbani.

The Gursikh said "Let us try an experiment. Here is a strainer, and here is some water. Now pour a bucket of water through the strainer."

The child did this and said "See, the water was not contained, it just passed through, my mind is just like this". The Gursikh said. "Do it once more", so he did, and still the water passed through the strainer. The Gursikh said. "Do it ten times at least". The child did, and at the end of this experiment, he said " See, water still passes through, no matter how many times , and how many buckets we pass through it" . The Gursikh said "Look carefully at the strainer and see if there is any thing different." The child did, and his eyes were filled with tears, and he said. "Yes, i see the difference now. The grimy dirty strainer is now shiny and bright, like never before."

The Gursikh said "My son, this is what Gurbani does for you. It cleans your mind, and even if you do not realize it, it slowly cleanses your mind, and protects you from the five vices. The more you recite Gurbani, your mind will not only become shinier, but become like the bucket itself, which will not only become clean , but hold the meaning of Gurbani in your heart".

The child smiled, and felt he had received the best example of the power of Gurbani, ever.

Gurbani is that detergent that cleanses the mind of its dirt. The more we rub our surti with Gurbani the more clean it will get. Dhur kee Baani is full of amrit. Whoever utters baani of Satguru literally drinks amrit.

Vaheguru ... Vaheguru ... Vaheguru ...

Taken from SikhSangat.com Youth Forum

OTTAWA YOUTH KIRTAN DARBAR

Vaheguruji Ka Khalsa
Vaheguruji Ki Fateh!!!

Ottawa Sangat humbly and lovingly requests sangat's presence at the annual keertan darbar in memory of

Bhai Parminder Singh
Bhai Charnjit Singh
Bibi Rena Kaur

For keertan from the October Ottawa Youth Keertan Darbar, please see www.ontariosikhyouth.ca

There is a bus leaving from Dixie Gurughar at 11:15am SHARP ... please arrive early!!

Please visit www.ottawasikhyouth.ca for more information !!

May 10th -- Paath Session Summary

Caste is a huge issue in today’s society especially when it comes to things such as marriage. When one marries from a “high-caste” to a “low-caste” there is a belief of “family dishonor”. We all know this is not part of Sikhi so why does it still occur?

Caste resides in Punjabi culture and not in the Sikh religion. However, it is hard to separate the two. One must decide which is more important, their religion or culture, since Punjabi culture contradicts the Sikh religion in many ways and vice versa.

The members believe as time goes by, slowly ‘caste-ism’ will surely die down. Since mostly the elders and not the younger generation hold onto the caste system. The elders still have that mindset that they must not associate with ‘lower’ social-classes or castes unless they want their image in society to be tarnished.

Also, for example, a person with a higher level of education (university degree) would not want to marry a person who let’s say is a high school dropout. In this example, SSA members believe that these two social groups have different views and they may not be able to get along. Like minds/social groups will tend to get along better.

A good thing? Need to marry within social group, how can a person marry their servant?

It used to be easy to marry within caste because their families will get along, but it is wrong to say that another caste is less intellectual or at a lower level?

Base the family culture on ‘Sikhi Jeevan’ instead of the ‘caste system’ and this will get rid of any distinction !!

Social groups are different from the caste system. (For example, even if one is of a ‘higher caste’, and the ‘lower caste’ makes more money and is part of a ‘higher social group’, one will still regard them as being at a lower level than them)

Root of problem: Society is so worried about how they look and what other people view them as. They don’t want to marry their children to another caste, worrying about what other people will think about them. It is all one big ego contest.


If you have a friend who’s going onto the wrong path, for example, drinking, clubbing, etc., and you try telling the person this path is not right and will lead to pain in the future, but they don’t listen, and up getting hurt, what should you do?

Depending on the age group, there are different things you can do.

Younger Siblings - The parents play the biggest role in shaping a chld's future. It is the parent's responsibility to raise their children properly, with both love and discipline.

Mid-teen to early 20s - Spend more time with them, maybe your positive attitude will rub off on them. Can't prevent them from doing anything, but best thing to do is set a good example.

Also, people learn from their mistakes. Sometimes the best thing to do is try all you can, if it doesn't work, then maybe they need to make the mistake, realize it, learn from it, and then move on.


Sometimes some parents can be an obstacle between children and their Sikhi. Some parents have a problem with their children going further into Sikhi (more so girls than guys). What is the right thing to do in this situation? Disobey parents and further your Sikhi, or listen to your parents, because after all, they are your parents?

Parents usually have a problem with their daughters going further into Sikhi because of the same issue as castes ... 'What will society think?'. They believe that no one would want to marry their daughter if she goes too deep into Sikhi. This discourages many girls not to get into Sikhi because some parents use lines such as 'you won't look beautiful and no one will want to marry you' and as we all know, most girls (as well as guys) are already sensitive to how they look.
Children need to bring their parents more into Sikhi and make them understand why they are doing what they are doing. They need to help their parents jst as their parents helped them while they were growing up to see what Sikhi is really about. Inspiration can come from the oldest member of a family, or the youngest member of the family, inspiration knows no age, it can come from anywhere.

When someone tells you “I’ve never heard of a Sikh, what’s a Sikh?” How do you respond? What are good ways to sum up Sikhi in few words or phrases to let the person know what Sikhi is about but at the same time not present them with an essay so they can actually remember what was said?

The best and most simplest way to start -- Sikhs believe in one god. It is a monotheistic religion (distinct from Hinduism). Sikhi is a revealed religion and not an offshoot of something else: came straight from god, creation of Sikhi not by man, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is our present Guru (from 15th century). Answer their questions in a simple yet informative manner.

Part Two of Paath Session Summary will be posted shortly ...
Great discussion guys !!

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

ESSAY MARATHON

Send your essays in @ uwssa@yahoo.com

They will be appearing in the topic on the Sikh Youth Forum www.sikhsangat.com
http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=18391

Please indicate whether you would like to remain 'anonymous' or we may use your name.

The prize for this Essay Marathon?

Having the honour of being an inspiration to millions of individuals around the world
and spreading awareness for Sikhi as Seva.
There is no greater prize for a Sikh.

Spread the Love Jio ... It's in us to Give

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan - DownTown Toronto

Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan - DownTown Toronto April 30th

A few pictures of the amazing event that took place in Downtown Toronto. Sikhs got together to celebrate the birth of the Khalsa Panth and showed the world the true meaning of Vaisakhi with their love and devotion for the Panth. Over 80,000 Sikhs got together to walk from C.N.E Better Living Center to City Hall in Downtown Toronto with numerous floats and pamphlets to have awareness about Sikhi.

Sangat Walking -- estimate of over 80,000 Sikhs

Gatka on the way

... Vaheguru ...

Sangat

Yes Carman ...
That's the direction we're supposed to walk in ...
Thank you for letting us know

... Vaheguru ...


For more pictures, please visit www.ontariosikhyouth.ca and browse under the pictures section. (Pictures from Rexdale Nagar Kirtan are also available on the site)