Indo American News

Tag: SNC

SNC’s Vaisakhi Mela is a Taste of Punjab in the Plains of Texas

By Jawahar Malhotra

HOUSTON: When you entered the gates to the 20-acre Sikh National Center site on the West Sam Houston Beltway you couldn’t help but get a throwback to the streets of Karol Bagh in New Delhi. Cars parked on both side of the driveways forced one-way traffic; so if you came in one direction the other car would have to backup to let you pass.

The state of the parking made it apparent that by mid-afternoon after services at the local gurdwaras, the Vaisakhi Khed Mela was a success. The mild pleasant weather helped people enjoy the mela even more/

The huge khed mela that has been held each of the past six years in the central open area in conjunction with Vaisakhi which falls in the same time slot. Back in 2013, it started as an event for young kids to play games, but now the organizers, led by coordinator Hitpaul Singh Sandhar, have turned it into a community-wide celebration. As a reflection of that, almost 40 percent of the mela goers were non-Sikhs, only stressing how popular it has become.

“We realize that this is the only such large festival on this side of town,” said Sandhar this past Sunday, April 28. With an even larger budget this year donated just for the mela, Sandhar and his team have seen how the event can grow.
This year, the mela was certainly more fun due to tented pavilions all around the maidan (central lawn) to view the sports and allow people to linger in the open under shade and the basketball pavilion was used by young kids to shoot hoops and competitive matches.

All the food booths were moved to the emergency road on the western edge and everything was free including hot jalebis made on the spot, channa bature, kadhi chawal, nimboo-pani, gol-gappe under tents in the lineup. Pizza, popular with all the kids, was ferried from the main oven in the temporary gurdwara to another stall. Some business services booths lines up against another corner.

In the adjacent unfinished dirt lot, a small choo-choo train made lazy eights in the sun with its three bogeys of passengers. In the last space left with some pine trees, a children’s play area was crowded with young kids at the inflatable moonwalks and castles, a petting zoo and a cotton-candy booth.

An estimated 3,000 people came to the mela under bright, blue skies and crisp weather to the completely free event. There was a steady stream of teams – some from as far away as Dallas and Mexico – of young men competing for the top prizes in the volleyball tournament. And there were more fun games for the younger children, like the tug-of-war; 50 meter race, 3-legged race, sack race, spoon race, shot putt, musical chairs and basketball. With mic in hand, Narinder Nagra took his job as the sports announcer with great fun, prompting teams into action.

May 4, 2019
SNC Inaugural Annual Nagar Keertan Parade Spreads Sikhism’s Message

Photos: Harjit Galhotra & Jaswant Singh

By Dr. Hardam Singh Azad

HOUSTON: Sikhs all over the world celebrate annually and enthusiastically the birth of their 1st Guru, Nanak Dev, who took birth in 1459 AD at Nankana (which is now is West Punjab, Pakistan) and later founded the Sikh Religion.

With about 25 million Sikhs worldwide, Sikhism is the 5th largest independent religion in 2018. An estimated 20 million Sikhs reside in India and the remaining 5 Million are scattered all over the rest of the world. There are around 1.5 million Sikhs in North America about evenly divided between Canada and the U.S.A. As a percentage of the overall population, Sikhs are a tiny minority in the U.S. but, due to their physical looks, they are highly visible. Very few Americans know who Sikhs really are and are often mistaken for the Taliban who also wear turbans! This necessitates Sikhs to introduce and reintroduce Sikh identity to the U.S. masses.

Nagar Keertan – a Sikh religious parade – is a small but significant effort in this identity building process at the local community level. Nagar Keertans are held in the US during Guru Nanak Dev’s Birthday celebrations by many Sikh Communities wherever sizeable Sikh populations have developed.

The Sikh National Center has the largest concentration of about 15,000 Sikh’s in Houston, has achieved the critical mass to hold the Nagar Keertans on a regular and periodic basis. The SNC held its 1st Annual Guru Nanak’s Birthday celebration Nagar Keertan last Sunday, November 25. Several hundred Sikhs — young and old — enthusiastically participated and had fun doing it.

The Punj Pyares — 5 Beloved Sikhs — led this parade on foot with the Guru Granth Sahib on the float right behind. Raagis (singers of Sikh scriptures in raags — melodies) sang Shabads —Sikh Religious Hymns — before the Sikh Holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib while sitting on the main and lead float. Chanting Universal God’s Name collectively in open air while traveling the local roads to the nearby Best Western Hotel has its own charm! Other passerby’s heard and saw Sikhs on the road and read our signs explaining Sikhism with interest and delight.

Participants boldly predicted a major growth in the future years by including the 18 or so other Gurdwara congregations in Texas and make this a more memorable and grand event in Houston. A member of the Board of Directors of SNC, Aman Singh Sidhu, volunteered to lead a specially created Nagar Keertan Committee among many major Gurdwaras in Texas to grow and sustain this effort.

Another SNC Board Member, Bhupinder Singh, and his wife, Surinder Kaur, who own the Best Western, hosted a special refreshment stand for the entire parade. This surprise gift to the congregation created much enthusiasm which is bound to last until the next bigger and better Nagar Keertan.

November 29, 2018
Sikh National Center’s Relief Efforts

SNC Sangat loading supplies truck

HOUSTON: As Hurricane Harvey ripped through Houston and created unprecedented damage, it was the floodwaters that took many residents by surprise and led to the deluging of many homes and offices. In the aftermath, the city came together as one to begin the process of rebuilding and getting lives back together. Communities and perfect strangers worked with each other to get what needs be done. More than 8,000 Sikhs live in the suburbs of Houston and were saddened to see their beloved city damaged by the hurricane.

Sikh National Center Sangat serving Langar

The Sikhs in the Houston community rolled up their sleeves and got to work to get all the help possible to the community. In addition to providing cleaning supplies, toiletries, drinking water, shelf food and pet food, the Sikh community put in long hours in preparing hot meals to be distributed to the displaced families. The groceries required to make these meals using fresh vegetables and fruit, which was in short supply in Houston, came from San Antonio and Dallas. The Sikhs living across America are also hosting their local fundraisers for hurricane Harvey’s victims. Seven trucks full of supplies have already been received which were generously donated by Sikhs living in California.

Children at SNC helping in inventory and packaging

Hot meals were prepared at the Sikh National Center Kitchen to serve 700 flood victims who were sheltered at the local church, the MET Church. The community partnered with the Copperfield Church to provide 1,000 meals each day to the displaced families. 600 meals were distributed to displaced families with the help of Free Indeed International Church located in Homestead TX and the MET Church. Meals will continue to be provided as and when needed.

About 30 middle school and high school going children have taken the lead in unloading, organizing and preparing an inventory of all the supplies that are reaching the Sikh National Center. Sikh National Center Gurudwara is the current staging area and serves as the logistics center for all the relief efforts. Supplies are packaged based on the community need and then loaded on to the box truck and pickup trucks by the young volunteers. So far, delivery of supplies have been made not only in Houston but also Rockport, Beaumont, Baytown, Liberty and Rosenberg. A detailed log of what is being received and dispatched is managed by the voluntary coordinators.

The coordinators are Gursharan Singh (8328636500), Mandeep Singh (7134945467), Navdeep Singh (5042349143) and Amrit Singh (2813842771)

September 15, 2017
Guru Gobind Singh’s 350th Birth Anniversary at the SNC

Bhai Harwinder Singh and his jatha performed keertan

HOUSTON: The Sikh National Center completed week-long religious services to celebrate the 350th Parkaash Purub (birth anniversary) of the 10th Guru Gobind Singh on Sunday, January 8 with the bhog (completion of akhand path of the Sikh holy book, the Granth Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh took on the religious bigots of his day and, following the footsteps of his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, triumphed for religious freedom and equality for all. Guru Gobind Singh introduced the five articles of faith which have become permanent identifiers for Sikhs; the Panch Kakas (5 K’s).

Bhai Nitender Singh and his jatha performed keertan

The nonstop (akhand) reading (path) of the Granth Sahib for a continuous 48 hours is typically sponsored by one family and this year that honor went to Satnam, Gurmit, Baldev and Gurminder Singh Padda and their families.

The Prabhat Pheri was conducted at 5:30am on January 2, 3 and 4 at the SNC grounds.

Several hundred Sikh families from the Houston area participated in the akhand path which culminated with the traditional langar (big feast) for the entire congregation on. Two Raagi Jatha’s (raagi groups) of the Sikh National Center led by Bhai Nitender Singh and Bhai Harwinder Singh, performed a melodious keertan and the katha was performed by Bhai Amrik Singh. Speeches were given by members of the Sangat.

The highlight of the function was Prabhat Pheri (early morning procession) organized by Gursharan Singh, a dedicated member of the SNC. The Prabhat Pheri toured the large SNC property on the early mornings of January 2, 3 and 4 starting at 5:30am and between 50 to 75 members took part. For the past 15 years, the SNC, a national organization, has been building its campus on 20 acres on Sam Houston Parkway across from the Sam Houston Race Park.

A special Diwaan (religious function) was also held at SNC on the evening of Thursday, January 5, to commemorate Guru Gobind Singh’s life and his huge contributions to mankind, after which there was a fireworks show in the evening.

January 13, 2017
Vaisakhi, Even 3 Weeks Later, is Still a Gorgeous Spring Mela

Members of the Sikh National Center Building and Organizing Committees at the Vaisakhi Mela this past Saturday.
Photos: Jawahar Malhotra

Click here for Photo Collage

By Jawahar Malhotra

HOUSTON: It didn’t seem to matter that the actual day of Vaisakhi had passed by over three weeks ago, it was what the masses believed in and the spirit with which they celebrated when they gathered together last Saturday, May 7 at the Sikh National Center’s 20-acre site north of Beltway 8 between Gessner and Fairbanks-North Houston.

For Sikhs, Vaisakhi has special significance as the day in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh laid down the foundation of the Panth Khalsa and the five K’s which are sacred tenets of the faith. But in the Punjab, it is also a harvest festival coinciding with the Spring equinox and is celebrated with much gusto, especially in villages across the Punjab and North India, with melas, dances and lots of food.

It was no different for the estimated 2,000 people who came to the SNC site this Saturday under bright, blue skies and crisp weather to the completely free event to meet and greet each other, pray at the small Gurdwara and enjoy food and games. This year, in place of the grassy and muddy field of last year, a new, large concrete parking lot has been built that can accommodate a multitude of cars.

And between the lot and the covered basketball court, the wide expanse was the site of all the games scheduled for this year that were washed out last year due to the rains. There was a steady stream of teams – some from as far away as Dallas – of young men competing for the top prizes of $1,100 each in the volleyball and kabaddi tournaments. And there were more fun games for the younger children, like the tug-of-war; 50 meter race, 3-legged race, sack race, spoon race, shot putt, musical chairs and basketball.

On the far side of the basketball court, a row of spectators watched as the young men and teenagers rushed from one goal post to the other; while others cooked hot jalebis and pakoras for a unending line of people, a booth sold women’s salwar-kameezes and the devoted went inside to receive blessings and to partake of the langar that went on for three hours.

A tug-of-war brought in many young participants

Off to the other side, a carnival atmosphere took care of the whims of the younger tykes with inflatable moon walks and slides, pony rides, and kiddie trains. And a safe distance beyond the volleyball court, two stalls served cotton candy at one end and gol gappe at the other.

Spectators got into the thrilling volleyball and kabaadi tournaments.

All this within sight of the permanent Gurdwara that is being built and is getting completed slowly every day, just a stone’s throw away from the southbound feeder road The exterior of the building is completely built up, but much still remains to be done like the cast stone, marble tile inlays and window glazing which are expected to be finished by mid-summer. The interiors haven’t even been started, but you can already get a feel for the flow of the space with the two curving staircases rising from the ground floor and a row of tall glass windows giving a view of the freeway which will form the backdrop for the altar.

A slice of Punjab, if you could imagine it, in a corner of the Bayou City.

May 12, 2016
Sikh Community Welcomes Bhai Baldev Singh Vadala

Bhai Baldev Singh Vadala (center) singing Gurbani along with his fellow team member (left). Bhai Rajinder Pal Singh with the SNC played the table at a satsang held at the SNC Gurdwara on Thursday, April 28.

By Kuldip Singh

HOUSTON: Texan Sikhs gave a warm welcome to Bhai Baldev Singh Vadala, the founder of the Sikh Sadbhawana (Cooperative) Dal and organizer of the Gurdwara Management Sudhaar (Improvement) movement that has spread across North India. He has been in the US for the past month and is expected to visit other Gurdwaras in other cities over the next two months. The Management Board and members of the Sikh National Center of Houston were so impressed with his oratory address and discourses on being a Sikh that they offered him full support for his future activities in North America.

Vadala is one of best known Guru Kirtnia in the Sikh community. He has recited the Gurbani at the Holy Golden Temple in Amritsar for almost 15 years. When he observed some irregularities and corruption among the leaders who manage the Shromni Gurdwara Perbandhak Committee, he pointed it out to the rest of the management. After no action was taken, he protested and brought it out through the media. As a result, he was released from his duties of Hazoori Ragi at Hariminder Sahib and transferred to Gurdwara Sahib in Zeend, Haryana. According to some reports, he and his team members were not paid their wages for six months.

Vadala alleged that the SGPC appointed an additional Secretary, Harcharan Singh, in addition to 35 such other individuals already in the management and that the SGPC was paying a huge sum of Rs. 5 lakhs ($7,690) per month. This new person’s salary is 10 times more than that of the other secretaries. In addition, the SGPC pays Rs. 10 lakhs ($15,380) per month for the services of a chartered accountant, although many well-known accountants have offered their services for free. Vadala has complained and made the GMS aware of brought these irregularities.

Bhai Vadala after the Gurbani with (from left) Gurcharan Singh Bhar, this reporter, Kuldip Singh and Gursharan Singh.
Photos: Jawahar Malhotra

Vadala recalled how in the past, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib (now in Pakistan) was captured by Mahant Narian Das who considered it as his family property. In 1921, Bhai Lachman Singh and his team of Sikhs liberated the Gurdwara from Narian Das’ clutches. A peaceful march was organized by Bhai Lachman Singh and his team of 158 Sikh’s, all of whom were first killed and then chopped to small pieces so no one could recognize their bodies. This was done by Mahant Narian Das and his hired gundas (thugs) within the Gurdawara Nankana Sahib Complex. On the day after the liberation of Gurdawara Nankana Sahib, the SGPC was formed by the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925.

Vadala said that today again, the SGPC management is in the hands of the Badal family with the same intentions as Mahant Narianu Soach as they are a well-organized team of crooks, who, along with their agents, are draining millions from the Gurdwara funds into their own pockets. Vadala related several such incidents, one of them in which the family’s agents created a need to purchase a house near Gurdwara Anandpur Sahib. They purchased the house for Rs.76 lakhs ($116,920) in their personal name and then later sold it to the SGPC for Rs. 2.76 crores ($425,000). When this was pointed out to the SGPC, the agents of the present Narianu Soach group terminated the services of Vadala and his team members.

Vadala said that the Sikhs have three main bodies in India: the SGPC for Management of Historical Gurdwaras; the Sromani Akali Dal, a political wing of the Sikhs and the Board of the Akaal Thakht. A Muslim follower donated some land to Gurdwara Sahib, through a Miri-Piri Trust formed for that property and managed by the same Narianu Soach. On March 31 this year, SGPC agents gave Rs. 106 crores ($16.3 million) to this trust run by the Narianu’s Soach family for management of SGPC. Even after the Sikh community protested, the SGPC gave another Rs. 5 crores ($769,000).

The management boards of all the Gurdwaras in Austin, San Antonio and Dallas supported the noble task started by Bhai Baldev Singh Vadala. Houston’s Sikh National Center offered Vadala to open up the North American Headquarters’ of the Sikh Sadbhawana (Cooperative) Dal at their location and committed full economic, management, media and communication support. Professor Sampuran Singh, Secretary of the SNC expressed the need for all North American Sikhs and Gurdwaras to form a chapter of the Sikh Sadbhawana (Cooperative) Dal and work under the guidance of Vadala.

May 5, 2016