SHAWNEE, KS: Baisakhi, the birthday of the Khalsa, was celebrated by the Sikh community here on April 15, 1990. Akhand Path of the Guru Granth Sahib began on Friday April 13 and ended on Sunday April 15. People from the neighboring states of Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska also attended the program on Sunday.
The program began with the singing of scriptural hymns by the granthi, S. Udam Singh. It continued with the singing of hymns related to the Khalsa, by different people in the congregation, including kids and elders. Then came the kids who had prepared to talk on various things relevant to the Khalsa. While some read stories describing the creation of the Khalsa Panth, others sang Shabads and still others sang poems explaining what the daily conduct of a Khalsa should be like.
After this people talked on more philosophical issues such as why Guru Gobind Singh chose the five articles, an all steel (Sarabloh) bowl, The Khanda, water, sugar pellets, and the five Banis to prepare Amrit. A speaker also explained Guru Gobind Singh’s complex though amazing and fascinating metaphor of the sword. He explained the Guru’s need to address God as sword (Bhagauti, Kharag) to diffuse a spirit of bravery and heroism among a group of passive people. Sukh Darshan S. Dhaliwal and S. Birk read their poems which they had worked on for a least a week, Dhaliwal has also written a book of poems on the Holocaust of 1984.
One of the two major attractions of the day was the changing of the Nishan sahib. This was done by the sangat with great enthusiasm. The second attraction and the final event of the day was an Amrit Parchar and this was done by the five beloved ones after the langar.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 27, 1990
