KITCHENER, Ontario: The Golden Triangle Sikh Association (the Gurdwara Sahib, Kitchener) celebrated the birthday of KHALSA on Apmil 26, 1987 with great enthusiasm never seen before.
The celebration started on Monday April 20, 1987, with evening diwans and Dhadi Waran by well-known Jatha. It went on until Thursday. Akhand Path Sahib started on Friday and Bhog on Sunday followed by Nishan Sahib ceremony.
Panj Payaras conducted Amrit Sanchar ceremony in the morning and 39) people took Amrit and joined the ranks of Khalsa. This was the first ever Amrit Sanchar in this Gurdwara Sahib.
The whole seen at this place was unique as all seven days and particularly on Sunday, Sangat responded with attendance in record numbers. Love, reverence and enthusiasm were evident on everybody’s face. According to many who attended, it looked like Harmandir Sahib. Many people could not find parking and those who found it, did not find place to sit inside the hall.
This successful’ celebration is very important to the local Sikhs as they have gone through a painful and difficult period just a year ago. Only a year ago this Gurdwara was not able to pay its own expenses and attendance was at its lowest edge. The destructive forces inspired a bloody confrontation which ended up in courts. After many months of agony and thousands of dollars, a new management emerged.
The new management came and had to spend not only the time energy and money but to win the confidence of the ordinary Sikhs who were already wounded by the events of the past two years. It was uphill battle which this new committee won with dignity and honor. The new management undertook and completed major improvements such as new carpet in the main hall, flooring in the langar hall and kitchen. Updating the kitchen and all the steel utinsles (thals & etc.) extended parking lot and much more. The new and improved library and teaching the children Sikh history and speech is underway.
I would like you to print the names of the entire management committee who really deserve credit. President S. Satnam Singh Vagha; VicePresident S. Sukhwant Singh Dhindsa; Secretary S. Harbhajan Singh Chhoker; Asst. Sec. S. Dalip Singh Dhillon; Treasuer Mrs. Yashpal Kaur Gakhal; Asst. Trea. S. Kewal Singh Jugpall; Member S. Dalbar Singh Grewal; Member S. Mohan Singh Sandhawalia; Member S. Kesar Singh Braich; Langar S. Surjit Kaur Sembhi; Member Mrs. Balwinder K. Gill.
Beside this Giani Joginder Singh Binning, Chairman Governing Committee and S. Avtar Singh Bhogal President Shri Guru Singh Sabha Cambridge, Sardar Dalbir Singh Sidhu, Baljit Singh Anand and Nirmal Singh Chattha from World Sikh Organization, Sri Guru Singh Sabha Malton and Gurdwara Sahib Dixie Road, Mississauga and many more people have actively participated and helped make this occasion a sounding success.
Report by Hardev S. Gakhal Member of the General Assembly World Sikh Org.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 15, 1987
