DALLAS, Taxes: On April 19, 1987, a special Vasakhi Program was presented at the Sunday Diwan of the Gurdwara Singh Sabha of Dallas, Texas. Shabads commemorating the auspicious occasion of the birth of the Khalsa were recited by Sardar Jaswant Singh Grewal, Sardarni Jagdish Kaur Dingra, Sardarni Mohinder Kaur Dingra, and Sardarni Ajaib Kaur Dhadli. In addition, there was a children’s program involving children of ages 3 through 19 years. Their names are as follows:
Amandeep Singh; Gurpreet Singh; Gurvinder Singh; Harjot Singh; Har Simran Singh; Har Satinder Singh; Jaspreet Singh; Man Bhupinder Singh; Manpreet Singh; Preet Inder Singh; Ravinder Singh; Rupinder Singh; Shamsher Singh; Balbir Kaur; Balpreet Kaur; Harpreet Kaur; Har Siminit Kaur; and Rupinder Kaur. Some children presented the names of the Panj Payare and some presented the names of the Char Sahibzade; others presented shabads and participated in a group presentation entitled “Thus Spoke Guru Gobind Singh Ji”. The text was prepared by Dr. Daljit Kaur Chattha, and the presentation was directed by Sardarni Paramjit Kaur and Dr. Rajinder Singh Sidhu the Sunday school teachers of the Gurdwara. Through narration and through excerpts from the Gurbani, the group presentation focused upon Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s pride and confidence in and affection and respect for the Khalsa. The group involved the entire Sangat in their singing and chanting and the congregation enjoyed their message: tough times do not/cannot last,: but TOUGH people DO, and the GURU KA KHALSA is TOUGH. The participants were dressed in the traditional Sikh attire.
Speakers for the occasion were Sardar Preet Inder Singh Chattha of Hawkins High School; Dr. Har charan Singh Dingra of Louisiana, and Prof. Pritpal Singh Chattha of Hawkins, Texas. Preet Inder Singh spoke on the Sikh Ethos; Dr. Dingra spoke on the need for maintaining the tripartite identity: identity through Sikh names with Singh/Kaur as the; essential’ appendage, through the Punjabi lanuage as the means to identify with the Sikh spiritual heritage, and through the Sikhi réhat as a mark of separate identity; and, after giving away the prizes to the participating children on behalf of the Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Prof. Chattha made remarks that centered around the joyous occasion of the 28th Vasakhi. Acknowledging the youth (and the consequent vulnerability) of the Khalsa Panth, Prof. Chattha urged the Sangat to stay united behind Sri Akal Takht so that the Panth may achieve what it is aspiring for.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 8, 1987
