Ek on  Kar Sri Satguru Ram Singh Ji Sahaie

UK namdhari sikhs are to celebrate  A GURU MOTHERS' DAY, in memeory of all Gurus' Mothers in Southall on Sunday 9th March 2008. Besides being privileged to raise our Gurus, Bhagats and Shaheeds, these Mothers have made supreme sacrifices and given direction to the Sikh way of life. Their unsurpassed devotion, meditation and seva for sikh panth was a standard set for others to follow.

Listen to the full program

• aaj humare mangal char - satvinder singh & jatha, followed by the morning Ardas
   

• Introduction to the days event by Ajeet Singh Saggu
   

• UK president, Sulkhan Singh honours Matas' Day
   

• Avtar Singh with Ustad Surjeet Singh, Bhittu, Bachitter Singh, Sarbajit Singh, Mohan Singh, Jaswant Singh and Attar Singh with a geet  -  maa phela bolya
   

• Ustad Surjeet Singh plays raga jounpuri on sarangi
   

• Shabad item by UK ladies jatha
   

• Shaam Bhuller talks on Matas Khavi Ji & Bhupinder Kaur Ji. A kavita follows.
   

• Jathedar Joga Singh embraces the occasion
   

• Shabad performed by music class of Ustad Surjeet Singh
   

• Harbhajan Singh Gahir - lecture
   

• Kavita by Sant Harbhajan Singh Sagoo
   

• Bibi Charanjit Kaur shares her views with sangat
   

• On a lighter note, a kavita by Bibi Harbhajan Kaur Chana
   

• UKs Gen Sec bibi Daljit Ryatt - closing speech
   

• Ajeet Singh concludes the day with a Certificates presentation to participants of Youth Kavi Darbar 2008, followed by Ardas

REPORT to Satjug:

UK namdhari sangat got together in Southall on Sunday 9^th March 08 to commemorate the Guru Matas of Sikh Gurus. Bibi Harbhajan Kaur Chana proposed the celebration a few years ago and it finally materialised in 2008. Members of the community from East London, West Midlands and North England congregated at the Namdhari Sikh Sangat Southall Community centre for the occasion.

The mela began in earnest the previous day, 8^th March, when a Youth Kavi Darbar was hosted. The young children of Southall recited kavitas with energy and vigour. Contributors to the Youth kavi darbar of 8 March 2008 were:Santa S Chana, Shyam S Bhuller, Shaam K Bhuller, Nimrath K Sian, Jeevan S Sian, Ravinder K Kallha, Jeevan S Khalla, Jaidev S Chana, Mehal K Bhuller, Mangal K Bhuller, Ganga S Chana, Gurkartar K Deoora, Arjun S Chana, Amrit K Chana, Kartar K Kallha, Inder S Kallha, Raj-inder K Randhawa, Manpreet K Matharu

The members of the Southall Youth Club prepared the evening’s langar.

The audio of the entire mela is posted on www.kukasikhs.com, the official web site of Namdhari Sikh Sangat Southall UK

Mataava’s Din began in the early hours of Sunday with a rendendation of the Asa Di Var. Ragi Satvinder Singh Bhogal was accompanied by Narinderpal S Ryatt, Attar S Matharu & Sarabjit Singh on tabla and Hardial Singh (East London) as the backing vocalist. Before the ardas, three sardharan paath de bhogs were recited, and this concluded the morning session. The seva for the morning langar was by Sant Joginder S Bhamra. This seva was hosted to mark birthdays of his grandsons. Pradhan Sulkhan Singh presented malas to Gurmukh Singh Bhamra and Sukhvir Singh Devgun.

The proceeding for the rest of the day began with a presentation of the newly released DVD “Atal Pratapi”. The sangat was transfixed for 45 minutes on the unique history of Sri Satguru Pratap Singh ji, documented in this disc.

In his opening address, Ajeet Singh Saguu invited Bibi Tajinder Kaur to the stage. Bibi Ji shared with the sangant a few of her many first hand experiences of Mata Chand Kaurs’s unknown qualities and passion for the Namdhari Panth.

The Sangeet & Kirtan performances opened in grand style with a imposing semi-classical composition of the geet ‘pheleh maa kehna bolyaa’ performed by Avtar Singh (of Windsor & pupil of Ustad Surjit Singh). The kavita was penned by his mother, bibi Narinder Kaur. Backing vocalists Ustad Surjit Singh, Sarabjit Singh, Mohan Singh, Jaswant Singh and Attar Singh were impressive, and the choir was supported by Bachiter Singh on the dholak and Balbir Singh on the tabla. – The opening musical number was a very emotional and effective tribute to all Guru Matas and mothers in general.

Following this was an address by Pradhan Sant Sulkhan Singh (East London). He praised the Southall committee and Bibi Harbhajan Kaur for organising this first ever Guru Matas Mela. Next was a superbly played sarangi solo from Ustad Surjeet Singh. He played the raga jounpuri in teen taal and was accompanied on the tabla by Gurdev Singh Sagoo. Surjeet Singh’s account, at about 25 minutes, never wallowed in sentiment but was not light-footed, either.

Matas Mela, and who could keep the ladies away! A ladies jatha represented by East London and Southall were the next to take stage and entertained the congregation with a couple of shabads. This was followed by girl of a much younger generation, as Shaam Kaur Bhuller spoke on the historic account of Mata Khivi Ji (wife of Guru Angand Dev Ji) and presented a touching view of Mata Bhupinder Kaurs Ji’s life. She closed here speech with a short kavita on all the guru matas.

In a voice with a warm and velvet texture Jathedar Dr Joga Singh’s vikhyan covered a very brief synopsis of guru matas in history. It was followed by pupils of Ustad Surjeet Singh, who performed the shabad at-pritam maan mohana with a variety of stringed instruments including the sarangi (Gushmir Singh), sitar (Bibis Harbhajan and Kuldeep Kaur), mandolin (Balraj Singh), dilruba (Narinder Kaur) and with Balbir Singh on tabla. The clarity of both music and performance in conveying meaning by matching the sung words was vivid.

The latter half of the program was reserved for katha , vekhyan and kavitas. In his talk, Harbhajan Singh Gahir Croydan) quoted from the Bani on the meaning of ‘ma’. Sant Harbhajan Singh Sagoo from Birmingham was in full emotion and hence captured an appropriate mood while addressing his kavitas – Jag mata tu hain and Mein nu Cheenee Wale da dedidar kar lain de. In closing he said a few phrases on Mata Gujri Ji.

Next on stage was Bibi Charanjit Kaur. She gave a well-judged reflective account of the womens participation in family life. Backed by quotations from the Bani, she instilled a sense of togetherness for women in the modern society. She was followed by Bibi Harbhajan Kaur Chana whose kavita ‘bibiyan’ was a light hearted composition which brought on delight and smiles on the faces of the audience!

The long marathon was drawing to a close and stage Secretary Ajeet Singh invited UK General Secretary Mrs Daljit Kaur to say the closing speech. The children who took part in the Youth Kavi Darbar were handed out Certificates of achievement for their efforts. Sant Harbhajan Singh Sagoo presented these certificates. The success of this mela prompted Ajeet Singh to invite the entire sangat for the second mataavas mela to be held in March of 2009. Ardas and Langar followed.

Matas Mela 2008 – organised and hosted by NSS Southall UK