The Ladies of Our Gurudwara

GURDWARA MEDFORD COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE could learn Gurbani, Kirten, and A Tribute to the Punjabi in weekdays and weekends. Their children were growing up Ladies of Our with weakening links to Sikh culture. If they did not reverse this Gurdwara trend, the generation would drift and lose forever its link to the great spiritual, cultural and linguistic By Baljeet Kaur traditions of the Sikh community. Such bleak prospects worried them into taking bold action. It’s difficult to imagine our In 1997 a group of concerned Gurdwara’s birth and development lady sewadars gathered to discuss without the role of a group of their shared fears, hopes and steadfast, dedicated and farsighted aspirations. Given the urgency of Sikh ladies. It is also difficult to the matter, they took the first step imagine a Commemorative Issue commensurate with their rather that celebrates the journey of our limited resources. They volunteered Gurdwara that does not put on to hold Weekly Sunday Diwans in record their selfless sewa. A tribute their homes by turn. They also that matches their dedication is decided to toil to raise awareness perhaps difficult, but a humble about the lack of Gurdwara among attempt follows, if only to say that the Sikh families living in the Boston we will never forget their sacrifices. Area. They further decided to do The very idea of having a fund raising and began to think of Gurdwara in the Boston area was purchasing a building for the conceived by Sikh ladies. The Gurdwara. nearest Gurdwara involved a three For many months this group hour journey back and forth once a of ladies went to all the Sikh homes week or fortnight. The distance was and businesses in the Boston area to a real obstacle to the sort of intimacy collect donations for the Gurdwara. and connectivity they desired from a They also urged people to host the Guru Ghar. They dreamt of a place weekly Diwans at their homes. The that would be accessible by public ladies used every Gurpurab to transportation so that they did not collect funds. They would start have to wait for their children, monthly sessions of Sukhmani Sahib families or relatives to drive them before the Gurpurabs to motivate there. They imagined a place where people to come to the Gurdwara. their children and grandchildren Everywhere they went they took 16 GURDWARA MEDFORD COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE their cause with them. If any of the the responsibility of making their ladies went to another state or children read the shabads correctly, country for a wedding or Akhand practice well enough, and this meant Paath she would ask the sangat there that the mothers were an integral for donations for the Boston part of the Kirten class. It was also Gurdwara. the mothers’ job to ensure their These ladies took the tradition children came prepared and on time of Sangat and Pangat very seriously. to do their Kirten on Sunday. It is Every week they helped out the through hard work and family that was hosting the Sunday encouragement of the mothers of the Diwan. They offered to make Jatha members that Gurdwara Guru langgar at their homes if the host Nanak Darbar’s Kirteni Jatha has family did not have the facilities become so proficient at doing Kirten. available. In the cold snowy days of They further encouraged their the winter they sat in driveways and children to participate in all the garages to cook for the sangat. The activities organized for them by the Sangat was provided with breakfast Gurdwara such as Punjabi Class, and lunch each and every Sunday. Samelan and Competitions. They did this Seva for seven years Finally, the Commemorative even as the Gurdwara was moved to Issue you have in your hands has an a rented house and then a overwhelming contribution from the commercial building to lady sewadars. Two dedicated ladies accommodate the growing Sangat performed the vital task of because none of these rented places marketing the magazine to the local had kitchen facilities. Such was their businesses community. Other ladies devotion. did sub‐editing, photography, These ladies contributed in writing, Akhand Path organization other ways too. Those who could and supervision of a full and read Gurbani volunteered their time thorough clean up of the interior and to teach how to read Guru Granth exterior of the Gurdwara in Sahib to anyone who was willing. preparation of Vesakhi 2005. Once Sardar Karminder Singh Ji These ladies have inspired started Kirten classes they enrolled young girls like me to participate their children to start the more in the Gurdwara activities. Gurdwara’s own Kirten Jatha. He Thank you for your leadership by insisted that the students’ mothers example. And thank you for your accompanied their children to the dedication and hardwork. Above all, Kirten class and sat in with them for thank you for showing us the way. the full duration. The mothers had End. 17.

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