RAMGARHIA MK INSIGHT Ramgarhia Sabha Sikh Temple Keller Close, Kiln Farm Milton Keynes, MK11 3LH. Tel: 01908 560799 www.ramgarhiamk.org

Newsletter 2009 Issue 4 April

The Sadh Sangat participating in Nishan Sahib

Page 1 What‟s Inside This Issue!

We have another issue full of information and facts for all our readers to enjoy. A big thank you to all those who have contributed to this issue!

Article Page Treasurer‟s Report 3 Timetable of Regular Gurudwara Sahib Events 4 Building Progress Update 4 Recent Events at Gurudwara Sahib 5 Celebrations at RSMK by Jaspreet K. Gida 6 Something in the Chips! By Sukhi S. Suri 7 Community Liaison By Mr.s Kuldeep K. Obhi 8 Sports Update 9 Punjabi Class By Talvinder K. Virdee-Basra 10 Health Watch – High Cholesterol 11 Calendar of Events for the next Quarter 13 RSMK Children‟s Speech Contest By Tarsem S. Ubhi 14 RSMK AGM 16 Would you like to Advertise? 17 Let us have Your opinions 18 More Vaisakhi 2009 Photos! 19 Next Issue 20 Messages!

For any programme bookings and information please contact the committee sevadar on duty between the hours of 7pm and 8pm from Monday to Saturday and during Divan on Sunday.

Learn Punjabi to GCSE level

Additional class will be starting very soon on Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm. Please let the management committee have your name if you wish to learn!

Page 2 Treasurer‟s report for 2008-2009

The table below shows a breakdown of our income and expenditure since May 2008 until Feb. 2009

Description Incomes Expenditures Balance brought forward £32,100.00 Utilities and Insurance £6,100.00 Salaries £4,000.00 Cleaning £600.00 Groceries £2,000.00 Building (Kitchen, Sports Hall £28,900.00 Income (Donations) £35,300.00 Total £67,400.00 £41,600.00 Balance £25,800.00 *Figures are rounded up to nearest hundred.

There are a number of pending projects. Some are in the planning stage and some are work in progress. Examples of key projects are:

Security of the building Kitchen completion New Gas Line – to cater for the increased supply required to run the hobs in the kitchen and the central heating system Heating and Electrical work Paving and Tarmac for parking area Total estimate for these projects is £70,000

We would like to thank all the members of the Sabha for their contributions in the past and look forward to your continued generous contributions, both physical and financial in helping with the above mentioned projects in the future.

To make regular donations you can set up Standing Orders in favour of “Ramgarhia Sabha Milton Keynes” Sort Code 301553, account number 1543291.

With best wishes, Inderjit Singh Rajbans, Treasurer RSMK.

Page 3 Timetable of Regular Gurudwara Sahib Events

Sunday Morning Divan: The main divan takes place every Sunday morning from 9.30am till 12.45pm. The schedule for the morning is as follows: 9.30am Kirtan of Sri Assa Di Var 10.30am Kirtan 12.45 Ardas followed by Guru Ka

Simran: Come and join members of the Sadh Sangat in chanting the name of the Almighty on Saturday mornings between 7am and 8am.

Ladies Satsang: Takes place on the first Saturday of each month from 2pm till 4pm.

Sangrand: There is an evening divan from 6.30pm till 8pm to celebrate the beginning of the new month in accordance with the Nanakshahee calendar.

Punjabi Class: Takes place Monday evening at 6pm for one hour, followed by a chips and beans dinner!

Kirtan Class: Harmonium and Tabla teaching takes place Monday evening from 7pm till 8.00pm.

Lunch Club: Takes place each Wednesday. The concept of Lunch club is to get elderly people out of their homes and to facilitate sharing of social values amongst each other through the provision of a luncheon. Kirtan takes place from 11.00am to 11.30am and then yoga from 11. 30am to 12.30pm. Luncheon is provided between 12:30 and 1:00 pm. Officers of Statutory bodies are invited to the Gurudwara on a regular basis to provide related information such as Police assistance, Housing concerns, Medical etc. Lunch Club arranges outings for their members regularly.

Building Progress Update

Security: The committee is looking to secure the premises by installing a lockable gate at the entrance, as there have been a number of incidents whereby the people from the Club next door have wandered onto the premises late at night. This will also be enhanced with a full security package for the

Page 4 Gurudwara building in terms of an alarm system complimented by CCTV cameras.

Lighting: The light fittings for the dining hall have now been completed and you will hopefully have noticed the vast improvement!

As is normal with building projects in Temples, we are in need for volunteers to come and help us. This includes painting, general labour, landscaping and gardening etc; or if you have a particular skill that you feel we can benefit from, please came and talk to us. And finally, the Building Committee and the Management Committee would like to thank everyone who has helped, and continuing to do so, with the various building works to date.

Kirtan Events at Gurudwara Sahib

Bhai Inderjit Singh Ji from Derby enlightened the Sangat with Kirtan and Katha on Sunday 11 January 2009 to celebrate the Avtar Divas of Sri Ji. Bhai Sahib shared a lot of knowledge with the Sadh Sangat on the life of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the values of living a life of truth and the teachings we need to ingrain into our youngsters for Sikhi to flourish. Dr Paramjit Singh Hunjan made visits to Gurudwara Sahib in February and early April. He studied music at university in and all that learning showed through in his performance of Kirtan and Katha.

Page 5 Vaisakhi – “Birth of ” - Celebrations at RSMK

On Sunday 19th April, hundreds of with guests attended at the Sikh Temple to celebrate Vaisakhi. Akhand path had commenced on Friday morning and ended early Sunday morning with continuous reciting of from the . After the Ardas, Giani Ji led the Sadh Sangat in reciting shabads. Shortly afterwards, the Panj Piare made an entrance to the worship hall. The Panj Piare looked so grand and outstanding, they were wearing identical outfits, which consisted of a blue turban with a shining , orange kurta with white bottoms, blue belt, small kirpan, white scarf and carried a full length kirpan. The ardas was done after the Panj Piare had paid their respects to Guru Ji. The Panj Piare then did a jakara each. The Sadh Sangat then followed the Panj Piare downstairs to the Nishan Sahib. Before the ceremony ardas was done. The flagpole was lowered and the Nishan Sahib robe was removed, along with the Khanda and the Sikh flag (Nishan Sahib). All the Sangat participated in washing the flagpole with yoghurt and milk, then covered it with oil, to prevent rust. The flagpole was then dried and a clean cover of the Khanda and Nishan Sahib was added to replace the old which symbolises the rededication of every Sikh to the faith. During this session, prayers were sung by many of the Sadh Sangat and the Panj Piare did continuous siMr.an of Waheguru. The newly

Page 6 dressed flagpole was raised once the prayers and ardas had been completed. The atmosphere was very energetic, lively and colourful. The Sadh Sangat returned to the worship hall and thereafter shabads were sung by Giani Ji. Giani Ji described the events of Vaisakhi in 1699. Giani Ji had enlightened some of the Sangat as some had become emotional with tears coming down. It was amazing how the Panj Piare dedicated their life to Guru Gobind Singh Ji and how faithful they were to the Sikh faith. The point that Giani Ji put forward was that very few people would sacrifice their head. The five true devotees (Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh, Bhai Mohkam Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh) offered their lives to the Guru unhesitatingly. They did not question the wisdom or the authority of the Guru who asked the congregation to offer the lives for the noble cause. Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave them the title of "BELOVED FIVE". During the celebrations, prizes were awarded to the Punjabi teachers for their dedication in teaching Punjabi and . Further prizes were given to students who participated in the Public speaking contest. It was a wonderful and memorable day of celebration!

Something in the Chips!

A “chips and beans supper” is fast becoming the cornerstone of the weekly Punjabi classes. They certainly seem to be keeping the student‟s alert (or is it the teachers...)? Students of various ages took to the stage again for their latest presentation as part of the Gurudwara‟s efforts to celebrate Vaisakhi. As with the previous two presentations the underlying intention was to deliver more than just simple entertainment for the Sangat. Various learning objectives were set for the students, who in turn had been hard at work perfecting them in the run up to the presentation. Page 7 The main focus set down by the presentation organisers was Punjabi pronunciation. The presentation proved that the children continue to improve their pronunciation and vocabulary.

The Punjabi class teachers and presentation organisers also aimed to focus the children into looking at the Vaisakhi celebration and meaning in more depth. This was done by explaining the Sikh symbols, their relevance and also by giving examples of the attributes and purpose of being a true Sikh rather than the more common aesthetic ideals that we all blindly succumb and falsely aspire to. On the day this was presented well using an easy to understand, children‟s story telling format which explained the notion of „Khalsa‟. Ongoing improvements in the children‟s shabad singing were also evident in the singing of Vaho Vaho Gobind Singh Ji and Deh Shiva. The Sangat appreciated the effort made by the students and positive feedback was communicated by numerous attendees. A well deserved THANK YOU goes out to all the students that took part. New faces are always welcome to come and sample chips (recommended…) or take part in the more serious business of Punjabi classes held on each Monday 6pm to 7pm. (All levels, ages and abilities welcome).

Community Liaison

SAI BABA ORGANISATION – 24 hours devotional singing for world peace: “Unity in Thought, Word and Deed”

An invitation was received by Mr. M S Kundal inviting the Sikhs to participate in the devotional singing for 24 hours in aid of world peace on 8th and 9th November 2008. Most of the inter-faith communities in Milton Keynes participated. We were given a one hour slot on the Sunday morning. Mr. M. S. Kundal, Mr. H. S. Chaggar, Mr. T. S. Chaggar, Mr. P. S. Obhi and Mrs. K. K. Obhi took part on behalf of Ramgarhia Sabha Gurudwara, Sikh Community. Singing of Shabads was followed by a live interview on various aspects of Sikhism on

Page 8 Three Counties Radio. This was held at St John Ambulance Hall in Furzton, Milton Keynes.

SACRE MEETING AT RSMK GURUDWARA - 27TH Feb 2009

SACRE is the Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education in Schools, MK Council. Committee meetings are normally held in Civic Offices, Schools, places of worship in rotation. The meeting was held at RSMK Gurudwara at the request of SACRE. It was organised by Mr.s Kuldeep Kaur Obhi in collaboration with the Management Committee of RSMK. The meeting was held in the dining hall and was attended by representatives from various religious denominations, Teachers, Councilor J Irons and an administrative staff member from MK Council. After the formal business of the meeting special thanks were extended to the Management of RSMK for the use of the facilities. Members attending were shown around the Gurudwara and the Prayer Hall upstairs. A brief talk was given by Mr.s K K Obhi about basic principles of Sikhism and numerous questions were answered. Refreshments were also organised and served to the SACRE members.

Mr. and Mr.s Obhi at a recent presentation on Sikhism to a class of school children at St Frank Markham School. A turban tying demonstration was watched with great intrigue and received with enthusiasm by a member of the class!

Sports Update

Good news for our sports enthusiasts! The management committee has considered the proposals put forward by the Sports and Social committee and approved the funding for a fully fitted gym, The gym machines are bespoke and are tailor made for our requirements. The cost of this project is currently in the region of £3600. Additional cost will be for free weights and mats to compliment the gym equipment. The equipment will be permanently fixed on the far end of the sports hall. The following machines will be provided: Flat/Incline Bench Leg Extension Page 9 Lat Machine Pec Fly There will be a small charge to use the equipment. A list of opening times and the charge is in the process of being finalised. Look out for further information on the Gurudwara Sahib notice board. We have also secured the services of a fully qualified martial arts teacher. Classes will be starting very soon. If you would like to learn self defence please speak to a member of the sports committee, or management committee for details. As students progress, they will be given the opportunity to attain grading levels through examinations and even participate in tournaments! Classes will be free! The only cost to you is your dedication and interest. The football side of things is on hold for the moment. We need to ensure we have the right type of playing surface. As you can see from the treasurer‟s report, we are looking to get the car park re-surfaced and an area surfaced for us to be able to play sports on. This is a major project which will require a significant amount of funding. All donations for this will be greatly appreciated.

PUNJABI CLASS – A Mother/Teacher perspective.

I have been involved with Punjabi Classes now for about 2 years. I began attending as a parent initially to ensure my children were going to behave during class – they can be a handful! I also thought it would be a good opportunity for me to brush up on my Punjabi. Through my attendance I was gradually coaxed into helping out more with the teaching side of things and covering for teachers. As the studentship began to grow I found myself teaching the beginners class. Whether I am teaching them the alphabet, phrases, history or we are just having a debate, teaching and working with the children and ensuring their needs are meet (and their parents) for me is fun, enjoyable and very rewarding and not forgetting to mention challenging! Monday evenings has now successfully become part of my family‟s routine. It allows us to go to the Gurudwara once a week (Sundays is not always possible for us), to be able to do regular sewa and also socialise with other members of the community. It‟s been a great way of meeting other mums for me and the children have also made many friends. I enjoy teaching the children, it is a fulfilling role especially when you realise how passionate some of the children are about learning their mother tongue, wishing to be able to converse in it and wanting to learn more about the origins of their religion and the teachings of our Gurus. It gives me immense pride in our children as it is undertaken in their own time after school. It is also Page 10 refreshing to see dedicated and supportive parents who ensure the children attend regularly and stay to help with the domestics. It‟s a real community venture. I do take my role seriously and teaching them brings about a great sense of responsibility as the children of today are the future of Sikhi.

Health Watch – High Cholesterol

Two in three adults have a cholesterol level that is higher than recommended. Having high cholesterol affects your heart and blood vessels and increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Symptoms: A high cholesterol level may only be revealed if you develop symptoms of heart disease. Sometimes, yellow patches (known as xanthomas) may develop around your eyes or elsewhere on your skin - these are cholesterol deposits and indicate that you have high cholesterol levels in your blood

Complications of high cholesterol There is an increased risk of heart disease, arterial disease and strokes. Your GP will discuss possible complications of high cholesterol with you.

Causes of high cholesterol There are several factors that may contribute to you having high blood cholesterol. These include:  a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol  a lack of exercise

Page 11  family history - you're more likely to have high cholesterol if you have a close male relative aged under 55 or a female relative aged under 65 affected by heart disease  being overweight  age and gender - your cholesterol levels generally rise with increasing age, and men are more likely to be affected than women  drinking more than the recommended daily amount of alcohol Other conditions such as poorly controlled diabetes, certain kidney and liver diseases, and an under active thyroid may also cause high cholesterol.

Treatment of high cholesterol There are two ways to help lower high cholesterol. The first is with lifestyle changes including changing your diet, managing your weight and increasing exercise. The second is to combine lifestyle changes with cholesterol-lowering medicines. Self-help Healthy eating can reduce cholesterol. Your diet should be low in saturated fats in particular, and low in fat overall. Biscuits, cakes, pastries, red meat, hard cheese and butter all tend to be high in saturated fats, so cut down on these foods. Large amounts of cholesterol are found in some foods, including eggs and offal such as liver and kidneys. It's also important to eat plenty of fibre, especially soluble fibre, which is thought to lower cholesterol. Soluble fibre is found in fruits and vegetables, beans and oats. Aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day If you're overweight, an excess weight loss plan may help you to reduce your Cholesterol levels. Increasing your physical activity may enhance the cholesterol-lowering effects of diet. As high cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease, you should reduce any additional risk of developing heart disease, eg by stopping smoking.

Page 12 Medicines Your GP may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medicines if you already have heart disease, or are at high risk of getting it because you have other risk factors. The aim of treatment is to reduce your total cholesterol levels by a quarter or to less than 4mmol/L. The main groups of medicines for lowering cholesterol are the statins. Available statins include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), pravastatin (Lipostat), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). They work by reducing the production of cholesterol in the liver. These medicines can have side-effects such as indigestion and muscle pains. Your GP can tell you more about these medicines and suggest the most suitable treatment for you. Prevention of high cholesterol You may be able to prevent the development of high cholesterol by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, stopping smoking, not drinking alcohol and taking regular exercise.

Calender of events for the next quarter

The following programmes will be happening over the second quarter of 2009. The most significant is that of the Shahidi of Sri Dev Ji – The King of Martyrs.

Friday 15 May Sangrand – Jeth Kirtan Divan 6.30pm to 8.00pm followed by Guru Ka Langer Monday 15 June Sangrand – Harh Kirtan Divan 6.30pm to 8.00pm followed by Guru Ka Langer Friday – Sunday Sri Akhand Path Sahib Ji to Commemorate 19 – 21 June Shahidi of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Thursday 16 July Sangrand – Sawan Kirtan Divan 6.30pm to 8.00pm followed by Guru Ka Langer

Page 13 RSMK Children‟s Speech Contest

The Skill of Public Speaking is one of absolute necessity if one has aspirations to become a leader in the community, workplace or at home. Company directors have to have it; no politician can be without it. The idea of holding a speech contest has been discussed by the Culture Sub- Committee since last year soon after the new committee was elected in. Bletchley Speakers Club was invited to Kiln Farm to kick-start some sort of a debate or speech session for the members of the Sabha. Although all of those sessions were well attended, an involvement from them was not forthcoming With no interest from the adult Sangat members we decided to approach the students of the Punjabi Class. Benefits such as, building confidence, help them achieve better grades at school and empower them to make a positive difference in the community were mentioned to the youngsters. Prizes such as iPods were named and this sparked interest amongst the children. A date for a contest for 18th April 2009 was decided. It was also determined to have three age categories: Group A: ages 16 – 20; Group B: ages 12 – 15; Group C: ages 8 – 11. After that there was no looking back. Two training sessions per week were organised to give the school age participants maximum chance to attend at least one session per week. The participants were coached using the same format used by the Bletchley Speakers Club. In the first half of each session, prepared speeches were presented by the young speakers followed by an evaluation by either Tarsem Singh Ubhi or Kamaljit Singh Reehal. The second half was used to train the speakers to “think on their feet”, where they had to come to the stage and talk for two minutes about a subject they were given there and then

Page 14 In the meantime prominent members of the community with their generous contributions towards the prizes and also the backing of the Ramgarhia Sabha‟s Committee encouraged the team to move ahead with the prizes as promised, without any trepidation. On Saturday 18th April at 3pm, after months of preparation, the Ramgarhia Sabha hosted their first ever Speech Contest in the new Sports Hall. On the day, the atmosphere in the room was absolutely electric and full of excitement. The audience, glued to their seats, listened to every speaker in pin-drop silence interspersed only by brief laughter every time a speaker made a humorous comment or gesture. Every speech and introduction of the speaker by Kamaljit Singh Reehal was met with thunderous clapping.

On the day the contest was judged by Tom Ferret (Chief Judge), Satnam Singh Gida and Avtar Singh Sokhi. The winners were announced by Tom (Bletchley Speakers Club). Certificates were presented by Harbir Singh Lamba, Satnam Singh Gida and Nirwer Singh Nandhra. After the event comments like “I have never experienced a Speech Contest organised by the Sikhs for their youth - this is a first!” It was absolutely wonderful and exciting”, “ Who out of these young Speakers is going to be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom”. One member of the audience commented “The sheer level of coMr.adely, back-patting amongst the contestants for each other was ironic – they were booming forth chants of „Go For It!‟ to each other”. Although the prizes were there for the taking but it seemed just taking part was more important. Fist Prize winners in each category were presented with an IPOD. Second prize was £50.00 vouchers and third prize was £25.00 vouchers. All other participants received £10.00 vouchers. These prizes were presented to the winners on Sunday 19 April 2009 at the Vaisakhi celebrations in the Gurudwara.

Page 15 A video of the entire contest was created by Tarsem Singh Chaggar that will be uploaded to the www.ramgarhiamk.org website. Photographs were also taken and will appear on the website soon. The list of winners were as follows: Group A 1st Riya Matharu 2nd Harkiran Kaur Sihra 3rd Jai Basra Consolation Prize Shaan Choudhry Group B 1st Manvir Matharu 2nd Saahib Reehal 3rd Surjit Jittla Consolation Prizes Rajan Basra Shaleen Choudhry Shakti Choudhry Group C 1st Sharan Ubhi 2nd Jodhan Reehal 3rd Pavan Jittla

The plan is to organise one more contest later in the year. There is a suggestion to form a Sikh Speakers Club. Members of this club would meet regularly to practice speeches, hold debates and organise other events. Any other suggestions are most welcome. Please use the suggestion box in the Gurudwara lobby, contact a member of the committee directly or through the Sabha website. Alternately email any comments to [email protected] or [email protected]

RSMK Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Ramgarhia Sabha MK was held on Sunday 26th April 2009 from 1pm. There were 40 members present. There were updates from the President, General Secretary and the Treasurer. A presentation was done to show the work and progress done to the Sabha by the various Sub-Committees made over the last year which included the New Sports Hall, Multimedia Projectors, Newsletter, RSMK Website, Kitchen counter and Shoe racks. The President also thanked the committee members Page 16 and the Sadh Sangat for their contributions to the betterment of the Gurudwara.

Future projects were also mentioned which include, Security System at the Gurudwara (ordered), Finishing the Kitchen (Equipment ordered), Gym equipment (ordered) External Gas Tanks for the Kitchen (ordered), finishing electrical and heating works, Paving and Tarmac in the parking area. After all building work is complete there is a plan to have a completion ceremony at next year‟s Vaisakhi

A comment was made regarding the need to publicise the Ramgarhia Sabha name with other public and social bodies. The new committee will decide on a way forward on this matter. Finally the election was held. Since only 11 nominations had been received for the committee membership all the nominees were awarded positions.

New Committee members

President: Nirwer Singh Nandhra General Secretary: Narinderjit Singh Ubhi Treasurer: Inderjit Singh Rajbans

Other Committee Members are: Inder Kaur Panesar Mohinder Singh Munde Ravinderpal Singh Mahoon Daljit Singh Assi Ravinder Singh Assi Manjit Singh Virdee Narinderjit Singh Matharu Paramjit Singh Jittla

Would You Like To Advertise In The RSMK Newsletter?

If you wish to advertise to the local Sikh Community, then this will be a very useful channel for you! At the same time you will be helping your local Gurudwara Sahib! Please contact the committee member on duty at the Gurudwara Sahib on a daily basis between 7pm and 8pm to discuss your requirements. We can either use your own advertising material or build an advert from scratch. It is your choice. Page 17

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Let Us Have Your Opinion!

Did you find the topics informative and interesting? Please let us have your thoughts on this newsletter? We want to write about the things that interest you. Let us know if you wish for certain articles or topics of discussion to be included. Remember, this is your newsletter so we need to know what you want.

Page 18 If you wish to publish an article in the next newsletter, please let us know. We want to get the local Sangat involved as much as possible in having input to the newsletter. More Vaisakhi 2009 Photos!

Page 19 Next Newsletter to be Published in July 2009…

Please get any articles, thoughts, adverts to us before 15 June 2009 so we can include them in our next newsletter. Even if it is local or national news that maybe of interest to the community, we need your input. You may even have some news about what is happening in our homeland, the Punjab!

Contact Details

Ramgarhia Sikh Temple Milton Keynes Keller Close, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes, MK11 3LH Tel 01908 560799 www.ramgarhiamk.org

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