FINAL TRIBUTES ARE PAID TO CITY'S SIKH WAR HERO

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Final tributes are paid to city's Sikh war hero

A Sikh war veteran who was "respected by all who met him" has been laid to rest in his adopted home town.

Family and friends from as far a field as Australia, Botswana and India gathered, in Leicester, yesterday for the funeral of Harnam Singh.

Described as a pillar of the community, in Leicester and his native Punjab, Harnam died last month, aged 84.

Son Armarjit, who now lives in Perth, Australia, said: "My father was a great soldier and absolutely fearless as a man – spiritually, physically, morally – in every sense.

"Everything he did came straight from the heart. He was much-loved and respected by all who met him."

Harnam was born into a humble farming family in the village of Lasara and as a teenager fought on the frontline against the Japanese with the British Indian Army in Burma.

He distinguished himself for his bravery as a tank gunner with the 8th King George V Own Light Cavalry during the campaign.

He went on to have a successful career in the Indian Army following independence until his retirement, ranked honorary lieutenant, in 1973.

Harnam became a British citizen, in 1992, when he moved to Leicester, living in Spinney Hills with his wife Daljit Kaur, 82.

For the past six years , the couple lived at the home of his eldest daughter Balbir Kaur Jabbal, in Welford Road.

Balbir, 52, said: "It's hard to say goodbye to someone who was so strong. He was a war hero but also my hero too. We all loved and miss him, my mother especially."

Mourners gathered at the family home, in Welford Road, in the morning to sing hymns and recite prayers from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures.

His funeral, attended by more than 150 people, took place at Gilroes Crematorium, where granddaughters Aman Preet Kaur, 30, from Australia, and Gaggan Kaur Jabbal, 12, from Leicester, each gave an address to the congregation.

The service was followed by further hymns and prayers at a celebration of Harnam's life at the Gurudwara Guru Tegh Bhadur temple, in East Park Road, Spinney Hills.

Son Dr Maninderjit Singh Pabla, 58, from the Punjab, said: "My father was a disciplinarian, a hard worker and intelligent person who had a flair for helping people."

"He paid for health clinics for villagers back in Lasara and set up a scholarship for hard-working students at the local school.

"In Leicester, he also devoted his time to helping others, including many elderly people who spoke little English.

"One of his proudest moments was meeting the Queen during a visit to Leicester in the 1994."

Daughter Kulwant Kaur, 50, from Botswana, said: "I was so proud of my father.

"He was a true community leader and happiest when helping others."Surinderpal Singh Rai, general secretary of the Guru Tegh Bhadur, said: "Harnam was a charismatic, jolly character who will be missed by all."

Harnam died at home on January 25 after suffering from bladder cancer for two years.

SEWA DAY

Today is the second annual Sewa Day. Here's some information from the Sewa Day website. There's lots more of interest and inspiration to be found there.

Sewa is a universal concept, which involves performing an act of kindness without expectation of reward. It is performed selflessly and without ulterior motive.

As a concept, Sewa in embedded in Indian traditions, and is actively promoted by different cultures and faiths - as the core belief is the same - to sacrifice your time and resources for the benefit of others without wanting anything in return. 

On Sewa Day, thousands of good-hearted people across the world come together to perform Sewa and experience the joy of giving in its truest sense. By participating in this collective endeavour, we hope that the seeds of Sewa are watered so that acts of kindness and public service are performed more often. Sewa Day is a catalyst in making this happen. 

Previously, participating groups have organised Sewa Day volunteering projects in old people’s homes, homeless shelters, schools in disadvantaged areas, hospitals and hospices, country parks, conservation areas and city farms – all with an aim of making a positive difference to someone else’s happiness and prosperity. Join us this year to make our dream a reality.We’re all concerned about disadvantage, deprivation and ignorance. Sewa day provides an opportunity to do something positive that makes a meaningful difference to someone else’s quality of life. 

We discourage all projects that involve fund-raising; as the purpose is to give your time. So, let’s focus on that. 

It really doesn’t matter if you’re a pensioner or a young child, whether you’re physically able or not, or whether you black, brown or blue. 

All that matters is that you commit to doing a good deed on Sewa Day, which takes place on Sunday, 25th September 2011. 

Sewa UK is a secular, non-political UK registered charity.

While Leicester Council of Faiths is not, itself, participating in or promoting any particular activity for Sewa Day 2011, I couldn't let the occasion go by without reflecting on how selfless service is treated in the scripture or inspirational texts of our eight member faith communities.

In the extract from the Sewa Day website above, it states, "As a concept, Sewa in embedded in Indian traditions, and is actively promoted by different cultures and faiths - as the core belief is the same - to sacrifice your time and resources for the benefit of others without wanting anything in return." This does not suggest (indeed, it counters the suggestion) that such a concept and practice is the domain of the faiths, religions or philosophies of Indian origin alone. They can surely be said to be common to all religions, sometimes being expressed in more general terms as "The Golden Rule"). But whether it is called sewa, service, charity, caritas - or some other term - it is one of the core principles, central practices and essential virtues of the spiritual life. It may be expressed in a myriad forms and practices, but its presence enriches the world and its absence devalues religion itself.

Here are some quotations from each of our eight member faiths that I have found myself. No doubt you could come up with many more, faithful reader.

Bahá'í

"This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer." ('Abdu'l-Bahá)

Buddhist

"The greatest quality is seeking to serve others." (Atisha)

Christian

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." (1 Peter 4:9-11)

Hindu

“Give. Give with faith. Do not give without faith. Give with sensitivity. Give with a feeling of abundance. Give with right understanding.” (Taittiriya Upanishad)

Jain

"In making a gift one gets over greed, which is a form of Himsa, and hence gifts made to the worthy recipients amount to a renunciation of Himsa (i.e., amount to observance of Ahimsa)." (Purusharthasiddhi-upaya)

Jewish

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing." (Deuteronomy10:17-19)

Muslim

"Worship God, and join not aught with Him in worship. Be good to parents, and to kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and to a neighbour, whether kinsman or new-comer, and to a fellow traveller, and to the wayfarer, and to the slaves whom your right hands hold; verily, God loveth not the proud, the vain boaster" (Qur’án, 4:40)

Sikh

"A place in God's court can only be attained if we do service to others in this world." (Guru Granth Sahib)

Thousands due to join in parade

Nice piece in today's Leicester Mercury about the Vaisakhi parade that will take place in the city tomorrow. Over the past few years this has become a landmark in Leicester's calendar and it continues to go from strength to strength. This is a very positive article, with some helpful context and historical background: 

Thousands due to join in parade 

By Peter Squires & David Owen 

Up to 20,000 people are expected to take part in a parade through Leicester tomorrow to mark the Indian festival of Vaisakhi.

The colourful procession will wind its way through the centre of the city. 

It will be accompanied by devotional music, with spectators invited to join in with the festivities and share in traditional Indian delicacies. 

The Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival in the Punjab region and commemorates the founding of the Sikh nation in 1699. It also marks the Hindu solar new year and is observed by people of different faiths across the sub-continent. 

Visitors from across the country will swell the crowds, with up to 20,000 people expected on the day. 

Resham Singh Sandu, Leicestershire's first Sikh high sheriff and chairman of the county's Interfaith Forum, said: "Vaisakhi is a very special festival in the Sikh calendar – a time of fulfilment and giving thanks, and looking forward to the year ahead. 

"The procession will be a very lively and happy occasion, full of colour, music and dancing. 

"It's a chance for all the different cultures and faiths in Leicester and Leicestershire to come together. It's also a great showcase for the city." 

The three-hour parade will begin at about 11am at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sikh temple, in Holy Bones, off Vaughan Way. It will go through the city finishing at the Guru Bahadur Gurdwara temple, in East Park Road. 

Vaisakhi fell on Thursday, April 14, this year, but the procession has been held over until Sunday so as many people as possible can take part. 

Several hundred people gathered at the Holy Bones temple on Thursday – marking the end of six days of non-stop recitals from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book. 

Temple vice-chairman Sulakhal Singh Dard said: "From early in the morning, the hall was full of people celebrating and bringing respect to the temple. At one point in the day, we must have had more than 500 people." 

The parade will travel along Great Central Street, Vaughan Way, St Nicholas Circle, Peacock Lane, St Martins, Greyfriars, Berridge Street, Pocklingtons Walk and Welford Place, along King Street, Regent Road, Granville Road, Evington Road, into East Park Road.

Read the article on the Mercury website, along with reader comments: http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Thousands-join-parade/article-3454982-detail/article.html