visitors
Sat Shri Akal!
Rome and Paris are not built in one day. So, organizing my life will take some time too, i guess.
So far is handled the speech on Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which went very well. Though there were some difficult questions, i honestly said i didn't know (yet), i am a sikh in its first meaning aswell. So keep on studying, lady, being a sikh is for the rest of your life.
Last week we had a group of visitors in the gurdwara; female pensioners, still healthy and young at heart and full of adventure. I could see it when they arrived by the choice of their chunnies . Glittering, shining as if they were going to explore the tales of 1001 nights. Ah, ah, something exotic.
I started the slides; Punjab, founding sikhism, Mool Mantra, why they came over here, how are they coping etc. The ladies were not in a hurry, so i could talk "at large". Then the granthi entered, i introduced him to them. A shiver went through the ladies, their mouths fell open . I catched their eyes. The granthi? I realised he must have looked like Laurence of Arabia, tall, kind, handsome. Suddenly i got the impression the temperature in the room went up and everybody started blushing. Oh sweet hormones!
I only know a handful of Punjabi, the granthi a handful of English, but usually we are able to have some kind of communication. But this time we stuttered because of the menopausal tension in the room. The granthi left to do some "urgent" work. Oh,oh.
It was difficult to get their attention again, but in the end they were really interested. So i kept on talking for 4 hours and still the questions were coming. They enjoyed langar with us.
These ladies lived in a nearby town (17 km) and they went home completely happy to have discovered the sikhs and their faith. But they were completely exhausted by my speech, most of them shall have fallen asleep in the bus. I know who they were dreaming of....
Anyway it made me happy too!
But suddenly i look with different eyes to the granthi. Waheguru please forgive me!
On Saturday again 6 students of Social Highschool Brussels came for an interview. They are making a paper on sikhism.
Meanwhile a famous photographer contacted me to see if it was possible to make some pictures of sikhs (with turban), suddenly the sikhs are getting popular!
And the Centre of Fine Arts in Brussels wants "to do something" on India in their winterexhibition and they are inviting the sikhs aswell. Guess who is going to handle this one again?
Maybe public relations would be a nice job for me? What do you think?
But i honestly believe we must grab all these chances to make a possitive image of the sikhs.
It is a blessing to be part of it, it is a blessing to tell the world what enriched my life in so many ways.
What was next on my list? The letter to allow the children with their patka's in school. Yes, the letter... I will finish it as soon as possible.
But first, a sweet stroll in blogging land. Mr. Solarider here i come...
Rome and Paris are not built in one day. So, organizing my life will take some time too, i guess.
So far is handled the speech on Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which went very well. Though there were some difficult questions, i honestly said i didn't know (yet), i am a sikh in its first meaning aswell. So keep on studying, lady, being a sikh is for the rest of your life.
Last week we had a group of visitors in the gurdwara; female pensioners, still healthy and young at heart and full of adventure. I could see it when they arrived by the choice of their chunnies . Glittering, shining as if they were going to explore the tales of 1001 nights. Ah, ah, something exotic.
I started the slides; Punjab, founding sikhism, Mool Mantra, why they came over here, how are they coping etc. The ladies were not in a hurry, so i could talk "at large". Then the granthi entered, i introduced him to them. A shiver went through the ladies, their mouths fell open . I catched their eyes. The granthi? I realised he must have looked like Laurence of Arabia, tall, kind, handsome. Suddenly i got the impression the temperature in the room went up and everybody started blushing. Oh sweet hormones!
I only know a handful of Punjabi, the granthi a handful of English, but usually we are able to have some kind of communication. But this time we stuttered because of the menopausal tension in the room. The granthi left to do some "urgent" work. Oh,oh.
It was difficult to get their attention again, but in the end they were really interested. So i kept on talking for 4 hours and still the questions were coming. They enjoyed langar with us.
These ladies lived in a nearby town (17 km) and they went home completely happy to have discovered the sikhs and their faith. But they were completely exhausted by my speech, most of them shall have fallen asleep in the bus. I know who they were dreaming of....
Anyway it made me happy too!
But suddenly i look with different eyes to the granthi. Waheguru please forgive me!
On Saturday again 6 students of Social Highschool Brussels came for an interview. They are making a paper on sikhism.
Meanwhile a famous photographer contacted me to see if it was possible to make some pictures of sikhs (with turban), suddenly the sikhs are getting popular!
And the Centre of Fine Arts in Brussels wants "to do something" on India in their winterexhibition and they are inviting the sikhs aswell. Guess who is going to handle this one again?
Maybe public relations would be a nice job for me? What do you think?
But i honestly believe we must grab all these chances to make a possitive image of the sikhs.
It is a blessing to be part of it, it is a blessing to tell the world what enriched my life in so many ways.
What was next on my list? The letter to allow the children with their patka's in school. Yes, the letter... I will finish it as soon as possible.
But first, a sweet stroll in blogging land. Mr. Solarider here i come...
posted by manpreet kaur at Tuesday, February 14, 2006
1 Comments:
Sat Shri Akal!
Dear Solarider,
Kind of feel shy to use your real name. I don't know if you want to keep it a secret, since everybody seems to address you by your covername.
Anyhow thank you for the invitation for a memory-benches- tour. Next time when i visit England, i will gladly accept your kind offer. I have no family members in England (as you asked me on your blog), but used to have a soft spot for England (which i have now for India), so i used to come there quiet often. My last four trips ended in Southall (via Gravesend last time).
Seva is a way of life. And it gives of a lot of joy!
But as you pointed out, still a lot has to be done.
Thank you for your offer to provide any help. But do not worry we looked for and found other sikhshoulders to rely on (like sikhs in Holland and United sikhs)
But thank you again, now i know now i can knock your door too.
I am really glad to drop in on your blog, it makes my day.
May Waheguru bless you!
Gurfateh,
Post a Comment
<< Home