woensdag 25 januari 2012

Persbricht Tempelcomplex 2 Mandirs en SIKH GURDWARA

Religieuze stromingen vinden elkaar in groot tempelcomplex
Perdiep Ramesar − 22/02/11, 18:33
Sikhs dienst. Foto: Maarten Hartman

Niet kijken naar de verschillen, maar zoeken naar wat je bindt. Hervormde hindoes, Krishna-beweging en

sikhs in Den Haag hebben dat gedaan. De samenwerking moet in 2014 leiden tot de opening van een groot

 gezamenlijk tempelcomplex bij station Hollands Spoor.

Zoals elke week lopen de gelovigen sereen en rustig hun tempel in Den Haag binnen. Maar deze zondag kijken de bezoekers van de hindoetempels en de gurudwara nog een keer extra rond. Over een paar jaar kan het anders zijn.

De Haagse wethouder Marnix Norder (PvdA, stadsontwikkeling, integratie) heeft eind vorige week officieel ingestemd
met de bouw van een groot tempelcomplex vlakbij het station Hollands Spoor. Daar moeten in 2014 drie aan elkaar
geschakelde gebedshuizen staan, gelardeerd met twee woontorens van elk vijfenveertig appartementen.

Het gaat om drie verschillende stromingen: de hervormde hindoes van de Arya Samaj, de spirituele Krishna-beweging
en de sikhs. Drie religieuze groepen die zo op het eerste gezicht niet heel erg op elkaar lijken. Hoe zijn ze dan toch tot elkaar
 gekomen en het plan geschreven voor een gezamenlijk tempelcomplex?
"Het was eigenlijk heel eenvoudig. We hebben puur gekeken naar onze overeenkomsten", zegt voorzitter Ishwardat Soebedar
 van de vereniging Arya Samaj Nederland die nu een mandir heeft in de Regentesselaan in Den Haag.

"In elk geval zijn in alle drie gebedshuizen tabak, alcohol en drugs verboden", legt Chan Chitan uit. Hij is ondervoorzitter van de
Shri Krishna Dhaam die nu in de Haagse Weimarstraat zit.

"Bovendien wordt er in alle drie gebedshuizen louter vegetarisch gegeten", vervolgt bestuurder Harjit Singh van de sikh-organisatie
 Shri Guru Singh Sabha die elke zondag voor vier uurtjes een gymzaaltje bij een basisschool in de Haagse Withuysstraat huurt.
Kortom, geen tabak, geen alcohol, geen drugs, geen vlees, geen vis en ei. Zo simpel was het volgens de drie mannen. Maar wel
cruciaal, want zonder deze afspraak - die zelfs op papier werd gezet - zou de samenwerking anderhalf jaar geleden nooit van de
 grond zijn gekomen.

De gelovigen hadden nooit durven dromen dat het zou lukken om dit voor elkaar te krijgen. Er zijn namelijk nogal wat verschillen
tussen de groepen. De Arya Samaj vereert bijvoorbeeld beslist geen beelden, terwijl de Krishna-beweging dat wel doet. De etnische
 verschillen nog daar gelaten, want de Arya Samaj bestaat voornamelijk uit Surinaamse Hindostanen, de Krishna-volgelingen zijn
 gemengd en de sikhs komen vooral uit India.

Maar de basisprincipes van hun geloof brachten de stromingen nog verder bij elkaar. "Wij streven ernaar om de wereld nobel en
 gelijkwaardig te maken", zegt Soebedar. "De wereld is volgens ons één grote familie", vertelt Chitan. "En we zijn met ons allen
 samen kinderen van één God", legt Singh uit.

Het lijken allemaal holle frasen, want bijna elk geloof kent zulke wijsheden. De drie voorlieden geven aan dat ze nu met dit project
 kunnen bewijzen dat het helemaal geen loze opmerkingen zijn. "Pas als we afspreken om eens echt uit te gaan van deze fundamenten,
dan is de weg vrij om allerlei vooroordelen en misverstanden uit de weg te ruimen", vertelt Soebedar. "We moeten deze wijsheden niet
 alleen belijden met de mond, maar het wordt ook tijd dat we actie gaan ondernemen. Daar zijn de andere twee organisaties het gelukkig
mee eens."

Ook hebben alle drie organisaties soortgelijke wensen ten behoeve van hun gelovigen die hen nader tot elkaar brengen. Zo willen ze allen
een ontmoetingscentrum voor jongeren en ouderen worden. Daarnaast moet er ruimte zijn voor yoga, meditatie, Hindilessen, klassieke
Indiase zang, muziek en dans. Daarbij moeten hoogtijdagen als Divali voor alle drie organisaties, Holi voor de hindoes en Vaisakhi voor de
 sikhs groots kunnen worden gevierd. Daarvoor voorziet het ontwerp van architect Aniel Ramjanam in de gemeenschappelijke ruimten die
 de tempels aan elkaar verbinden. Als alle schuifdeuren openstaan, kunnen in dat complex zo'n 1500 mensen worden ontvangen.

Ook was er een zuiver pragmatische reden dat de drie partijen bij elkaar zijn gekomen. "Alleen zouden ze geen kans hebben gemaakt.
 De gemeente heeft ze deze kans gegeven, mits ze het samen zouden doen en het plan professioneel en financieel dekkend zou zijn",
zegt PvdA-raadslid en de bedenker van dit project, Rajesh Ramnewash. "Ze weten dat als ze dit plan laten mislukken dat ze dan voor
de komende jaren geen kans meer maken op nieuwbouw. De toekomst ziet er goed uit, maar er moet nog veel werk worden verzet."
News

Largest Indian temple complex in Europe

http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/news-and-events/to/Largest-Indian-temple-complex-in-Europe.htm

Published: 18 February 2011 Modified: 21 February 2011

 

The largest Indian temple complex in Europe, with three temples, apartments and commercial space, will be built behind the Hollands

 Spoor train station.

 

  After years of meeting in cold gym rooms and small houses, The Hague's estimated 40,000 Indians can finally look forward to getting
mandirs (temples) of their own. Three Indian religious movements will be building three temples on a 4,400 square metre site
designated by the Municipality of The Hague between the Waldorpstraat and the 1e Van der Kunstraat in the Laakhaven West
 neighbourhood of The Hague.
 
According to the project developer, Mahler Vastgoed Ontwikkeling (MVO), this is a unique project in the world not only because three
different Indian religious movements – Arya Samaj, International Society for Krishna Consciousness and Sikh – will soon get places of
worship next to each other, but also because they worked together intensively to get this project off the ground.
 
Out of all the plans submitted, The Hague Municipal Executive decided in favour of the proposal by MVO in cooperation with
Arya Samaj Nederland (ASAN), Sri Krishna Dhaam (SKD) and Siri Guru Singh Sbha (SGSS). On the ground floor there will be one
 large room which all three groups can share. The space can be partitioned off with sliding walls. The first floor will have separate
 prayer spaces for each of the three groups, accommodating 400 to 600 people.
 
The plans also call for building 90 apartments in two high-rise towers on either side of the temples and there will be commercial
 space available. There would be space for yoga and meditation. Construction is slated to begin in 2013 and the complex should be
ready by 2014.
 
According to Deputy Mayor Marnix Norder (Urban Development, Public Housing and Integration), 'This will become the largest Indian
 temple complex in Continental Europe and a real icon for the city of The Hague.' 
 
Some 1% of people living in the Netherlands are Indians (originating mainly from Suriname, India and Sri Lanka).
 Roughly 10% of The Hague's population is Indian, representing the city's largest immigrant group. 

 
Haagse Sikhs vierden  verjaardag van tiende en laatste Guru, in teken van nieuwe Gurdwara Kamerlid Pierre Heijnen bezoek gebracht
 

 De heer Pierre Heijnen            Leden van de Gurdwara met kamer        Bestuurder van Gurdwara Foto van Gouden

                                           lid/raads lid/ en mandir bestuurders         Tempel Amritsar Punjab India aan de heer Heijnnen

 

dinsdag 24 januari 2012

Boze sikhs in actie tegen Jay Leno

Boze sikhs in actie tegen Jay Leno

(Novum) - Jay Leno heeft zich de woede van sikhs op de hals gehaald. De Amerikaanse komiek grapte vorige week in zijn Tonight Show op de zender NBC over de heilige tempel van de sikhs, de Harmandir Sahib in India, voorheen de Gouden Tempel. Er is een petitie tegen Leno gestart en zelfs Indiase politici bemoeien zich met de kwestie.

Leno liet donderdag een foto zien van de tempel en noemde het een mogelijk zomerverblijf voor de Republikeinse presidentskandidaat Mitt Romney. In de online petitie die is opgestart eist een groep boze sikhs in Washington dat Leno niet meer over de religie grapt.

In India zelf spreekt Vayalar Ravi, de minister voor Indiërs in het buitenland, schande van de grap, schrijft het Indiase persbureau Press Trust of India. Ravi heeft de Indiase ambassade in de Verenigde Staten gevraagd de zaak aan te kaarten bij het ministerie van buitenlandse zaken.

Uitgegeven op Maandag 23 januari 2012 om 15:03:42

vrijdag 13 januari 2012

SIKHS Win Turban Case Against France at the UN


UNITED SIKHS
January 12, 2012
30th Poh (Samvat 543 Nanakshahi)

SIKHS Win Turban Case Against France at the UN

"The UN Human Rights Committee has asked France to submit a report by March 15th on measures it is taking to remedy the violation of the religious freedom of 76 year old Ranjit Singh,who was asked to remove his turban for his ID photo" said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director, who is in the fore-front of a legal campaign for French Sikhs' right to wear their turban.

Bobigny, France, 12 Jan 2012 – The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has concluded that France had violated the religious freedom of 76 year old Ranjit Singh when he was asked to remove his turban for his ID photograph. This was disclosed today at a media conference, in Bobigny (near Paris), by the UNITED SIKHS legal team, who had filed a communication on behalf of Ranjit Singh to the UNHRC in December 2008.

The media conference was told that the UNHRC observed that "even if the obligation to remove the turban for the identity photograph might be described as a one-time requirement, it would potentially interfere with the author's (Ranjit Singh's) freedom of religion on a continuing basis because he would always appear without his religious head covering in the identity photograph and could therefore be compelled to remove his turban during identity checks."

The Committee said that France had failed to explain how the Sikh turban hindered identification since the wearer's face would be visible and he would be wearing the turban it at all times, therefore, the regulation constituted a violation of article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which was entered into force for France on 4 February 1981. You may read the Committees views in full here. The views were adopted at the 102nd session of the Committee's sitting.

"I had faith that truth and justice would prevail and I patiently waited for this day. I pray that France will now fulfil its obligation and grant me a residence card bearing my photo without baring my head," said Ranjit Singh, who despite his ill-health has had no access to the public health-care system or to social benefits since 2005 because his residence card was refused due to his refusal to remove his turban.

"UNITED SIKHS is heartened by the Committee's observations that France is under an obligation to provide Ranjit Singh with an effective remedy, including a reconsideration of his application for a renewal of his residence permit and a review of the relevant legislative framework and its application in practice. France, the Committee noted, is also under an obligation to take steps to prevent similar violations in the future," said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director, who addressed the media conference.

"We now look to France to fulfil its treaty obligations under International law and its moral duty to ensure that the freedom of religion and belief is upheld for everyone who lives within its territory," she added.

"We are very pleased with the views that the Committee adopted and we welcome France's compliance with these findings. We also look forward to a similar resolution for Shingara Singh, whose case is still pending before the Committee," O'Melveny & Myers, a New York law firm engaged by UNITED SIKHS, said in a statement through their attorneys who spoke during a telephone interview. A decision is still awaited for Shingara Singh, whose passport has not been renewed by France because he refused to remove his turban for his ID photograph.

You may read a previous press release on our advocacy for religious freedom here.

Issued by:
Mejindarpal Kaur
Legal Director
International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy ( ICHRA)
UNITED SIKHS
law@unitedsikhs.org
+33 605800605/+44 8701993328

Follow us on TwitterTwitter  Connect on Facebook Facebook Read Our Blog Blog UNITED SIKHS TV YouTube

Comments on the UNHRC's views on the violation by France of Ranjit Singh's right to wear a turban on his ID photo:

Mrs Praneet Kaur, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs: "I am very happy with the UN's decision and congratulate the UNITED SIKHS team for making everyone realise what the turban means to Sikhs, their identity and pride. I am very pleased that the UN has recognised the fundamental right of a Sikh to practice his/her faith by wearing a turban. We respect France's sovereign right to frame laws. I will ensure that the Indian Government continues, at the highest level, to raise this issue with France. This UN decision will certainly help us advance our case with France."

Lawyers

Stephen Grosz, Head of Public Law & Human Rights at London solicitors Bindmans, who was engaged by UNITED SIKHS to file a communication to the UNHRC on behalf of Bikramjit Singh, a French student who was expelled from a French school for refusing to remove his head covering after the 2004 law was passed by France that banned religious signs in schools:

"The Human Rights Committee's decision is very heartening. The Committee recognises that even a one-off requirement to remove a turban for the purposes of an identity photograph interferes with a Sikh's religious rights; and it considers that the French Government advanced no argument that the Committee considered sufficient to justify this interference. The Committee will shortly consider the restrictions placed on the wearing of turbans by French school students, and the Committee's approach is encouraging."

Eric Rassbach, National Litigation Director, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty:
"The Committee has struck a major blow in defence of religious liberty. This is a victory not just for Sikhs, but for people of all faiths who seek to live up to their beliefs. The Becket Fund congratulates Mr. Singh and United Sikhs for their persistence and bravery in standing up for the rights of all."

Francois Jacquot, lawyer who represented Ranjit Singh in the French courts: "This is the first time that the UNHRC has sanctioned the French State for violation of Religious freedom of a member of the Sikh Community in regards to the Turban. In that respect, the decision is historical. Ranjit Singh is finally recognized in his rights for freedom of Religion and respect of his Identity, after numerous years of frustration. The French State has not been able to "explaine(d) how, specifically, identity photographs in which people appear bareheaded help to avert the risk of fraud or falsification of residence permits.", while it was the reason invoked by the French authorities and the French Court to justify the violation of the religion Freedom of Sikhs."

Carla Clarke, (acting) Head of Law, Minority Rights Group International: "This is a welcome decision which makes it clear that where states interfere with peoples' basic human rights they cannot expect simply to invoke the phrases "public order" and "public safety" to justify such interferences but must show concretely why their measures are necessary to ensure such public order and safety. In this regard, the Human Rights Committee has shown itself prepared to take a more pro-active and investigative stance than the European Court of Human Rights when faced with similar cases."

Sikh Community Leaders:

Avtar Singh Makkar, President, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC): "Its a great victory for which SGPC had supported UNITED SIKHS when the case was filed in 2008. We are very pleased that the UN has recognised the challenges faced by Sikhs in protecting our identity and held that Sikh should not be required to remove his turban. We will ask the Punjab government to put pressure on France to comply with the UN's decision and fulfil their obligations under international law."

Paramjit Singh Sarna, President, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee: "We are very grateful to UNITED SIKHS and the UN for this great victory for the Sikhs' right to wear our turban. We wish UNITED SIKHS the very best and are ready to do any seva you request."

Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair, Sikh Federation (UK): "It is excellent news that the UN Human Rights Committee has come out in support of Baba Ranjit Singh's fundamental right to wear his turban for the photograph on his resident card. The Sikh Federation (UK) was delighted to join Sikhs from across the globe in New York to submit the cases to the UN in December 2008. Sikhs must now come together again to see what diplomatic and political pressure can be exerted on the French Government to recognise the UN decision in support of the Sikhs right to wear the turban."

Jaspal Singh Anand, Chair, European & International Affairs Committee, Sikh Council UK: "The Sikh Council UK congratulates United Sikhs and other Sikh organisations that have worked tirelessly in representing Baba Ranjit Singh's rights as a Sikh to wear his Turban for the photograph for his identity card and on the landmark decision announced by the UN's Human Rights Committee in providing unequivocal support in recognising the Sikh Turban as an integral part of it's religious identity while declaring France in breach of Article 18 of the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which it is a signatory."

Dr.Pritpal Singh, Coordinator, American Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (AGPC): "AGPC welcomes the UNHRC decision on Sikh religious identity under Article 18. We ask France to respect UN's decision and allow turbaned Sikhs in school, public offices and on photographs of ID documents. We congratulate UNITED SIKHS for its persistent effort and tireless work."

Amarjit Singh Mann, President, Ontario Gurdwaras Committee: "This is a news of pride for all Sikhs and we hope the UNHRC ruling helps resolve the Sikh identity issue in various parts of the world."

Bhupinder Singh Ubbi, Ontario Sikhs & Gurdwara Council: "I congratulate the Sikh community for their collective efforts and hard work to achieve this success."

Giani Kewal Singh and Darshan Singh Brar, Manitoba Sikh leaders: "This ruling will provide more knowledge and understanding about the Sikh community to the whole world and we are proud of UNITED SIKHS' work."

Baljit Singh Dadduwal and Jasbir Singh Boparai, Panthak Sewa Lehar Canada: "Congratulations to Sikhs and thanks for getting it done. This UNHRC ruling sends a direct message to the entire world to respect the right of religious freedom."

Our Mission

To transform underprivileged and minority communities and individuals into informed and vibrant members of society through civic, educational and personal development programs, by fostering active participation in social and economic activity.

UNITED SIKHS is also an avenue for networking between like-minded organisations to establish and nurture meaningful projects and dialogues - whether social, cultural or political- to promote harmony, understanding and reciprocity in our villages, towns and cities.

UNITED SIKHS is a coalition of organisations and individuals, who share a common vision based on the belief that there is no greater endeavour than to serve, empower and uplift fellow beings. The core of our philosophy is an unwavering commitment to civic service and social progress on behalf of the common good.

Accordingly, UNITED SIKHS has sought to fulfil its mission not only by informing, educating and uplifting fellow beings but also by participating in cross-cultural and political exchanges to ensure that the promises and benefits of democracy are realized by all.

We at UNITED SIKHS believe that the development of enlightened and progressive societies can be made possible by socially conscious groups of people who make a commitment to develop and direct human potential. Our work, efforts and achievements stand as a testament to our faith in this vision.


vrijdag 6 januari 2012

Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji Mahararaj

GURU GOBIND SINGH Ji

 
PERSONALITY :  A visionary of the highest order and a born leader - an excellent planner and superb strategist. Apart from educating his followers in the art of war, guruji also introduced them to literature. The Guru had a natural genius for poetic composition and knew not only Punjabi but also Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic. (among other languages)
 
TEACHINGS  :
Manas Ki Jaat Sabhey Aikey Pechhanbo.  - Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib

Behold All Human Race as ONE.

1. Have a mission and continuously work for its success. Let no grief, no hardship, no adversity, in short nothing deviate you from the goal. ,

2. The weak are to be defended against injustice, oppression and tyranny but without entertaining any malice.

3. Evil is to be resisted and uprooted, but the sword is never to be struck in hatred or in anger or in spirit of revenge.

4. Power is never to be used for material gains at the cost of suffering of others.

5. At times it might be possible to reform an evil doer by love and non violence. The silent resistance and suffering for a righteous cause might enable the evil doers to see the truth and he may be reformed, but no amount of non-violence can succeed against a tyrant who is hardened and steeped in criminal oppressive ways and pays no heed to basic values of moral and civilized conduct.

6. One must not be attached to anything as all that is visible has to vanish.

7. Wealth is never to be loved. One may attain wealth but one should always be prepared to part with it.

8. Power (Physical and intellectual) helps one gain dominance in any sphere. The powerless are pushed to wall, humbled and humiliated.

9. Wahe-Guru is symbolic of the Formless Eternal Lord, who is True Guru (Enlightener) of all and the Creator of the Universe.

CONTRIBUTIONS : The contributions made by Guru Gobind Singh ji to the society are far reaching and immense and bear the stamp of his personality. Infact, his contributions are a living embodiment of his "life in action and thought".

Guruji's organizational skills were an immaculate blend of political pragmatics and spiritual ethics and manifested itself in his creation of the Khalsa- a movement for the establishment of an egalitarian society and just social order that was initiated by Guru Nanak Dev ji and reached its finale during the times of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

The KHALSA Pure was created ostensibly to awaken fragmented society and get rid of ritualistic superstitions that were prevalent in the name of religions. Khalsa, as a new order of the saint-soldier, was to uphold Truth and achieve not only self conquest but also control physical evil.

Guru Gobind Singh ji conceived the KHALSA as a common brotherhood composed of persons who were pure at heart and in mind and soul. These persons would join each other as equals in community kitchen and in all other activities- spiritual binding force being the presence of God with them at all hours.

Underlining the significance of this act, Sri Aurobindo in his book, Foundation of Indian Culture, writes that "The Khalsa was an astonishingly original and novel creation and its face was turned not to the past but to the future."

In equally glowing terms Swami Vivekananda writes "Guru Gobind Singh by a flash of his sword filled the dying soul of India with the life- giving light of Truth and Lo! It shone in all its glory again in the life of the new born Khalsa.

Arnold Toyanbee attributed the conceptualization of this egalitarian community with just social order to Guru Gobind Singh when he wrote in Study of World History that "The Khalsa Panth of Guru Gobind Singh, established in 1699, was the fore runner of Lenin's communist party and refuted the claims of Lenin that his party, set up in 1917, was the first to establish a classless and socialist society."

Verses from Sikh Scriptures

1)  Sab Main Jot Jot Hai Soi  -Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji,  ang 663

=> God is in everyone and everywhere

2) Satguru Daya Nidh Mehma Agadh Bodh Namo Namo Namo Namo Net Net Net Hai -  Bhai Gurdas Ji

"Satguru is an Ocean of Mercy, Daya, Compassion. It means Daya on all alike. This covers the whole humanity."

3) Sarb Dharam Mein Shreisht Dharam Har Ko Nam Jap Nirmal Karam  - Sri Guru Granth SahibJi, ang 266

"Best of all religions is the thirst for the Divine and pure deeds, says Sri Guru Arjan Sahib."

4) Saach Kahou Sun Laih Sabhai Jin Prem Kio Tin Hi Prabh PaioGuru Gobind Singh ji

'Let the Eternal Truth be known by all, Only those who thirst for the Divine attain Him'