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Fremont Gurdwara celebrates
Bandi Chorr Diwas, Diwali with joie de vivre spirit
Fund Raiser brings in $ 95,000 for pending projects of Gurughar
WSN
Network
 FREMONT:
In an atmosphere of exhilarating spirit of religiosity, massive
crowds of Sikh sangat converged at the Gurdwara Sahib, Fremont to
celebrate the Bandi Chorr Diwas and Diwali in Sikhi spirit
and attended the three days of diwan that witnessed best of the
kirtanias, katha-kaars and panthic speakers enunciating the Gurmat
principals and Gurbani.
The Gurdwara
management had organized a Kirtan Darbar on October 17 to
mark the Bandi Chorr Diwas where sangat waited in long queues
for a turn to bow before Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji till
10:30 pm
in the night. The gathering was a record one compared to previous
years but what was even more appreciated was the discipline that was
maintained, largely thanks to the efforts and some astute
pre-planning by the management.
From 4 pm
onwards, the sangat members were enthusiastically ensuring that
lights are put up and illumination at the Nishan Sahib was arranged.
Little children were joyfully lighting diyas and candles, and
spreading the spirit of joie de vivre.
 A
fund raising effort to complete the ongoing and planned projects at
Gurdwara Fremont Sahib also drew massive and heartening response as
sangat poured out money for projects like painting of the gurughar's
interiors and exterior, new carpetting, change of curtains, blinds
and draperies, extending the kitchen and putting up a solar system
at the gurdwara.
Totting up the
figures for fund raising for this one and the last week, the
management was able to raise an impressive $ 95,000, a figure many
thought shamed even the fact of recession and showed that the Sikh
sangat will not shy away from its duty of Daswandh even in the
trying circumstances.
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HIGHLIGHTS
* Bhai
Gursewak Singh was felicitated for free rolls and sewa at langar
with an award of Volunteer of the Year.
* Bhai Jai
Singh was also conferred with Volunteer of the Year award for
his sewa of langar for more than a year and a half on behalf of
the restaurant owners.
* Bhai
Lovepreet Singh Brar was honored for taking the initiative in
paint venture. Bhai Rajdeep Singh Pannu for being ever available
for sewa, Kabila Restaurant, Bombay Garden, Raja Sweets, Tandoor
Restaurant, India Summer restaurant, Mehfil Restaurant, Bhai
Gurmukh Singh, Bhai Mandeep Singh, Charter Bus Service's Bhai
Tarsem Singh and veteral members of the gurughar were also
honored.
* Bhai
Hardev Singh Bhalwant performed sewa for 10-12 hours every day
for nearly two weeks at a stretch.
* Many Hindu
families regularly attended the functions at the gurughar.
* Sewadars
spent a week in putting up the lights for the festivities. |
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Mission College
non-profit volunteers who inspire students for higher studies had
also put up their booth while some volunteers gave their time and
energies for systematically directing traffic and other facilities.
Brothers Sukhwinder Singh and Nirpal Singh came in for much praise
from the sangat.
Langar, tea,
chole-bhature, jalebis, tikkis, samosas, and pakoras flowed in
regular supply as sangat partook of refreshments. Bhai Tarsem Singh
ensured that a shuttle bus service connected 7th Street, the parking
place for the sangat, with the Gurughar to make the commute easier.
Managing
committee president Bhai Harjot Singh Khalsa thanked the sangat, the
volunteers and fellow managing committee members for successfully
overseeing the religious programs, fund raisers, traffic control,
langar and many other tasks that were assigned to various people and
groups and said the success at this scale is always the product of
mutual cooperation and collective effort.
The Gurughar
also bestowed siropas on various volunteers.
20
October 2009
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