Algonquin Camping Trip - Summer 2005

I am still figuring out how to post pictures and ensure they are in order. Anyway, a whole bunch of the Toronto Sangat went on a camping trip this summer to Algonquin Provincial Park (Northern Ontario). Here is a group picture:


And here is a picture of a tiny frog which caught my eye during conoeing...



One of the highlights of every single (group) camping trip I have been on is the FOOD! This is just a portion of the food that was stored in Satwinder Singh's mini van!

Another view

If you look carefully, a really huge bird is gliding over the lake...we were in the canoe..

I forgot the name of the lake...but it was cool

Everything was so quiet and beautiful..

This was a scene from one of our hikes

Serene calmness in the morning

Algonquin Trip - 2005 Summer. One morning Hartaarn Singh, Satwinder Singh and myself snuck out and went canoeing. The waters were really calm and we got quite a few good shots.

No other modus operandi

Today I attended an akhand path bhog and kirtan program which went really longer than scheduled. I got up during the kirtan and while partaking in the langar, I could hear a sabad being sung that I haven’t heard in a long time. The program was in celebration of the Anand Karaj of a good friend of mine, Bhai Harbrinder Singh. He is getting married tomorrow. The sabad was sung by the daughter of his host parents, Bhai Sarvinder Singh and family. I don’t know his daughter’s name.

Anyway, it transported me back to my childhood (I think) or a long time ago when I heard it live or on tape and it was sung by Bhai Chattar Singh. I came back home and, of course, I was able to find it online at www.sikhnet.com.

bin hari nam na santi hoi kitu bidhi manu dhire.

It is the 6th pauri from Jaitsri ki var - By Nanak V - Guru Arjan Sahib.

The link to the sabad sung by Bhai Chattar Singh is here.

Go to www.gurugranthdarpan.com and read the translation according to Prof. Sahib Singh.

BTW, you must read the salok that goes along with this pauri. It is pretty much the same message, the language of the salok is more like Sanskrit (I think).

Here is an attempt at a transcreation of this pauri. I am sure you will get the message.

The 6th pauri of An Ode in Raga Jaitsri by the Fifth Englightner which includes salokas
From the 707th Holy Leaf of the Guru Granth Sahib

If we had a fantabulous bedding in which to sleep peacefully,
If we had all the luxuries of the world to cherish and relish
If we had a house made of gold and ornamented with pearls and rubies
If we had no worries because all we wanted and desired we possesed.
If, while having all this, we don’t internalize and remember Vahguru,
then we will be considered "dirty insects" - "vista ke kire"
Without imbibing Nam, there is never true peace.
For ultimate happiness there is no other modus operandi.6.

The sweet nectar - hamari piari ammritdhari

I have heard this sabad many times before. Never understood what the message was. Nam, amrit, bani, piar, rang, kartar, darsan, parsan...they are all terms and references we have heard and discussed multiple times. These terms are pearls. When put together, as the Gurus did, and rendered to a classical rag, as the Gurus ordained, the pearls are magically strung together in a necklace. Not that I am bedazzled by worldly pearl or diamond necklaces. But they are a reality in life and are an exquisite cherished human transformation of a natural phenomenum. So, I think I get it.

At the recent Gurmat Sangit Darbar held in Massachusetts, Rupinder Singh and Nampreet Singh (accompanied by Arundeep Singh as vocal assist and Shamsher Singh on jori) rendered this sabad in rag asa. It is a rit (reet) by Bhai Dharam Singh Zakhmi. Because they accompanied the sabad with a taus and dilruba, I actually prefer their rendition, but both are awesome. Here is a link to both.

nimakh na man te ....Rupinder Singh, Nampreet Singh, Arundeep Singh and Shamsher Singh
nimakh na man te ....Bhai Dharam Singh Zakhmi and jatha

asa mahala 5
hamari piari ammritdhari guri nimakh na man te tari re .1.rahau.
darsan parsan sarsan harsan rang rangi kartari re .1.
khinu ram gur gam hari dam nah jam hari kanti nanak uri hari re .2.5.134.**

I submit this transcreation:

Nanak V, rag asa, gharu 11, pg 404 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

This bani which is like a clear water spring of ammrit-nam is soothing to my mind. The great Guru has ensured that I don’t forget it even for an instant and relish it continuously. It enables me to visualize, touch and feel the love of the Lover – the Creator – and I am in state of spiritual bliss. Wow! The ammrit-nam laden bani is fantabulous. For an instant if I internalize it, the Guru is manifest. With every breath if I internalize it, fearlessness engulfs me. I (Nanak) will cherish this bani as a precious necklace around my neck.

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** This is the 134th sabad of Nanak V out of 163 in rag asa. IE. Guru Arjan (mahala 5) revealed 163 sabads within rag asa, this is 134th. Also, it is the 5th sabad in section under gharu 11. It contains one rahau line and 2 other lines. That is what 2.5.134 means.

Reference http://gurugranthdarpan.com/0404.html

P.S. - Ginnipal Singh and Kiran Kaur - How many ghars in Guru Granth Sahib!? :-) (inside joke).