Let's Network Our Strengths - Sikh Study Circle Active in Dallas
Let’s Network Our Strengths -
Sikh Study Circle Active in Dallas
Swami Dev Singh Khalsa, Dallas TX, U.S.A.
Since its inception in 1989, the Sikh Study Circle in Irving, Texas, near Dallas, has been one of the most important centers of Sikh life in the southwestern U.S. Due to the efforts of countless dedicated members of the Dallas-Fort Worth community, Sikh Study Circle has been a beehive of diverse spiritual activities.
Each Sunday, 50 to 100 or more people gather at Sikh Study Circle for Gurdwara and lungar. Kirtan is performed by Bhai Sahib Gianiji Iqbal Singh, as well as by our frequent guest Bhai Sahib Gianiji Har Pal Singh, and many members of the sangat. A program of kirtan performed by children is usually featured in the Gurdwara. An English translation of the Hukam is always included, after its recitation in the original Gurmukhi. After lungar, classes in Gurmukhi, Punjabi, Sikh history, and other subjects are frequently held. On Thursday evenings, many members of the sangat also gather for Gurdwara and lungar. Ann Garner, a Fort Worth minister and 3HO member, addresses the sangat during many of the Thursday night Gurdwaras.
On April 12, 1998, Sikh Study Circle hosted its first annual Baisakhi Day Parade. Approximately 300 Sikhs, representing all three Gurdwaras in the Dallas area, attended the event. With many colorful banners, the parade originated at Sikh Study Circle and proceeded to a nearby school ground, where groups presented kirtan and told the story of Baisakhi Day, giving the names and backgrounds of the Five Beloved Ones. All agreed that one of the day's highlights was the Gatka demonstration, involving several teens and young adults, organized by Sat Nam Kaur Khalsa.
Harbhajan Singh, one of the Sikh Study Center's directors, is currently exploring the possibility of holding next year's 300th Anniversary Baisakhi parade in downtown Dallas, with its final destination at the beautiful Thanksgiving Square in the heart of downtown. Next year's parade will undoubtedly involve even more participants, including many from other parts of the southwest.
In July, the center hosted its ninth annual Sikh Youth Camp. Approximately 25 children and teens from Texas and Louisiana attended the week-long camp, where they studied Sikh history and ceremonies, kirtan, and various other subjects. Each day began with a program of Kundalini Yoga, meditation, and martial arts, led by Swami Dev Singh or Sat Nam Kaur. Arjan Kaur taught two classes on women's yoga and women's health issues for the young women at camp. Near the end of the week, Swami Dev Singh presented a program of American kirtan.
These activities of the Sikh Study Circle provide an invaluable support to the sangat. Its members are looking forward to more experiences of growth together, as well as networking with other sangats, especially during the 300th Anniversary Baisakhi celebration.