User talk:Gurmandir

Ten 10 years ago, the idea of having our very own Gurmandir in Toronto, Canada, was born.

Gurmandir name was formally incorporated on January 23, 1996 and on May 21, 1996 it was registered as a charitable organization with Revenue Canada with registration no. 890174444. all donations to Gurmandir are tax deductible.

IN JULY 1996 Elections were held and the first seven board members for Gurmandir were elected.

APRIL 10, 2000 - A one acre lot of land (approx. 45,000 ft) was purchased.

JULY 9, 2000 - Bhoomi Pooja with 108 yagnas by the entire Sindhi community of Toronto was performed.

OCTOBER 18, 2000 - The ground breaking ceremony and blessing of land was performed by Dada J.P. Vaswani

OCTOBER 2004 - The construction contract was awarded to Mentor construction through architect K. Paul & assoc. and structural engineer Mohan Gursahani.

JULY 1, 2005 - Sindhi senior citizens and the rest of the Sindhi community of Toronto proudly inaugurated our very own mandir in Toronto, Canada.

Gurmandir 207 Queens Plate Drive Toronto, Ontario, M9W 6Z7,Canada Tel: 416-840-7677 E-mail:admin@gurmandir.com

= About Gurmandir =

Gurmandir is a non-profit, tax exempt religious organization. It is dedicated to serve the religious and cultural needs of the Sindhi community. Its goals serve the needs of all denominations of Sindhi & Hindu community. Gurmandir was inaugurated on July 1, 2005 in pursuit of its goals. It is the first such Sindhi temple in Canada.

Our Temple Objectives •To provide a place of worship and meditation for the Sindhi & Hindu community •To provide facilities for Pujas, havans, marriage ceremonies or other religious sanskars •To arrange for the celebration of Sindhi & Hindu religious and cultural festivals •To provide facilities for the education of our children in various aspects of Hindu relegion, culture and languages •To establish a library of Sindhi & Hindu literature for use as reference by the community •To arrange seminars and discussions, to hold workshops and lectures for the spirutual advancement of the community in areas of vedic philosophy about Hindu religion •To disseminate knowledge of Vedic principles of life through periodic publications. The Trust, Board and Committees The Head Office Gurmandir 207 Queens Plate Drive Toronto, Ontario, M9W 6Z7,Canada

The Organization and Trust The Organization To organise the affairs of the Mandir, a hierarchical structure has been designed to ensure professional management, efficient operation, proper scrutiny, active participation in to decision-making and transparency of the system. Following information depicts the functional relationship of the Trust, the Board of directors and various committees.

The Council Of Trustees The Council Of Trustees Of The Gurmandir, is the permanent body of the Gurmandir constituted to act as the custodians of the property, to safeguard the vision & religious direction and to ensure the smooth administration of the Gurmandir. The Trustees meet twice a year and has the mandate to monitor the general operation of the Gurmandir, review the annual plan, approve the budget and ensure stable administration.

Presently we have ten (10) Trustees. To manage the affairs of the Trust, a chairman, a vice-chairman and a secretary, are elected for a term of six (6) years, to facilitate its working of the Gurmandir.

Responsability and Authority of the Trust •Ensure sound fiscal management & approve the budget prior to adoption by the AGM. •Act as trustees of the property and review / approve property related decisions. •Review & approve annual plans to ensure consistency with the mission & vision. •Ensure stability, balanced nominations and fair election process for the Board. •Appoint Nomination Committee, Election Commissioners and Appeal Board. Current officers of the Trust are Chairman: Mr. Sher Motwani Vice-chairman: Secretary:

Board of Directors The daily and routine activities programs and services of the Gurmandir, are managed by eleven member Board of Directors, elected for a three years term. The Board manages the property and general business of the Gurmandir on behalf of the Trust & GENERAL BODY. It is required to act in manner, and exercise its authority, consistent with the mission, vision and values of the Gurmandir and subject to the policy decisions and the by-laws of the Gurmandir.

Among the current Board members, we have combination of highly successful businessmen, and other professionals. Together they represent a wide spectrum of the Sindhi community. In short, highly credible and respectable people, of our community, are behind this project.

The Board shall follow the “strategic plan” in order to develop objectives for programs, services and activities, consistent with the mission, vision and values of the Gurmandir, and, is collectively responsible to manage property, ensure quality services and achieve fundraising objectives to meet operational needs. More specifically The Board shall:

•Develop annual operational plans for activities •Allocate adequate financial and human resources to achieve objectives •Review the work of various Committees and Officers of the Gurmandir •Take corrective measures to meet the objectives. The Board of Directors consists of the Chairman, President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and three (3) directors. The directors or officers receive no remuneration for services rendered to the Gurmandir.

Information & Guidelines
The Mandir is a house of God. It is very sacred; hence all visitors are required to abide by the following rules and regulations applicable to all areas including inside the Mandir.

1.Dress Code: No shorts or skirts shorter than knee length. 2.Shoes: All visitors MUST remove their shoes before entering the Mandir. (Shoe racks provided within the complex) 3.Photography & Videography: Photography & videography inside the building is strictly prohibited. 4.Food & Drink: No food or drinks are allowed inside the mandir premises. Please discard any chewing gum in the bin provided before entering. 5.Mobile Phones: Please switch off all mobile phones prior to entering the premises. Mobile phones with cameras must not be used to take photos. 6.Smoking: No smoking on the premises including Car Parks. Please dispose of cigarettes in the bin provided, prior to entering the gates. 7.Conduct: Please refrain from touching the delicate carvings within the mandir premises. To maintain the spiritual atmosphere observe silence inside the mandir. 8.Parking: Car parking available. 9.Security: For the safety of all visitors, various security measures are in place. Visitors are advised to leave all bags and cameras in their cars 10.Donations: If visitors wish to make a donation to maintain the upkeep of the Mandir, cheques should be made payable to 'Gurmandir'

PLEASE NOTE: The management reserves the right to refuse admission to those who are not following the guidelines and to those who are inappropriately dressed.

About Sindhi
The Sindhi, named after the Indus (Sindhu in Arabic) River, are said to be one of the oldest people groups in the region. They inhabit both sides of the Indus River, which divides Pakistan and India. Until Pakistan became an independent Muslim country in 1947, the Hindu and Muslim Sindhi lived together in the same region. Today, however, most of the Muslims live in Pakistan and most of the Hindus live in India.

As a result of the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, a majority of the Hindu Sindhi migrated to metropolitan areas of India, such as Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, and Madras. Some went to re-settlement camps in Rajasthan and on the outskirts of Bombay.

Although the Sindhi Congress attempted to set up the Sind region as a new state in India, they did not succeed. This was mainly due to the scattering of many Sindhi, as well as a lack of unified effort by the Indian government.

What Are Their Lives Like? Before the partition of Pakistan and India, the Hindu Sindhi owned most of the land. They also monopolized the areas of trade, industry, and education. The Muslim Sindhi were primarily unskilled laborers and tenants. However, when the Hindu Sindhi moved to India in 1947, the Sindhi culture was greatly affected.

Prior to the move, the Sindhi language was used as the language of law, administration, and education. After the move a greater emphasis was placed on being Indian or Hindu rather than being Sindhi. Therefore, many of the Sindhi in India have not passed their native language on to their children. Instead, they quickly learned the local languages. Those who moved to Gujarat learned Gujarati and those who moved to Madras learned Tamil. In addition, many of the well-educated Sindhi have also learned Hindi or English.

Hindu Sindhi are known as skilled merchants. Successful Sindhi shopkeepers can not only be found in many cities in India, but also in urban areas of Malaysia, Kenya, and the Philippines. Others have become doctors, lawyers, or teachers.

As with all Hindus, Sindhi life is based on and limited by belonging to a particular social class, or caste. Even the Sindhi Muslims tend to organize in social classes based along hereditary and occupational lines.

The Sindhi traditionally do not marry outside of their own social classes. While Hindu Sindhi marriages are monogamous, Muslim Sindhi are allowed to have up to four wives—if they are able to provide adequately for each of them.

What Are Their Beliefs? Ninety-three percent of the Sindhi of India are Hindus, worshipping three main gods: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer), along with a multitude of other gods and goddesses. Some scholars say that the number of individual gods actually exceeds 35 million! Most of the deities are believed to be both good and evil in nature.

One important aspect of Hinduism is the belief that the soul never dies, but is continually reborn after death. This continuous process is known as reincarnation. Hinduism has no single book, but has many sacred writings. The most important of these are the Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita.

Only a small minority (4%) of the Sindhi in India are Muslims. In areas where Hindus and Muslims have had close contact, there has been a considerable blending of rites and traditions. For instance, it was not uncommon for both Hindus and Muslims to honor the same saint. The practice of saint worship is still observed in rural areas.

Prayer Points •Pray to God to complete the work begun in the hearts of the Sindhi believers through adequate discipleship. •Pray that God will use these young believers to share the love with their own people. •Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Sindhi bound. •Pray that God will reveal Himself to these precious people through dreams and visions. •Ask the Lord to bring forth a triumphant Sindhi temple for the glory of His name! Statistics •People name: Sindhi •Country: India •Their language: Sindhi (Lari) •Population: •(1990) 1,732,300 •(1995) 1,905,600 •(2000) 2,081,300 •Largest religion: •Hindu 93% •Muslim 3.8% •Sikh 2.1% Sindhi Language Sindhi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by approximately 17 million people in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Sindhi is also a recognised official language of India, where it is spoken by approximately 1.2 Million members of an ethnic group which migrated from the province of Sindh, Pakistan during the partition of British India in 1947. The language can be written using Devanagari or the Arabic scripts.

Indo-Aryan language The majority of Indo-Aryan languages derive from Sanskrit, the language of ancient India. The earliest form of Sanskrit recorded is Vedic Sanskrit: the language used in the oldest scriptures of India, notably the Rigveda. Its character is demonstrably old, with many links to the Indo-European parent language.

In the fifth century BC, Sanskrit had evolved somewhat, and the grammarian Panini codified and standardized it; this led (in about 200 BC) to what is now known as 'Classical' Sanskrit. However, although this preserved the integrity of written language for a long time, the spoken language continues to evolve, and by the sixth century AD, Sanskrit as a spoken language was rare, being by and large replaced by its descendants, the Prakrits. All the Prakrits share a common ancestry, but they are not necessarily mutually intelligible.

Apabhransha was the next modification in the spoken language, in a period broadly lasting from the fifth to the tenth century AD. Increasing numbers of literary texts begin to appear in Apabhransha languages, and the Sravakachar of Devasena (dated to the 930s AD) is now considered to be the first Hindi book.

The next major change occurred with the Muslim invasions of India in the 13-16th centuries AD. Under the Mughal empire flourishing, Persian was adopted as the language of Indian government. However, many people felt this to be artificial, and soon Persian, with all its Arabic influences was absorbed into the indigenous Indo-Aryan language, the late Apabhransha or early stabilizing Hindi.

While the Hindi-formant Apabhransha may have been the most widespread perhaps, other languages also began to develop from the Apabhransha -- Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi and many others.

In the Hindi-speaking areas, the main form was Braj-bhasha, which is still spoken today, but was replaced in the 19th Century by the Khari Boli dialect. However, a large proportion of Late Apabhransha and Hindi vocabulary is derived from Perso-Arabic. Urdu is the name given to the language that ultimately comes out of the Mughal period.

This state of affairs continued until the Partition of India in 1947. Urdu was replaced by 'Hindi' as the official language of India, and soon Perso-Arabic words began to be excised from the Hindi corpus, in a bid to make the language more 'Indian'. They were replaced by Sanskrit words, sometimes borrowed wholesale, or in new compounds. As of 2002, there is a continuum of Urdu-Hindi, with heavily-Persianized Urdu at one end, and Sanskritized Hindi at the other, although the basic grammar remains identical. The language used by most speakers of the language lies in the middle.

Sindhi language has gone through transitions with the history of Sindh. Original script was descendant of Prakrit, and Sanskrit. Devnagri Script was used before Britishers took over the rule of Sindh in 1843. Perso- Arabic Script was developed by Britishers for Sindhis and imposed as official script in 1853.

To day the Sindhi population living in minority status in various parts of India and else where in the world, lacks the availability of Sindhi language education in the main stream curriculum of the local schools and colleges. Naturally the new Sindhi generation has neither the opportunity nor the incentive to learn their own language. Currently even in Pakistan the official language in Sindh is not Sindhi but Urdu.

This alone could be the single biggest blow to the survival of Sindhi community. Devnagri script has received success in small number of schools located in the pockets where Sindhis started their new life as refugees. Sindhis have since scattered all over India and other continents of the world where Sindhi is not taught in either Perso-Arabic or Devnagri script.

The question therefore arises, will Sindhi language survive as a viable language in Arabic or Devnagri script excepting Sindh and some parts of India? What will happen to Sindhis who are spread all over the world? Is there an easy solution? Can Sindhi be saved from extinction by introducing once again a new script. For a change could we consider adopting Roman Script. Our new generation learns Roman Script all over the world. The computer knowledge is fast becoming inseparable part of future education and daily life. This field too is dominated by English Language.

Should we not therefore adopt Roman Script to teach Sindhi to our youth? Transcription in Roman script using Sindhi phonics could be a matter of research and development by expert educationalists. The Britishers devised present Perso-Arabic script for us in 1853. Why should we not evolve a Roman Script for our dear Sindhi ? It may be the only logical and practical solution for a Border less Sindhi Nation of tomorrow.

Survival of language is fundamental requirement for identity and success of a community. Parents must cultivate the habit of speaking with each other in Sindhi so as to create a healthy example for younger generations. Sindhi families should proudly speak and greet each other in Sindhi at parties and all social functions. In the global society of 21st century, Sindhi should not become a naturalized second class citizen without language, culture and identity of his own.

Sindhi Festivals
Just as there are innumerable gods and goddess of Hindus, so are their religious days, which are in fact more than the number of days in a year. How and why they are started, if one were to write folklore and stories about them, it would become a big book. In fact, these stories are given in various Shastras. Most important of these are given below, many of them are still being observed by Sindhis in India.

Cheti Chand This is to celebrate the birth of Water god ( Varun Devta ) Sai Uderolal, popularly known as Jhulelal. So much has been said and written about it that it would be superfluous to repeat the event. In Sindh the beginning of the New Year was considered Cheti Chand. Some businessmen opened new account books; many however, did that on the eve of Diwali. On the full moon day, people used to go to a river or lake and offer 'Akho' with a pinch of rice mixed with milk and flour. If there was no river or 'Darya', the ritual was performed at a well. Even Sikhs went to temples or Gurdwara, because Guru Nanak's birthday also took place on Purnima.

Sagra (Sacred thread)

Sindhi Bhaibands generally lived in foreign countries; therefore, their wives were always worried about the good health of their husbands. For this purpose they performed pooja and fasted on four Mondays of Sawan month, after which they perform pooja, distribute sweet rice and then had the sacred thread tied on the wrist by the priest ( Bandhan ). Here in India, the priests have made a show business which costs nearly 500-800 rupees, a gimmick to knock out money.

Mahalakshmi's Sacred Thread (Mahalakshmi-a-jo-Sagro)

This sacred thread had sixteen strips and sixteen days. On the day when the sacred thread was to be untied, it was celebrated as an important day and special savouries like satpura and pakwan of Suji & Maida were made and distributed firstly to the priests and the poor and afterwards the remaining savouries were used by family members.

Fasts In Sindh, generally Mondays & Saturdays, Giyaras or Umaas were observed as fasts ( vrats ). During the fast of Satyanarayan and nine days of Ekaanaas, only one time meal was generally taken.

5. Teejri This takes place in the month of Sawan when married women and girls paint their hands and feet with Mehndi, go on fast for the whole day, during which they used to play games , swing in Jhulas and sing love songs. In the night after making an offering to the moon, they would break the fast.

6. Akhan Teej On this day new earthen pots of water were kept and everyone was offered clean and cool water. The significance of this day was to offer water to the thirsty. Hence at every nook and corner, sharbat, with pieces of apple in it, was offered to passersby along with 'prasad'. On this day, it was also customary to send new earthen pots and fruits to priests and Gurdwara.

7. Un-Matyo During the month of Sawan, on the Baaras of Krishna Paksha, cereals were changed in food, i.e. instead of wheat and rice, chapatis made of gram flour (Besan) were eaten.

8. Ban Badhri In the month of 'Bado', during the Baaras of Shukla Paksha , god Varun had taken avtaar. In lieu of that small insects like ants etc. were fed Gur (jaggery) and Musti. Married daughters are invited by their parents for meals. 9. Somavati Umaas In certain months Umaas takes place on a Monday. That day is considered important for having a "dumb dip' in the waters; without talking to anyone early in the morning. It is also, called 'Gungee Umaas".

10. Nandhi and Vaddi Thadri Both these take place in the month of Sawan. On the day before Thadree day, people cook lola (sweet flour cakes) and rote (fried cakes) because there has to be no lighting of fire in the house on the Thadree day. The lolas and Rotes are eaten with curd or pickle. On that day drops of water are also sprinkled on the cooking fire to appease Sitladevi Mata.

11. Janamashtami, Ram Navmi and Shivratri Since Lord Krishna was born after midnight, on Janamashtami, bhajans and kirtan are held in temples till midnight. On Ram Navmi, Lord Rama's birthday is celebrated. On Shivratri people drink 'Thaadhal' with some 'bhang' in it, after making offering of it in the Mahadev temple. In the villages and cities, big pots of 'Taahri' (sweet rice) are prepared and distributed among all.

12. Tirmoori On this day parents send ladoos & chiki ( Laaee ) made of Tils to their married daughters. On the Makar Sankrant day the sun moves from south to north. It is therefore also called 'utraan' or 'Tirmoori'. In Mahabharat battle Bhisham Pitamah did not breathe his last till ‘ utraan' since on this day there happens flush of light in Dev Lok.

13. Dassehra A few days before Dassehra there used to be Ramlila program which was attended by throngs of people. On the Dassehra day colourful effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnath were burnt.

14. Diyaaree Two days before Diwali people start lighting Diyaas (earthen lamps) from 'Dhan Teras'. The bazaars are full with prospective consumers. Friends and relatives meet one another with affection and extended pleasantries and sweetmeats. In the night, Laxmi Poojan takes place when all the members of the family pray with reverence and respect. In the night, people used to take in their hands a stick to which a rag dipped in oil was tied which was burnt. It was called 'Mollawaro' ; everyone shouted 'Mollawaro..... Mollawaro'....

15. The Giyaras of Kati On this day people used to be engaged in giving charity. The whole bazaar would be full with hundreds of beggars and the needy, who would spread a cloth before them, on which people, according to their mite, would throw money, Bhugra, fruits etc. The jugglers used to arrange their Tamashas on the road with monkeys and bears dancing on the tunes played by the jugglers. An atmosphere of gaiety and gay prevailed all through the day.

16. Navratra During these days devotees of Devi ate one meal a day and did not even shave and cut hair. Ladies sang bhajans. In Nagarparkar they used to dance like Garba in Gujrat.

17. Lal Loee On the day of Lal Loee children used to bring wood sticks from their grand parents and aunties and like a fire camp burnt these sticks in the night with people enjoying, dancing and playing around fire. Some ladies whose wishes were fulfilled offered coconuts in the fire and distributed prasad 'Sesa' ; this continued till midnight.

18. Rakhri During the Purnima of Sawan month sisters tied Rakhi to their brothers. This day is called "Rakhree Bandhan'. Even the near cousin sisters used to put Rakhis on cousin brothers . Sisters used to come from far off places and towns to specially tie Rakhis to their brothers. There was so much affection and love. Those cities and places where there were rivers or sea, people used to offer coconuts and milk to the God of Waters 'Varun Devta so that those who were traveling in ships and boats should have a safe and sound journey.

19. Shraadh Like in India the month of September 'Bado' was meant for Krishna Paksha as Pitar Pakhiya. Any member of the family who had died on particular (tithi) day and date, a Shraadh was offered for the solace of the deceased's soul. The Brahmins were given food and Dakhshna. It is said that Arya Samaj carried out a strong movement against Shraadh, but the Shraadhs continued because of the faith of people since they felt that through this method the deceased members of the family are remembered and all the family members have a good gathering.

20. Nagapanchmi (Gogro)

In those days whenever the snake charmer brought snakes, they were given some Dakhshna and also milk for the snakes. Nagpanchami is also called Gogro. It is a folklore from Kutch and Gujarat.

In Thatta, near Pir Pitho, there was a kingdom of king Gopichand. Once his daughter Vachhalbai saw a flower flowing in the river. She obtained the flower with the help of her friend. A saintly person's soul lived in that flower. As Vachhalbai smelled the flower, the soul entered her stomach. After a few months king came to know about pregnancy of his daughter and was also told about smelling of the flower. But he knew that no one would believe the story. He therefore, asked four of his soldiers to take Vachhalbai in a chariot and leave her in a deserted jungle, where due to the snake bite one ox fell down of the chariot. The soldiers could not run the chariot with one ox. At that time, a voice came from Vachhalbai's stomach, "Mother chant this mantra and sprinkle water on the dead ox." Vachhalbai and the soldiers were surprised but they did what they were told, and the ox recovered immediately. The soldiers saluted Vachhaalbai with respect and left her in the deserted place. Over a period of time Vachhalbai gave birth to a child who was called 'Gogro'. When it cried in hunger, all the snakes used to collect there to feed him with their poison. This poison gave strength to the child, who with his power dug up a ditch and produced a spring of water. 'Gogro' used to play with snakes and drank their poison.

One day a Rajput king's caravan came to pass from there. He was dying of thirst. Gogro gave him water on the condition that he must leave seven boys to live in the jungle. In order to save his life king Chawan left seven boys there.

How to feed the seven boys became a problem for Gogro. Ultimately not finding any other way he started taking more poison from the snakes. This created a discontentment among the snakes and a small snake 'Han Khanu' was determined to kill Gogro ; but it had a very little poison. The great snake Python 'Ajgar' gave poison to him. The Cobra said that it is a sin to kill our master. And he said that if Han Khanu killed the Gogro, he would devour the han Khanu. Since that time the biggest of snakes - Python has no poison and the cobra wherever it sees Han Khanu devours it.

Gogro had such a power that if he turned his eyes to the place where a snake bit, the whole poison evaporated. That is why the Han Khanu bit Gogro on his jaw where Gogro could not see his chin. While dying, Gogro said to his friends "When I die you cook me and eat me up." His friends cut him in two pieces, cooked him but did not feel like eating. So they threw the full pot in the river. Some thieves got hold of this pot. Since they were hungry, they ate all the pieces. As the realized soul went to their stomach they also become realized souls and their third eye opened up, through which they could see the future. These thieves were called 'Mamooyoon Fakirs'. Many references are made to this by Dr. Gurbaxani in his poems. Mahatam Gogro before he died told all his friends not to bite the people without a reason and also told them to consider snakes as their friends.

Nagpanchami therefore, is celebrated in the honour of the god of snakes.... Gogro.

21. Holi This is a festival of colours in which all the young and old join together to express their joy at the change of season. Some people correlate Holi festival with Holika, the sister of Hirnakashyap, mythological son of Bhagat Prahlad. But that is a different story