SAMAJ WEEKLY UK-
The Turban Tying Competition for young people held in loving memory of Sikh Marytors Mata Gujar Kaur Ji {mother of tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji } and Sahibzaday { four sons of the tenth Guru} on Thursday 26 December 2024 in which the Guest of Honour Professor Robert Allison CBE DL had a turban tied on his head and learnt so much about the Sikh religion.
Turban is one of the most distinguishing symbols of Sikhism and the Sikhs have had to fight major court cases to be allowed to wear the Turban at place of work and wear it instead of the helmet. Apart from these Sikh children in mainstream schools face bullying issues every so often. As well as keeping you warm in cold weather, the turban is also beneficial when the temperature is high as it cools your head.
Local Oadby and Wigston Borough Councillor Santokh Singh Atwal said he saw on television that young Sikh were prayng near the cold tower in Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, north India were kept where Mata Gujar Kaur and Sahibzaday were held captives. He also pointed out that these types of events should also be held by other Gurdwaras, and we would support it much as possible.
Balbir Singh Sarpanch ex-President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara said that different Sikh organisations in Leicester and Leicestershire should have far better communication than at present so they can provide better service to the Sikh community. It was during Balbir Singh’s Presidency that Her Majesty The Queen visited GNG in celebrations of Golden Anniversary.
He also said Punjabi Listeners Club held their first programme at the Gurdwara in 1996 when the students at Punjabi School presented the BBC Radio Leicester’s Punjabi Programme’s presenter Gurpreet Kaur with a beautiful trophy. These types of high standard events are very hard to organise…costs a lot of money, takes up lot of time as well as organisers having to listen to baseless points of view from members of our community but with the blessings of Almighty God everything is achievable. Congratulations to Virk Sahib for promoting mother language Punjabi and Sikh religion for 30 years.
The first citizen of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council the Mayor Councillor Claire Kozlowski was not able attend the event but sent the following message via email which was read to the congregation by the Guest of Honour.
“I am sorry I cannot be there today to join you all in the Turban Tying Competition. Its wonderful that not only is the skill and creativity being celebrated but also the cultural tradition and heritage.
Each one of you representing identity and pride and this competition honours the beauty and significance of the turban.
I send good luck to all those competing today and congratulations in advance to the winners”.
GUEST OF HONOUR
The Guest of Honour of the Turban Tying Competition was a representative of King Charles 3rd Professor Robert Allison CBE DL {Commander of British Empire and Deputy Lieutenant} . Professor Allison was brought up in North Yorkshire and was educated at Northampton Grammar School and studied at Hull University and King’s College London where he was awarded PhD in 1986.
Professor Robert Allison was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University in 2012 serving the position for 9 years. During his time as Vice Chancellor at Loughborough University, the University rose up to top 10 in every league and was named University of the Year, an unparallel five times.
Speaking from the stage Professor Allison reminded everyone that King Charles in his X mas message said that we are one nation, one commonwealth and one world of many cultures and religions but what is most important is not what divides us but what joins us together. I am very pleased that you have done exactly that by inviting me to learn about your culture and religion. I have learnt more about Sikh religion in the one and half hour I have been here than I have learnt in the whole of the rest of my life. In the end Professor Allison said he would love to be invited here again so that he can learn more about the Sikh religion.
Elder members of the Sikh community such as 90 years old Ajit Singh Sandhu who regularly attend the Gurdwara Sahib presented some of the trophies to the winners. President of the Gurdwara Harjinder Singh Rai was pleased that Professor Robert Allison CBE Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire has accepted our invitation to join us here today. The Sikh turban is given to us by our Gurus and once you have tied it on properly it makes you look smarter and appears you look like a king. Some elder members of the Sikh community are also somewhat hesitant to wear the Turban. We will surely organise another turban tying day for them as well in future.
Co- Ordinator of Punjabi Listeners Club Tarlochan Singh Virk thanked the Lieutenancy Office of Leicestershire County Council, Tanmanjit Singh Dhesi MP Slough, Sukhdev Singh Atwal Sokha Udopuria, Gurdwara Sri Guru HarKrishan Sahib Ji Management Committee, all the Guests and those who supported and participated and made the Turban tying Competition successful and memorable. The turban tying competition was recorded and showed on PTC NEWS International on Friday 27th December 2024.
-Tarlochan Singh Virk
Co- Ordinator of Punjabi Listeners Club
