editorial articles reviews news & views - Institute of Sikh Studies

120
ABSTRACTS OF SIKH STUDIES : APRIL-JUNE 2005 / 537 NS
Circle initiated a massive sehaj path movement in connection with these
celebrations of the first parkash of Guru Granth Sahib. It got immense
response from youth all over the country, especially Punjab.
An overwhelming number of participants, 13,000 students,
started their sehaj path all over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and
other states. So much so, that there was a shortage of Sanchis and
Shabdarth with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
(SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee
(DSGMC). The SGPC helped the movement by supplying the shabdarth
at half price.
Nearly 4000 students completed the first full reading of Guru
Granth Sahib and participated in the examination. About 200 Hindu
students and one Muslim girl also recited the full sehaj path. The ETC
Punjabi Channel has recorded a full recitation of Guru Granth Sahib
exclusively done by the students. A nine year old student of 4th class
from Mohali recited the sehaj path which will be relayed by the channel.
Not the leaders but the gursikhs, who themselves do sehaj path,
were invited to give away prizes to the winners of the Sehaj Path
competition. It was decided that the students would be awarded prizes
in their respective schools so that others may also be inspired to
participate. It is also noteworthy that majority of the top prizes were
won by the rural students. Mrs Simranjit Kaur of Guru Harkrishan
school, village Nayagaon, tehsil Samana, District Patiala won a
computer. In district Amritsar, Inderjit Kaur, a 12th standard student
of Guru ki Beer, and Shamsher Singh, a tenth class student of
Ghaseetpura, Taran Tarn won refrigerators. Similarly, in other districts
students won refrigerators, TVs, Casios, etc. Other prizes included
cycles, wristwatches, handbags, sewing machines, table lamps, electric
irons, blenders, etc. Maximum participants were from district Patiala,
followed by Ludhiana, Sangrur and Amritsar.
The impressions of the students who completed their sehaj path
are marvellous. While many students mentioned that they got peace
of mind by recitation, there were others who admitted that disputes
and quarrels in their families lessened significantly. Many students
informed that their fathers quitted drinking liquor and the abuse of
drugs. When asked the reason, students replied that when they were
reciting sehaj path at home, sometimes their fathers used to come home