Gathering at Tajpur, Ludhiana

May 15, 2012; Tajpur, Ludhiana: Environment lovers from Tajpur along with EcoSikh organised a magic show in their village school on an environment theme, this Saturday. The call gathered nearly 200 villagers including kids, youngsters and elderly as well. The magician revealed flowers, bird boxes from empty bags etc in many of his tricks and kept narrating the importance of trees and birds in our life.

The EcoSikh talk was settled in the mid of show time, when to highlight the importance of village ponds or chhappars, our Project Manager, Ravneet Singh questioned the gathering with a stanza from a famous Punjabi song which says, ” Why? Jhonna launa ee chhad dena” (which means we are going to leave sowing paddy) ? and the public knew the answer which was from the next stanza, “pani ho gaye dhoonge !” (which means the groundwater table has highly dropped). He asked them to protect their village ponds by not littering any kind of waste and garbage into it as they are great source of groundwater recharge. He also asked them to make up their minds to adopt variety of trees in their homes and streets to replenish the lost bio-diversity of their village.

A few of the elders from the village reported to have not seen at least two species of birds which they used to see in their childhood. No matter what it takes the villagers
and activists from Tajpur are determined to bring change.

Sarpanch (village leader) from Khasi was extremely inspired at event and he called EcoSikh to organize one in their village so as they can begin working in their area and protect their village’s environment.

The key thing that we learned in this event: magic holds the public, and you must always share you idea before the show ends.

Students of Khalsa English School Kolkata on Cleanup drive

The Sikh community has gone par all the previous records in celebrating their Green Gurpurab, that is Sikh Environment Day this year. As per our records more than 1010 Gurdwaras, schools, organisations and institutes participated in this global movement. The teachings of Guru Nanak filled every heart with courage to walk together to protect Mata Dharat.

Please check our Great Thank You List of Sikh Environment Day 2012

Above all we thank the Guru and Guru Ki Sangat who celebrated the day everywhere. We thank all the participants journalists, bloggers, writers, facebookers and twitterers around the world who advocated this unique Sikh Event. And thanks to all, whose names might still be missing from the list and those who contributed silently. We look forward to work together again next year – EcoSikh!

• Green Amritsar: Darbar Sahib Looks to Solar Langars   
• Vaisakhi 2012: Sikhs Plant Deodar, Conifer and Willows Across the Kashmir Valley   
• EcoSikh Holds Plantation Drive in Villages 
• Sikh Environment Day Report 2012

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Summary

Sikh Environment Day (Vatavaran Diwas) Report 2012: Achievements and Milestones  is now available for download.

This year the celebrations were extraordinary and moving. Sikh leaders, families, teachers, officials, journalists and many others responded to the call to celebrate the second Sikh Environment Day on the Gurgaddi Diwas of Guru Har Rai Ji on March 14, 2012. Not only was the record for participation broken, but Sikhs can be proud as a community, that today, as a result of their actions, there are many more trees being cared for on this planet, there are new gardens, new environment education materials, new reflections on nature, and perhaps most importantly there are many thousands of individuals and families who are more aware of how the environment is a Sikh issue, an issue which each of us has to respond to, rather than waiting for governments.

This year Sikhs celebrated the second Sikh Environment Day with the incredible number of more than 1,000 institutions participating – more than double the participation recorded in the first Sikh Environment Day in 2011. From Gurdwaras to businesses, schools to families, this year’s celebrations were the biggest yet.

Kalwa villagers sharing words

The plantation was accomplished in 2 days of duration after a ceremonial event to raise awareness, which was well covered on PTC Channel in ‘Sikh Sargramian’ program on Sunday. Gurpreet Singh congratulated the villagers for this new achievement and said,” It’s a time to celebrate, as 125 new trees are born in our village and it’s the time to realize our responsibility to take best care of our trees as we care our new born babies.”

The Block Elementary Education Officer, Ram Dia Gagat advised the villagers in his

words,” It is your duty in this parenthood to keep the trees disease free. The trees will one day give you fruits and much more when they will grow up.”

Stay tuned for event footage on YouTube soon.

April 22, Ludhiana; Kids are the real Earth heroes! Throughout the world they have found a special place in the media for all their efforts in cleaning the earth as a part of their school event, green group target, or just fun time doing something different on Earth Day.

In Ludhiana, Punjab, a group of local kids ranging in ages from 4 to 9, spent Earth Day evening in cleaning the park at Block B of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, before they started to play their usual games.

It was organized by EcoSikh’s India coordinator Ravneet Pal Singh, who recorded this effort on his video camera. Watch the footage here!

“They were few in number but were truly dedicated not to leave anything behind, wrappers, aluminium foil, plastic bags etc. Nothing could stop them. They didn’t spare any trash on their way,” Ravneet Pal Singh said.

“One of the great things is that we started with just a few of us but then other kids came to join us, really desperate to join in. We hadn’t met the boy on the right in the photo before, but he saw what we were doing and he came over and said “Uncle, can I join your green group?”

Another moving thing was that many of the older residents saw what the children were doing, and they praised them and gave them blessings.

He said that as the adult in charge, particularly of young children, an important thing was to “Watch them – they pick up everything – insects, glass, you have to be careful. I said show me whatever you pick, so that I could see what they got.

“After I saw it I would say: “put it in the bag” and know that it would be safe. Someone came with a huge glass piece and I said drop it now, and then I got rid of it myself. We didn’t use gloves but they all washed their hands later. They were happy because many of the elders praised them and blessed them.”

Finally, when the kids were asked why would they or anyone would throw stuff around in the park, they had a simple answer: ”The park has no rubbish bins.”

So the next step is to talk to their parents to ask the community park organisers to install rubbish bins within the park, if possible dividing the bins between general trash, cans, bottles and paper, so there can be some recycling.

Rewards: They were extremely happy about all good work they did and they received so many blessings and compliments from all the adults and elderly who watched them cleaning up their playground, the park at Block B of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar.

In his speech, Ravneet Singh mentioned that Langar has been a core tradition in Sikhi, so one should plant a tree and provide ‘oxygen langar’ to the world to adding yet another item in langar tradition. The trees would benefit the whole village and provide fresh fruits and habitat to many native birds which are now hardly seen in Punjab.

In the EcoSikh speech, students and villagers were put through a series of questions on how would they react in many day to day situations where they could help in reducing plastic garbage and water wastage in their village. Ladies and gents were specially encouraged to provide special place to plants in their homes. They were asked to decide which tree would they like to adopt and inform the organizers, whereas kids were asked to convince their parents for the same and submit their application for tree at home to their School Principal. The effort was to create spaces for trees where they would be nourished and protected from stray animals.

The organizer, Dharminder Singh from Gillco Agro Mills is dedicated to the thought that each one in this village should adopt a tree. So far he has been able to convince 22 such families since Sikh Environment Day 2012 and has a target to cross 300 trees this year.

But most of all it shows the extraordinary energy coming from within the Sikh community to protect the environment because it is inscribed deep within our faith that we should do this. And it shows a great hope for the years to come in Punjab and other areas where Sikhs live, with the community supporting the protection of this wonderful world.

The first 30 seconds is audio.

• Celebrating Sikh Vatavaran Diwas (Environment Day) 2012 
• EcoSikh Benfit Dinner

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Thank you for supporting EcoSikh. Please consider a financial contribution. Our work would not be possible with your generosity.

On March 14^th, Sikhs celebrated the second Sikh Environment Day (Sikh Vatavaran Diwas) with the incredible number of more than 1,000 institutions participating – more than double the participation recorded in the first Sikh Environment Day in 2011. From Gurdwaras to businesses, schools to families, this year’s celebrations were the biggest yet, with tree plantings, cleanups, and solar installations, and kirtan and katha focused on the environment. To the thousand and more institutions, businesses, groups and supporters from the media that participated on this day, thank you for your leadership, commitment, and strength.

Here are just some highlights from the events that swept the globe: for the timeline, including all the events we knew about, please link here. A full report will be published in May of what happened and how we all did it.

Akhal Takht –– Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh issued a statement calling all Sikhs to celebrate Vatavaran Diwas on the Gurgaddi Diwas of Guru Har Rai Ji by reducing the use of plastics in Gurdwaras and homes cleaning their surroundings. The statement endorsed the work of Sikhs across the world, and is available in both Punjabi and English.  

Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib –– Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib under the leadership of Jathedar Tarlochan Singh sent a message to gurdwaras throughout Punjab, citing concern over ‘unchecked development, deforestation, damage of mountain areas, and intensive agriculture.’ The Jathedar encouraged Sikhs around the world to follow the path of their Gurus in conserving Mother Nature and to plant a tree on this day in memory of Guru Har Rai Sahib.

Takht Sri Hazur Sahib –– Takht Sri Hazur Sahib celebrated Vatavaran Diwas again this year with a nature march, a plant distribution at Nanded, and a new garden at Gurdwara Shikar Ghat Sahib. The Takht will involve the community to plant trees in honor of Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji.

SGPC –– The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the main governing body of the Sikhs, held celebrations in 78 Gurdwaras, 11 colleges, 31 Khalsa schools and 12 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools, planting fifty trees at each location. A total of 7,250 new trees were officially planted during the celebrations, superceding all expectations.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee –– The DSGMC celebrated the day in 16 of the major Delhi Gurdwaras. Under the management of President Paramjit Singh Sarna pledged that Delhi Gurdwaras will be leaders in green places of worship, with plans to introduce solar power, ban plastic disposables, and plants trees on premises. In addition, 19,000 students at 12 DSGMC schools were encouraged to protect nature, recite kirtan on the environment, and conserve water.

Punjab Schools –– Sukrit Trust and EcoSikh released a booklet for primary and secondary schoolchildren throughout Punjab, issuing a pledge to plant a tree this year, conserve water, and clean their surroundings. To download this book click here. To learn more, click here.

Gurdwara Behala, Kolkata –– Gurdwara Behala in Kolkata has organised a katha session by the famous Sikh teacher Giani Pinder Pal Singh Ji, in their main hall. Giani Pinder Pal Singh Ji led an inspiring lecture at the Gurdwara that was scheduled to be broadcasted over the Punjab Television Channel. The talk focused on three main areas: the life of Guru Har Rai Ji and his passion for environment; how Gurbani can inspire us to preserve nature; and how Sikhs can contribute in saving Mata Dharat for future generations.

Nankana Sahib and Karachi, Pakistan –– Celebrations in Pakistan commenced at Nankana Sahib, the birth place of our beloved Guru Nanak. According to President of the Pakistan Sikh Council, Ramesh Singh, Sikhs and followers of many other religions, especially Sindhis and Muslims gathered at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. The communities together raised a new orchid garden with 101 fruit bearing plants, at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara Janam Asthan in the memory of a Muslim Saint, Pir Buddhu Shah who was very close to the tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh. The Gurdwara committee uploaded a touching video on YouTube. The additional touch in the video is to see how men and women from different faiths get together and celebrate Sikh Environment Day, 2012.

Similar inter-faith celebrations were also observed in Karachi where faith and government leaders from Hindu, Christians, Sikh and Muslim communities all vowed to plant a tree in their neighborhood and keep their streets and localities clean. Read the full article in The Express Tribune.

Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Canada –– In British Columbia, the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, one of the largest Gurdwaras in the greater British Columbia region organized largescale celebrations around Sikh Vatavaran Diwas. This included a youth kirtan darbar, a tree distribution, and, an environmental cleanup with the City of Surrey. The Gurdwara also raised $3,000 to spread the word about the celebrations in the greater Surrey and Vancouver Region.

Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall, London, UK –– The Sikh Community in Southall celebrated  by planting five fruit trees at the newly acquired green at Norwood Hall. It signifies the sangat’s participation in in the biggest community eco-food growing project in West London. They launched their “Community Feeding The Community” programme, involving organic and sustainable principles, with water from rainwater harvesting and compost from the Gurdwara’s bio-waste. Sikhs in the British Army are dedicating a day next month to discussing Sikh Environment Day and environmental action.

United States –– Sikhs marked Sikh Vatavaran with enthusiasm, from east to west coasts. The Sikh Students Association at Queens College in New York, lead by Teji Kaur, planted a tree for Guru Har Rai with university environmental groups and did katha on the environment; San Jose Gurdwara in California committed to sustainability through the use of steel thalis and solar energy; and San Antonio Gurdwara in Texas planted over 41 trees and raised over $2,000 to begin a Guru Rai Ji Garden on the Gurdwara premises, along with many other participants across the continent.

For details of many more moving and inspiring actions from so many communities around the world please link here for details.