The Melbourne Experience

'M A G I C!'

That was how members of the Sangat in Melbourne who attended Kirtan sessions held by Veer Manpreet Singh Ji in Melbourne described the experience.

Veer Ji was in Melbourne from Jan 13-16 with members of the SYA family to bring his brand of Kirtan to the Melbourne Sangat.

Kirtan sessions were held in the homes of Surinder Gurdial, Tim Singh Laurence, Jagtar Singh, Jagjit Singh Sidhu and Kishen Singh Gill. Veer Ji also did Kirtan at the Blackburn Gurdwara on Sunday in front of a full house. He was honoured with the gift of a Saropa by Master Darshan Singh Ji, the outgoing President of the Blackburn Gurdwara.

Those lucky enough to host the Kirtan sessions in their homes said they felt the joy that the Sangat experienced. This can be attributed to the very committed and involved efforts of Veer Ji in his sessions where he encouraged each and every member of the Sangat to join in the Kirtan. Melbourne rocked with Naam.

Veer Ji’s friendly demeanour also helped and he was an instant hit with all age groups. He has left a memorable impression with the Sangat in Melbourne and we are all genuinely looking forward to his next visit to Melbourne.

Thank you Veer Ji and may Waheguru’s blessing be always upon you.

 We wish to also kindly thank Dya Singh Ji for arranging the Vajas for the tour and Gurdip Ahluwalia for providing an excellent PA system.

 -- Kishan & Geeta Gill & Family

Blackburn Gurdwara, Melbourne

The Sydney Story

 On a personal level, Veer Ji’s sessions were a phenomenal learning experience. His gentle voice filled my ears with the divine teachings of our Guru Ji and each Satsang he conducted left me wanting more, or as Veer Ji would say “my hunger for more had not been satisfied”.

With each Satsang I learnt something new, like the meaning of Naam and Ardaas, or that Kirtan was all about listening, singing and believing.

Everyday I was moved by the response from the Sangat after the “Tuhi Tuhi” Simran and no matter how tired I felt I was drawn to recite each Shabad with all my energy. With this he gave me the confidence to grow spiritually and to encourage my peers to stay connected to our Guru Ji. But one of the most valuable lessons I learnt from Veer Manpreet Ji was that it was important to smile.

The last program was held at the residence of Dr Pavitar Sunner. About 300 people attended this blissful session which was about 2 hours long. Accompanying Veer Ji were Giani Rashpal Singh Ji, with his sitar, and SYA family member Harpreet Singh on the Tabla. The Kirtan was just awesome!

Veer Ji’s trip ended with an exciting outing to Dee Why beach which allowed us to see his adventurous side. I know that my SYA friends and I really enjoyed Veer Ji’s company there where he showed off a few of his yoga moves and taught us how to “jump” the waves.

All in all Veer Ji’s trip really enlightened me and spread positive vibes throughout my surroundings and I am definitely looking forward to his next trip in July.

-- Gurpreet Kaur Toor

SYA Summer Camp, Narrabeen