Just read this ...

If you are a samosa, I am your chutney.

....................................................................

If you are a pencil, I am your eraser.

....................................................................

If you are jam, I am your bread.

....................................................................

If you are a ball, I am your bat.

....................................................................

If you are salt, I am your pepper.

....................................................................

If you are a table, I am your chair.

....................................................................

If you are are the day, I am your night.

....................................................................

If you are a cell, I am your nucleus.

....................................................................

If you are a plant, I am your soil.

....................................................................

If you are fungus, I am your alga!

....................................................................

If you are a dosa, I am your sambhar.

....................................................................

If you are physics, I am your mathematics.

....................................................................

If you are a car, I am your tyres.

....................................................................

If you are a dhakkan, I am your pen!

....................................................................

If you are a headphone, I am your music.

....................................................................

If you are me, I am you...

....................................................................

-You might have guessed what this is about...HAPPY ________________ 😉

Leave a comment below to tell!

-SARGUN SAINI

😇

On the Result Day

As soon as I opened my result,

I started crying...😇

Everybody asked what happened...

I told them my percentage,

they all were very happy, 😄

then I checked the toppers list,

I was at the 14th place,

I always wanted to be 2nd

 so that my name would be there in the School Magazine

but when I saw the list

I was confused...

should I be happy or sad? 😡

Many of my friends came in Top 10,

few of them, not even that.

First I congratulated everyone

and then I cried from inside...

I always wished for 97% 

which I got (and I am happy for that)

but also I wished to come in Top 10.

I was preparing for a photograph

in the newspaper and television...

Hey, don't laugh...it's true,

then a crazy wellwisher said to me,

"Are ro mat pagli, nobody sees newspaper these days

because of coronavirus",

that made me laugh.

Then I went to buy some sweets, 🍬🍰🍨

then to the Gurudwara to thank God for everything.

I am not able to sleep so early at night

but don't know how 'on the result day', I slept so peacefully! 

Then the next day when I saw

my friends' photographs in the newspaper,

I cannot tell how elated I was.

I felt proud of my genius buddies. 😆😁😃

Then on the next to next day I saw

pictures of those in the newspaper,

who got even less than me.

At first, my eyes moistened

but then I was encouraged.

Phone calls from everywhere...

India, Germany, England, Romania, Italy, ✈

all coming on the phone.

I felt happy, I felt very happy

but not very proud
because success should not turn your head.

Then I thought of sketching,

that same crazy being gave me an idea

to make a still life painting. 🍚

I made it and felt better.

Then I started writing this poem

which you are reading...🌠

and now I would like to thank 

all those who helped me achieve this wonderful result...

Thank you God, I knew you will help me...

Thank you Mumma-papa

for always encouraging me

to work hard and not be lazy

and for the sweet scoldings at the right time!  😁😆😊

Loads of thanks to all my teachers

who showed me the right path

and taught me how to be a good person.

Thanks to my family 

for supporting me.

Then gratitude to all those friends and siblings

who helped me be happy.

Appreciations! Thankfulness! Gratitude!

Then I wished to stay the same,

not to butter others for my work to be accomplished

and to be more hardworking,

much better than I used to be,

to help the world which needs me

everything under His blessings.

😇😊

-SARGUN SAINI

                                                                                                                                                                 

Did you notice there is no rhyme in this poem written by me?

Still, I find it heartwarming because it carries my feelings. At first, despite getting 97.2% (best five) in my exams, I felt sad, down and moving for not coming in the Top 10 but then my parents and family said that it doesn't matter...because more important is that you worked hard and the marks you got today are entirely its fruit. 

I got to learn so many new ideas and thoughts. I would like to quote one of them said by one of my best friends, "Quality matters, not quantity." (while studying) I really loved this line. 

The best thing on my result day was visiting the Gurudwara after several (≈4) months. I felt so good. Without the daily prayers (like the daily prayers in school), I think I was not expending* much time to pray and this is not a good habit.

Then afterwards I checked my weight. You know I lost 3 kgs! 😆 Didn't face the side-effects of lockdown (weight gain!). I had been practising yoga for the past 1 month. It really benefited me!

                                                                                                                                                                

Now quotes for all the students who got their results :

Guys, if you got a good percentage, be happy and exultant* but not very proud, if you got bad marks (I believe no one did) then keep one thing in mind "Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn".

HAPPY FUTURE!

*

expending - spending, disbursing

exultant - happy, elated, jubilant, triumphant

Tuesday Talks #4 - Langar

Tuesday Talks #4

Langar: The Free Community Meal / Free Community Kitchen

"What if every religious place of worship in the world starts the practice of langar, no person in this world would sleep hungry and empty stomach." 

When I was a kid, I didn't know what langar was, why it was there. I only knew that on every occasion, every person, whether a beggar or a businessman, a Hindu or a Sikh, a woman or a man would sit together on the floor and have it.

In Sikhism, the practice of the langar, or free kitchen, is believed to have been started by the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It was designed to uphold the principle of equality among all people, regardless of religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status. The second Guru of Sikhs, Guru Angad Dev Ji, is remembered in Sikh tradition for systematizing the institution of langar in all Sikh temple premises, where visitors from near and far could get a free simple meal in a simple and equal seating. He also set rules and training method for volunteers (sewadars) who operated the kitchen, placing emphasis on treating it as a place of rest and refuge, and being always polite and hospitable to all visitors.

It was the third Guru, Amar Das, who established langar as a prominent institution and required people to dine together irrespective of their caste and class. He encouraged the practice of langar and made all those who visited him attend langar before they could speak to him.

(Source: Wikipedia)

I have heard many successful people say that during their struggling days they lived on langar. They got a lot of support form the nearby gurudwaras. Even during these pandemic times, Sikhs are out to help the world. I am not emphasizing the Sikhs' greatness or boasting of anything, I am simply trying to communicate my feelings in this "Real Tuesday Talks" on how you can help others only by praying. Your messages, your prayers reach that needy person. Whether it is a Nagar Kirtan, a Kirtan Darbar, a crisis time or disasters like earthquakes or floods, Sikhs are always there to help and feed the helpless and needy anywhere around the globe.

"Khalsa Aid" Organisation

Even the great emperor Akbar and the King of Haripur sat to eat langar with the common men (at the time of Guru Amar Das Ji). He was asked not to go back without eating the langar. Such great is the power of langar. It can erase all the differences between everyone, all become equal, you don't have the fear of falling down because you are already on the floor, how deeper can you fall, nobody is higher or lower because everyone sits at an equal height on the floor.

Now those who do sewa in the langar should always do it selflessly and they really do. All are same for them. They don't discriminate. Discrimination is prohibited. Anyone can volunteer to do sewa, even a non-Sikh, all are welcome. Langar is a vegetarian meal which everyone can eat. Langars are held all over the world most of which attract homeless people.

I was always told that before volunteering for any task in the gurudwara, you need to wash your hands properly and cover your head. Now I understood why we are asked to wash our hands properly. So you see, you find everything, every value in a single act and I realised that nothing is done in any religion without any scientific reason. I am very soon gonna publish that blog post as well.

I am really lucky to have witnessed this. Sikhs organise langars all over the world. Every Gurdwara has a Langar attached to it where food is served to anyone without charge. The term Langar is also used for the communal meal served at the Gurdwaras. The food served in the Langar must be simple, so as to prevent wealthy congregations from turning it into a feast that shows off their superiority.

(Source: bbc.co.uk)

Few questions related to langar :

Can a Muslim eat langar?

Yes, why not. Everyone is free to eat langar. That is what it is meant for- free food for everyone. Not only Muslims but every person from any place of the world, any religion any gender, any caste, any creed will be served without any discrimination.

What food is served in the langar?

Any vegetarian meal can be served. Most commonly it is a prasada (roti, chappati), dal (pulses), a sabji (vegatable dish), a dessert like kheer or karha and the sweetest is the love, respect and true devotion of the volunteers.

Can anyone volunteer or donate to a gurudwara for langar?

Yes, everyone is free to do so. Nobody is ever judged on the amount of sewa done or donation amount given. It is your wish and will.

The idea of Langar was a revolutionary one. In their prayers, the Sikhs seek from the Almighty the favour:

  “Loh langar tapde rahin."

  “May the iron pots of Langar be ever warm (in service).”

For more interesting information related to Langar, please visit this website : https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Langar

Even I got to know more about the practice of langar while writing this blog, I hope you also gained more knowledge. Do share with me any points I missed and don't hesitate to ask any questions or doubts you have in your mind.

I am not directly helping anyone with this blog post but I am sure the person reading this will surely think and ponder about the text here and will pray for the well being of the world.

-SARGUN SAINI