REPORT
Fourth International IUS
Seminar 2004
QUADRICENTENNIAL OF
COMPILATION AND
INSTALATION
(PARKASH DIVAS) OF
AAD GURU GRANTH SAHIB
Philosophy and Teachings of Aad Guru Granth Sahib
The Fourth International IUS Seminar was the final seminar
in the series of celebration of ‘Quadricentennial of Compilation and
Installation (Parkash Divas) of the Aad
Guru Granth Sahib’. It was one of the recognized conferences by the Shiromani
Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar for
the celebration of Quadricentennial of compilation and Installation (Parkash Divas) of the Aad Guru Granth Sahib. The seminar
was held in collaboration with the North America Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee,
Surrey, BC; Academy Of Guru Granth Studies, Arlington, Taxes; and Sikh Virsa, Calgary, Alberta on September 18, 2004 in Amethyste
Hall of Radisson Hotel Laval, 2900 boul le Carrefour,
Laval. Quebec.
The Aad Guru Granth Sahib (AGGS) is the most
respected and sacred Granth of the Sikhs. Sikhi (Sikhism) is based on Nanakian philosophy embodied
in the Gurbani, which is incorporated in the AGGS. And the religious and social
lives of Sikhs also revolve around it. Since September 1, 2004
the Sikhs all over the world are celebrating 400th anniversary
(Quadricentennial) of its compilation and installation in the Darbar Sahib (Golden
Temple),
Amritsar.
The Aad Guru Granth Sahib contains the philosophy of Guru Nanak, which has been
explained and strengthened by the other five Sikh Gurus. Beside this it also
contains the philosophy of the great Bhagats and Saints of various regions of India.
It also contains the eulogy of Guru Nanak and other four Sikh Gurus who
succeeded to the House of Nanak. And the Bani of Guru Teg Bahadur was added in
it by Guru Gobind Singh in 1705.
A Sabd, Vidyia vichai tan parupkaari…,
was recited by Bhai Satnam Singh and his associate.
It was arranged by Mr Prithipal Singh Saluja, President of Gurdwara Sahib Quebec, Montreal.
Bibi
(Mrs) Kiranjot Kaur, Executive Member of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee (SGPC), Amritsar
and the Official Representative of the SGPC, was Guest of Honor for the
seminar. Bibi Kiranjot Kaur declared the Seminar Open for deliberation on the
‘Philosophy and Teachings of the Aad Guru Granth Sahib’. Prof Devinder Singh
Chahal, President of the IUS, awarded an IUS ‘Plaque of Honor’ to her.
During this seminar the scholars from India,
USA
and Canada
presented their research papers and discussed various topics on the philosophy
and teachings of the AGGS. During the first session, Chaired by Dr Jit Singh Chandan, New
York, USA
Dr Dharam
Singh, PhD, Professor in Department of Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Punjabi
University,
Patiala
presented his paper on Guru
Granth Sahib and the Sikh World-view. Dr Avtar
Singh Dhaliwal, MD from Johnson
City, Tennessee,
USA
presented his paper on Doctrine
of Soul in Gurbani. Prof Devinder Singh Chahal, PhD, IUS
discussed about Universal
Acceptability of Nanakian Philosophy. Dr Jodh Singh, MD
from New York,
USA
talked about Ethics in Sikhism.
During the Second Session, Chaired by Dr Surinder Singh Sidhu, MD, Brampton,
Ontario,
Dr Parminder Singh Chahal, PhD, IUS presented the Contributions of the Institute for
Understanding Sikhism. Thereafter,
Dr Parminder Singh Chahal requested Bibi Kiranjot Kaur to release the
book, SABD GURU TO GRANTH GURU – An In-depth Study,
of Prof Devinder Singh Chahal to Dr Harjit Singh Bhabra, President of Canadian Sikh Council. Dr Bhabra
thanked Bibi Kiranjot Kaur and appreciated the contributions of Prof Chahal. This
book deals with the intrinsic values of ‘Sabd’, ‘Guru’, and ‘Sabd Guru’ and a brief history of
transformation of ‘Sabd Guru’ to ‘Granth Guru’.
Then Mr
Mohinder
Singh Jheeta presented the Achievements of Prof Devinder Singh Chahal,
President of IUS and Editor-in-Chief of Understanding Sikhism – The Research Journal. He requested Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, Representative of
SGPC to present a Plaque of Honor to Prof Chahal for his Contributions in Sikh
Journalism, Gurbani and Sikhism. The contributions* of Prof Chahal and overall
good work done by the IUS were appreciated by Bibi Kiranjot Kaur.
During the second part of the Second Session,
chaired by Dr Jit Singh
Chandan, New
York, USA
presented his paper on Ego.
It was followed by next three papers about Akhand Paaths, a very common practice in many Gurdwaras.
Mr Harcharan Singh, Editor, Sikh Virsa,
Calgary,
Canada
discussed Is Akhand Paath a
Devotion or Ritualism? Mr Gurdev Singh Sangha discussed Recitation of Gurbani. Dr Harbans
Lal, Taxes, USA
discussed Guru Granth Worship – The Sikh Way. All these papers were stressing
upon the importance of understanding of Gurbani and put the teachings in
practice rather than mere repetition of whole AGGS within specific time and in
various combinations with other Bani. There was a great concern of the speakers
and the audience to understand if there were any spiritual or secular benefits
of mere recitation of the AGGS within specific time without listening and
understanding the teaching and philosophy enshrined in the AGGS. (See
Resolution)
During the Third Session, chaired by Mr Abnash Singh, IUS, Mr Nirmal
Singh Nilvi, Jew Jersey, USA discussed Multiple Interpretations of Gurbani.
Col Permindar Singh Randhawa,
Chandigarh,
India
explained the Dissemination of
Message of the Aad Guru Granth Sahib Via Electronic
Media. Mr Gurcharan Singh
Bhatia, IUS, Montreal
discussed his paper on a very important question to the Sikhs, Are the Sikhs following the Message of Guru
Nanak?
Every year the IUS
honors personalities and dignitaries, irrespective of their sex, color and
religion, who have done some outstanding work for Sikhism and Multiculturalism
in Canada.
During the first Seminar Hon Mr Baljit Singh Chadha ,
PC for his contributions to support Education in general and Sikhism in
particular and Multiculturalism; during the second Seminar S Amar Singh Chhatwal, the Editor
of Sikh Courier, UK for Journalism in Sikhism; and during the third
Seminar Dr Kulbir Singh Thind
for development of Punjabi Font and preparation of CD of the Aad Guru Granth
Sahib, were honored by the IUS.
The fourth Seminar is
the biggest and final seminar in this series of celebration of Quadricentennial
of Compilation and Installation of the Aad Guru Granth Sahib; therefore, Bibi
Kiranjot Kaur, Member of the SGPC and Official Representative of SGPC, Amritsar
honored the following dignitaries at the Harmony Dinner at Radisson Hotel
Laval. The dinner was sponsored by Mr Jaswinder Singh
Rana, SGR Industries (Bleaching) .
Montreal North:
- Honorable
Ms Sheila Copps, Ex- Deputy Prime Minister and
Ex- Heritage Minister of Canada, was awarded a gold plated Plaque of
Honor and Mr Nachhattar Singh Sangha,
then President of the Abbotsford Gurdwara and Mr Gurnam
Singh Sanghera, representative of the team were
honored with Saropa from SGPC and Plaque
of Honor form IUS for declaration of Abbotsford Gurdwara in BC as the National
Heritage of Canada. The other two members of this team, Mr Balwant Singh Gill, President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara,
Surrey, BC and Mr Jarnail Singh Bandhal, President of Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara at
Ross Street, Vancouver were honored by the President of IUS at a conferences
held in Surrey and Squamish, BC, respectively
on September 9 and 11.
- Hon Mr Michel Bissonnet, President (Speaker)
of the National assembly of Quebec, Canada was honored with gold plated Plaque of Honor from SGPC
for Recognition of Quebec Sikh Community and the 400th Anniversary
of the Compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib
- Mr
Gerald Tremblay, Mayor, City of Montreal and Mr Pierre Bourque,
Opposition Leader, City of Montreal were awarded with gold plated Plaques
of Honor from SGPC for Recognition of Montreal Sikh Community and the 400th
Anniversary of the Compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib. (The Plaque of
Honor of Mr Gerald Tremblay was received by his brother since he could not
make it.)
- Mr
Jaswinder Singh Rana, Prof
Pavittar Singh Bhandhari, and
Mr Khetharpal were
honored with Plaque of Honor from SGPC and Plaque of Honor of IUS for their
contributions in this respect.
- Finally
Prof Devinder Singh Chahal, President of IUS was presented for his
contributions with the gold plated Plaque of Honor from SGPC.
- All
Speakers,who presented their research papers, were
honored with IUS Plaque of Honor by Bibi Kiranjot Kaur at the conclusion
of the Day-long Seminar.
Prof
Devinder Singh Chahal has published many articles on scientific and logical
interpretation of Gurbani and representation of Sikhism in many proceedings of
the various conferences, various journals and magazines, and multi-author books
of the world. He has also written a few critical analyses of some works on
Sikhism and Gurbani. He is founding
President of the Institute for Understanding Sikhism (IUS) and Editor-in-Chief
of Understanding
Sikhism: The Research Journal, which is
published twice a year since 1999.
Professor Chahal has written the following chapter
of its own kind - the topic - which has not been discussed so far in Sikh
literature:
Chahal,
D S. 2004. Sikh Perspectives on Bioethics.
In John F Peppin, Mark J Cherry, and Ana Iltis (Eds.), Annals of Bioethics: Religious
Perspectives in Bioethics. Taylor & Francis, The
Netherlands, Leiden, London, and New York.
He has also
published two books:
1. Chahal,
D. S. 2003. JAP: The Essence of Nanakian Philosophy. Singh Brothers, Amritsar
2. Chahal,
D. S. 2004. SABD GURU TO GRANTH GURU:
An In-depth Study. Singh Brothers, Amritsar.
Another
book, Nanakian Philosophy in the Aad Guru Granth Sahib, is under
hand now.