ਕੂੜ:Khalsa Credit Union Calendar

ਕੂੜ [Kur] {noun masculine, Dialectical usage} Same as ਕੂੜਾ, false

ਕੂੜਾ [kurra] {noun masculine} Sweepings, garbage, refuse, waste, rubbish, litter trash; also ਕੂੜਾ ਕਚਰਾ and ਕੂੜਾ ਕਰਕਟ
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Khalsa Credit Union is a BC bank run by Punajbis. Founded by Bhai Jeevan Singh Jee some 20 years ago it’s quite well known around the world, a search uncovers 550+ results.

‘The mission of Khalsa Credit Union is to provide a range of quality financial services to our members; promote Sikh educational, cultural, economic and relgious upliftment of members in the Khalsa spirit.’

If this mission was carried out properly the face of the BC Punjabi community would really have been something for Sikhs all over the world to look up to. Everything else aside, if this institution provided even some degree of ‘religious upliftment through the Khalsa Spirit’ things wouldn’t be where they are today.

Doing this should begin with a calendar. It’s not practical to reach out to so many people so many times over a year any other way, its certain someone will look at a calendar hanging rather than physically go to something done by a bank. A calendar should have something about the issuing authority and what they stand for: whether it’s a school, a business, sports team, or even a bank. This doesn’t include those that cheap publishers have pre-printed Punjabi culture/Sikh history themes and just stamp on the business information on the bottom.

A calendar issued by the Canucks will have everything about the team and players, a high school agenda will have detailed information about the school; last year GM Canada released a pretty good calendar that had information on their new 2005 vehicle lineup and scenic roads to drive on all across the country. This calendar showcased Canada in order to appeal to canadian buyers, even though GM is an American company. If a bank with Khalsa in its same can't do the same something's wrong.

How hard could it be for Khalsa Credit Union to display Sikh values and insight on a calendar? But it seems like its getting harder and harder every year.

We’ve had the Khalsa Cerdit Union Calendars for many years now. And the selection of the main display pictures for each month has been decent(if the manmade portraits of the Guru’s are ignored) Most of the historical pictures have been helpful reminders about different aspects about Punjab and its history. There were some things I saw on these for the first time and was amazed.

It’s a also a good thing they accepted and implemented the Nanakshahi Calendar right when it was passed. Shows they’re indeed inline with panthic thought.

This is something I just noticed: In recent years they’ve started to put the dates in Gurmukhi(੧,੨,੩) letters in a larger bold type face than the roman(1,2,3) ones. This might never have been done anywhere else. It’s most needed now when adults from even Punjab can’t decipher these ‘weird’ looking numbers. But if they look at the calendar enough times there’s a good chance they’ll lean them by the end of the year with matching the roman with the gurmukhi version of a numeral.

This year they’ve released the calendar to commemorate 20 years being in business. Yes, it is special, this upcoming year is. But this is also where things get a little disturbing. They do have all the usual inspiring pictures. But what’s missing is the descriptions in both Punajbi and English at the bottom.

What they put in instead of depicting the greatness of Harmandar Sahib are cheap reminders of ‘services’ offered by the Credit Union. Things like RRSP/RESPs when the bank stays open and other things. These things are common knowledge and don’t need to sacrifice something as inspiring and important as captions explaining the pictures.

Besides asking people to use the bank's services like this doesn’t show that the bank’s in ‘Chardi Kala’ at all. It seems more like a sign of desperation and a cheap attempt to get more business.

They’ve also included verses from Gurbani. I don’t think there really was any need for this. They’re taken out of context anyway. Even If they did the pictures arnt the same they were just a few years ago let alone when the bani was revealed. But the format they chose to display these in is unacceptable. Gurbani should always be displayed in the original continues format, not the manmade gurbani cut to pieces by some manmukh book sellers. If they start following the proper format for Gurbani on this calendar it could serve as an example for others and hopefully will put an end to this manmutt through inspiration. This one act is responsible for panthic downfall we’re witnessing today.

The main reason to get a calendar for me is to look at dates. But another reason also as important is to be inspired by the meaning behind the actual pictures. Over the years at the turn of the new month, with it a new calendar page, discussions were sparked just from the captions. And that wont happen anymore.

Having Gurbani displayed in front of you in the real unaltered state is a bonus.

If the Khalsa Credit Union calendar can’t do this, what’s the difference between this and any other calendars if all im going to get is the date and some ads promoting a business.

.....it’ll then be classified as just any other ਕੂੜ.....