Khalsa Credit Union Calendar: V2

Khalsa Credit Union, dubbed as 'ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਰਵੋਤਮ ਫ਼ਾਇਨੈਂਨਸ਼ਲ ਅਦਾਰਾ'(leading Sikh financial institution) and a ‘Symbol of Economic Progress of Sikhs in BC’ has been celebrating 20 years of existence this year. It opened up in 1986 and has seen considerable growth since then.

Most of us have been used to seeing their famous line of calendars, the one for the upcoming year is due for release anytime now. For a while I’ve wanted to post on the September 2006 graphic they included in the current calendar:

This is a picture of a guy and his family on what looks like the rooftop of Darbar Sahib(Amritsar). There’s nothing out of place with the picture itself, seems just like your average devoted family…… that is until you look up at the line from Gurbani from the top right. The last 2 lines of a shabad from Ang 172 make it very hard not to make the connection with the text and the pilgrimaging family:
ਹਮਅਪਰਾਧਪਾਪਬਹੁਕੀਨੇਕਰਿਦੁਸਟੀਚੋਰਚੁਰਾਇਆ॥
ਅਬਨਾਨਕਸਰਣਾਗਤਿਆਏਹਰਿਰਾਖਹੁਲਾਜਹਰਿਭਾਇਆ॥੪॥

which translate into

“I am a sinner, I have committed so many sins; I am a villainous, thieving thief. Now, Nanak has come to the Lord's Sanctuary; preserve my honor as it pleases Your Will.”

I wonder what the guy will think if he ever comes across the calendar. Using lines from Gurbani out of context obviously isn’t new. But it’s beginning to make a huge presence felt on the roads of Surrey. Although it’s hard to spot a bus or truck windshield free of assuring-feel-good quotes from Gurbani in Punjab. You almost forgot it ever existed here. First the shiny CDs, then the chrome Khanda hanging from the rearview mirrors and more recently the ever increasing number of construction vans and trucks with ਤੂੰਮੇਰਾਰਾਖਾਸਭਨੀਥਾਈ॥, ਤੂਦਾਤਾਦਾਤਾਰੁਤੇਰਾਦਿਤਾਖਾਵਣਾ॥ etc. on the front windshields bring Surry that much closer to the GT road culture of Punjab.

Just as the October came to an end, the page turned and another surprise was in store for November: