Dastaar King

For a long time now I have been tying decades old Dastars, all of them are faded. I decided to get a few new ones from a good store. I was getting tired of waiting for someone to bring one from Punjab. While on one of our evening walks out of nowhere Bhai Jagjeet Singh mentioned about Punjab Cloth House, the new mega warehouse the opened up on 80th avenue in Surrey and how they have the best cloth anywhere and the lowest prices

Now normally we don’t buy clothing from here, but get it directly from the homeland whenever someone comes over. We thought that the cloth sold here was somehow inferior, even though the higher quality cloth that mills in Punjab manufacture is sold to outside international markets like Surrey.

He had been reminding me for a long time that they have a huge sale. Time passed. So on November 24th 2007 we decided to head out and see if they had any decent cloth for my dastaar.

As soon as I saw the huge building I knew that this was not just any other Punjabi cloth store but someone far beyond. The place was huge and I had a good feeling that we would not be disappointed.

We went in and lot out a collective WOW at the amount of area they had for the store.

After the initial shock wore off we moved in and walked around. There was bhangra pumping out from the overheard mini-system speaker tied to the rafters with a yellow rope. It seemed like we were transported to Punjab.

On one side there was free cloth and on the other was the ‘readymade’ suits, jackets, jewelry and stiff like that. We went into the khulla kapra section and we were drawn to a man behind the counter cutting cloth.

We approached him and he said fateh and asked what we wanted. I told him that we were looking for some cloth for dastaars. He pointed to a shelf to his right:

As soon as he was done he came over and we asked him what kind of cloth we should get for dastaars, he recommended that we get rubia 2X2(I think that’s what it was). I asked him what kind I was wearing he said that it was the same stuff we were holding.

After that he went for a tea break. He came back a short while later and Jagjeet Singh said that we liked to interview him. He was taken aback but agreed without any hesitation. We talked like we had known each other for many years. He was super-friendly and knew his kapra.

I asked him what his name was; he said he was Lachman Singh. We were very surprised to know that he sells on average over 100 dastaars a day. He further said that the most popular color that people buy is navy blue. And he told us that a good number of youth who come into sikhi buy dastaars from him for the first time and he gives them good wishes and encouragement for starting to tie a dastaar.

He said the kapra they sell comes from all over the world but the cloth for dastaars that we got was made at the famous Phagwara mill in district Jullandher. He told us of the number of different kinds of cloth and the benefits of each and which one is suitable for what kind of dastars.

If you need any kind of kapra you should visit Punajb Cloth House and see baba Lachman Singh; all your clothing needs will be met there and all questions about cloth will be answered. Punjab Cloth House is located on the northern side of 80th avenue at 127th Street, you won’t miss it...

Culture Crawl: Part 2

Culture Crawl: This Weekend!

This evening Hari Singh, Jagjeet Singh and I went to one of the most worthwhile events in Vancouver. It’s called the Culture Crawl. The East Side Culture Crawl opened tonight in Vancouver and will go on throughout this weekend. I highly recommend that you take time out and see the great artists out there.

We visited three venues where there were more than 15 artists in each building. I never imagined the art movement was so rich and diverse right here in Vancouver. You will be amazed at the amount of diversity and talent there is out here in our very own city.

Artists are among the best souls out there. Tonight we met some really great people and had the chance to see their artwork. Seeing all the great demos has inspired me to once agian take up art in the free time that i don't have right now.

This event is free and you should check it out tomorrow or SUnday.

"Purchase something that strikes your fancy, commission something to be uniquely yours, or just browse through the studios and meet the artists, learning about their specific works of art, materials and tools, approaches and techniques. This is a once a year opportunity to meet many diversely talented artists and view their creations in the studios where they work. Be part of this exciting event, which brings people from all over the Lower Mainland, and share in the imaginations that enrich our neighbourhood and lives."

Jagjeet Singh liked a T-shirt at Sidual so much that he was desperate to get one. However they did not carry his size; fortunately for him Steph made a white on white on an organic cotton shirt on the spot. He got it autographed too!

Surrey Babbai

One of the best things about living in Surrey is numerous Babbai(seniors) roaming the streets. Better still is greeting them and totally making their day. The majority greet you right back and their face lights up. This post is dedicated to them. No one else can experience this in the west, the close proximity isn't as much as it is in my pind Surrey.

Whenever I go for a walk or walk to and from Kwantlen(University College) it's a given that I'll see a few of them walking their grandkids or pushing a stroller or just merrily walking with an umbrella in hand no matter rain or shine.

Now many people have a negative view of all babbai as being drunk all the time and just sitting there on park benches playing cards. I think that's the case with a small minority who are pushed into these circumstances. From what I've heard and seen most babbai have a rotten experience at home and so they venture outside and find similar company and lessen their collective 'dukh.'
This pauree From Bahi Gurdass Jee comes to mind:
ਅਮਲੀਰਚਨਅਮਲੀਆਂਸੋਫੀਸੋਫੀਮੇਲਕਰੰਦੇ॥
ਜੂਆਰੀਜੂਆਰੀਆਂਵੇਕਰਮੀਵੇਕਰਮਰਚੰਦੇ॥
ਚੋਰਾਂਚੋਰਾਂਪਿਰਹੜੀਠਗਠਗਮਿਲਦੇਸਠਗੰਦੇ॥
ਮਸਕਰਿਆਂਮਿਲਮਸਕਰੇਚੁਗਲਾਂਚੁਗਲਉਮਾਹਮਿਲੰਦੇ॥
ਮਨਤਾਰੂਮਨਤਾਰੂਆਂਤਾਰੂਤਾਰੂਤਾਰਤਰੰਦੇ॥
ਦੁਖਿਆਰੇਦੁਖਿਆਰਿਆਂਮਿਲਮਿਲਅਪਣੇਦੁਖਰੁਵੰਦੇ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਗੁਰਸਿਖਵਸੰਦੇ॥੪॥

Over this summer I have gotten to know how bright most of them really are. It's surprising how much general knowledge these folks possess on all matters of life. You just have to get a conversation started.... These guys are on top of everything that happens around town, around the province, country, world and beyond. Its amazing the great number of them can fluently speak English have a crazy British like accent. I would guess it's because they served in the Indian Army, Air Force, taught school etc.

One time in 2002 I was starting work the first day and had to take a bus to get there. I was almost lost. Seeing my confused look two of them came to me told me what the best way to get to Richmond from 22nd Street Station would be and which bus to take. Most of the time I've taken a bus to places outside of Surrey, I've been amazed at how far these guys can go just with the help of the bus pass. More and more of them can be seen in the Downtown core whenever I'm there. Their navigational skills are unparalleled.

One of the most admirable things about them is that they don't hesitate to do what they deem right and stick up for it. One example is asking for rides at the end of a gurdvara program where they come up to you know ask you which way you are headed. I would never have the guts to ask someone who is a complete stranger....

Even the most dessiest of Babbai can get around easily. I have never encountered a baba who was lost and needed any direction.

It would be unfair to mention some of the negative aspects of the baba-life too. There are the ones who drink and urinate in public places. A few days ago there was this guy in his 60s singing a Jamla Jutt song and pointing at cars passing by. THere was the one who passes out across the street and was picked up by an ambulance. This week still one was sighted walking wildly and hit a pole while almost getting killed as he stumbled across to oncoming traffic.

I don't see how things could be different even if everyone tried to solve this. Negative aspects of the baaba life are quite old and old things turn into habits and habits never die. As Bhai Gurdass Jee has said, one naturally finds the company of the same without any problem. I think things are looking up even with the not so good public exhibits.

One thing you can do is to include the Babbai of Surrey in ardass and ask guru sahib to give them good-mutt and realize that death is coming nearer and nearer.... and that its still not too late to change.

Kirtan in Dreams

One of the best things ever is to experience a kirtan dream. What is a kirtan dream? Well it’s a dream where while asleep there is kirtan going on and you dream a dream and you hear kirtan in the background within the contents of the dream. Your dream follows kirtan. I myself listen to kirtan while asleep and I have recommended it to anyone I know as well. From having listened to kirtan at night, all night for over 14 years I can tell you that my dreams have been the very best someone can dream and I have never had a scary dream all this time.

As usual I had a really good dream last night. It was about my workplace moving to Langley and getting a really big warehouse with many big machines. Nearby there were other mega warehouses and a huge shopping mall.

So I was there at work at the end of the week and working night shift during a break I went to one of the windows and saw that there were kids in the opposite set of warehouses. I went out to my car and get a pair of roller-skates out and went to the business park adjacent to ours. It was nighttime and there wasn’t anyone about who I would have to report to.

So anyway I go over to where the kids were and when I get there I didn’t see anyone. I went to the back of the buildings and saw that there was a big opening to one of the buildings and when I went in all the kids were there skating, a group of about 5-6. The whole warehouse had a huge tubular track lined with white green and blue tiles with ridges and bumps like it was made just for skating.

So this may sound like I’m a gorafied Punjabi but for the longest time I taught these kids how to do new tricks. I then looked outside and it turned out that there was light coming from the windows and it was way late to go home.

As I went outside and told the kids I had to go home now, through the sidewalk of the building I made my way and one little guy tugs at my shirt and asked me what they should be doing. I told them that its very simple, they should Jaap naam. And like a dam bursting I could hear all the kids do Vaheguru Vaheguru Vaheguru in unison so loud that I thought the neighbors would wake up.

I kept going and the one kid who asked what they should be doing was still with me and i asked him if I’ve seen him before and he said yes he did and that I taught him Punjabi at Khalsa School during the summer, it turned out that it was a fact too I recognized him instantly at that.

When I woke up I was listening to the Bhai Prabhjot Singh Jee Track from Prince George Raensbayee 2005 with the Vaheguru dhunni still going.

Listening to Kirtan during the night pays. One dream too good.