Khalsa Youth Camp 2006, Espanola NM

Well, just got back from attending the Khalsa Youth Camp in beautiful Espanola. I Had to fly back to get back to work but rest of the family is still on the road sightseeing and taking their time. It was great to meet new and old Khalsa campers and their families, some fellow bloggers (The one and only Sardar Prabhu Singh! who was even more pleasant in person than his beautiful blog. His brother Hari Singh is just as nice and pleasant. They sure brought a lot of positive energy around them during my brief visit with them. Both Hari Singh and Prabhu Singh opened up their big hearts like Punjabis and invited me and ManKanwal Singh (another gursikh from New York I met in Espanola) to join them for a great south-western style mexican food restaurant and then into home of Hari Singh for evening chat. Camp itself was a great experience for the whole family and there are opportunities for families to take part in work-exchange program. As far as weather, it rained almost every night along with thunder and lightening, unlike last year when it didn't rain for even one day. At times it felt like monsoon season in Punjab with the exception of mangoes and peacocks (Hari Singh does have six ber (jujubee) trees though and interesting stories to go along with their growth and upbringing). I encourage every Indian/Punjabi Sikh and non-Sikh family to attend at least once if not more with their kids because it is a fun filled, positive, learning experince. This is especially true for older kids ages 7 thru 12 who would learn Khalsa values, yoga, songs and kirtan sung beautifully in English and Gurmukhi . Then there is Bhangra, Gutka-Jitsu, Seva, Rock climbing, basketball, cold showers etc. And, then there was delicious vegetarian food cooked by a fellow Californian, Atma Kaur and her international team of helpers from New York, Calgary, Chile, Columbia, California, Massachussette, Trinidad and Tobago and other places I may forget. Even though, my youngest one was kind of anxious to leave and that could be just a personal thing, or some negative experience with another camper, but the older ones seemed to have had a lot of fun. In one of my previous posts I mentioned how my sons stayed vegetarians after last camp, but a few days after my post I learned that they did not want to be vegetarians any more. I am still proud of the fact that they both tried it for 11 months and who knows they may come back to vegetarianism one day again. I owe it to the camp for encouraging these values. I will try to post some pictures soon.

Below is a Song of the Khalsa which is sung every morning during the Gurdwara. It is a beautifully written song and always brings tears in my eyes listening to the powerful words in it.


Song of The Khalsa
Many speak of courage.
Speaking cannot give it.
It's in the face of death that we must live it.

When things are down and darkest
that's when we stand tallest.
Until the last star falls, we won't give an inch at all!

Stand as the Khalsa,
strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru
mind and soul, breath and bone.

Guru Arjan gave His Life
to stand for what was right.
He was burned and tortured
five long days and nights.

He could have stopped it any time
just by giving in.
His Strength a solid wall, He never gave an inch at all!

Sons of the Khalsa
remember those who died.
Stood their ground until their last breath
so we who live now, might live free lives.

A princess is not royal, by her birth or blood inside.
But if her family's home is Anandpur Sahib
She'll walk with such a grace and strength
the world will bow in awe.
Until the mountains fall, she'll never give an inch at all!

Daughters of the Khalsa, in your strength our future lies.
Give our children fearless minds, to see the world through the Guru's Eyes.

Baisakhi we were thousands, but only five had the courage for dying.
Then one brave man, one flashing sword, turned us all to lions.
And now we live His Legacy, to die before we fall.
And like the five who answered the call, we can't turn back at all.

Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.

The Tenth Guru gave even His Sons, to give the Khalsa life.
His Words stand like mountains, against the winds of time
That Khalsa will rule the world, all will be safe in its fold.
But if the Khalsa falls, there won't be a world at all!

Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.

Many speak of courage. Speaking cannot give it.
It's in the face of death that we must live it.
When things are down and darkest, that's when we stand tallest.
Until the last star falls, we won't give an inch at all!

Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Gives our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.
Sons of the Khalsa, remember those who died.
Stood their ground until their last breath, so we who live now, might live free lives.
Daughters of the Khalsa, in your strength our future lies.
Give our children fearless minds, to see the world through the Guru's Eyes.
Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.
Mind and soul are His alone.