Last Sunday I got to hit up the mini Nagar Kirtan in Montreal. When I say mini I’m talking about the small Nagar Kirtans that go around the block type things. Apparently the main one that happens is happening this weekend.

Now comparing it to downtown I’d say this one was just as fun. Actually this had more of that Nagar Kirtan feel to it, considering that food was plentiful and that I had no problem in getting my sugar fix.

Sangat wise, I’d guess there were about 3000 - 5000 people, and got to say that Montreal Sangat was pretty friendly.Anyways there’s not much else to say about it, and even if there was I doubt that many of you care and just want to see the pictures, so without further adoo some pictures.

More will probabbly be up on COSS and Gursikhijeevan in the coming days (meaning weeks, possibly months), and others on here in the following days, in the mean time watchaa ya self.

“Shingh its not my ride, its Guru Shahibs Rides”

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You are our Lord and Master; to You, I offer this prayer.

Here’s looking at you kid..

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O most fortunate ones, join the Sangat, the Blessed Congregation; purchase the True Word of the Shabad.

Baba Jwaar Singh rocking the shades..

You put your left leg in, you take you left leg out, you do the hokey pokey and you give out a shout.. and thats what its all about..

Move *****. get out the way..get out the way..

Yesterday I was able to get out and go to the downtown Nagar Kirtan for the first time in about 4 years. (Last time I went downtown was back in 2000/2001, right before the downtown / sauga split.)

Taking all the past Nagar Kirtans into consideration, the day went pretty good. Unlike in the past where it was either raining, cold, cloudy, humid, or a combination of bad weather, yesterday was nice. The sun was out, temperature was perfect and everything else went good.

As far as Sangat goes, this was probably one of the biggest Nagar Kirtan turn outs since before the split. Its hard to judge using figures considering the newspapers every year always write 50 000 + people, which if looked at figuratively is 25 000 less then what the same news papers (Toronto Star) reported 4 years ago, for the Malton/Dixie Nagar Kirtan (75, 000+).

The Nagar Kirtans have also come a long way in just the 10 years that I can remember. Back in the days (Less then 5 years ago), there were no floats, just flat-beds where Sangtaan could sit. Now the trucks have been transformed into floats, with many having Kirtan Jatha’s doing Kirtaan the whole way, while others had the Shaheedi tapes, Babay doing dharnaa’s, or Jazzy B’s latest dharmic album playing.)

Also there were tons of new faces. Most Nagar Kirtans, I remember always being able to recognize most the Singh’s (may not have known them, but at least I could recognize them from the Gurdwara’s they frequented), but this year there were just too many new faces, just goes to show that after so many years the community is still growing.

There was also a lot of good media coverage at this Nagar Kirtan. First page in the Toronto Star, (its been awhile since we got that), and I also saw CTV, City TV, and others.

Now maybe its just me, but in the past I remember much more food being given out then was at this Nagar Kirtan. It used to be that by the end of the day you were sick of chips, candy and soft drinks, but yesterday I went the whole time without seeing anyone giving out chips, or drinks, and the side walks wheren’t cluttered as they usually are with sevaadaars giving out free something or another. Maybe downtowns always been like this, but aside from last year, Malton’s always been an all you can eat junk food buffet.

On Sur Sagar everyone was complaining about the washrooms and the lack there off. I personally didn’t think this would have been a problem considering the lack of beverages. Well to be fair I came across 2 trucks that were giving out water and pop and stuff, and one chaa stop, but come on this is a Nagar Kirtan not the Boston marathon.

Now, I wasn’t the only one who was hungry. After all if anyone walked by the Pizza Depot Truck then they would have noticed it being swarmed by the mad mobb of old bibian yelling “oh saraa dubaa farlaa”..

And lets not forget the busses. The chaos could have been any organizers nightmare. Apparently the morning was plagued with bus problems also, with hundreds of shardaloo’s being turned way from Dixie, and Rexdale just because there was no room. At the night fights broke out, and I even heard the odd story of a Bibi beating up some guy because he was pushing her to get on the bus.What was even funnier was the kids yelling at there parents, “No maa, this is Canada we don’t push here, this isn’t India!!!”, clearly this kid wasn’t from Malton.

Anyways apart from all that the Nagar Kirtan was pretty safe, although it was jokes, I think I still prefer the Malton to Dixie walk. After all left the 30 minute drive to downtown espeically with these gas prices, but then again if its all about getting noticed by the media, then no better way to do it then to walk right past there buildings, and stopping all traffic and preventing them from leaving, leaving them with having nothing better to do but to tape you.

All in all it was a good day. Maybe this is the year I venture off and check out the Montreal Nagar Kirtan, who knows maybe they’ll have some chips.

Not to long ago, I wrote about Kim Bolan coming to Ryerson to do a lecture, and how an effort should be made to confront her during her program and challenge her on the various things she has written.

Although last minute, considering exams and the hectic schedule of most students at this time of year, a good group of about 20-25 students were able to attend the lecture, on behalf of various downtown SSA’s (York, Ryerson etc) and COSS. I was able to talk with 4, 5 of the Singhs who attended, and they told me that it was an all right showing considering the time they had to put things together.

Basically the whole lecture was Bolan reading the preface of her book verbatim, after which question period commenced and the Sagnthaa(n) challenged her on various points.

Question’s ranged from her journalistic approach, (coming at the Air India story with the bias that she did), and also her inability to detach herself from the story which she had became evidently emotionally attached with. Her negativity towards the Sikh Religion and community were also questioned as were her motives behind the slander that she writes.

For the most part the questions remained as respectable as could have been expected, considering that no threats were made, and for duration Bolan side stepped the questions, either refusing to answer or shaking her head and saying we are all entitled to our own opinions.

After dominating the question period Bolan basically told the Singhs, that she had, had enough of their questions and that she was not there to talk about her writings rather Guerilla Journalism basically saying leave me the $@$@ alone. Many then decided to get up and leave taking the 2 undercovers assigned to watch over them, out with them.

Anyways, the objective of at least confronting her was accomplished. Sure more hard and concrete claims against her would have made her look worse, but being one of those last minute things, and the fact that as a community we haven’t really done much literarily to counter her only impedes(d) that.

I know of Singh’s who have been following the writings of Bolan, and others who after this encounter decided that it we necessary that we go through and highlight articles from her stories where she defames the community. Some Singh’s have decided to go ahead with such projects come summer, when time is more readily available, and school no longer a factor.

(If anyone has already started such a project or collection, do share your findings or at least share what you have so far, so that instead of working against each other ‘yall can work together and speed things up.)

Anyways, there was also some media coverage of the event, by The Toronto Star (Toronto’s major paper), and off course the Ryersonian (Ryerson Student paper).

Also check out the COSS website for images and probably even a release on the topic.

Saturday I was on SikhSangat and it was reported that Kim Bolan was coming to town to do a lecture at Ryerson University on February the 14th. Instantly I figured action needs to be taken against her, considering who she is, and what she writes.

For those who don’t know Kim Bolan, she works for the Vancouver Sun, (a news tabloid) and she’s made a career battling Sikhs. As a result she has had the odd death threat made her way and in the process gotten the media attention she so desperately seeks. Here in Ontario, Kim Bolan isn’t as much of a house hold name as she is in Vancouver, so anything and everything known about her comes from the West.

So I was sitting here wondering what type of action should be taken against Ms. Bolan, and minutes later had my concerns echoed back to me by others, only strengthening my resolve that something ought to be done. A day later, still coming short on reasons to protest against Ms. Bolan speaking here, other then the fact that I disagree with her views, and I came across a post on SolaRiders blog about an event where Balbir Singh spoke, (Kirtan Darbar at Ilford).

Now I’m all for keeping Kim Bolan from speaking or at least if she does speak let the school and community know about our disgust with her work, yet at the same time I’m starting to think that it’s energy wasted in the wrong direction, after all expending so much energy on her only accredits and acknowledges her lies to a certain degree. It just seems like a waste when we got brothers rotting in Indian jails, such as Prof. Davinderpal Singh.

Now a large part of my change in attitude could and probably is just frustration. Frustration at the fact that a school such as Ryerson is giving Kim Bolan the time of day to speak and address people. Frustration with the fact that Kim Bolan has received honors for her work, and her dedication to spewing these lies. Frustration that she has an army of Uncle Tom’s behind her acting as her credible sources on Sikhi. Frustration that due to political correctness and freedom of speech she is allowed to write her anti Sikh writings and her misguided, prejudiced and defamatory opinion. But then again maybe that’s the key to it all. That although she may not openly call Sikhs terrorists, it is implied in every single one of her articles and rather then trying to find an article where she says this, instead highlight why her opinion is totally wrong.

Now those thinking I did a complete 360 from the start, you’re probably right, after all most my posts including this one are just me thinking out loud. Originally I thought maybe we should let this slide since we got more important things to worry about, but then again she is a part of the same problem that we are trying to overcome and solve when it comes to Sikh prisoners in India. Considering its people like her who twist the facts, and construe events, in order to push their own brand of propaganda, that works to convince us and others that we are wrong and are at fault. I guess that’s more reason then any that we need to take a stand, against her and others like her. It is more then a good reason then any to show that she is wrong, and even more so a reason as to why this is battle worth fighting.

A final look back at the holidays, as I was clearing out the images,