Epping monster!

Epping Forest!

On saturday we decided to brave the fierce wind and go to Epping Forest.
The sun was gorgeous and we got some pretty good shots.






It was a very 'Epping Forest Day' on Saturday! Sun shining,
birds singing, 4 hours to kill!

Shame we didn't take Gurch's remote control car!

ehem.......its finally fixed now after the crash (not pointing any fingers .....BINDA!!!) ;o)

Would be fun to take it through those puddles! ;o)

aaaawwwwwwww!!!!!!!!
I couldn't resist putting this pic up!! (Gurcharan's gona kill me!!!!)

hhhhmmmmnnnn.......by the look on his face, do you think he's ready for kids?! ;o)

Hidden Messages in Water (Part 2)

Dr Davinder Singh Panesar was a treat. His lecturing skills were award worthy – well, at least a free Rocky’s burger worthy – the audience was on the edge of their seats throughout the lecture. He called upon a heavily bearded Singh from the crowd to help with the slides, and gave him the name “my lovely assistant Debby” which was actually quite funny! However, much to my dismay “the lovely assistant Debby” did not do a twirl and a dance at the end of the performance :o(

Ok now lets get serious. Dr D started off with a controversial claim:

“I will prove that Guru Nanak did not believe in God!”

Hmmm……non of the Singhs in the front row got up to punch him, so I thought I would let the guy go on. He went on to explain that to have believe there must have been a doubt, therefore, Nanak did not believe in God, rather he was God. This still sounds strange! Well, his argument was of looking within yourself to find God, instead of believing in an entity with a white beard living in the clouds.

A 2 hour lecture will be impossible to blog about, so I’ll just touch on some of the issues.
He went on to elaborate on quantum physics and the notion of parallel universes, and that scientists have studied sub atomic particle and state that what we see is not really there (a very Matrix like theory), he claimed that science has categorically proven the existence of God. He mentioned the physically impossible feat that the new Buddha boy in Nepal is currently performing. Talked about the Washington experiment whereby a group claimed that they will reduce the crime in Washington by 20% through transindental meditation. 40 times they did this experiment and 40 times the crime was reduced by 23%!
He mentioned that we are all linked together, a butterfly flaps its wings in one corner of the earth will have a significant effect on something in another corner of the world.

Ahhh too much to write about but time to go home!

Next time will write about Hidden Messages in Water – a book by Masaru Emoto. I read it a few months ago – it got a good mention in yesterdays lecture.

Hidden Messages in Water (Part 1)

Battling the urge to go home and curl up in a nice warm bed, Gurcharan and I managed to carry our behinds to Kings Uni late last evening to discuss the all too controversial science v religion topic.

Funnily enough, I’ve only just finished reading Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons, which revolves around exactly the same scenario, albeit all fiction.

At the station, we bumped into a lovely Penji (emphasis on the ‘lovely’ – you will soon find out why!) who was going to the same lecture, so I got chatting with her while Gurcharan went off to WH Smiths.

Bhenji: So what uni do you go to?
Preet (visibly flattered): Aww – I left uni couple of years ago!
Benji (gesturing to Gurcharan) : Oh Preet I think your mate’s looking for you
Preet (giggling): you mean my husband!
Benji (visibly bewildered): your husband??!! Goodness you both look like a couple of teenagers!
Preet (embarrassingly ecstatic and breaking into a bout of bhangra): Aww – bless you bless you bless you! The arduous ordeal of bathing this morning actually paid off!

After that convo I was beaming all night! However, im sure Penji was probably referring to my childish behaviour rather than my youthful splendour!

Anyway, must say the sign posting inside the uni was quite accurate, which was nice to see!
we made a special effort to get there on time – yours truly had to sacrifice a trip to the Millies Cookies kiosk :o( - only to find the hall completely devoid of human life!
“Goooochy dearest, are you sure it said 1800hrs?!!??”
Aha, right on cue, Sodhi Singh materialised out of nowhere! Slowly the whole lecture hall was packed (note ‘slowly’ is the operative word here!) Himmat did predict some bizarre PMT phenomenon, which later I got to find out, stood for Punjabi Mean Time!

Kirtan @ Karamsar Gurdwara, Ilford

Saturday 11th of March

Keep it free!!











Ustad Ranbir Singh Ji, Bhai Surjit Singh Ji, and Bhai Baldeep Singh Ji will be blessing us with beautiful raag kirtan at Karamsar Gurdwara, Ilford.

Programme starts with Sukhmani sahib paathh recited devotedly by our dear brother Bhai Sukha Singh Ji – who will also provide brief translations for ignorants like me!

There is a whole line up of lovely kirtanis including:
Bhai Jatinder Singh on Dilruba
Bibi Gurpreet Kaur Ji
Bibi Ishminder Kaur Ji
Bhai Dharam Singh Ji
and many more…..

Please let me know if you would like to do some kirtan on the day.

Date: Saturday 11th March, 2006

Time: 4:00pm - 8:30pm

Address: 400 High Road, Ilford, IG1 1TW

Website: www.karamsar.co.uk

Please email me for further info.

Nemo kithey ya?!

On one of our routine trips to the fish shop (no, not the 'fish n chips' kinda fish shop!), I took these pics on my phone. For a phone, pretty good hunna?!

Nemo was 2 fast 2 furious! ;o) I didn't manage to get any pics that weren't a blurry blob!

Gurcharan liked this one - ahh look at the pretty colours.

This guy is a rare Japanese albino coy. To take him home, you need to fish out (!) £1,500.

Jatinder’s birthday on 3rd March – the lil squirrel’s turning 18!
Ahh don’t they grow up fast!
So we’re celebrating in style……aptly going to the Darbar concert in Leicester.
Can’t wait! Im sure the arduous journey (straight after work on a Friday!hai hai!) to Leicester will def be well worth it.
Although, I would much rather spend the whole weekend in Leicester and check out all the concerts. Oh well, there will be another time.

Visit http://www.darbar.org.uk/ for more details.

big happy happy face!

A little while ago, I received this beautiful email from a lovely lovely person.
I wasn't sure whether to post it or not - but the reason I started this blog was to document how Dad is part of everything we do, how he still influences our lives, how we are what we are because of him, regardless of his physical absence.
For this reason I will post this, it carries a profound underlying meaning for us all.
(Hope you don’t mind. Thank you for sending this to me. You actually made my day, not spoilt it. I did read it at work and spent the rest of the day in the ladies crying! but not out of sadness, it was a just very emotional email. thanks for shairing it with me)

hi preet!
i thought i'd tell you this! hope you dont get offended! well yesterday i
had a dream yeh! i was running thru some house with white walls and gray
acrpet an curtains and went through this room! and guess who was standing
there with a big smile on his face!! Mr Satinder Singh Sembi!! i looked at
him an then looked again! he had some massive smile on his face(he had so
much sukh)!! i went close to him and offered him my hand"its been a long
time" he goes "yeh well!" and then he shook my hand! his hand was so warm
big and comforting and i could see his shiny silver kara!! i actualy felt
the warmth in his hand!! he was still smiling! "how's preet and everyone" he
said! i said "there all good!" he was wearing a grey t-shirt and khaki olive
green combats i think!! big happy happy face! then i ran away!! the point is!! that our minds can take us anywhere! if you beleive this life
is "real" then we dont know what "real" is!! dont worry we'll all go home
with "sukh" as happiness is temporary!! sorry for spoiling ure day if i
offended you!!
TAKE CARE

I sat there silently. Mesmerised. Stunned. Struck with awe.
It was almost as if nothing else existed, only Guru Maharaj sitting majestically on his throne. I shut my eyes, in an effort to shut out the rest of the world, to enhance my sense of hearing, my sense of being. They say the best things in life come free, that was certainly one of the best things in my life, and I had paid not an iota. I heard it crisp, vibrant, full of the Gurus ras and mithas, his bow dancing with joy, emanating the most beautiful blissful sounds. Raag Kalyan, he informed me, with a humble smile and twinkle in his eye.
Beauteous is my Guru, who has blessed me with most bountiful gifts, the gift of hearing, the gift of appreciation, the gift of life.
Beauteous is my Guru, for he has blessed this little boy with the gift of music and the soul of a saint!

Waheguru

The Satinder Singh Sembi Scholarship

A beautiful sweet gesture by Dr Warrier and the British Ayurvedic Medical Council!

The Satinder Singh Sembi Scholarship will be awarded every year to the best 3rd year Student!
Dad’s name will remain eternal within the world of Ayurveda.
The new generation of doctors will know of his passion and devotion to alternative medicine and his genuine aspiration to make everyone happy and healthy!

Dad you are truly SATI THE GREAT! ;o)

Memorial Service

A kind Dr Gopi Warrier organised this evening. It was a nice intimate affair attended by immediate family and a few of Dad’s dear friends at work and university. It was most unfortunate than mom couldn’t make it, she was in hospital and was in no state to attend the service. I wish she’d been there.

One of the 3rd year students read a moving tribute to Dad. It was extraordinary hearing a stranger talk so highly of him, I was beaming with pride. He has always been my Superman, and I have always idolised him for the person that he was. It was quite moving to see how he had touched other people’s lives. I was not the only one who called him my hero!

Memorial Service

The evening started off with an introduction, followed by kirtan by Hazoori Jatha from Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. Sadly, I do not remember the shabad that Bhai sahib ji sang, probably owed to the fact that the evening was one enveloped with emotion. Not sure I can remember any of it accurately! Nevertheless, I put on my bravest face, clasping Gurch’s hand as tightly as I could, and fought back the tears. I don’t like crying, especially in public.


Dr Shrikala Warrier read a beautiful poem written by her husband Dr Gopi Warrier. The poem has been posted below.


This was followed by lovely young girl playing the dilruba. Most beautiful sounds resonating in the vastness of the building. She dint know my father, but there was such a humble sweet look in her face, she came up to me afterwards to say how sorry she was about dad. I hope to see her again sometime, and thank her again for the evening.

Then came a young boy trotting up the stage with a large earthen pot! At which point Himmat and Endip cracked up laughing! How bizarre I thought! “I wonder what they are laughing at?!” It was only afterwards I found out that they were not aware that a pot is used as a musical instrument in South India. I see now how comical it must have looked at that time. Anyway, the round young boy was followed by two other men, one played a dholki and the other a violin. Was very impressed, they played classical raag with grace and elegance. (And the earthen pot added quite an interesting and distinct flavour to the music!)

Memorial Service

The British Ayurvedic Medical Council held a memorial service for Dad on Wednesday 14th September 2005 at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. A kind Dr Gopi Warrier organised this evening.

It was a nice intimate affair attended by immediate family and a few of Dad’s dear friends at work and university. It was most unfortunate than mom couldn’t make it, she was in hospital and was in no state to attend the service. I wish she’d been there.

Memorial Service

The British Ayurvedic Medical Council held a memorial service for Dad on Wednesday 14th September 2005 at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.