Gurception: The art of infusing young sikh minds with the love of Gurus (by GGSSC- Canada)
22 December, 2012: When it comes to connecting youths, especially teens to our rich heritage, it is always seen as a challenge. Most initiatives focus on different facets of the youth engagement. The popular modus operandii are to engage through Turban Competitions, Lecture Seminars, Poetry Recitations,Story Telling etc. The biggest need of the youth yet remains untouched. That is the 'Gurmat Gap' as I call it. It is a simply enlarged as we can try to define it as the product of 'Generation Gap, Tech Gap, Knowledge Gap & Language Gap.
GURMAT GAP = 'Generation Gap' X 'Tech Gap' X 'Knowledge Gap' X 'Language Gap*'.
(*Language Gap is relevant only in North America and might be relevant in UK, Australia and other overseas Sikh Diaspora)
The gap is so big that most programs created by the gurdwaras are only addressing the 'Knowledge Gap' and that too based on what gurpurab is near. The knowledge gap is mostly delivered in punjabi language in North America where as most teens and even parents are conversing in English. For example, if you look at Sikhnet Film Festival, the best movies are indeed in Punjabi. I love the idea as it handles the 'Tech Gap' and attempts to give cues to reduce the 'Knowledge Gap' and definitely kills the 'Generation Gap'. The biggest need is to make our kids and teens aware of the Sikh History. Put it this way, the lower the comprehensive awareness of sikh ideology, the more the controversies in the panth. I am very sure no one likes controversies. They are like fires which many of us try to extinguish with our comments on various web portals and also in personal discussion. These fires are without any doubt going to keep the leaders busy, so who will prevent the snowball effect. Yes, the snowball effect that will ultimately keep increasing the GURMAT GAP and hence keep fuelling more and more controversies.
It was the above realization, with which we-GGSSC Canada(Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle Canada) started a multimedia chronologically sequenced presentations. This led to creating the following course
- Intro to Sikhism
- Martyrs-Parts 1,2
- Ten Sikh Gurus-Parts 1,2
- Sikh Bhagats –Parts 1,2
- COMING SOON- Great Gursikhs
GGSSC- Canada ensured that the teen get engaged, so we delivered these courses in the format of a reality show, with spell binding effects similar to those use on TV shows and entertainment games like –Who wants to be a Sikh-o-Naire? Not stopping just there, the sevadars created an exam which would allow attendees to pass and receive certificates. The winners always win a latest gift like an ipad or an Xbox or the likes. Trophies are also awarded to toppers in the exam.
THE COURSES ARE FREE: The cherry on the top. Yes! GGSSC- Canada has kept these courses free. So with these salient features, the most important being the promise-"You will not be bored!!" Gurmat Crash Courses are leading the ground in Canada with a lot faster pace in the last 2 years with over 10 courses. Sevadars have funded the courses from Dasvandh and local Gurdwaras are now actually seeking GGSSC- Canada to come in and do the thing. Last weekend GGSSC- Canada delivered yet another Course at Rexdale Sikh Spiritual Centre Hall #2. The capacity was 220 and we had 300 students and 175 parents. The gurdwara management was surprised to see the sangat just come in from various pockets of Toronto, which generally happens on Gurpurabs or Diwali per them.
For more information on crash courses, or if you would like these to be delivered in your area, please call GGSSC- Canada at 1-519 591 7793 or visit ggssc.ca (Photos)
 |
 |
 |