ACADEMY OF SIKH RELIGION & CULTURE

Regular Activities of the Academy

Academy remains active throughout the year with its own activities in addition to the facilities provided to public and sister institutions in the campus.

Weekly Lectures

A Weekly Lecuture is held on every Saturday evening on some aspect of Gurmat or Science or Health by an eminent scholar. Gurbani Keertanwith explanations is done on every first Saturday of the month. Entry is free for the public. This weekly feature is being held for many decades now and is popular among senior citizens.

 

Focus of Current Activities

Historically Academy had been holding annual KeertanDarbar, Special Annual Lecture and has been honouring distinguished Kirtanias.

Recently Academy has focussed its regular activities to concentrate on young children in schools and colleges to enliven in them the knowledge, pride and flowering of our religion and culture.

Following annual programmes and activities carry out these objectives.

Scholarships to school students are awarded on the basis of their merit, performance in sports and co-curricular activities and most of all on their belief and practice of high Sikh religious and cultural values. Approximately 30-40 scholarships of the value of Rs.500 per quater are awarded by a Special Committee drawn from the members of the Executive  Council . Procedure adopeted is to examine the reports furnished by the schools and personaly interview each candidate intensively.Special Scholarships, double the standard value are given to few outstanding students.

Summer Camp for school students (Vth to Xth Class) is held for 8-10 days, each year in early June wherein 2-3 hours of intensive training in human values, education and Sikh History, Gurbani and Gursikh living is imparted to 50-70 students hailing from various  schools in Patiala on voluntary basis. Sports facilities and practices precede each day's activities. No fees are charged. Special practical classes are held to train the willing students in correct Gurbani and Nitnem Pathh; to get the training for Keertanon harmonium and tabla.  Prizes are given in the form of books on Sikh Religion, Sikh History, Sikh Culture and Health and Basic Values of life. Eminent professors & practitioners from all walks of life meet & address the students. Practical sessions and Gurmat films are the hallmark of the annual Camp.

Several prizes are awarded at the end, on the basis of perfomance during the Camp to :

Best Campers

Best in Attendance and Attention

Best In asking questions and quaries.

Best in Quiz

Best Trainee in Kirtan

Best Trainee in Gurbani Recitation.

Best in Physical Activities and Sports

These prizes are awarded seperately for boys and girls except in Quiz where it is open competition.

Ball Kavi Darbar is held wherein students from various schools recite poems on Sikh history , Culture, Sikh values and social issues. Poems can be in any language like Punjabi, English, Hindi and Urdu. Prizes to best four students are awarded. Judges are poets and eminent personalities.

Gurbani Keertanis encouraged by the Academy by organising two competitions in a year, one for the junior students of the schools, one for the senior students of the schools, by inviting students from institutions in and around Patiala. Keertanhas to be in a particular Raag and Gurbani  Hymns. The paricular Raags are notified earlier in the Annual Calender of Gurmat Activities as well as in the letters inviting enteries in these programmes. These are very popular among schools. Prizes are awarded on the basis of judgment by the committees of renowned serving or retired music lecturers/performres. Four prizes .are awarded in each category of group competition and individual competition.

Gurmat Vikhyan Competition is held where students speak on various topics in Sikh history Culture and Sikh practices. Prizes to best four students are awarded. Judges are eminent personalities.

Gurbani Recitation or GURU GRANTH SAHIB DA SHUDH PATHH from Sri Guru Granth Sahib is encouraged by organising an annual competition of the Pathh of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Prizes are awarded by a committee of Gurbani & Gurmat scholars and practitioners who give weightage for correct & clear pronunciation, devotion and understanding of the message of Gurbani, Prizes to best four students are awarded. Judges are poets and eminent personalities.

Gurmat Quiz Competition is organised to test the knowledge and practice of Sikh history, Culture. Gurbani & Gurmat Rehat Maryada. Syllabus is notified weeks ahead and competition is held in the open. Students randomly select envelops that contain the questions from the notified syllabus and answer these questions whose answers have already been prepared by an expert committee. Prizes are awarded on the basis of summation of marks given after a number of rounds to ensure equal opportunity for each student by the Quiz Master. General Secretary of the academy has been acting as quize Master for the last twenty years.

Eassay Writing Competition is held by giving on-the-spot topics to participating students from already circulated portions of Sikh History and Gurmat. It is meant to test not only the knowledge and comprehension of Sikh history and culture but also the ability to express it in writing. Students from various schools in & around Patiala are invited. Several prizes are awarded after examining the answers by an expert in the field.

The above competitions are held at different times of the year to ensure that students and schools can participate in any or all of these activities and thus they add a new dimension to their education in the academic year in their own insitutions. Prizes awarded in various activities for the year 2014-15 are being displayed below :

Prizes awarded in various activities for the year 2014-15  

A calender of the Gurmat activities is circulated at the start of the academic year of the schools . The Calender of Gurmat Activities 2015 is given below :