Amritsar, September 06, 2005
Sikhs living in the United States have extended a
helping hand to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
In a gesture unheard of in the West, the Sikhs have
thronged their shrines to pray for the wellbeing of
Katrina victims and have launched a fund raising campaign
in the community.
According to Dr.Pritpal Singh, the coordinator of
the American Gurdawara Parbhandak Committee, "We
have mobilized all our resources to share the grief
of Katrina victims. This is the worst natural disaster
in American history and contribution by Sikh community
in this hour of crisis would be as well a history".
Talking to ANI over telephone from the USA, Dr.Singh
said that the Sikh community has so far dispatched
two truckloads of grocery items, including juice,
water and eatables for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
He also said that the gurdawaras of Houston and Dallas
have been organizing langars or community kitchens
for victims.
The organizers, including Dr.Singh and Jaswant Singh
Hooti vice president AGPC, are scheduled to visit
Banson to distribute an aid of 20,000 dollars and
other material help.
Meanwhile, reports reaching here said that the gurdwara
in New Orleans is submerged and some 50 Sikh families
from New Orleans and the outlying areas have been
evacuated and are living in temporary homes.
The state government has assured the AGPC that arrangements
will be made to lift Guru Granth Sahib by helicopter
to a safer place soon.
"Biloxi city in Misissippi is also badly affected
and we expect Sikhs to have been living there too.
I will have a better idea of the situation in that
area and Alabama soon and we will extend our relief
work accordingly," Sumir Kaur, spokeswoman of
United Sikhs Organization said.
The Delhi Gurdawara Parbhandak Committee in coordination
with AGPC would organize an "Ardaas Diwas( Prayer
Day) in Gurdawara Bangla Sahib New Delhi on September
11 evening.
Paramjit Singh Sarna, the president of the Delhi Gurdwara
Management Committee (DGMC), said that invitations
have been sent to the U.S. Embassy in Delhi and their
officials to participate in the prayers. (ANI)
