IN HUMBLE GRATITUDE

AS WE COMMEMORATE AN HISTORIC EVENT, THE SIKHS OF KENYA EXPRESS THEIR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THE REPUBLIC AND PEOPLES OF KENYA FOR HELPING MAKE OURSELVES A PART OF THIS BEAUTIFUL AND GOD-BLESSED COUNTRY. WE THANK OUR PRESIDENT, HIS EXCELLENCY MWAI KIBAKI & PRIME MINISTER, HON. RAILA ODINGA FOR THEIR SUPPORT TOWARDS THE PEACEFUL COHESION OF OUR MYRIAD COMMUNITIES AND FAITHS. THE SIKHS PRAY FOR THE CONTINUED PEACE, PROSPERITY, UNITY AND GENERAL WELBEING OF OUR LEADERS AND PEOPLES OF KENYA.

IT IS NOT AN UNCOMMON FOR A LINE TO OPEN UP A COUNTRY, BUT THIS LINE LITERALLY CREATED A COUNTRY.
SIR CHARLES ELLIOT

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Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Ji

Chairman and Spiritual Leader,

GURU NANAK NISHKAM SEWAK JATHA

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! It is an immense pleasure to welcome you all to this celebration of past achievements and the planting of hopes and visions for beloved Kenya, through a unique collaboration between Sikhs, Kenyans and the Rift Valley Railway authorities. Sacred Travel for Peace, Prosperity and Unity is a journey of many kinds, where a specially prepared train will make a momentous journey from Kisumu to Makindu - to assist in the revival of the railway. It is graced by the presence of a unique, honoured Guru Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the sacred scripture which Sikhs revere since 1708 as a living sovereign, with a loving, interfaith message for all humanity. A magnicent saroop, or copy of the scripture, is making a return journey after many years to Makindu Gurudwara, the most renowned and rst Sikh gurudwara in East Africa, which was its original home on Kenyan soil.

THIS JOURNEY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMEMBER THOSE SIKHS AND TO CELEBRATE THE MYRIAD CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF KENYA FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

Sikhs have a long history in Kenya and this event promises to be a remarkable chapter in that narrative. During the building of the Kenya-Uganda railway from Mombasa to Kampala, many Sikh pioneers worked as skilled labourers. This journey is an opportunity to remember those Sikhs and to celebrate the myriad contributions of the community in the development of Kenya for more than a century. It is also an opportunity for modern day Sikhs to contribute in new ways, through prayer and service as the Gurus Court on the train makes its journey, with special programmes (akhand paaths, or 48 hour recitation of the scripture) at the landmark gurudwaras in Kericho and Makindu. As the train stops at various stations along the way, uncooked groceries will be distributed, trees planted, along with other activities to promote benevolence, community spirit and collaboration, and all the non-material ingredients which are just as vital for Kenyas regeneration. The Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha is honoured to play a role in this story because its founder, Sant Baba Puran Singh Ji, was the holy man of Kericho, who became one of the most renowned Sikh saints of the twentieth century. Baba Jis life was one imbued with a deep spirituality which touched every single person who came into contact with him, regardless of religion or race. His legacy is that of industrious work and service to both the Sikh and wider community, inspired by the Sikh ideal of loving the Creator through loving and serving creation. Whilst GNNSJ continues its work globally, Kenya forever has a special place in our hearts. We are honoured for you to join us in the celebration of a shared past and paving the way for a shared future. With Gods blessings, may this be a rewarding experience for us all. Please accept my heartiest welcome and thank you for your participation. In Gods service Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh

H I S T O R I C A L

B A C K G R O U N D

LEGEND OF KALASINGHA
Every Sikh of Kenya is a Kalasingha - why does this particular appellation have no counterpart anywhere else in the World? It is due entirely to the impact which an exceptional personality can make - as the result of which his own name comes to be allotted to the whole community. Sardar Kala Singh has the most felicitous introduction to this brief sketch because he also came from the State of Patiala. He came to Kenya in 1896 as a lad of sixteen,

but eschewing any type of sedentary work he founded along with Mr Munshiram the rm of Munshiram Kalasingh and Company, and became engaged in very wide spread business activities. At the time when roads, trucks and even footpaths were sketchy and scarce Kala Singh penetrated into the most forbidding Masai reserve, and opened it up for modern trade. He led an extremely adventurous and dangerous life, but neither fear nor undue comfort could detract him from his chosen inclination. Kala Singh of course was "Kalasingha", to the Africans and due to his having travelled wider earlier and more frequently than any of his co-religionist his name has become attached to all the Sikhs.

IN AN EFFORT TO SECURE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONTROL OF THE LAND, THE BRITISH PLANNED THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIL SYSTEM.

THE MEANS OF TRAVEL FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE FROM THE SHORES OF INDIA WAS BY THE USE OF WOODEN DHOWS, PROPELLED BY WINDFILLED SAILS.

HALF WAY BETWEEN MOMBASA AND KISUMU WAS THE CITY OF NAIROBI THAT WAS FOUNDED AS A RAIL DEPOT OF THE RAILWAY.

THERE WAS NO DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE PIONEERING RAILWAY INDUSTRY WITHOUT SIKHS.

THE RAILWAY WAS A HUGE LOGISTICAL ACHIEVEMENT AND BECAME STRETEGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FOR BOTH KENYA AND UGANDA.

G U R U D W A R A

F O R

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THE ORIGINS OF 'GURUDWARA MAKINDU' CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE EARLY 1900S, WHEN THE BRITISH BUILT THE KENYA-UGANDA RAILWAY.

THE HIGHWAY RUNS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GATE OF THE MAKINDU GURUDWARA, ALLOWING VISITORS EASY AND CONVENIENT ACCESS AT ALL TIMES.

ONLY THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB REMAINED UNTOUCHED EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND HAD BEEN BURNT TO CINDERS.

MAKINDU GURUDWARA IS A MASTERPIECE OF CRAFTSMANSHIP, LARGELY THANKS TO THE SKILLS OF MASTER CRAFTSMAN HARI SINGH BANSAL (ABOVE).

ONE BACHAN WHICH I CAN VIVIDLY RECALL IS BABA JIS DESCRIPTION OF THE SAROOP OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI IN MAKINDU AS A BAKHSHISH WALA SAROOP A VERY BLESSED COPY OF THE SCRIPTURE.
BHAI SAHIB MOHINDER SINGH JI

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GNNSJ ENDEAVOURS TO BUILD ON BABA PURAN SINGH JIS LEGACY, OF REVIVING SPIRITUALITY AMONGST SIKHS SETTLED AROUND THE WORLD AND WORKING TOWARDS THE COMMON GOOD.

BHAI SAHIB MOHINDER SINGH WAS CALLED UPON TO FULFIL THIS LIFELONG VOLUNTARY ROLE, FOLLOWING A FORMER HIGH PROFILE CAREER AS A CIVIL ENGINEER IN ZAMBIA.

GNNJS WORK IS BASED ON THE CONVICTION THAT WE CANNOT MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES, SUCH AS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS.

NSPSI HAS TAKEN DUE COGNIZANCE OF THE COLLECTIVE NEED TO REALISE THE MILLENNIUM GOALS THROUGH FORMAL TRAINING OF PROFESSIONALS.

NSPSI HAS ESTABLISHED A BURSARY FUND TO ASSIST NEEDY STUDENTS. THE FUND IS SUPPORTED BY LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL WELLWISHERS.

GNNSJ WITH ITS NSPSI INITIATIVE, HAS TAKEN THE FIRST STEP TO ENGAGE IN PARTNERSHIPS TO ASSIST THE LOCAL POPULATION OF KERICHO DISTRICT IN WORKING IN SOME LITTLE MEASURE TOWARDS THE DELIVERY OF THE MDGS.

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THIS ONCE-IN-ALIFETIME TRAIN JOURNEY IS A DEFINING MOMENT IN HISTORY AS THE ORIGINAL SAROOP OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI RETURNS TO MAKINDU SAHIB.

IN HISTORY, A SPECIAL ROYAL COACH WOULD MAKE THIS JOURNEY; NOW THE SIKHS OFFER THEIR SUPREME SOVEREIGN, THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI, TO GRACE IT AND BLESS THE OCCASION.

DAILY DARSHAN OF THE HISTORIC SAROOPS

2 FEB 3 FEB 3 FEB 4 FEB 5 FEB KERICHO - GNNSJ GURUDWARA KISUMU RAILWAY STATION NAKURU RAILWAY STATION NAIROBI RAILWAY STATION MAKINDU RAILWAY STATION 1030 HRS 1230 HRS 0930 HRS 0530 HRS 0230 HRS

LIVING GURU ALSO MEANS THAT THE SCRIPTURE KEEPS ALIVE A MESSAGE OF TIMELESS WISDOM. WHENEVER THE SACRED VERSES ARE SUNG, READ AND RECITED, THEY ARE CONSIDERED A LIVING FORCE WHICH NOURISHES AND TRANSFORMS THE HUMAN SPIRIT

DWAR MEANS DOORWAY OR GATEWAY, SO THE GURU-DWARA IS WHERE THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB RESIDES.

ESSENTIAL TO EVERY GURUDWARA IS THE LANGAR, WHERE VEGETARIAN FOOD IS PREPARED, BLESSED AND SERVED TO ALL VISITORS, IRRESPECTIVE OF BACKGROUND.