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10/30/2006

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by S.S. Gurubachan Singh Khalsa




Folkloric singers came to receive us at the airport in Asuncion, Paraguay

Paraguay, our 4^th stop on this great tour is a country of diverse beauty, indigenous culture and gracious people. 6 million people speak Guarani as well as Spanish. The bookstores are filled with Guarani language books and it is used by everyone. It is also the first indigenous language of the Americas that has all the Sikh Banis translated. The city of Asuncion is also the home to El Camino Real Iberoamerica, the office of Sikh Dharma for all of South America and the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal. It is wonderful to see such a growth in the southern hemisphere. Now thousands are chanting mantras, practicing yoga and learning about the Guru. Everyone is beginning to understand that the technology of chanting and meditating is the only remedy for the humongous stress, confusion and insecurity in the world. It is amazing to see people of all faiths embrace these teaching and it is even more incredible to see them do it with such enthusiasm and heart. All of us on this tour are humbled by the dedication, devotion and love the sangat exemplifies through their bright shiny faces, their smiles and their practice.


The second Lady of Paraguay, Sr Miriam de Casteliooni, wife of the Paraguayan vice president comes to receive the 4th Lord of Miracles Tour in honor of Guru Ram Das. Photographed with her is Bhai Sahiba of Sikh Dharma; Bibi Inderjit Kaur, S.S. Gurubachan Singh and members of the local Sangat.

Arriving in Asuncion, we were greeted by Paraguayan folkloric dancers and singers. The entire airport stopped to enjoy the beautiful show our Paraguay sangat arranged for us. That evening we spent enjoying the community in our hotel suite. Everyone was excited that the Bhai Sahiba, Bibiji, beloved wife of Yogi Bhajan was also on the trip.


Dr. Meharbani Kaur of Asuncion leads children from an orphanage in celestial communications during our visit to share stories andfeed all the children a Pizza Langar.


Bhai Sahiba Bibi Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, S.S. Gurubachan Singh Khalsa, Sat bachan Kaur Khalsa and Sat Narayan Simran Kaur Khalsa pose for a photograph with the facuilty and children of an orphanage in Asuncion, while the kids enjoy their pizza Langar

The following morning we were very honored to have a visit by Senora Miriam de Casteglionni, the wife of the Vice-President of the country of Paraguay. Everyone was impressed by her grace, simplicity and humility. She is the 2^nd Lady of Paraguay and a favorite in the country. We spoke with her about our mission teaching and uplifting through Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharma and she spoke to us about the challenges they face in Paraguay. Her work among the poor and abandoned children of Paraguay is exemplary. She also asked many questions about the role of the woman. She promised that she would attend Bibiji’s class the next day which she did. Her final promise was that she would welcome our programs of service in the country with the full support of her office. We were honored by her presence and her kind words and we look forward to working with her.


A sweet young indigenous girl of Asuncion smilels for the camera


Two young boys playing at the orphanage.


RamDas Singh sharing and enjoying with the children.


Three Paraguayan children group together for their picture to be taken.


We wave goodbye to all the children at the orphanage.

Later that day, Dr Meherbani Kaur invited us to an orphanage of abandoned children in Asuncion. These children were so bright and beautiful. They chanted mantras and did celestial communication. When they finished we served them pizza and ice cream. Both Bibiji and I spoke to them about Guru Ram Das who was the orphan Jetta. As you can see by the photos, they loved every minute of our visit as well as we did.


S.S.Gurubachan Singh and Bhai Sahiba Bibi Inderjit Kaur teach a Kundalini Yoga class to 200 hundred people of Paraguay.


Bhai Sahiba Bibi Inderjit Kaur speaks to a group of 150 students about our Sikh lifestyle and the necesity of Kundalini yoga.


S.S. Gurubachan Singh teaches Pranayam and meditation to a class.

In the evening we taught at the Guru Ram Das Yoga Center in another section of Asuncion. The entire group not only meditated and chanted but also danced bangara. Bibiji also spoke with them and they all promised to attend her class the next day. It was a beautiful evening in the garden courtyard of the yoga center with the open air sky and bright stars.


After every class we would get our workout doing Bhangarha, a traditional Punjabi dance.


One evening we were serenaded for three hours y the finest musicians playing their heart felt music of Paraguay.


Ram Das Singh and Amar Singh show others how to dance Bhangarha after class.

The next day we found ourselves doing personal interviews and meeting with the journalists who wanted to know more about our tour, our lifestyle and our mission. By the afternoon, Bibiji was teaching to so many people that the conference room was over crowded. For 2 hours she taught what a meditative woman is as well as the role of woman. Her depth of knowledge and hear felt talk impressed everyone about living the sikh lifestyle even if you are not a sikh as well as being married to the Great Yoga Master. The evening finished with my lecture and a fabulous dinner.


S.S. Gurubachan Singh and S.S. Sat Kirn Kaur with the life long president of FIFA for South America and his lovely family.


The Asuncion Sangat held a Gurdwara in honor of the Lord of Miracles Tour in the name of Guru Ram Das

The most poignant event held in Paraguay was the opening of the new Espacio Nanak [Nanak’s Space] Yoga Center. Invisioned and created by Gurucharan Kaur, this new yoga center and ashram will serve many people from the diverse cultural heritage of Paraguay. During this inauguration, a Guarani indigenous prayer ceremony was held where the sacred artifact representing all the Guarani tribes was handed over to us. This incredibly sacred ceremony was mandated by the chiefs of the different tribes so the House of Guru Ram Das will forever be the protector of the Guarani culture and people.


The Sacred ceremony of prayer to the four directions.

The following pictures and their captions sums up our tour to Paraguay, home to Guru Ram Das. After 5 days we left our home and flew to Curitiba Brasil for the first of 3 cities to be visited…..


Left to right: Hari Gopal Kaur, Sukhdev Kaur, Sat Bachan Kaur and Guru Charn Kaur after anice dinner in our favorite restauraunt in Asuncion.


S.S. Gurubachan Singh with Sat Pal Kaur and her husband Mario, a true Paraguayan Gentleman.


S.S. Sat Kirn Kaur teaches a class on Naad and Gurbani Kirtan.


Left: Sat Narayan Simran Kaur of Argentina, S.S. Sat Kirn Kaur of New York and Sat Pal Kaur of Paraguay sit together and smile for the camera.


Left: S.S. Gurubachan Singh, S.S. Sat Bachan Kaur and Bhai Sahiba Bibi Inderjit Kaur group together for a picture.

to be continued.

Previous articles:
10/19/2006 2006 Lord Of Miracles In Buenos Aires, Argentina, S. America - 3: Two hours by plane directly east of Santiago Chile lays fabulous Buenos Aires...

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