His beard alone is taller than you are!
August 27, 2009 by Ashley Gebb Source:
www.appeal-democrat.com
Sarwan Singh Visits Yuba City
At 7 feet, 8-plus inches, Sarwan Singh's beard is quite a sight to
behold.
But any emotions the Sikh man holds about the hairs flowing
from his face are of gratitude and respect rather than pride.
Singh credits God for blessing him with such lengthy wisps, and
in accordance with his religion, has not disfigured his body by
cutting them.
"God has given a beard to everybody, but he has given him a
special gift," said Yuba city resident Sukhcharan Singh.
Sarwan Singh, 43, lives in Surrey, Canada, but has spent the
last three weeks at the Gurdwara Sahib on South George
Washington Boulevard in Yuba City. Sukhcharan Singh is
videotaping the religion and music teacher while he reads the
holy scriptures of the Guru Granth Sahib aloud in Punjabi.
The tapes will create a recording for other Sikhs who may not
have access or time to practice themselves. To read the Guru
Granth Sahib in its entirety would take 80 hours, so the men
have broken it down into 2 1/2 hour chunks.
Twice daily, Sarwan Singh prepares for the recording session
with a cup of tea to warm his vocal cords, taking care to keep his
beard clean while doing so.
It was not until about 10 years ago, when he moved from India to
Canada, that Singh realized a knee-length beard was a bit of an
oddity. His friends finally urged him to contact Guinness World
Records.
August 27, 2009 by Ashley Gebb Source:
www.appeal-democrat.com
Sarwan Singh Visits Yuba City
At 7 feet, 8-plus inches, Sarwan Singh's beard is quite a sight to
behold.
But any emotions the Sikh man holds about the hairs flowing
from his face are of gratitude and respect rather than pride.
Singh credits God for blessing him with such lengthy wisps, and
in accordance with his religion, has not disfigured his body by
cutting them.
"God has given a beard to everybody, but he has given him a
special gift," said Yuba city resident Sukhcharan Singh.
Sarwan Singh, 43, lives in Surrey, Canada, but has spent the
last three weeks at the Gurdwara Sahib on South George
Washington Boulevard in Yuba City. Sukhcharan Singh is
videotaping the religion and music teacher while he reads the
holy scriptures of the Guru Granth Sahib aloud in Punjabi.
The tapes will create a recording for other Sikhs who may not
have access or time to practice themselves. To read the Guru
Granth Sahib in its entirety would take 80 hours, so the men
have broken it down into 2 1/2 hour chunks.
Twice daily, Sarwan Singh prepares for the recording session
with a cup of tea to warm his vocal cords, taking care to keep his
beard clean while doing so.
It was not until about 10 years ago, when he moved from India to
Canada, that Singh realized a knee-length beard was a bit of an
oddity. His friends finally urged him to contact Guinness World
Records.
The record-keepers measured Singh's strands at 7 feet, 8 inches in November. The previous record was held by
Shamsher Singh of Punjab, India, whose beard measured 6 feet long in 1997. The men do not know one another.
Sarwan Singh's recorded length is from chin to tip, but his longest hair sprouts from just above the throat. The
beard has since grown a few more inches.
"He might beat his own record!" Sukhcharan Singh said with a laugh.
Previous record-holders, before Guinness changed its standards, boasted beard lengths in the double digits, but
bottom hairs were not actually attached and instead clung to matted knots.
A bright white smile peeks out amid Singh's bushy black, silver and gray strands that start around his jaw. The
number of hairs gradually dwindle as they near his feet, tapering off at less than 10 wisps for the bottom few
inches.
He estimates he spends about half an hour a day shampooing, conditioning and supplementing the hair with
natural oils to keep it silky smooth. Speaking through Sukhcharan Singh as translator, he said he occasionally
brushes the beard to keep it free from tangling.
Despite all the care and maintenance they demand, Sarwan Singh treats his hairs with patience.
As he talks, reads or simply stands, he gently fingers the tips of silver, gray and black wisps or drapes them over
his hands. When a clean surface is available, Singh allows the strands to coil onto the floor; otherwise he wraps
the beard into a loose knot below his chin.
The hair on his head, hidden by the traditional Sikh wrap, grows at a normal rate and length, he said.
Singh urges Sikh children to take pride in their religion and be proud to grow their hair. If he can take care of an
almost-8-foot-long beard, they can respect God and their bodies, he said.
The beard is somewhat of a fascination among children.
During Singh's first days in Yuba City, Sikh youngsters were clambering around him, eager for photo
opportunities. He stood atop an upturned milk crate so his beard could flow nearly all the way to the ground,
although never touching the actual floor or dirt.
Every aspect of living with his world-record beard is in honor of and respectful of his religion and his creator,
Singh said.
"We have to live this way, with whatever he has given us," he said.
Shamsher Singh of Punjab, India, whose beard measured 6 feet long in 1997. The men do not know one another.
Sarwan Singh's recorded length is from chin to tip, but his longest hair sprouts from just above the throat. The
beard has since grown a few more inches.
"He might beat his own record!" Sukhcharan Singh said with a laugh.
Previous record-holders, before Guinness changed its standards, boasted beard lengths in the double digits, but
bottom hairs were not actually attached and instead clung to matted knots.
A bright white smile peeks out amid Singh's bushy black, silver and gray strands that start around his jaw. The
number of hairs gradually dwindle as they near his feet, tapering off at less than 10 wisps for the bottom few
inches.
He estimates he spends about half an hour a day shampooing, conditioning and supplementing the hair with
natural oils to keep it silky smooth. Speaking through Sukhcharan Singh as translator, he said he occasionally
brushes the beard to keep it free from tangling.
Despite all the care and maintenance they demand, Sarwan Singh treats his hairs with patience.
As he talks, reads or simply stands, he gently fingers the tips of silver, gray and black wisps or drapes them over
his hands. When a clean surface is available, Singh allows the strands to coil onto the floor; otherwise he wraps
the beard into a loose knot below his chin.
The hair on his head, hidden by the traditional Sikh wrap, grows at a normal rate and length, he said.
Singh urges Sikh children to take pride in their religion and be proud to grow their hair. If he can take care of an
almost-8-foot-long beard, they can respect God and their bodies, he said.
The beard is somewhat of a fascination among children.
During Singh's first days in Yuba City, Sikh youngsters were clambering around him, eager for photo
opportunities. He stood atop an upturned milk crate so his beard could flow nearly all the way to the ground,
although never touching the actual floor or dirt.
Every aspect of living with his world-record beard is in honor of and respectful of his religion and his creator,
Singh said.
"We have to live this way, with whatever he has given us," he said.
Eleven Year Wait for Akhand Path at Darbar Sahib
By DHARMENDRA RATAUL
Photo: Darbar Sahib, Amritsar
It is a religious wait that has forced the rich, the powerful, the poor and the commoner into a single queue. At the
Golden Temple in Amritsar, the rush to perform Akhand Path at Har Ki Pauri and Dukhbhanjani Beri is so great
that those who have registered now have to wait till 2016, or another 11 years, for this communion with God.
They may be used to easier passages elsewhere, but even demigods are up against it here. Industrialist couple
Anil and Tina Ambani, actor Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Nanda, son and daughter respectively of Amitabh
Bachchan, and scores of other celebrities are lined up like the thousands of other ordinary mortals.
The object of their exertions is the Akhand Path, the uninterrupted, 48-hour-long reading of the Guru Granth
Sahib. For a coveted ritual, the price is small enough: the sponsor makes an offering (sewa) of Rs. 3,100 for
karah parshad to be distributed among devotees, for rumala (unused coverings) of the holy book and payment
for the granthis who do the reading. The reward: special blessings of the Guru invoked plus the solemn
announcement of the sponsor's name.
Akhand Path is held round the clock at 24 places around the Golden Temple's sacred sarovar (pool), but the Har
Ki Pauri and Dukhbhanjani Beri are considered the most sacred. Devotees believe that close to these two places,
a pond with magical qualities had existed and it had been blessed by Guru Nanak. So most want the Akhand Path
performed here, resulting in a lengthening waiting list.
'We do not differentiate among well-known personalities, rich devotees or commoners. They have to wait in the
order of registration,' said Golden Temple manager Ajaib Singh. While he confirmed that the Ambanis and
Bachchans were among the names wait-listed, he said it was difficult to maintain a separate V.I.P. list as everyone
was equal at Guru ka ghar (Guru's home).
Anil and Tina had visited the Golden Temple over a year ago and registered their request for Akhand Path.
Abhishek and his sister visited recently. This quartet may get their turn around 2014, but those who register
today will have to wait till 2016, temple officials said.
People who have performed Akhand Path, but after a shorter waiting period, include filmstar-turned-politician Raj
Babbar, Surinder Kaur, wife of Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal, and the family of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker
Charanjit Singh Atwal. Officials said given the tremendous demand for Akhand Path, the waiting period is bound
to increase.
'Thousands of requests in person, via phones and e-mails are pouring in from all over the world,' said S.G.P.C.
secretary Dalmegh Singh. Proper records are being kept and each devotee intimated about his or her turn, he
added.
By DHARMENDRA RATAUL
Photo: Darbar Sahib, Amritsar
It is a religious wait that has forced the rich, the powerful, the poor and the commoner into a single queue. At the
Golden Temple in Amritsar, the rush to perform Akhand Path at Har Ki Pauri and Dukhbhanjani Beri is so great
that those who have registered now have to wait till 2016, or another 11 years, for this communion with God.
They may be used to easier passages elsewhere, but even demigods are up against it here. Industrialist couple
Anil and Tina Ambani, actor Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Nanda, son and daughter respectively of Amitabh
Bachchan, and scores of other celebrities are lined up like the thousands of other ordinary mortals.
The object of their exertions is the Akhand Path, the uninterrupted, 48-hour-long reading of the Guru Granth
Sahib. For a coveted ritual, the price is small enough: the sponsor makes an offering (sewa) of Rs. 3,100 for
karah parshad to be distributed among devotees, for rumala (unused coverings) of the holy book and payment
for the granthis who do the reading. The reward: special blessings of the Guru invoked plus the solemn
announcement of the sponsor's name.
Akhand Path is held round the clock at 24 places around the Golden Temple's sacred sarovar (pool), but the Har
Ki Pauri and Dukhbhanjani Beri are considered the most sacred. Devotees believe that close to these two places,
a pond with magical qualities had existed and it had been blessed by Guru Nanak. So most want the Akhand Path
performed here, resulting in a lengthening waiting list.
'We do not differentiate among well-known personalities, rich devotees or commoners. They have to wait in the
order of registration,' said Golden Temple manager Ajaib Singh. While he confirmed that the Ambanis and
Bachchans were among the names wait-listed, he said it was difficult to maintain a separate V.I.P. list as everyone
was equal at Guru ka ghar (Guru's home).
Anil and Tina had visited the Golden Temple over a year ago and registered their request for Akhand Path.
Abhishek and his sister visited recently. This quartet may get their turn around 2014, but those who register
today will have to wait till 2016, temple officials said.
People who have performed Akhand Path, but after a shorter waiting period, include filmstar-turned-politician Raj
Babbar, Surinder Kaur, wife of Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal, and the family of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker
Charanjit Singh Atwal. Officials said given the tremendous demand for Akhand Path, the waiting period is bound
to increase.
'Thousands of requests in person, via phones and e-mails are pouring in from all over the world,' said S.G.P.C.
secretary Dalmegh Singh. Proper records are being kept and each devotee intimated about his or her turn, he
added.
| Gurdwara Sahib Sunway |
Malaysia
