SURREY – On the day of Vaisakhi parade in Surrey, BC; while majority people were rejoicing and tasting the delicious flavor of Punjabi food, Raghbir Singh Bains, an eminent community activist as usual was distributing flyers to educate people against the menace of social evils prevailing in the society.
At the ripe age of 77, he was actively moving around city roads on foot holding anti drug placards in his hands, meeting youth of mixed communities, explaining the evil effects of alcohol, drugs, domestic violence, adultery, murders, drug trafficking, female foeticide and HIV AIDS.
Hundreds of one page flyers distributed by him were displaying the sacred message of Vaisakhi like, truthful living, caring the needy, universal brotherhood, universal peace, prosperity and wellbeing of the entire human race. He was meeting especially the vulnerable youth of all communities and creating awareness about multicultural living for unity and integrity of Canada.
Bains is a known volunteer, an encyclopaedist, museologist and drug therapist moving around world to educate people on fatal consequences of the social evils.
Vaisakhi is the landmark in the history when the Sikhs took the vow that they will neither cut their hair and nor they will remove the Kirpan from their person. They will not use intoxicants and stay away from adultery. They will wear five Kakars (the articles of the Sikh faith): the Kesh (uncut hair- representing a simple life, saintliness and devotion to God); the Kangha (a wooden comb representing a clean mind and body); the Kara (a steel bracelet worn on the wrist as a sign of eternity of God and responsibility); the Kaccha (a special undergarment representing disciplined and hygienic living); and the Kirpan (a metal sword representing justice and indomitable spirit). These integral and indispensable articles are still fragrant. The articles constantly remind the commitment of the follower to universal principles of justice, equality, peace and global prosperity.
It was on the day of Vaisakhi that the initiated Sikhs were named Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh. The appellation of “Singh” was suffixed with the first name of Sikh males and the word “Kaur” was put after the first name of Sikh females. The Sikhs were required to stand for human liberty, equality, fraternity and to stay away from drugs and adultery
