'400 Gurmukhi students in Sydney gurdwara'

According to Hindustan Times "The number of Punjabi language (Gurmukhi) students in a school opened by the Australian Sikh Association in Sydney has reached 400. Every week about 8,000 to 10,000 devotees visit the Parklea Sahib Gurdwara, Sydney. This was stated by Jasvir Singh, manager of Parklea Sahib Gurdwara, who originally hails from Dabwali, on Sunday. He is manager of the gurdwara for the past eight years."For our social and cultural activities and projects we are getting full co-operation of the Australian government. There are now 40 gurdwaras in Australia, out of which six are in Sydney," Singh said.He added that, "Parklea Sahib Gurdwara is headquarters of the Australian Sikh Association (ASA), which has a democratic set-up and permanent membership of more than 2,000 devotees. The ASA organises cultural, sports and social activities from time to time. These days a 'jatha' of Fauja Singh Dhadi is touring Australian gurdwaras and propagating the tenets and history of Sikhism."

The ASA provides financial help to the victims of natural disasters, he said, adding that the needy students from India also get help from the association. "Special plans have been drawn for further expansion of the gurdwara. The Indian high commission is now sharing the responsibility of sending bodies of Indians, who die in Australia, back home by air. Earlier, the ASA had been doing this job alone," he added."