Enabling the Sikh youth in Indonesia to learn and imbibe fundamentals of the Sikh way of life, the Jakarta based Gurmat School is playing a key role.

Since we don’t live in India, and we are Punjabis, it’s not easy to speak and understand Punjabi, read Gurmukhi and especially read Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

We have to learn from the beginning. The alphabets are also totally different. However, we have to, because that is who we are, that’s our identity.  Though, we have limited time to study it, we can study from our parents at home even though time is short as they work and we have school work.

Well we can also learn in the Gurdwara Sahib by asking Giani ji. Another amazing resource centre where one can learn Punjabi and Gurbani basics is our Gurmat School in Jakarta.

I am a Gurmat school student.  I have been studying here since the Gurmat School opened some years back. Let me tell you, why Gurmat school? The classes are consistent, every week, except on days like Gurpurab, Vaisakhi and other holidays. The timing and activities are well managed so we can pray, study as well as socialize with other Punjabis.

“Let me tell you, why Gurmat school? The classes are consistent, every week, except on days like Gurpurab, Vaisakhi and other holidays. The timing and activities are well managed so we can pray, study as well as socialize with other Punjabis.”

The teachers are very good, not so strict, we can joke, but when it is class time, we have to be serious. We will also get homework and have exams. Our teachers Manmith Kaur, Nirmal Kaur and Iqbal Kaur are our guides and mentors.

The classrooms are comfortable, and the facilities to support our study are good, such as chairs, tables, whiteboards, bookshelves, colour pencils and stuff (for the small kids), AC, and more.

We not only learn about Gurmukhi here, but also about Sikhism and Sikh history. We can also learn shabads, play waja and tabla with Giani ji, brothers and sisters.

We have Jathas here, every Gurmat school student is divided in some group, then, once a month there will be a Kirtani Jatha. All Jathas handle everything from Rehras, shabads, translation of the shabads, show video about the Sikhism and explain it, Ardaas, Hukamnama, Sohila ending in Smapti -all by themselves. Every jatha has kids to teenagers as participants.

The Gurdwara Sahib and Gurmat School hold so many fun events to support us, such as Competition of Knowledge about Sikhism (Gurmat Quiz), Turban Tying Competition (from small kids to teenagers), Cooking competition (we cook Punjabi food together with our jatha, such as Roti, daal, sabhji, and parshad), also Mini Sammelan and Teens camp.

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After the students graduate Guru Granth Sahib class, Gurdwara Sahib and Gurmat school have Akhandh Path that is read by graduated students.