PUPILS and teachers at Cranmore Infant School offered drinks to passers-by as part of an ancient Sikh tradition.
For four years a team has stood outside the Northland Road school in Shirley handing out drinks just like many Sikhs all over the world do in the build-up to Chabeel Day.
The word ‘chabeel’ is a Punjabi word referring to a sweet, cool, non-alcoholic drink made up of rose-water syrup, milk and ice.
It is also an international day of commemoration of the martyrdom of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who refused to change Sikh religious scriptures as ordered by the tyrannical Mughal Emperor Jahangir to try to curtail the Guru’s growing influence in India.
Jasveer Singh of the Sikh Press Association, said “Guru Arjan Dev Ji taught Sikhs to accept God’s will as sweet.
“Therefore, we honour the Guru’s burning by cooling everyone else.
“This is in line with the Sikh concept of Chardi Kala. In today’s climate, we feel spreading Chardi Kala is more important than ever.”
