The plan was that the addition to the Gurdwara would take a year.

Construction would begin after Summer Solstice of 1989 and be completed for Summer Solstice 1990.  That schedule was met.  Where the Sangat met for Sadhana and Sunday Gurdwara was moved down to the former “barracks”, while construction proceeded.

Work would go on all week, with others, who could join, helping out on the weekends.  First came the excavation and demolition.  The entry on the west side was torn out and the hill leading to it was cut back and leveled.  The trenches for the foundations were dug and prepared for concrete.  Don’t kid yourself, it wasn’t all hand work, there was a small budget for the project, heavy equipment was used for digging.

When an Indian yoga teacher came to give a class at his Los Angeles high school in 1970, Dale Sklar recognized at once a calling from out of the ordinary. He quickly attached himself as a devoted student to Yogi Bhajan and the fledgling American Sikh community a few miles’ bike ride from his home. For his sheer focus, love and devotion to his new path, Dale was recognized as “Bhai Sahib” – a religious title meaning honoured brother – “Dayal Singh” – a spiritual name meaning lion of compassion, before his 18th birthday. Towering above fellow Sikhs ten and twenty years his senior, Bhai Sahib lived an exemplary life of service and good humour until his passing a car crash – on the way to India – at the age of 19. This is his story told in the words of people who knew, loved and respected Dayal Singh, and in nearly 100 photos of his brief life as a Sikh in America and India in the early 1970s.

Whereas, by his healing presence, by the depth of his courage and selfless service, by his conscious commitment to uplifting and healing others, by his demonstrated ability to give others hope and happiness, and by his serving the principle of Oneness, the time has come to openly and honestly acknowledge his effort:

Therefore, to acknowledge his selfless service in the name of Guru Ram Das, and his service to the mission of Guru Ram Das, I Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, under the Direct Will of God and Guru hereby proclaim that:

Guru Dev Singh Khalsa of Rome Italy shall be known as a Saint of Rome and Italy.

In 1974, when I was just twenty, now some forty-six years ago, I had my first personal appointment with the Siri Singh Sahib at the Ranch.  I had been living in the Espańola Ashram about six months and I had fantasy that the Siri Singh Sahib would magically pick me out of crowd, and explain to me my destiny, which of course would be monumental and staggering in its scope and breadth.  After waiting for an extremely, excessively inordinate amount of time, my youthful patience was exhausted and I made an appointment to see him.