Blood donation: Sikh bodies break record of Sacha Sauda





Anandpur Sahib, Punjab: The Sikh bodies have finally managed to break the world record of Dera Sacha Sauda by collecting 18,207 units of blood in 16 hours during its massive blood donation camp held here on the occasion of Hola Mohalla.

Camp started at 7:25 pm on March 10 at local Khalsa College and ended at 11:25 pm with final donations reaching tally of 18,207. Earlier, the Sikh bodies have been claiming to collect 25,000 units of blood.

“It was a long and tardy exercise. Before organising it we never knew that there is any world record and nor did we aim at one. Gradually, from different quarters, we were encouraged to set a benchmark and contacted the Guinness Book of World Records authority,” said advocate Jagwinder Singh, the in-charge of Akal Purkh Ki Fauj, that organised the entire activity.

The Guinness Book of World Records has entry of Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa, for holding largest blood donation camp in world at Bapu Ji village in Sri Gangananagar. The camp was held on October 10, 2004 and attracted 17,921 donors.

Organisers are yet to compile data on gender basis. “We expect that more than 30 per cent of donor were women, which was a surprise for everybody. The final stats may start pouring in after three to four days,” said Jaswinder Singh Jassi, the spokesperson of camp.

After the data is compiled and formalities completed, the entire dossier of event and its proceedings will be sent to the Guinnesss Book of World Records.

The site for camp was divided into 14 blocks, each having 50 beds. There were around 2,500 donations in one hour averaging 15 minutes per donor. As many as 5,000 volunteers, including 3,000 paramedical staff, were deployed to ensure smooth working of camp.

A team of 100 doctors was deployed at different investigation counters to oversee arrangement. Over 110 blood banks from all over country had assembled to collect blood from this camp.

Source: TNS


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ANANDPUR SAHIB: More than three hundred years after the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh ji, founded the Khalsa amid the hilly terrains of Sri Anandpur Sahib, this holy town once again gift wrapped another great gift to the humanity from the Sikh community -- the world's largest ever blood donation camp.

As long serpentine queues of hundreds of donors on Hola Mohalla continued till late Tuesday night, each over enthusiastic to stress Sikhism's message of universal brotherhood and welfare of all (Sarbat Da Bhala), blood unit count crossed the figure of 20,000 and could well have touched 25,000, shattering the earlier Guinness Book record of 13,000 plus units collected in a single day.

Backed by Sri Akal Takht Sahib and other Sikh temporal seats, and enjoying patronage of more than a hundred Sikh organisations, the blood donation drive broke all barriers of age, gender, caste and economic status as young and old, poor and rich, men and women awaited patiently their turn to make a statement with blood at a time when much of it is being shed across the world in the name of religion.

"It is remarkable that the Sikh community thought of such a grand sweeping idea that not only sends a powerful message but also underlines how at the end of the day human beings are equal. A unit of blood can save the life of a child, an elderly, a low caste or a high caste," said Suzzane Able, an American photographer visiting India as a tourist who had come to the camp to witness history in the making. She was surprised to know that Sikhism does not recognize any caste. "You have told me the best thing about the community. Now I know the real significance of your motto of universal brotherhood," she said.

At a time when rest of India was busy playing Holi with colors or cow dung, the Sikh community was making a statement with this drive. 25,000 units of blood in flat 24 hours was the target, and the organizers, led from the front by Akal Purakh Ki Fauj outfit, had made sure that all mandatory requirements of the administrators of Guinness Records are fulfilled and cameras keep a record of all donors, quality checks are stringent, medical care at its best and safe blood keeping practices are followed.

With this blood donation drive, the Sikhs beat the Sirsa dera's earlier effort to collect 13,000 plus units on one day.

The sheer scale of logistics was mind boggling as the camp spilled over on to two lakh square feet of makeshift tents, 700 beds divided in 14 blocks of 50 beds each, and averaging 2,500 donations in one hour. All this effort was possible, thanks to an army of 8,000 volunteers, 3000 paramedical staff and 100 doctors deployed for the camp. Army personnel from Jalandhar and Chandi Mandir were among the teams collecting units.

Kiranjit Kaur had not heard of the camp and had come visiting the Takht Sahib with her parents. "I never attend the political rallies that happen at the sidelines but I was mesmerized by the idea of the camp. Me and my sister insisted about donating blood and our parents finally agreed to stay over for the night. We have waited for six hours and hopefully our turn will come," she said.

Baljinder Singh Maur said the camp has inspired him to become Amritdhari. "May be it needed this camp to bring me the Guru's blessings," he said.

The Holla Mohalla festival attracts lakhs of pilgrims from all over Punjab and the rest of the country and is the festival of truth, courage, bravery and service. The milling crowds of Sikhs who came to know of the camp added largely to the success of the effort, monitored for Guinness record purposes.

Sikh enthusiasts had come from, thanks to the massive mobilization campaign to ply blood donors, as far as Maharashtra, UP, Uttarkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.

Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Gurbachan Singh, and Damdami Taksal's Harnam Singh Dhumma were among the first few to donate blood to inaugurate this mega blood donation camp at the Guru Teg Bahadur college grounds that ended at 7 am Wednesday India time.

Donors also included Jathedar of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh, former Akal Takht jathedar Prof. Manjit Singh, Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Akali Dal leader Kiranbir Singh Kang.  Jathedar of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh performed the ardas as the camp began..

Source: World Sikh News



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