After a huge breakfast which consisted of dragon fruit, melon, pineapple and aloo puree. together with a cup of Indian tea. This will definitely keep me going all day!
We walked to the Gurdwara.
Gurduara sahib Mainduab
No 75, Jalan Pudu Lama,
50200, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
As it was a weekday there were only a handful of people.
Despite the popular belief that Sikhs were brought to the then Malaya as police and soldiers, historically it is proven that Sikhs were actually sent to Malaya as political prisoners. The first few Sikhs to set foot in Malaya were Nihal Singh (better known as Bhai Maharaj Singh) and Kharak Singh, who were thrown out of India due to anti-British involvement somewhere around 1800. These prisoners were sent to the Outram Road prison in what is now Singapore. In 1865, it is believed that the process of migration of Sikhs to Malaysia started again but this time involved recruitment in the armed forces in the British Empire mainly as police, military and guards.
There are a total of 112 gurdwaras throughout Malaysia. 42 of them are situated in the state of Perak, where the majority of Sikhs in Malaysia resides.
Afterwards we popped to
Excellent Vege Re
Lot 13 – 14
Lower Ground Floor
Low Yat Plaza
57100 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
T: +60 16 220 2209
As I was still full from breakfast, Sangeet ordered.
Plaza Low Yat (Simplified/Traditional Chinese: 刘蝶广场 / 劉蝶廣場; Pinyin: Liú Dié guǎng chǎng; Malay: Plaza Low Yat), or commonly referred to as PLY, is an established commercial shopping centre specializing in electronics and IT products in Malaysia. As an IT related product shopping centre, Plaza Low Yat is the most well known and most established among competitors and is to Kuala Lumpur what Sim Lim Square and Funan is to Singapore. In year 2009, Plaza Low Yat has been accorded “Malaysia’s Largest IT Lifestyle Mall” by the Malaysia Book of Records.
Located at No.7, Jalan Bintang, Off Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang Central, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, PLY offers a great variety of single products with its collection of inter-chained stores. This is in contrast with streamlined arrangements in other electronics malls. Therefore, PLY allows the consumer to have greater buying power and freedom in selecting the products or electronic parts they wish to purchase. Most parts that are sold here are bargainable and many stores also offer their services to assemble the parts tailor-made to the customers’ specifications.
Each floor within the complex has its own speciality specialising in laptops, mobile phones, etc. Eateries and cafes can be found at most of the floors.
IT!! Hence the big smile
On the way to the restaurant we passed many intriguing items
Telling traffic there are road works ahead
Later we walked back to the hotel for our free high tea!
With a pot of Irish Whiskey tea….no real whiskey just a tea!
Whilst Sangeet recited her paath (prayers) I popped to Excellent Vege Re, I managed to get halfway before turning back……all I could hear was “massage sir!?” and also Sat Sri Akal come to our restaurant we do halal!!
This was getting very annoying so I turned back and went back to the hotel! Whilst I was having breakfast in the morning the waiter gave me some containers so I could pick the fruit and take it with us……we may be in a nice hotel but whilst on this trip I have learnt to horde food for later! So once I got back to the hotel I ate the fruit.
As if is our last day in Singapore we just spent the day relaxing and getting organised for Malaysia. First we went to the Khalsa Dharmak Sabha Gurdwara, another Gurdwara really close to our hostel! There was recitation of Sukhmani Sahib ongoing. After a short while, we headed over to
for lunch. We arrived just after 14:30. Unfortunately the restaurant shuts for lunch at 15:00 and takes last orders at 14:30. The restaurant was completely dead.
Our plan was to have lunch at Whole Earth Vegetarian and then head to the Gurdwara:
Gurdwara Sahib Silat Road
8 Jalan Bukit Merah
Singapore 169543
Tel: + 65 6222 2208
Fax: + 65 6225 1994
E: [email protected]
Fantastic windows
As it was raining very heavily we took a taxi to the Gurdwara.
In the early days of Singapore, there were only two Gurdwaras in Singapore. Members of the Sikh Contingent of the Straits Settlements Police Force had their Gurdwara on Pearls Hill. The Civilian Sikhs had their Gurdwara in Queen Street.
It is only after the tombstone, found in the ground of General Hospital, was brought to Silat Road Gurdwara, on 12th October, 1966 that this Gurdwara became very popular with the Sikhs. The Samadh (tombstone) is believed to be that of the Sikh Saint-Solder, Bhai_Maharaj_Singh, the hero of the Sikh resistance to the British occupation of Punjab. The attraction of Silat Road Gurdwara is the Shrine of Bhai Maharaj Singh containing his Samadh.
We had Guru Ka Langar at the Gurdwara. When I asked if they were serving Guru Ka Langar they asked me where I was from. I said England, they said “ok we will serve you. Usually we only serve between 11:30 to 2pm and then after 6pm.” I always thought it was served all day long. Whilst we were eating the Guru Ka Langar, a lady asked if she could have Guru Ka Langar, they said they would start serving at 6pm (it was around 3pm). Though we really appreciated the Guru ka Langar, his made us feel awkward, everybody is equal and everyone should be served equally, that is usually how things are done. Thankfully a little later they started serving biscuits in the Guru Ka Langar, with tea, so we didn’t feel as uncomfortable.
Afterwards we got a taxi back to the hostel as it was still raining heavily. It has rained every day we have been in Singapore! Sangeet went to the Gurdwara for the evening whilst I looked into options for transport to go to Malaysia tomorrow. We have the following options
1) Taxi – very expensive
2) Train – would miss the smaller towns
3) Fly – would not see a thing on the way
4) Coach – would see a lot of small towns, reasonably priced
5) Walk – we do not have that much time!
We decided on taking the coach. There are various operators, the prices range SGD$28 to SGD$124 depending on the level of luxury.
There are many express bus services from Singapore to KL. Some of the famous express bus operators like Starmart Air Asia Liner, Aeroline and First Coach offer almost hourly trip between Singapore and KL.
Most of the bus operators will depart at Golden Mile Complex. But they are some operators which depart at other location like Key Point (Golden Coach) Harbour Front (Aeroline), Novena (First Coach), Boon Lay Shopping Centre (Grassland, Konsortium and others) and many more. For the arrival location in KL, most coach will call off at Puduraya, the largest express bus terminal in Malaysia. Some coach will call off at other location like Berjaya Times Square (Starmart Air Asia Liner Express), Bangsar, 1 Utama Shopping Centre or Pasar Rakyat. Do note that some bus operator will offer non stop express bus service to KL and others will stop at Yong Peng for a short 20 to 30 minutes break. Please check with respective bus operator before book the ticket.
The table below list down the trip duration for some of the most popular
bus route in Malaysia/Singapore.
Please note that journey duration listed below is just an estimation only.
The actual travel time may varies depending on the traffic condition.
Trip Duration
Singapore to Malacca 4 hrs
Singapore to Seremban 5 hrs
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur 6 hrs
Singapore to Genting Highlands 7 hrs
Singapore to Shah Alam 7 hrs
Singapore to Klang 7 hrs
Singapore to KLIA/ LCCT 8 hrs
Singapore to Perak 8.5 hrs
Singapore to Butterworth 9 hrs
Singapore to Penang 10 hrs
Singapore to Hatyai 12 hrs
Genting Highlands toSingapore 7 hrs
Johor Bahru to Genting Highlands 6 hrs
Johor Bahru to Alor Setah 10 hrs
Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 4.5 hrs
Johor Bahru to Seremban 4 hrs
Johor Bahru to Penang 9 hrs
Johor Bahru to Perak 8 hrs
Johor Bahru to Perlis 11 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to CameronHighlands 3 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru 5:5 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Kedah 7 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Seremban 1.5 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Penang 5 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Perak 3 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Perlis 8 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Singapore 5.5 hrs
Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai 9 hrs
Malacca to Johor Bahru 3 hrs
Malacca to Singapore 4 hrs
Seremban to Johor 4 hrs
Seremban to Kedah 9 hrs
Seremban to Kuala Lumpur 2 hrs
Seremban to Malacca 1 hrs
Seremban to Penang 8 hrs
Seremban to Perak 10 hrs
Seremban to Perlis 11 hrs
Seremban to Singapore 5 hrs
Penang to Johor 10 hrs
Penang to Kedah 1 hrs
Penang to Kuala Lumpur 5 hrs
Penang to Malacca 6.5 hrs
Penang to Seremban 7 hrs
Penang to Perak 2 hrs
Penang to Perlis 2 hrs
Penang to Klang/ Shah Alam 6 hrs
Penang to Singapore 11 hrs
Penang to Hatyai 3 hrs
Perak to Johor Bahru 8 hrs
Perak to Kedah 3 hrs
Perak to Kuala Lumpur 3 hrs
Perak to Malacca 4 hrs
Perak to Seremban 4 hrs
Perak to Penang 2 hrs
Perak to Singapore 9 hrs
Shah Alam to Singapore 6.5 hrs
Shah Alam to Butterworth 4.5 hrs
Shah Alam to Johor Bahru 5.5 hrs
Shah Alam to Penang 6 hrs
Klang to Singapore 6.5 hrs
Klang to Butterworth 4.5 hrs
Klang to Johor Bahru 5.5 hrs
Klang to Penang 6 hrs
LCCT/KLIA to Ipoh 4.5 hrs
I used the website www.busonlineticket.com which lists most of the operators, the times and ticket costs. We ended up using StarMart Express Air Asia Liner Pte Ltd the cost per ticket was SGD$30.
For accommodation I asked Maggie at American Express to look into it. She gave us two hotels from the Fine Hotels and Resorts package (Amex have negotiated with these hotels so that we get benefits like:
– Upgrade on arrival if available
– 4pm check out
– Breakfast included
– A complimentary afternoon tea for 2.
The benefits vary from hotel to hotel).
We asked Maggie to book:
THE RITZ CARLTON
KU168 Jalan Imbi
KUALA LUMPUR
MY 55100
Malaysia.
This morning we went to the Gurdwara on Wilkie Road, the Akhand Path was ongoing. Fauja Singh was due to arrive later in the morning to meet the Sangat there. Fauja Singh (Punjabi: ਫੌਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ) (born 1 April 1911) is a British centenarian marathon runner of Punjabi Sikh origin. He is a world record holder in his age bracket. His current personal best time for the London Marathon (2003) is 6 hours 2 minutes, and his marathon record, for age 90-plus, is 5 hours 40 minutes, at the age of 92, at the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
Singh has stated, “I won’t stop running until I die. The next target, God willing, is to be the oldest marathon runner ever.” and, “At the time when people start retiring, I thought of running at the age of 63…and today I won the marathon at 93 years of age.”
In 2004, Singh was featured in an advertising campaign for sportswear manufacturer Adidas alongside David Beckham and Muhammad Ali.
Singh holds UK records for the 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, mile and 3000 m for his age group, records all set within a single 94 minute period.
At the age of 100 (and a half), Singh attempted and accomplished eight world age group records in one day, at the special Ontario Masters Association Fauja Singh Invitational Meet, held at Birchmount Stadium in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Timed by officials in Canada, He ran the 100 metres in 23.14, 200 metres in 52.23, the 400 metres in 2:13.48, the 800 metres in 5:32.18, the 1500 metres in 11:27.81, the mile in 11:53.45, the 3000 metres in 24:52.47 and the 5000 metres in 49:57.39, setting five world records for his age group in one day. Each time bested the previous record in that age division (some events had no previous record holder, as nobody over age 100 had ever attempted the distance). Some of his marks are significantly superior to the listed world record in the M95 age group as well.
Three days later, on 16 October 2011, Singh became the first 100 year old to finish a marathon, completing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 8:11:06. As it took him over 14 minutes after the gun to cross the starting line, the official time submitted for the age group record will be 8:25:17. However, Guinness World Records refused to include Singh in its record book due to the fact that he could not produce his birth certificate to prove his age. Birth records were not kept in India in 1911, however it is claimed that records written in Urdu date back to 23 February 1879. He was able to produce a passport listing his date of birth as 1 April 1911, and a letter from Queen Elizabeth II congratulating him on his 100th birthday.
In October 2011, Singh, a vegetarian, became the oldest man to be featured in a PETA campaign. In July 2012, Fauja Singh carried the Olympic torch.
A great posture, most people half his age have a poor posture
Fauja Singh led the sangat in a jog around Mount Emily Park, just opposite the Gurdwara (and our hostel). Whilst Fauja Singh was running outside a couple was watching, I invited them inside to hear the talk. Andrew the chap came inside.
Andrew is running in the full 26mile (42km) marathon tomorrow. All the best Andrew. Andrew was very inspired by Fauja Singh, he stayed a while and got Fauja Singh’s autograph. Andrew used to be a hedge fund trader in London, he then moved to China. Now that his wife is expecting, they have decided to move to Singapore.
Getting some tips from Fauja Singh’s coach, for when I do the marathon. At the moment I am just bulking up!
Whilst Sangeet was having Guru Ka Langar, I popped to Sim Lim Square to purchase the keyboard.
Not bad for SGD$20
Afterwards, we went for a wander in Little India.
Sangeet was looking for a cheap suit, so obviously Little India is the place to go! A Sikh man we passed on the street recommended the Tekka Centre so we headed there.
Me pretending to enjoy Little India
I was getting very wound up, when I saw the shop keepers ‘pestering’ Sangeet. So two options stay, get wound up and punch the shopkeeper or leave. I chose the latter. As I was leaving the heavens opened up and there was a downpour, I was drenched!
I walked past the durian fruit stall, you can smell the fruits from bout 500 yards away and this was in the open. Just imagine it was in a small indoor shop. I was tempted to buy it but the smell from eating durian was still lingering around me!!
In the evening Sangeet went to the Gurdwara where we met.
Afterwards Sangeet stayed at the Gurdwara whilst I popped to Sim Lim Square, just to have a browse. The electronic gadgets are fascinating and worth browsing. Whilst there I met a family from England who were debating whether to buy the iPad 2 or iPad Mini, I suggested that if they are going to the USA they should buy it from an Apple shop there. In my opinion Sim Lim Square is good for buying accessories. Expensive items such as cameras sometimes only come with a local warranty. So please check before buying. As I was leaving Sim Lim Square I noticed a shop selling a rubber Bluetooth keyboard which would be perfect as the keyboard on the iPad sometimes gets a bit tiring to use. The cost was SGD$20, any other time I would have snapped up the bargain, as we have been traveling , every dollar does count!
I met Sangeet back at the Gurdwara.
As I wanted to show Sangeet Sim Lim Square we had a wander into town. Our last experience in Sim Lim Square in 2005 was not that brilliant. We were looking to buy a camera, sounds easy but in this case we just could not get the information we needed and all the deals seemed dodgy!
On the way we passed the art college:
It looked amazing all lit up at night.
After passing Sim Lim Square we went to Bugis Street
Bugis, in the city-state of Singapore, was renowned internationally from the 1950s to the 1980s for its nightly gathering of trans women, a phenomenon which made it one of Singapore’s top tourist destinations during that period.
In the mid-1980s, Bugis Street underwent major urban redevelopment into a retail complex of modern shopping malls, restaurants and nightspots mixed with regulated back-alley roadside vendors. Underground digging to construct the Bugis MRT station prior to that also caused the upheaval and termination of nightly transgender sex bazaar culture, marking the end of a colourful and unique era in Singapore’s history. This change helped improve Singapore’s international image as it began to be globally recognized.
Today, the original Bugis Street is now a cobblestoned, relatively wide avenue sandwiched between the buildings of the Bugis Junction shopping complex. On the other hand, the lane presently touted as “Bugis Street” by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board is actually developed from New Bugis Street, and is billed as “the largest street-shopping location in Singapore”. An attempt by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board to bring back the former glamor was unsuccessful. Although the street is not a well-known tourist destination, it is frequented by many Singaporeans.
A brand of clothing!!
On the way back we passed a shop selling fruit
I bought some durian fruit
The durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio and the Malvaceae family (although some taxonomists place Durio in a distinct family, Durionaceae.
Regarded by many people in southeast Asia as the “king of fruits”, the durian is distinctive for its large size, stomach-churning odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. The fruit can grow as large as 30 centimetres (12 in) long and 15 centimetres (6 in) in diameter, and it typically weighs one to three kilograms (2 to 7 lb). Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species.
The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour, that is strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Some people regard the durian as pleasantly fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and revolting. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as almonds, rotten onions, turpentine, and gym socks. The odour has led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in southeast Asia.
The durian, native to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, has been known to the Western world for about 600 years. The nineteenth-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace famously described its flesh as “a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds”. The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet edibles in Southeast Asian cuisines. When cooked, the seeds also can be eaten.
There are 30 recognised Durio species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. Durio zibethinus is the only species available in the international market: other species are sold in their local regions. There are hundreds of durian cultivars; many consumers express preferences for specific cultivars, which fetch higher prices in the market.
Just to prove I did eat it! Sangeet could barely cope with the smell as we chatted to an Australian chap from Sydney who is married to a Singaporean. He gave us some useful information on Durian and how to pick a good one.
Wireless@SG is a wireless broadband programme developed by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore as part of its Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure initiative, being part of the nation’s 10-year masterplan called Intelligent Nation 2015 (iN2015).
It will be run and developed in the next two years by three local wireless operators, SingTel, M1 and iCell who will deploy a wireless broadband network in Singapore. Users can enjoy free, both in-door and outdoor seamless wireless broadband access with speeds of up to 512 kbit/s at most public areas under the “basic-tier” package.
The targeted users of this wireless broadband network are broadly classified as “people on the move” – people who require wireless broadband access while away from their homes, schools and offices. These include students, tourists, business travellers and enterprise users such as insurance agents and real estate agents who use widely-available and wireless-enabled devices such as notebook PCs and PDAs. Once connected, users will be able to access all Internet-based services e.g. online gaming, web surfing, instant messaging, VoIP and email.
In addition to the free “basic tier”, there will be a paid “premium tier” for those seeking bandwidth beyond 512 kbit/s, or for connectivity options with higher-quality of service. The three operators have different packages to suit different needs and there is no limit on the number of premium accounts users can sign up for.
On 16 June 2009, the government announced an extension of the programme till March 2013 and enhancement of speed up to 1Mbit/s.
IDA issued a Call-for-Collaboration early 2006 for interested operators to provide such coverage. Late 2006, IDA has accepted the proposals from iCell Network Pte Ltd, QMAX Communications and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, to kick-start the nation’s progressive deployment of a widely-available wireless network by September 2007.
The CFC on Wireless Broadband Market Development has the following two main objectives:
1. To accelerate the deployment of wireless broadband by providing coverage in locations where users out of their homes, schools and offices can conveniently access wireless broadband services using data-centric computing devices.
2. To catalyse the demand for wireless broadband services by increasing the number of wireless broadband users.
On 31 May 2007, Network deployment for all Primary Catchment Areas in all Regions was completed with the Secondary Catchment Areas in all Regions was completed on 30 Sep 2007.
The CFC is scheduled to be completed on 31 Dec 2008.
Accessing and Registration
To connect to the Wireless@SG wireless broadband network, a user just needs a WiFi-enabled device, such as a laptop computer, PDA or wi-fi enabled mobile phone, and a registered Wireless@SG account. With this registered account, the user is able to roam within any of Wireless@SG’s coverage areas, regardless of the operators’ network.
Users are encouraged by the IDA to install and activate a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or other encryption mechanism, Personal firewall; and Anti-virus software with the latest signature files. The IDA also encourages users to avoid ad-hoc wireless networking to safeguard their security.
Wireless@SG is powered by the networks of three wireless operators: iCell, QMax and SingTel. Following the announcement on October 10, 2006 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, that Singapore will get to enjoy two years of free wireless broadband connections from January next year, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) announced on November 30, 2006 that the three Wireless@SG operators have extended this free offering to three years. Users started to enjoy wireless connectivity from December 1, 2006, one month ahead of schedule at selected hotspots.
To gain access to the free basic-tier Wi-Fi connection, with connection speeds of up to 512kbit/s, starting 1 December 2006 users could sign up with any of the three Wireless@SG network operators. Wireless@SG is available for all Singaporean residents. Users can sign up with any operator to access all the hotspots in Wireless@SG.
There are various ways users can register for this service:
Online Account Application
Users with access to the Internet can log onto any of the three operators’ websites and complete an online registration form. Alternatively, they can click on the ‘New User Sign Up’ link found on the Wireless@SG log-in page when they select the Wireless@SG network at the coverage areas. The account will be activated immediately and a password sent to them via SMS.
Customer Service Centres
Those without mobile phones or online access can visit any of the operators’ customer service centres to register and collect their passwords. Users can also check with their operator of choice for other registration methods.
Mobile phone
Visitors to the country can receive free 24 hour Wireless@SG accounts by calling a computer-operated phone number at SingTel. An SMS with a username and password will be sent shortly afterwards.
Coverage Areas
To access Wireless@SG, users need to be located within the respective Wireless@SG coverage areas. The latest coverage areas can be found at Google Earth and at the IDA portal.
This morning we went to Katong Gurdwara to hear the closing of the Akhand Paath. They have two halls, one is slightly smaller where they did the Akhand Paath. So in the big hall they first sang Asa Di Vaar. Asa Di Var is a collection of 24 pauris or stanzas written by Guru Nanak Devji (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, page 462-475).Some people argue that the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev ji wrote the first 9 together on one occasion and later wrote 15 more stanzas on a different occasion but Professor Sahib Singh and some of the foremost Sikh scholars believe that the whole Var was written at the same place as the Var itself proceeds in a definite uniformity. The whole Var was compiled by the 5th Guru, Guru Arjan Dev ji in 1604 AD.
When Guru Arjan Dev ji was compiling the Holy Granth, he added a few Sloks of Guru Nanak and in some cases Guru Angad Dev ji, the second Guru of the Sikhs. These Sloks are tied together in a way that they relate to the same theme as highlighted in the pauri. In its present form, the Asa Di Var contains a few more shabads recited by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru.
The Asa Di Var kirtan is recited in the early morning hours in a very melodious way and style as mentioned by Guru Arjan Dev Ji called “Tunde Asraje Ki Dhuni” after the name of the contemporary brave and pious king Asraj. One of the hands of the king was amputated, so he was called Tunda meaning (one hand amputated) . The deeds and the ode of this king was sung by the bards in that typical fashion which then was extremely popular and melodious and was therefore adopted to performing Asa Di Var.
The sangat at this Gurdwara is very friendly. You can just feel the warmth.
Afterwards we went for a wander to the local town. Today has been slightly cooler at 26 degrees C and 88% humidity, at this rate I might have to wear my fleece!!
Which is about 15 minutes away from the Gurdwara.
Great juices
Was not sure about this one!
The restaurant is vegetarian as they use dairy products in some of their dishes but no eggs. The lunch was very good. We may try and go back to this restaurant.
At the Gurdwara I met Gurutej Singh Khalsa who now lives in Singapore. Gurutej Singh is a other fantastic inspirational Sikh from the 3HO community. Gurutej Singh was one of the founders of Akal Security. Here is some information from the Akal Security website:
SANTA CRUZ— Gurutej Khalsa had always dreamed of being a cop, a dream he chased by attending the federal law enforcement academy and graduating at the top of his class.
But police agencies in New Mexico— unable to see beyond his turban and long beard— weren’t eager to hire him.
Unwilling to shed the trappings of his Sikh religion or to give up his dream, Khalsa turned to four friends, and together they launched Akal Security back in 1980. Akal comes from Sanskrit and means “undying” or “deathless.”
“We borrowed $1,200 on a used pickup truck, and that’s what capitalized the company,” said Daya Khalsa, one of the five founders.
Those were the company’s humble beginnings, he said. Today, Akal is one of the country’s leading private security firms, employing thousands and attracting federal contracts worth hundreds of millions. Despite its success, the company has kept its headquarters in the small village of Santa Cruz, just south of Española.
Devinderjit Singh Khalsa, 23, a college student and Akal employee, said he thinks the company has remained loyal to the Española Valley because that’s the community that nurtured it.
“We consider ourselves to be an integral part of the Española community …,” he said. Twenty-four years ago, Akal Security had no administrators— just five friends working as guards and trying to keep their business afloat. Because he was the only one of the five who could balance a checkbook, Daya Khalsa said, he was handed the tasks of keeping the company’s books and handling its payroll. He carried out those duties when he wasn’t on guard duty.
From Day One, the company’s philosophy was simple: Provide a level of service that’s a cut above what others in the industry provide, Daya Khalsa said.
The quality of service has left an impression on its customers.
“Akal is just head and shoulders above as far as I’m concerned,” said Mick Miller, public safety director for Expo New Mexico. Akal has been providing security at the State Fair since at least the mid-1980s.
“I’ve seen them grow,” Miller said. “They’re incredibly successful. They have a client servicing standard that is unheard of in the industry.”
I called my credit card who arranged, to have out visas for Vietnam sorted in Singapore. The cost was SGD$300 each and would be processed within 24 hours. A bit out of our price arrange. Something we can discuss at the hotel.
Hi, thanks for visiting my blog, feel free and have a look around.Here is a bit about me, as you may or may not have guessed my name is Mandeep,I work to travel as opposed to work to pay bills and die!Every trip for me is an adventure, I have been very fortunate to stumble across amazing places and meet awesome people along the way.
Why gaygoat? When I first started this blog I was a vegetarian, so gaygoat – happy goat! Also you have to admit it is catchy and a URL you will not forget!
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