RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS SHEET

With Guru Sahib’s Kirpa, Sevadaars from around the globe are pleased to announce the first International Shabad Vichaar Competition.

SHABAD SYLLABUS BY AGE GROUP

4 and below: Any Shabad

5-7: Any Shabad about Our Relationship(s) (e.g. Father, Mother, Brother, Husband, Sevak) with Guru Sahib

8-12: Any Shabad about Our Relationship(s) with Sangat/Gursikhs/Friends/Others

13-18: Any Shabad about What to Do or What Not to Do as a Sikh (e.g., avoiding nindiya, having pure intentions, etc.)

19-25: Any Shabads about Bharosa and How to Remain Attached to Guru Sahib (despite major life events)

26-40: Any Shabads about Nurturing Internal Peace Amidst Responsibilities/Balancing Sikhi and Worldly Life

40+ Any Shabads about How the Body and this Human Life are Temporary

VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS

• Choose Shabad(s) from your age group’s syllabus. Shabads can be chosen from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Sri Dasam Granth Sahib Ji, Bhai Gurdas Ji’s Vaaran, and any other Bani commonly accepted by the Khalsa Panth.
  
• Any language (but with preference for Punjabi, English, or bilingual)
• Unedited and high-quality video and audio up to 15 mins long

PRIZES

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each age category will be awarded cash prizes and Search for Sikhi merchandise. 
• Separate Search for Sikhi merchandise prizes will be given to any participant who receives over 5,000 views by January 30, 2024. 
• All participants will be given e-certificates and entered into a prize raffle.

JUDGMENT

Judgment will be based on an international judges panel.

When sharing Shabad Vichaar, consider:

OVERALL DELIVERY:

• Are you engaging and enthusiastic to the audience?
  

• Are you using gestures, facial expressions, and making eye contact with the camera?
• Are you mostly telling the Shabad Vichaar from memory but conversationally?
• How is your flow and pace?
• Is the Vichaar systematic and organized?
• Are you creative? You can use puppets, soft toys/teddy bears, drawings, act, or simply just tell the Shabad Vichaar in a creative way.
• How do you make the Shabad Vichaar memorable? For example, do you ask questions to the e-audience, connect to Sikh Ithiaas/Sakhiya, or apply the Shabad’s teachings to daily life?

ACCURACY OF SHABAD VICHAAR:

• Do you include necessary background information and the source/s of the Shabad Vichaar?
• Do you explain the meaning of various words in each Tukh and/or concepts necessary to understanding the Shabad as a whole?
• If relevant, do you explain the context of the Shabad? For example, Raag and Writer.

ANALYSIS:

• Do you integrate Saakhiya on the same theme as the Shabad to explain the Shabad better?
  
• Do you explain why you chose the Shabad, reflect on the lessons/what can be learned from the Shabad, and share how its teachings can improve our lives and Sikhi?
• Do you include related Shabads if relevant?

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Register at searchforsikhi.com and submit the video competition form by January 15, 2025. 

Videos will be updated as they are received to the Search for Sikhi YouTube channel.

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FAQ

Where is the submission form? 

In order to access the submission form, please register for an account on searchforsikhi.com. Once registered, please login and click the "Competition" tab, then "Video Competition", and the International Shabad Vichaar Competition "Register Now" tab. 

How can I submit an entry if unable to submit the form?

Please contact Search for Sikhi Sevadaars at searchforsikhi@gmail.com for assistance. 

Where can I find Shabads?

The purpose of the competition is to deepen our khoj, connection, and understanding of Bani. If you need help finding Shabads based on your syllabus, you can search for individual words in either Gurmukhi or English in SikhiToTheMax (e.g. father, anger). Shabads can be chosen from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Sri Dasam Granth Sahib Ji, Bhai Gurdas Ji’s Vaaran, and any other Bani commonly accepted by the Khalsa Panth.

Is there a time limit?

The request is to share Shabad Vichaar while following as much of the judgment criteria as possible (see poster). The time limit is a maximum of 15 mins.

Who should the audience be for the Shabad Vichaar? 

The Shabad Vichaar should be told to a general audience so it is accessible to everyone; Guru Sahib Kirpa Karan, it can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

What does unedited mean?

Unedited means that the actual Shabad Vichaar audio should not be edited. However, editing that is allowed is adding any animation, Bani tukhs, screenshots, pictures, etc.

Can two or multiple people tell a Shabad Vichaar together? What about for children?

Two or multiple people can tell a Shabad Vichaar together but preference is for one person per entry. If two people or multiple people submit a video together, it will be counted as one competition entry, and depending on if their ages are different, the entry will be judged within the older age category. Parents are able to help their child by asking questions, clarifying what the child said, and/or reminding their child about the contents of the Shabad Vichaar. The child will still be judged according to their age category; however, judges will consider how much assistance is given.

What are other ways I can be creative?

Puppets/soft toys, drawings, adding media, singing the Shabad, telling a Saakhi, etc. Just have fun with it! Creativity can be a plus point, but a Shabad Vichaar without any of the above can still be very powerful and memorable - and win!