ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
The state of Panjab gave Pakistan its first female chief minister, a huge leap for female politicians in Pakistan’s largely patriarchal society.
After Pakistan’s recent polls, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, emerged the first female chief minister of Punjab, the country’s most populous province.
Maryam won a seat in Punjab’s assembly session on Pakistan Muslim League party (PML-N) ticket, defeating Rana Aftab, a candidate backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
PML-N emerged as a the largest in the Punjab assembly following national elections on February 8.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif chairing a meeting as Punjab CM
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Making their way to Anandpur Sahib for Hola Mahalla – Photo: Asia Samachar
By Asia Samachar | India |
Tractor trolleys and trucks are making a beeline to Anandpur Sahib to join the annual celebation of Hola Mohalla.
As seen in the past years, Langars have been erected at various places on route to city at the edge of Shivalik Hills in Punjab, India.
Anandpur Sahib is closely associated with Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, the ninth and tenth Sikh Gurus, respectively. It was here that Guru Gobind Singh unveiled the Khalsa Panth in 1699. In later years, the city also became the home for Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the third of the five Takhts in Sikhism.
The trolleys today have mobile phone-charging facilities, according to a news report.
What is Hola Mahalla? Here is the entry at the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism (Punjabi University, Patiala):
Hola Mahalla or simply Hola, a Sikh festival, takes place on the first lunar month of Chet which usually falls in March. This follows the Hindu festival of Holi. The name Hola is masculine form of the feminine-sounding Holi.
Mahalla, derived form the Arabic root hal (alighting, descending), is a Punjabi word signifying an organised procession in the form of an army column accompanied by war-drums and standard-bearers and proceeding to a given spot or moving in state form one gurdwara to another. The custom originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) who held first such march at Anandpur on Chet wadi 1, 1757 Bk / 22 February 1701.
Unlike Holi during which people playfully sprinkle colour, dry or mixed in water, on each other, the Guru made it an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles. This was probably done forestalling a grimmer struggle against the imperial power following the battle of Nirmohgarh in 1700. Hola Mahalla became an annual tourney held in the open ground near Holdgarh Fort across the rivulet Charan Ganga, northwest of the town of Anandpur Sahib.
The popularity of this festival may be judged form the fact that out of the five Sikh public holidays requested by the Khalsa Diwan, Lahore, in 1889, government approved two – Hola Mahalia and the birth of Guru Nanak. The festival now has lost much of its original military significance, but Sikhs in large numbers still assemble at Anandpur Sahib on this day and an impressive and colourful procession is taken out in which the Nihangs in their traditional panoply form the vanguard, parading their skill in the use of arms as also at horsemanship and tent-pegging.
Mahalla on Maghi fair is also observed at Muktsar, sacred to Chali Mukte, and at Takht Sri Abchalnagar Hazur Sahib, in Maharashtra. At the latter place, the procession is leg by a white horse believed to a scion of the favourite blue-black stallion of Guru Gobind Singh.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Friends and family, it is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that we share the news of our beloved mom, Mata Sahib Kaur’s passing on 23rd March 2024. Her remarkable life, marked by grace, merits a commemoration that reflects her essence.
Saskaar (Cremation) Shamshan Bhoomi Hall (Jalan Loke Yew Crematorium, Kuala Lumpur) 25th March 2024 (Monday) 2 pm: Sukhmani Sahib 3.30 pm: Saskaar / Cremation
Path Da Bhog & Antim Ardaas Gurdwara Sahib PULAPOL (Jalan Johor, Pusat Latihan Polis (PULAPOL), 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur) 31st March 2024 (Sunday) 10 am till 12.30 pm and thereafter Guru ka Langgar will be served.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Padmini Sankar (middle) with Balwant Singh Kler – Photo: Padmini
By Padmini Sankar | Malaysia |
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been hearing stories from my (late) aunt of the turbulent times she underwent while living in Jesselton (present-day Kota Kinabalu) during World War 2, when the area was under Japanese occupation. I recently visited Kota Kinabalu to find out more, and was extremely lucky to meet a gentleman who’d not only lived through those war years but also remembered those times very well.
Datuk Balwant Singh Kler was just a young lad but recalls those days with utmost clarity. (‘Datuk’ is an honorary title in Malaysia conferrred on a person who distinguishes himself in his field, and in Balwant Singh Kler’s case, this was in Sports). He says the Japanese were ruthless towards those who they suspected of sympathising with the British. Most Indians supported Subhash Chandra Bose who openly defied the British, and many of the ex-soldiers of the British Indian army joined Bose’s Indian National Army. But the common people just wanted to survive, and kept their heads low, not openly defying the occupiers.
Life was hard, and every person eked out a living as best he or she could. Balwantji recalls that the only transportation was on cycle or on foot. Every time a local person saw a Japanese soldier or officer, they had to bow low. Food was in perenniel shortage. During the worst times, Balwantji recalls that his mother would grind tapioca which she’d mix with rice flour and make into ‘rotis’. A single roti kept their hunger at bay.
Balwant Singh had a couple of traumatic experiences. It seems the Japanese took away 75% of the locally grown food. His mother owned a few cows and chickens and also a small coconut plantation. She once refused to give the Japanese coconuts, and as punishment, she was tied to a tree near a nest of fire ants. A fire-ant’s bite is incredibly painful, and the poor lady suffered this torment for hours. Balwantji recalls that a local lady applied a salve of burnt tobacco leaves mixed with coconut oil, the only known cure for these bites.
If this sounds bad for a child of six or seven to witness, seeing his mother tortured in this fashion, something even worse was in store for him, an incident that haunted him for many years and affected him both physically and mentally.
He had once taken their cows to a swampy area to hide them from the Japanese who’d otherwise confiscate them. It seems a lorry drove up, and some Japanese soldiers pushed out a Chinese man. Without realising a child was watching, they chopped off his head. Balwantji saw the blood spurt out and soiled his pants. Tthereafter, he says, for very many years, he had nightmares about this incident.
Balwantji also told me the heartwarming story of one of his friends meeting a Japanese soldier who hugged him and told him he reminded him of his son. The soldier had been a teacher who never wanted to fight this war, and was missing his family who he’d left far behind.
Even if we have not experienced war directly, someone in our family — a granddparent, an aunt or uncle– is usually the repositary of war tales. If you know any such stories, I’d love to hear them.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
The launch of the Contemporary Sikh Art Exhibition, a project by Sikh Museum Initiative, at the Leicester Adult Education on March 21, 2024 – Photo: Punjab2000
By Asia Samachar | Britain |
The Contemporary Sikh Art Exhibition has brought together over 100 pieces of artworks by talented local, national and international artists for a display at the Leicester Adult Education.
Launched on Wednesday (March 21, 2024), the Sikh Museum Initiative project carries paintings, poetry, 3D printed material, Phulkari’s (traditional Punjab textiles) and some especially commissioned items.
The exhibition, running until May 30, will also feature a series of events which allow visitors to engage with the artworks and let them evoke emotions, provoke thoughts, and inspire conversations
Sikh Museum Initiative historian/director Gurinder Singh Mann said the exhibition showcased a diverse range of artwork covering themes from the religious, philosophical, to the abstract.
Sikh Museum Initiative general secretary Kartar Singh gave an overview of the world reaching heritage projects that the team has worked on.
The launch of the Contemporary Sikh Art Exhibition, a project by Sikh Museum Initiative, at the Leicester Adult Education on March 21, 2024 – Photo: Punjab2000
School children from Falcons Primary School were presented with a certificate of excellence to highlight their contribution of artworks to the exhibition. Head Teacher Jasbir Mann explained how hard the children worked to get the pieces ready.
The exhibition was opened with the cutting of a ribbon by Cllr. Manjula Sood and Sukhnoor Kaur from Falcons Primary School. The exhibition is particularly poignant as it is taking part during April, when the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi is celebrated.
In attendance at the launch were Leicester City Councillors, representatives from Gurdwaras and Claudia Webbe M.P. Many artists had travelled from across the country including London, Leeds, and Birmingham. The attendees were served with samosas and spring rolls with the event filmed by Punjab2000 and the Sikh Channel.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Sikh in British Army taking part in Holla Mahalla – Photo: BFBS Aldershot
By Asia Samachar | Britain |
Sikhs serving in the British armed forces celebrated the Holla Mahalla, a traditional Sikh festival, with colour and competition in Aldershot, Hampshire.
Organised by the UK Defence Sikh Network, the event showcased a military shooting completion, traditional Sikh martial arts, traditional Sikh military games like the tug of war and rang (a coloured powder also used in the Hindu festival Holi).
Holla Mahalla is a martial arts festival typically celebrated each March the day after Holi.
Sikhs have served in the British Army since the 1800s. More than 84,000 died and 100,000 were injured during the First World War.
In 2019 there were 130 Sikhs serving in the Army and another 70 across defence, according to the Royal Logistic Corps.
The military festival was looking to encourage more Sikhs to join and improve their experience in the British Armed Forces.
Major Deljindr Singh Virdee, Royal Army Medical Corps, told Forces News it made “perfect sense” that Sikh personnel marked the festival.
Captain Brijinder Nijjar, an Apache Pilot with 653 Squadron, told Forces News the number of Sikhs in the British Army does not reflect their presence in society.
“Clearly there are many more Sikhs in the UK who could be doing what we’re doing today,” he said. “I guess it’s just a case of knowledge. We don’t have those family links that we might have had in the past where an uncle, a brother, a cousin, was part of the Armed Forces.
“So, it’s just about re-establishing that link, reaching out to the community… and hopefully drawing some more attention to us.”
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Prayers and Nishan Sahib hoisting at newly renovated Gurdwara Sahib Insein, Yangon, on March 22, 2024 – Photo: Sukdev Singh on his personal Facebook
By Asia Samachar | Myanmar |
Prayes and Nishan Sahib hoisting at newly renovated Gurdwara Sahib Insein, Yangon, on March 22, 2024 – Photo: Sukdev Singh on his personal Facebook
Gurdwara Sahib Insein, located about 20 miles from Yangoon, has undergone a renovation. The Sikh Sanggat gathered yesterday (March 22) with prayers and Guru ka Langgar. They had also hoisted the Nishan Sahib and began an Akhand Path (continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib) which will end tomorrow (March 24).
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Sukhbir Singh Badal leading a gathering of Punjab Bachao Yatra in Halka Jaito, Faridkot – Photo: Sukhbir Singh Badal Facebook
By Prabhjot Singh | Opinion |
Politics, like evolution, is a continuous process. Introspections, discarding of old and critical practices, changes according to the demands of time and people and adoption of new procedures and practices make politics relevant to the times.
Changes need not be same or uniform in their political horizon. Some parties may be dead set against dynastic politics while others grasp for fresh blood by opting for one family one ticket principle.
Still, some parties may be keen putting age bar on its leaders or limiting the terms or tenures of office-bearers, others may continue to value experience and seniority.
One of major criticism of some of regional parties, including the oldest – Shiromani Akali Dal – has been the domination of one prominent family.
The Shiromani Akali Dal emerged on the political horizon of the country as an offshoot of farmers’ struggle during the British rule in the country. In the year of its centennial celebrations, it was virtually pushed to the margins as it could win only three Assembly seats in a House of 117 in the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. Its long association or alliance with the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), too, vanquished because of the controversial laws the NDA government enacted to control the farm sector.
The two long-time political partners are back on the table discussion modalities for reviving the alliance well in time before the process of filing of nomination papers for 13 Lok Sabha seats from the State starts.
The BJP leadership has reportedly been suggesting that adopting of rule of one family one ticket would do its probable alliance partner a lot of good. Once the SAD Leadership accedes to this suggestion, it would also be minimising points for criticism from its workers as they would find more opportunities to be party nominees in the coming electoral battles.
It would be premature to infer that the SAD leadership adopt the formula of one family one ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Fighting for its survival, the SAD has limited options. Either ignore such submissive, irrespective of their source, and go ahead with its own policies and programmes or wait for the naturalisation of the political process as it had been happening in the past.
In case, the SAD decides to field Harsimrat Kaur Badal to defend her Bathinda seat for the fourth consecutive time and the party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal gives a pass to the ensuing political battle, thee 2024 Lok Sabha election would be the first battle of ballot without either of two Badals – Parkash Singh and Sukhbir. The only exception was 1992 when the SAD decided to boycott the elections.
At that time, Beant Singh led Congress to nearly two-third majority with a little over 22 percent polling in the State. One breakaway group of Akali Dal, then led by Capt. Amarinder Singh, contested, and won three seats. This included win without contest for Amarinder from one of two seats he contested while he lost his security deposit from the second – Kharar – where his opponent was Harnek Singh Gharuan of Congress.
How things work out in the Shiromani Akali Dal in the next 24 to 48 hours would be anybody’s guess?
Prabhjot Singh, is a Toronto-based award winning independent journalist, He was celebrated by AIPS, the international body of sports journalists, for covering ten Olympics at its centennial celebrations held at UNESCO Centre in Paris during the 2024 Olympic Games. Besides, he has written extensively about business and the financial markets, the health industry, the public and private sectors, and aviation. He has worked as a political reporter besides covering Sikh and Punjab politics. He is particularly interested in Indian Diaspora and Sikh Diaspora in particular. His work has also appeared in various international and national newspapers, magazines and journals.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Amrita Kaur, a Malaysian-Kiwi-Punjabi vocalist, is set to dazzle audiences in Malaysia with her captivating voice at an upcoming musical event.
Having graced stages worldwide, Amrita, alongside talented live musicians, wil be holding an evening of music on May 19, 2024 (Sunday), from 6.30pm onwards, at Stage 1 Theatre at PJPac, 1 Utama E in Petaling Jaya.
Amrita will perform a diverse selection of songs, including Sufi, Punjabi folk, pop, Hindi film music, ghazal, and semi-classical numbers.
Despite residing in New Zealand for over 20 years, Amrita’s roots in Kuala Lumpur make this her debut performance in Malaysia, promising a truly special experience.
From the tender age of 7, Amrita began accompanying her father, the renowned kirtaniya Bhai Yadvinder Singh, in Sikh kirtan programs at local Gurudwaras in Auckland. She is trained in the rich tradition of Indian classical music from the age of 11, under the guidance of Professor Shukdev Madhur in Auckland.
In a groundbreaking moment, Amrita made history in January 2023 as the first Sikh to perform a solo concert in the “Virsa Heritage Revived” series at Haveli Baroodkhana in Lahore, Pakistan. Co-produced by Mian Yousaf Salahuddin and Yadvinder Singh, the concert was later released on YouTube, amassing over 700k views to date. After the immense success of this concert, Amrita was invited to perform once again in January 2024, with the final concert to be released on Youtube soon.
Asia Samachar is a media partner of the event.
Early bird ticket promo ends on Tuesday (March 26, 2024).
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
