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My Father’s Day tribute to my dad and all Punjabi fathers I know

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By Jatinder Singh | OPINION | SINGAPORE |

While the Punjabi Mommy and Auntyji give us the most reason to laugh and laugh again, the Punjabi Papa or Daddy take the backseat!

Possibly always seen as the quiet newspaper reading character in movies, or the Fear Factor in our daily lives, the Punjabi Dad has his classics, too. While daughters always enjoy their soft spots and sons remain confused, let us look at them from the lightest points of view!

Disclaimer: Content may not be identifiable for some readers. Worry not, we all evolve, so keep monitoring hard and…. Yes! Spot on it is…

Warning: Alcohol consumption is injurious to health but responsible for comical behaviours where relevant.

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS TO FIND FUNNY FROM YOUR FATHER…
  1. Gossip: Best explained with a case study.

Mum (To Daughter): I heard this morning at temple (gurdwara) that your friend has quit school to get married?!

Dad (Strict Interruption): You go temple to pray or to listen to stories. Just mind your own business! Her friend last night we were taking, is not quitting school but did not pass her exams so she has no choice but to get married and move to Sydney where she will continue her diploma and help in her husband’s car rental company, and the Sangeet will still be in Singapore!

Conclusion: Daddyji knows it all from head to toe but is so against gossip. Clap, clap.

  1. Imaginary Stories: The Punjabi Dad is blessed with so many experiences that it’s difficult to keep up sometimes. He is the Manifesto of Do you Know?

When exams are near for instance… “Do you know that when my O-levels exams were coming, I slept only 3eeee hours to study and you see where I am today.”

Now the problem is that a few months ago, he was telling the neighbour in the lift how he always wished he did not stop at Primary School!

Conclusion: They redefine ‘White-bluffs’. We now call it ‘Motivational Speech’.

  1. Strong and hunger withstanding souls:

Think just think of the times in these monologues;

– Just leave the shifting to me. Don’t strain your backs. Go help your mummy unpack.

(1 hour later) “Anyone seen the pain killer cream? Anyone knows where the medical plaster for the BACK is? Panadol whereeeeee?

– (Dinner plan failed) You all eat. Don’t worry. Make maggi if you like. There is ice cream too. Carry on. I will manage.

(11pm close to bedtime) Any more packets of The Maggi? Eggs? Bread? Oh no, all the ice cream is gone!

Conclusion: Loving Fathers. They forsake themselves to feed us. Mummy was the one who finished the ice cream, actually. NO MORE MAGGI AND ICE CREAM ON THE SUPERMARKET LIST till further notice.

  1. Fashion: Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and so do our father’s looks to us. But we know looks are skin deep and so we share our fashion sense with them. A huge topic this one.

They don’t shop. Sill, their wardrobes are filled with clothes because they don’t throw away anything. Especially that one “Killer Jersey”. While I know wives who hide those away, ironically this garment is always washed and ready to be used. If it is not washed…. it will be dug up and still used. Ewwww…

The Killer Jersey appears in 80 percent of all photos across 10 years. The body grows but the magic stays fit. And finally comes the grand family wedding. Daddy looks dashing in his kurta and we must take a picture but he is busy either helping at, or helping himself, to the bar. We shall wait till we finally leave to take a snap. The latest Hua Wei camera will adjust his jolly facial appearance. Yes, there is still hope. And then…. Mummy is in the front seat. Where is daddy and our needed photo? He has changed to the Jersey. Where did the jersey come from? That same jersey. Arrrrrghhhhhhh.

Conclusion: The Fashion challenge is clear and can be resolved. Pray. Just pray hard that he shall soon find his new flame. And when he does, he will then sigh and say: “Actually I should have bought this new one a long time back!”

  1. Gurdaas Maan: Parallel in many ways to the fashion sentiment, and definitely dynamic to the genre; For some it is Rafi. For others it is Queen, or simply every song that Rajesh Khanna attempted a dance to… Gurdaas Maan took it all away with “Apna Punjab Howe”.

You tell him that latest Diljit Dosanj song is smashing dance floors. In 2 seconds of that song, he says: “I prefer Apna Punjab!” You try again, this time with a female voice like Sunidi Chauhan. He still says, “Gurdaas Man-lah. I tell you Gurdaas Maan.” You will give up because you can feel the next one coming… “Download for me. One for my phone, one for my car. And one Spare. No remix-rumix. Original version”.

And in case you’re wondering what’s the spare one for? It’s mobility. When the Deejay says last song at 1am after the super draining wedding week, and you see your Papa suddenly walking 25 meters with a Thumb Drive pointed at the dancefloor, very enchanted and he says, “Apna Punjab Howe!”

CONCLUSION: I have narrated an account that’s definitely not exhaustive but ample for my Father’s Day Saga. There are surely so many many relatable and funnier ‘classics’ of the Punjabi Father in Singapore and perhaps world-over.

Jatinder (Jat) Singh, who studied sociology at National University of Singapore, is a freelance trainer and enjoys emceeing special events

* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

 

RELATED STORY:

When sons become fathers (Asia Samachar, 11 June 2019)

 

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

Sikh experience of dealing with British civil servants

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By Gurmukh Singh OBE | OPINION |

As British Citizens, we are justly proud of our civil service – probably still the best in the world. However, public service and its perception have also changed over the last few decades. Movement of professionals and managers between the private and public sectors has been encouraged through re-structuring of the old hierarchical style career grades and professional level technical and business skills have been brought to the public service.

Yet, on the reverse side, both, continuity of experience and quality of service, have suffered over the years as a result. This is noticeable in the area of government interface with communities. Civil servants seem to be out of touch with the British diversity today.

Overall, the British Sikh experience of civil servants in departments dealing with communities, immigration and border security, law enforcement and religious rights etc over the decades has not been a happy one. Civil servants in these areas seem to expect the so called community leaders to come to them during the consultation process while they sit in their offices. It is almost a sort of colonial attitude towards minority communities.

Yet, my own experience as a civil servant in international trade area was that we were well briefed before and during trade talks by business research and statistics. So, why not follow the same process when talking to communities and assessing their needs in a plural society?

Misunderstanding, mistreatment and spread of misinformation about Sikh identity started with the press in the late 1950s when the turban-wearing men and salwar-wearing women were shown as if they were the only immigrants! They were caricatured in cartoons as aliens landing on the beaches and following beach signs to 5-star hotels! When Sikhs asked for work, they were told to first remove their turbans and cut their hair by the factory gatekeepers.

Most of us from that generation carry the scars of such open discrimination and insults.

Sikh protests and campaigns triggered by prejudice against Sikh identity and religious articles of faith started in the early 1960s and continue to this day. The climax was the Mandla case which reached the House of Lords in 1983.

There is still no official guidance about Sikh Kakaars for officials dealing with the Sikhs. Nor are statistics about the Sikhs collated by thousands of bodies at routine monitoring level so that policy changes can be informed to create a level playing field. When consulting communities, civil servants seem to show preference for dealing with those in their own image but who are hardly in touch with the grassroots level or conversant with Sikh ideology and way of life which has contributed so much to the UK economy.

Yet, in a changing British plural society, deep-rooted prejudices can only be countered through well-informed government policy and accurate statistics. That is a challenge for the civil servants and the ministers dealing with the Sikhs and other communities. These issues, also set down clearly in The Sikh Manifesto, will almost certainly influence Sikh voters in the next General Election.

 

RELATED STORY:

Why Article 25 offends the Sikhs (Asia Samachar, 8 June 2019)

Massive community & cross-party support for Sikh ethnic tick box (Asia Samachar, 28 May 2019)

 

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

Amargit Kaur (1958-2019), Seberang Jaya

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AKHAND PATH: 14 June (Friday) from 3pm to 16 June 2019 (Sunday) 3pm, followed  by Paath Da Bhog, Kirtan Darbar thereafter Guru Ka Langgar at 6pm at Gurudwara Sahib Butterworth, Jalan Todak, Seberang Jaya | Malaysia

Amargit Kaur (1958-2019), Seberang Jaya

In ever loving memory of,

MADAM AMARGIT KAUR D/O NASIB SINGH

She passed away suddenly on 12 June 2019 leaving behind beloved family members, relatives and friends. She was 61.

Akhand Paath: 14 June (Friday) from 3pm to 16 June 2019 (Sunday) 3pm, followed  by Paath Da Bhog, Kirtan Darbar thereafter Guru Ka Langgar at 6pm at Gurudwara Sahib Butterworth, Jalan Todak, Seberang Jaya.

Contact: 

Hardev Kaur +6016 – 4441130

Ranjit Singh  +65 – 91529264

| Entry: 14 June 2019 | Source: Family |

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

Baljeet Singh Bagha (1958-2019), Rawang

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PATH DA BHOG: 16 June 2019 (Sunday), 10am-12pm, at Gurdwara Sahib Rawang | Malaysia

Baljeet Singh Bagha (1958-2019), Rawang

Your presence we miss, your memories we treasure.

Loving you always, forgetting you never.

BALJEET SINGH BAGHA S/O LATE SDR RAJA SINGH BAGHA

Path Da Bhog: 16 June 2019 (Sunday), at Gurdwara Sahib Rawang

* Asa Di Vaar from 6.15am to 8am. Sahej path da bhog, kirtan, katha and antim ardas from 10am to 12pm. Guru Ka Langgar will be served.

 

| Entry: 14 June 2019 | Source: Family |

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

Students, residents fight back for Punjabi language at US high school

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Jakarta Movement organizer Jaspreet Kaur (left) and speaks on Mandeep Singh of Livingston speak at the Merced Union High School District board meeting in support of the Punjabi language classes at Livingston High School. – Photo: Thaddeus Miller Tmiller / Mercedsunstar.com

By Thaddeus Miller | UNITED STATES |

Students and parents in Livingston, where about 20 percent of the residents are Sikh Punjabi, said they felt blindsided recently by a decision from high school leaders to end the Punjabi language program.

Livingston High School has offered Punjabi language classes for about nine years and it looked to be in peril this month until a groundswell of support from the community made leaders from the Merced Union High School District change their minds.

Advocates for the classes say Punjabi is the third most spoken language in Livingston, behind Spanish and English. The high school is one of 10 in the country that offer the program, many of which are in the Central San Joaquin Valley.

Language — just like art and history — are important for steeping students in Punjabi culture, advocates say.

“(It’s) not just culture. It’s directly tied to business,” Livingston resident Mandeep Singh said. “Punjabi is the third most spoken language in the Central Valley in the business world. This is not just a class at a high school.”

“They get college credit for it. Kids get to talk to their grandparents, tells stories,” he continued.

The City Council passed a resolution on June 4 to support the cause to save the classes.

Advocates said the classes are only offered to students who are familiar with the language, which adds to the difficulty of filling up its seats. It’s the only program in the Valley that doesn’t offer the language to beginners, the advocates said.

The school board’s meeting room was packed with many more people spilling into the hallway to express their displeasure with losing the class.

The school board saw the writing on the wall and announced they had secured a temporary teacher for the course and it will continue in the new year.

School board President Richard Lopez said the decision to pull the class was made due to a lack of enrollment. There are 25 students enrolled in the class for the new year, officials said.

“We are moving forward in trying to find a certificated instructor for that class,” he said. “We want to keep that language. … We also want to better communicate with our communities if these things are going to be happening in the future.”

“We took this conversation into the Gurdwara, the Sikh temple, and we had a lot of community members show up to this meeting. They were very upset,” community organizer Jaspreet Kaur said. “They were very angry and had no idea (and) that there was zero communication.”

Read the full article, ‘A Merced school district tried to end its Punjabi classes. It didn’t go over very well’ (The Sacremento Bee, 12 June 2019), here.

 

RELATED STORY:

Khalsa Diwan Malaysia briefs Federal minister on Punjabi language challenges (Asia Samachar, 9 Nov 2018)

Punjabi language is 5,500 years old (Asia Samachar, 27 June 2018)

 

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

Dya Singh revisits Kerala ayurveda journey – Part III

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By Dya Singh | OPINION | 

My final post on my Ayurveda ‘retreat’. Two topics have come up, besides many who have asked simply for further information on certain ailments which have been passed on to the doctors. Some have already booked for stays here. A couple from Perth with a third friend just arrived. I am thrilled!

No! These folks cannot do anything about reversing your ageing process! But, they can attempt to lead one towards a quality old age, by treatment, massages, prescriptive food and drink but most importantly, to attempt to make one change one’s habits towards a healthier living and attention towards one’s body, mind and spirit. They attempt to help kick-start that change within you. The rest is up to you.

Let me start with something rather humorous. A young lady wrote to me on Whatsapp asking what I do when getting massaged. I told her that as soon as the masseurs begin their mantra chant to their goddess/diety of wellness, my mouth automatically says Waheguru! “But”, she wrote, “your head is uncovered!” I was taken aback and wrote back: “So is most of my body. After all I am getting massaged!” Well, I was not exactly at an Akhand Kirteni Jatha smagam chanting Waheguru, Waheguru with a dumalla on my head, weaponry and bana!

PART 1: Dya Singh revisits Kerala ayurveda journey  

PART 2: Dya Singh revisits Kerala ayurveda journey – Part II 

PART 3: Dya Singh revisits Kerala ayurveda journey – Part III

She must have taken a day to recover from that because a day later she asked me: “So, do you do naam simran while being massaged?” I said, “Yes, I either recite Waheguru, Waheguru, or the Mool Mantr mainly.” Her next question truly flipped me. “Do you recite the Mool Mantr to Gurpersaadh or Nanak hosi bhi sach?” I did not know what that had to do with the massage itself, but, I am what I am.

My answer was, “Sometimes to Gurpersaadh and sometimes to Nanak Hosi bhi sach. Sometimes I do the whole 5 paudis of JapJi Sahib. In fact I like the ending of JapJi Sahib from ‘Sachkhand vesai Niringkar …’, so I do 5 paudis, end with starting from ‘Sachkhand vesai Niringkar’ and finish with the salok!” I ended up giving her a discourse, as I deem it, on ‘Naam’.

As humans, or maybe it is our ‘Indian’ originality, we do like restrictive practices. It must be human nature! I ask myself – are we supposed to open the minds of our youth? Or, close them! Do we teach the freedom that Sikhi accords or do we give them restrictive practices, otherwise the Gods or Guru Ji at least, will get angry with us?

First of all, there have been some questions about wearing of kekkars. I really have nothing further to add to that. I think, “mat vich reten jwahar manek, je ik Gur ki Sikh suni…”.

Guru Ji shows us the path. At the end we should use our own intellectual faculties. Interpret Gurbani the way you believe it deep down in your heart or, just follow what you have been told. It is your choice. Yes, there is a choice. Your budhi, your intellect can come into play. Do use your budhi. ‘Qediyai surt, mat, mun, budh…’.

The second is that some have had bad experiences with Ayurveda. I would suggest that one would have bad experiences with western trained doctors, chiropractors, Chinese healers, etc. One needs to be very careful where one goes for treatment.

As far as Ayurveda is concerned, firstly, at least read about it. Read about kapha, pita, and watha; the doshas; etc. Generally, as it appears to my simple mind, they attempt to align the fire, water as I understand it, or what the Chinese refer to as ‘chi’ in your body – to rejuvenate it and kickstart it in the right direction.

My experiences are that initially, as treatment starts after fairly intense diagnosis, I do become quite sick with the treatment. Loss of appetite, body aches, lethargy, headaches, general bodily dis-ease. There are those who flip out at that point and go away with negative stories about Ayurveda. One needs to stick it out.

Then I will say, for every one ‘good’ Ayurveda centre there are probably five which are ‘not so good’, even though the industry is well regulated here in Kerala. I have had the opportunity to visit some and they range from those which are virtually day visit hospitals with hospital beds, wards and private rooms. Think General Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

On the other end, there are others which are like holiday resorts where the rich come to be pampered. They have pools, villas, servants and some supposedly Ayurveda massages and treatment, and doctors to attend to you if you have ailments. Plenty of cosmetics and fun and comfort. Very costly and I am not certain how effective.

The one I frequent is like a stately convalescence retirement-type home in a former nutmeg orchard in rural Kerala on the outer rim of Cochin, with the mighty Periyar River running beside it. Good efficient doctors, proficient masseurs, great staff – a family atmosphere and … hygienic. Certainly not 5-star, but it has the basic amenities.

Yes, I have had the honour to be part of a group which also keeps in touch via Whatsapp, and we have come together like a jatha. On the last visit a couple of years ago, we had dawn and dusk satsangs and kirtan. I found that I am so weak as the treatment progresses that it becomes difficult for me to meet others, or even go to the ‘kitchen’ where most gather to have food and mingle.

But, as luck would have it, about 15 ‘members’ were coming together just as I was leaving, to keep each other company. The ‘Whatsapp group’ keeps in touch exchanging information, other frivolities and also advice, like how to peg down the prices which can fluctuate. Evening satsang with Rehras Sahib has already started!

Yes, costs. I do not like to say this, but this is the one factor which can become rather uncomfortable, unless you are fairly well off of course! There are variations in prices. We have been unable to peg down management towards prices.

At the end of the day – BARGAIN! Whatsapp group members will advise you. Administration attempts to quote overseas visitors/patients in US dollars. They do give cheaper rates to ‘Indians’. Ask for local rupee rates! After all these are Malayalees – very careful with their money! Very business minded but due credit to them – they do provide a commendable service. No one gets rich quick providing a service like Ayurveda!

But I will suggest that if you do mention my name here, they will think twice about overcharging you. We do have some collective bargaining clout. Their official rate at present is about Rp14,500 for a double, per 24 hours – all inclusive – accommodation, consultation, treatment, medicine, food, dhobi. Demand one fixed price. No surprises at the end! The price has been known to have been knocked down to 12,500 for our group members. If others have had it cheaper, they are not talking!

Official prices are higher especially those in US dollars. Single rates are higher than half and one should bargain if staying a longer period. Even I cannot give you a straight answer! For all the amazing service, you are on your own where price is concerned!

Again, I am not promoting Ayurveda. I am promoting that you become more conscious of your health in a holistic way, with Naam at the centre of your being. I have had and still have a number of very close friends, way closer to Guru Ji than me pass away very young because in my opinion, they were complacent about their health. Their words ring unhappily in my ears. “Dya Singh, Waheguru dha naam levo atay vendo. Saadi dor than Usdhey hath hai.” They have neglected health and exercise and became stricken with ailments. Deep down, I do not think that we are meant to neglect our health. If Gurbani even hints at that, I do not think that is right. Gurbani would not do that.

OK, I stood on the scale on the first day at 110kgs. I lost 3 and a half kgs at the ‘madh’ point. On the second last day my weight is 104.7kgs. OK, I did not lose the earth shattering 10kgs I hoped for. But, I have lost at least 5kg while here. I am told that it will still go further down at least for one more week. Then, it is up to me. So less nasi lemak and teh tarik and certainly no tambah on my return visit to Malaysia!

I feel lighter. Heck, I feel healthier. I feel happier!!! I look forward to my next long walk in Malaysia and living life to the fullest, with Naam in my heart – till the final call, which who knows, could even be tomorrow … or tonight!  Only Waheguru knows. “Hukmai endher sabh ko bahar Hukm na koye.” Be Happy, Healthy and Holy, as Yogi Harbhajan Singh Ji used to say.

I am ready to do kirtan hajri anywhere in the world or conduct some classes on ‘Sikhing’!

My last word here is that I sincerely believe that as one gets older and we start to get in touch with our mortality, then, it is imperative that we put aside at least 2 weeks out of 52 for health rejuvenation. How you do it, is up to you! Mine is this ‘ayurveda retreat’.

 

Malaysian-born Dya Singh, who now resides in Australia, is an accomplished musician and a roving Sikh preacher. The Dya Singh World Music Group performs full scale concerts on ‘music for the soul’ based on North Indian classical and semi-classical styles of music with hymns from mainly the Sikh, Hindu and Sufi ‘faiths’. He is also the author of SIKH-ING: Success and Happiness. He can be contacted at dyasingh@khalsa.com

* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

 

RELATED STORY:

Dya Singh revisits Kerala ayurveda journey – Part II (Asia Samachar, 5 June 2019)

Dya Singh revisits Kerala ayurveda journey (Asia Samachar, 26 May 2019)

Postcards from the Road: Delhi for Dastarbandhi (Asia Samachar, 18 Feb 2019)

 

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

Video shows Muslim praying at Sikh gurdwara in Malaysia where MP’s interfaith iftar sparked row? – AFP Fact Check

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By AFP Fact Check | MALAYSIA |

No, this video does not show a Muslim praying at a Sikh temple in Malaysia where a Muslim lawmaker was criticised for attending an interfaith iftar

A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and YouTube alongside a claim it shows a Muslim praying at a Sikh temple in Malaysia where a lawmaker was criticised for attending an interfaith iftar during Ramadan in 2019. The claim is false; the video was filmed at a different temple more than 130 miles away.

The video was shared in this Facebook post on May 29, 2019, where it has been viewed more than 213,000 times and shared more than 3,100 times.

Below is a screenshot of the misleading Facebook post:

The one-minute, 39-second video shows a man dressed in Muslim attire facing a Sikh man who is sitting on a stage. The man in Muslim attire kneels and bows his head several times in prayer towards the stage.

The Malaysian-language caption translates to English as: “This video was taken at gurdwara sahib temple, Johor Bahru. If this man is Muslim, which Islamic school of thought does he belong to? Islamic prayers but no rukuk (a bowing gesture while praying).

Congratulations MP Johor Bahru, may your reckoning be easy.”

The misleading post was shared a day after Johor Bahru lawmaker Akmal Nasir was criticized after he attended an interfaith iftar, or fast-breaking meal, at the Gurdwara Sahib in Johor Baru on the evening of May 28, 2019, during Ramadan.

The video was actually filmed at a different temple more than 130 miles away and posted days before the controversy was sparked over the lawmaker’s actions.

See the full report entitled ‘Video shows Muslim praying at Sikh temple in Malaysia where MP’s interfaith iftar sparked row?’ (AFP Singapore, 10 June 2019) here.

 

RELATED STORY:

Johor provide RM300,00 startup fund for Sikh community centre (Asia Samachar, 1 May 2017)

 

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

Reshvin Kaur (1991-2019), Rawang

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PATH DA BHOG: 23 June 2019 (Sunday), 9.30am to 12noon, followed by Antim Ardaas at Gurdwara Sahib Rawang, Rawang Tin, Selangor. Sewa will begin from Asa Di Vaar at 6.30am to 8am | Malaysia

Reshvin Kaur(1991-2019), Rawang

RESHVIN KAUR D/O JASWANT SINGH

Village: Sapuwal

Born: 5 April 1991

Departed: 12 June 2019

Parents: Sardar Jaswant Singh Cheema & Gurdeva Kaur (Debo)

Siblings / Spouses:

(1) Dalvinder Singh Cheema (Spouse: Sukpreet Kaur)

2) Varinder Singh Cheema

Grandparents:

Late Tara Singh and Late Jangir Kaur (Village Sapuwal) Kampar, Perak

Late Atma Singh Bhullar and Late Basant Kaur (Village BUTTAR) Mentakab,

Sehaj Path da Bhog: 23 June 2019 (Sunday), 9.30am to 12noon, followed by Antim Ardaas at Gurdwara Sahib Rawang, Rawang Tin, Selangor. Sewa will begin from Asa Di Vaar at 6.30am to 8am.

Reshvin will be dearly missed and forever remembered by parents, siblings, all relatives and friends.

Contact:

Varinder Singh 012-2667227

Sukpreet Kaur 016 9265543

 

| Entry: 13 June 2019; Updated: 17 June 2019 | Source: Family |

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

1984: What a Different World Teaches Us

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By I.J. Singh | OPINION |

We have examined the events of 1984 and dissected them ad hominem.

Plenty of reports lay the history bare; who did what to whom is no longer a secret except to die-hard loyalists of the Indian government. Yes, there remain those who having eyes see not and having ears hear not.  That will not easily change.

Today I come to Sikhs and 1984 from a very different direction.

In life there are many dots to connect.  I offer you today a limited few from the pre World War II history that I didn’t know existed until very recently. In The Garden of Beasts, is a new book by Eric Larson.  Its subtitle “Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin” tells us that it is not a scholarly tome on history; but it brings out historical nuggets that have become pivotal to the Jewish sense of self.

In 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointed William Dodd, an academic historian, the ambassador of the United States to Germany.  Hitler had just become the Chancellor of Germany and the future would soon unfold in new and unexpected ways.

You might ask: So what does that have to do with 1984 and the plight of Sikhs in and out of India?

Larson tells us that when Ambassador Dodd and his family arrived at his new job in the Germany of 1933, Hitler’s storm troopers were already tightening restrictions against Jews who were being increasingly targeted by Nazis in brutal violence.

Keep in mind that Jews then formed only one percent of Germany’s population, but they were a prominently visible minority.

Larson makes a point that I want to bring to your attention: It was a different world then. Public opinion in the United States was isolationist.  It is important to know that neither the American public nor the State Department was generally sympathetically disposed to Jews.  In fact, the Ambassador’s daughter, Martha, noted the “intoxication of the new regime (Nazis) that worked like wine in her;” she was enthralled enough by the Nazis that she wrote in her memoir, “We sort of don’t like the Jews anyway.” Remember that attitudes shaped by organized Christianity, until very recently, were generally hostile to the Jews; for example, one could routinely hear sermons and diatribes holding the Jews responsible for the killing of Jesus.

Some of that anti-Semitism still lingers though it is often sub-rosa. For example, until the Second World War, Jews were largely denied admission to medical schools in this country; in the 2008 presidential election the mother of George Allen, a potential Republican candidate from Virginia, hid her Jewish antecedents because she was fearful that the connection might backfire against her son. Many more examples of anti-Jewish bias exist.

Given the general climate of anti-Semitism, the State Department was quite comfortable in letting Hitler have his way on the Jewish question.  President Roosevelt himself instructed Ambassador Dodd that the German treatment of Jews was shameful but it was not the business of the American government.  Most significantly, according to Larson, even the American Jewish leaders seemed to be ambivalent and divided.

We know now that the story of prewar Germany cannot and must never be isolated from the Holocaust, book burnings, Reichstag trial, Sobor, Dachau and other concentration camps, and the Nuremberg Trials.

It seems self-evident that the story of post-independence India cannot and should never be divorced from the history of the partition of 1947, the lumping of Sikhs with others in the Hindu Code Bill in the Indian Constitution, the Punjabi Suba imbroglio, the 1984 attack on the Golden Temple and so many other places of Sikh worship, the attempted genocide of Sikhs in the decade from the mid-80’s onwards, and the denial of justice that continues till today.  This is not a comprehensive listing; I am sure readers can provide many more instances.

It is also obvious, except to those who refuse to see, that the sins of India against its minorities – Sikhs and others — will continue to be forgiven by the Western world in the interest of global geo-political and economic necessities.  Hence, India today does what its needs of an acceptable global image demand; it presents the face of a few good, respectable, competent Sikhs, as if to hide the reality of rotting food by a surfeit of cream and sugar.

We know that grave injustice happened in India, even though Sikhs, like the Jews of a different time, continued to present divisive and ambivalent opinions.  The Jews made up barely one percent of Germany then; Sikhs were and remain less than two percent of India.

What we need to learn today is how and why the generally anti-Semitic outlook of the American government and people changed and did so dramatically that now someone who is visibly anti-Jewish probably won’t be elected dog-catcher even in the smallest two-bit town in America.

How did this cultural paradigm shift occur and within just one generation? The change didn’t come overnight but there is not even an iota of doubt that it did. Even Germany seems to have seen the light.

Do these events and prewar attitudes about Jews display a parallel to our Sikh existence today?  Are there some lessons to be learned here?  Does this history of the Jews have something to teach us?

 

[I.J. Singh is a New York based writer and speaker on Sikhism in the Diaspora, and a Professor of Anatomy. Email: ijsingh99@gmail.com]

* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

RELATED STORIES:

Sound bites: Come home little children (Asia Samachar, 26 May 2019)

News, Good & Bad (Asia Samachar, 3 May 2019)

Pride Before A Fall? (Asia Samachar, 7 March 2019)

 

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

5,000 attend inaugural Singapore Sikh Heritage Day

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If a picture speaks a thousand words, then this is humanity in prose. #sikhheritagedaysg #sewapledge #onehumanity – Photo and caption from Sewa Pledge Singapore Facebook page

By Asia Samachar Team | SINGAPORE |

The art of tying turban and the soothing touch of Sikh music were at full display over the weekend as Sikhs reached out to their fellow Singaporeans on their identify and contribution.

The small but dynamic Sikh community took it upon itself to showcase their history and heritage at a two-day Sikh Heritage Day which began on June 8.

The estimated 5,000 people of all faiths who attended the event also had a chance to taste Guru Ka Langgar, the vegetarian meal usually served at Sikh gurdwaras.

No less than the Singapore President Halimah Yacob was at hand to do the launching, a fitting gesture to the community that have contributed to the nation on many fronts.

In a Facebook entry, Halimah said that religious diversity was Singapore’s strength.

“Though the Sikh community is a small ethnic group in Singapore, the Sikhs have added much vitality to our social fabric. Through this celebration, I hope it will promote greater interfaith understanding among Singaporeans of different races and religions,” she added.

The event is held as part of the year-long celebrations to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith (Sikhi or Sikhism).

In a statement, the organisers said the inaugural event aimed at improving the understanding among the Singapore societies of Sikhs, the values they stand for and how these are aligned with that of the wider society.

“The messages and teachings of Guru Nanak form the bedrock of the Sikh faith and are widely recognised as congruent to the principles of an open, inclusive and diverse society,” said project lead Malminderjit Singh in his opening remarks at the event.

“Thus, as the Sikhs around the world celebrate, just as we are doing so in Singapore, we not only commemorate a milestone year for our faith group, but it is also a chance for us to remind ourselves and highlight the important roles we play in the societies we live in. Because it is in the Sikh ethos to make sure that we work towards the purpose of the betterment of all mankind.”

Tried my hands on the traditional Esraj instrument. The hymns of the Sikh faith are performed with these musical instruments. – Caption from Halimah Yacob Facebook / Photo by MCI Photo by Clement

The exhibition focused on several key themes – Sikh tenets, history, identity, heritage and how the community has contributed to Singapore as several prominent and successful members of the community were highlighted.

Sikh Heritage Day also contributed to the national conversation as 2019 also marks the bicentennial year of Singapore.

One of the highlights of Sikh Heritage Day was the turban tying booth as snaking queues of people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds waited excitedly to have their turbans tied by Sikh volunteers.

One of the first to get his turban tied was Mayor of North East District and Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, Desmond Choo.

Former Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Coordinating Council of Sikh Institutions Inderjit Singh, shared: “It was truly amazing to see the beauty and openness of Singapore society as people from all walks of life transcended boundaries and inhibitions to tie the turban on and experience what it meant to be a Sikh. To me, it exemplified the spirit of One Humanity, which is also the tagline for our year-long celebrations.”

Tributes for the local Sikh community poured in from members and leaders from other communities who were present at Sikh Heritage Day. Ustaz Muslim Amad, Community Engagement and Religious Classes Executive of Al-Muttaqin Mosque, who provided his reflections at the launch event, said: “I started to learn more about Sikhism when I attended the Naam Ras Kirtan Darbar in 2016 and as I exposed myself to the learning of others. What I see in them is a community that cares for others, selfless in their service for others without any discrimination.”

They included  ISEAS former director Prof Kernail Singh Sandhu, national hockey icon Harbhajan Singh Loombha, mathematics education doyenne Prof Berinderjeet Kaur, businessman Kartar Singh Thakral and Jagjit Singh Sekhon who set up Nightingale Nursing Home in 1980 as Singapore’s first professionally operated nursing home with emphasis on care of the aged, chronic sick and convalescing.

 

RELATED STORY:

Singapore president to launch maiden Sikh Heritage Day (Asia Samachar, 31 May 2019)

Ontario introduces Sikh heritage learning tools (Asia Samachar, 23 Feb 2019)

 

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

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