“Volunteering Is Good For The Soul”
Posted by Jodha in General on 03 31st, 2008 | 18 Comments
Shifting focus from the hoopla surrounding this year’s Surrey’s Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan, I found just a nice piece highlighting one Sikh Granthi’s service. While we often comment on those granthis that are corrupt, perverse, and all kinds of bad adjectives that I could list, I still...
Awarding Interfaith Dialogue
Posted by Reema in General on 03 27th, 2008 | 7 Comments
On March 24th, His holiness the 14th Dalia Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was named the first recipient of the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize, awarded by Hofstra University.
The $50,000 prize, which recognizes efforts at interfaith dialogue, will be presented to His Holiness on November 18, 2008 in India by a delegation...
Murder of Elderly Punjabi Sikh Man: Rethinking Elderly Care In The Diaspora
Recently there was a news report of an elderly 70-year old Punjabi Sikh man, Pargat Singh Kahlon, who was found decapitated in Alberta, Canada. His right hand was also damaged, according to Police, in an effort to prevent identification based on tattoos commonly seen on elderly Punjabi Sikh men and...
The Rights of Punjabi Farmworkers
In the past few months, New America Media has reported on the treatment and exploitation of Punjabi farmworkers and the cultural isolation they are experiencing. This is not a new issue nor is it unique to Punjabi farmworkers, but it is a growing trend that is beginning to be addressed by workers’...
UPDATE: Who is this Child?
In an interesting twist an Indian Bihari family is claiming that the 9-years-old Gurrinder is really their kidnapped son 6-years-old Shintu Kumar, who was kidnapped on March 3rd of this year.
The mother has stated:
“We saw his photo too [on TV]… I know my child.”
The Bihari police...
Harambee and Daswand
Right after I graduated college, I moved to semi-rural Kenya. I had heard that there was a historic desi/Sikh population, so I looked for the nearest gurdwara. I found it two hours away on Temple Road in Kisumu, Kenya’s third largest city and the cultural capital of Luo-land.
The Guru Nanak Gurdwara...
Update: The Flying Sardar?
UPDATE: Canadian courts ruled against Baljinder Singh’s request for a religious exemption to its mandatory motorcycle helmet law. While the court found that the law DID violate his right to religious freedom, they felt that the net benefit to the country’s healthcare system justified such...
Beyond Empire, A Thousand Kosovos Now
Posted by Jodha in General on 03 20th, 2008 | 25 Comments
Throughout the world, the reverberations of Kosovo’s independence are still being felt. A number of nations have continued to recognize the new country, the latest including Canada. The issue of self-determination was raised earlier and I want to return to it for this brief post.
The word ‘balkanization’...
Towards an American Sikh collective
Posted by Reema in General on 03 19th, 2008 | 15 Comments
Bloggers have discussed past achievements in the Sikh community and ideas for future efforts in collective action. But we haven’t yet really talked about what this collectivism is, where the contrasting individualism stems from, and what both entail.
What’s the difference between an individualist...
The Art of Giving
Last week’s Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company. Being a fan of Apple’s innovative products for some time, I read the article with pride. The article was very interesting and talked a great deal about Steve Jobs and his struggles to get where he is today. However, there was one...
NRI Women and “Grooms-For-Money-And-Visas”: What is Going On In Punjab And Abroad?
Posted by Phulkari in Canada, General, Human Rights, India, News, Punjab, Punjabi, UK, USA on 03 17th, 2008 | 39 Comments
Recently on “The Langar Hall” there has been discussion about “Runaway Grooms” who with their immigration status abroad marry women from Punjab, only to abandon them after receiving the dowry. Along with being deserted by their husbands, these women’s “dreams” of going abroad...
Generation 2 Blues
Last week, an article appeared in the Toronto Star by a young university student, Jasmeet Sidhu. In the article Jasmeet discusses her [is this gender assumptions or what, the name given is only Jasmeet Sidhu and nowhere in the article does it state whether she is male or female, but I am assuming female...
Another Sikh Wedding Act?
Too often in the diaspora, Sikhs are discouraged from becoming involved with the politics of their homeland. While on certain occasions I have been critical of special ‘entitlements‘ and malicious effects the diaspora has had on the Punjabi homeland, sometimes our political workings can bring...
So How are Sikhs Passing Gas?
So yesterday I had to fill my car with gas. I never really pay attention to the price of gas until I get to the pump. Yikes!! Is it really $3.75?? And that is just for the 87 octane. I feel bad for the ‘ballers’ in our community that choose to drive expensive redundant SUVs and other...
A costly error by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
India’s Women and Child Development Minister, Renukha Chowdury recently unveiled an expensive initiative to combat sex selection in India.
India has launched a dramatic initiative to stop the widespread practice of poor families aborting female foetuses by offering cash incentives for them to give...
Looking After Our Elders
A recent documentary on BBC Asian Network discusses the growing population of South Asians entering old age and the impact that is being felt on the middle generations who look after them. The documentary discusses the responsibilities second-generation Asians have to look after their elderly family...
Simmering Sikhs
The Economic Times of India in its ‘Special Pages’ section last week carried an extended article titled Simmering Discontent: Sikhs in Punjab are fighting many wars.
The article sought to understand the ‘current and cross-currents’ of Punjabi society.
At the forefront were:
The...
Beyond Bhangra
Once upon a time there circulated a stupid joke that the only culture of Sikhs was agriculture. Despite the stereotyping of yesteryears, for too many the only associated culture to be promoted is bhangra (and sometimes giddha).
There is a growing legion that are seeking to promote Sikh arts, such as...
A jago for landless laborers and more on Int. Women’s Day
Punjabis (at least in East Punjab) love to protest. The cause is usually grim, the consequences leave one hoping for more, but the spirit and energy behind the gathering leave one (at least this one) with a sense of contentedness in belonging to such a proactive community. In honor of International...
Kaurageous
Posted by Sundari in Sikhi on 03 8th, 2008 | 10 Comments
From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come…From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.
– Guru Nanak, Raag Aasaa Mehal...
