Sikhs are a race?
Posted by Reema in General on 07 31st, 2008 | 45 Comments
Sarika Watkins-Singh won her case in South Wales this week. The news was in many newspapers, including The Guardian, which is normally well researched. Considering the high standard of journalism that its reporters are normally held to, it’s surprising that the following statement was made so...
Jessica Alba and Batnaa
Posted by Phulkari in Canada, General, Humor, India, Punjabi, UK, USA on 07 30th, 2008 | Comments Off on Jessica Alba and Batnaa
So it’s wedding season for many Panjabis in the Diaspora and one key product commonly used across South Asian groups is batnaa (the yellow mixture used on a groom/bride a day before the wedding to clear up the complexion). Guess what? Jessica Alba is now on boxes of Batnaa! When I saw this I laughed...
Very Sad News: Ishmeet Singh Passes Away
Posted by Anandica in General on 07 29th, 2008 | 211 Comments
Ishmeet Singh, the winner of the “Voice of India” contest, passed away today after drowning in a hotel swimming pool in the Maldives. He was the only son of his parents, and was set to perform at an event in Maldives capital. Such a tragic story and such a great loss for the Punjabi community....
Breaking News: Sarika Singh Wins Kara Case in UK High Court
Some of you may have followed the case of Sarika Singh, a Welsh-Sikh student who was barred from school when the organization adopted a dress code that prohibited wearing jewelry, including religious items. Instead of conforming to the dress code or transferring schools, Singh appealed to the school....
Snoop Dogg promoting Punjabis (and Sikhs) in Bollywood
Posted by Reema in General on 07 29th, 2008 | 24 Comments
We’re continuing our coverage on Snoop Dogg in Bollywood. And now, we’re joined by the New York Times. Some may grimace at the thought of Snoop promoting Sikhs, but he’s definitely bringing us a LOT of exposure these days.
Snoop Dogg wears a Sikh turban and an ornate long coat called...
B.C. Human Rights Tribunal gives Ravidassia gurdwara special protection
Posted by Reema in General on 07 28th, 2008 | 28 Comments
A recent decision of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal highlights some complex clashes within the Sikh community. The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal dismissed a complaint by two members of the Canadian community who were denied membership in a Burnaby gurdwara because of their caste.
But it’s...
Recasting Gender for Sikh Women
When I was an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to attend the World Sikh Council – North America Region‘s conference on Women in Sikhi. The conference hosted panelists and speakers to discuss three broad categories: the depiction of women in Scripture (SGGS Ji), the treatment of women...
Is Snoop Dogg Singh Kinng?
This post is just for fun. A week ago, a fellow langa-(w)riter asked which Singh was really King? As the buzz for the upcoming “Singh is Kinng” movie continues, many had heard the news that Snoop Dogg had donned a pagh for a promotion with Akshay Kumar.
While many that were looking...
Granthis and compensation: de facto clergy?
This recent article about a granthi in Leeds suing for unfair dismissal brought me back to the topic of granthis in general. Given Sikhi’s very clear edict AGAINST the institution of a clergy, I always found it distressing to see whole gurdwaras managed and oragnized by hired granthis. If a sangat...
The ICC, the Sikhs, and the Indian State
All the headlines are centered on the news of the capture of Bosnian Serb wartime president, Radovan Karadzic. Karadzic has been indicted for genocide in the Bosnia war. Apprehended by government officials, a change in political winds in Serbia now-seeking EU membership has allowed for the present...
American religious tradition’s effect on Sikhi
What is American religious tradition and how does it influence the practice of Sikhi in the US?
Recently, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life surveyed nearly 36,000 people of various religions (including no affiliation/atheists) with questions about their religious beliefs. Questions addressed...
More obstacles for French Sikhs?
A recent French decision brings debates about multiculturalism and accommodation back into focus. France’s highest administrative court prevented the wife of a French national and mother of 3 French- born children from obtaining French citizenship based purely on her wearing of a niqab–...
Rabbi Shergill’s Sikh Call: Pagri Sambhal Jatta
Guest Blogged by Mewa Singh.
A bit late, but every bit warranted.
Let me begin. I am a HUGE Rabbi Shergill fan. I went to a Dharmendra/Sunny Deol “concert” two years ago (why they are called ‘concerts’ I have no clue) and Rabbi Shergill was performing. I think I was the ONLY Rabbi...
Sikh Tradition in Translation
Over the past few years the website Sikhitothemax.com has become one of the premier tools for English-fluent Sikh youth to access their Guru Granth Sahib. While STTM has problems that can be addressed at another time, it is important to realize the effect that this tool has had. Many Gurdwaras throughout...
Is this Singh king?
There’s been some controversy over the upcoming film, ‘Singh is Kinng,’ [sic] starring Akshay Kumar and a host of other Indian actors I don’t know, scheduled to hit theatres on August 8th.
Singh is Kinng is a story about Happy Singh, a Punjabi Sikh. He is very mischievous and...
Sikhs in Pakistan?
Posted by Jodha in Punjab on 07 16th, 2008 | 18 Comments
Earlier in the month, an East Panjabi newspaper editor, Baljit Brar, posed the possibility that Pakistan stood to earn up to $500 million per year by promoting Sikh tourism.
Brar suggests that since the airport in Lahore is more convenient and is better maintained than that in Amritsar, with better border...
Daaj and absurd status-symbols
Posted by Reema in General on 07 15th, 2008 | 18 Comments
In Ludhiana, a 29 year old woman, Hardeep Kaur, was just found dead at her in-laws house. Her brother, Harpreet Singh, informed the police that she had been frequently harassed by her in-laws about a dowry, and he alleged that the in-laws murdered her. According to Harpreet, Hardeep had just recently...
Another count of Farmer Suicides
Posted by Reema in General on 07 14th, 2008 | 4 Comments
A little while ago, we mentioned a census commissioned by the Punjab government and being conducted by the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, documenting the rates of farmer suicides in Punjab.
An interesting development is an independent study conducted by a group called the “Movement Against...
The Fall
Posted by Reema in General on 07 11th, 2008 | 4 Comments
A movie produced by some Singhs is in theatres… if anyone catches it, give us a review!
In Los Angeles circa 1915, a little immigrant girl (Catinca Untaru) is in a hospital recovering from a fall. She strikes up a friendship with a bedridden man (Lee Pace), who captivates her with a whimsical story...
When should Sikhs get legal protection for religious belief?
Posted by Reema in Canada on 07 10th, 2008 | 28 Comments
An interesting case arose recently in Canada– Av Singh, a British Sikh, was fired from a Canadian company because his beard raised safety concerns relating to the proper use of a required gas mask.
Removing the beard is against his religious beliefs, so Singh refused the razor and instead hired...
