“Saanjh”-Bay Area Sikh Retreat In Late August
Posted by Phulkari in Activism, Education, General, Punjabi, Sikhi, USA on 07 30th, 2009 | 3 Comments
“Saanjh”-the annual Bay Area Sikh Retreat is taking place Thursday, August 27th-Sunday, August 30th at the Monte Toyon campsite near Santa Cruz, California. Share your experiences and connect with other Sikhs through a Guru-inspired sangat. This year’s theme is “Developing a Panthic Vision...
Money Is Available But No Punjabi Teachers
Posted by Phulkari in General, India, News, Preservation, Punjab, Punjabi on 07 16th, 2009 | 9 Comments
Punjab has been divided numerous times. Both during and after partition. Anita Rau Badami eloquently writes, “First it was Partition and half our land disappeared. Now our own leaders are chopping it up like a piece of meat”. The Punjabi language was one thing we hoped would cross borders despite...
Lack of Jobs In Punjab
Punjab’s historical economic dominance is well known. We hear about it when studying The Raj and the years following it. However, we also know that Punjab’s current economic position does not provide many new jobs for college graduates. Thus, these graduate are looking for jobs outside of Punjab-often...
Barter Marriages: What Kind Of “Arrangement” Is It?
“Barter” marriages are not uncommon. My grandfather’s generation did it in Punjab because it was wise to marry two sisters to two brothers; particularly, if the family was large or wealthy. My parents’ generation did it through the “middle-person” during family negotiations in an effort...
We Will Pay You To Go Home
As the economic down-turn leads to increased joblessness, many countries are paying immigrant workers to return to their home countries. Japan, Spain, and the Cezech Republic are paying immigrant workers to return home with the stipulation that they not migrate back to the aforementioned countries for...
Ravi Singh Bhalla Wins City Council Seat
Posted by Phulkari in General, News, Politics, USA on 06 11th, 2009 | Comments Off on Ravi Singh Bhalla Wins City Council Seat
Ravi Singh Bhalla was elected to the City Council in Hoboken, New Jersey this past week! A city that is less than 1% Asian and predominately white, Hobokens elected Bhalla with 5,810 votes. Bhalla had the highest number of votes amongst the 6 candidates competing for the 3 council seats.
In an e-mail...
Why We Remember 1984
Posted by Reema in Sikhi on 06 9th, 2009 | 93 Comments
Joint post by Mapleleaf Sikh, Sundari, Jodha, Camille, Phulkari, RP Singh, Reema
It has been 25 years and we remember.
On this day we remember; in this week we remember; in this month we remember; in this year we remember. On June 6th we stopped to remember the recent chapter in the history of the Sikhs.
When...
Caste Matters: Legally Outlawing It In The Diaspora
The recent caste-based violence in a Vienna and Punjab has shown us the horrible consequences of casteism. Sathnam Sanghera recently did a short report, “Caste Matters”, which investigates the possibility of legally outlawing caste-based discrimination in the UK.
Often we think caste-based discrimination...
Immigrant Women: Perseverance & Agency
This past weekend, as I was talking to a Punjabi Sikh woman who came to the United States about 13-14 years ago, I heard how agency and perseverance define the experiences of immigrant women in the United States. She told me about the great new apartment she just got for her family and how the laundry...
Gurbakhash Kaur: Standing Up For Our Rights
Posted by Phulkari in General, Politics, USA on 05 14th, 2009 | Comments Off on Gurbakhash Kaur: Standing Up For Our Rights
Gurbakhash Kaur Questioning Vice President Joe Biden
One of the major issues affecting the Sikh community is increasing civic engagement in the United States. We often focus on getting more Sikhs to vote and lobby our politicians about the issues affecting our community. This lobbying general pertains...
Steel Plates (Thaals)::Seva
On TLH we have discussed Green Gurdwaras. Part of this green initiative is to use steel plates (i.e. thaals) and cutlery instead of the common paperware. A couple of weeks ago at a local Gurdwara langar, I saw steel plates being used that had been stored away in cupboards for years. Every week disposable...
“Sikh Knowledge”
Posted by Phulkari in Activism, Canada, Entertainment, General, Human Rights, Politics, Punjabi, Sikhi on 04 24th, 2009 | 42 Comments
It seems like Canada is showcasing one socially conscious Sikh rapper after another. TLH has covered “Humble The Poet” and now here is “Sikh Knowledge” from Montreal. Sikh Knowledge raps with Lotus on issues effecting the 2nd generation and marginalized peoples.
Kanwar Anit Singh Saini, a.k.a....
Punjabi/Khalsa Schools: Where Do They Go?
Posted by Phulkari in Education, Organizations, Politics, Punjabi, Sikhi on 04 23rd, 2009 | 12 Comments
On TLH we have posted on the importance of Punjabi/Khalsa Schools. I have found that despite many students’ resistance to attend these schools, they plant the seeds for future exploration into Sikhi. At the age of 12 you may think you are too cool for school on Sundays, but at 19-20 or even...
Feeling What We Remember
Posted by Phulkari in Activism, History, Human Rights, Media, Music, Politics, Punjab, Punjabi, Sikhi on 04 9th, 2009 | 4 Comments
As we remember 1984 through concerts and acts of rebellion, let’s not forget the visceral spirit displayed by Singhs IN that time period.
Watch below the original version of a Punjabi kavita sung by Bhai Gursharan Singh during those turbulent times in Manji Sahib Hall located in the Darbar Sahib...
Has Punjab’s Sex Ratio Improved?
Well, it seems like the sex ratio in Punjab is not improving despite the number of trees Mrs. Badal is planting and the SGPC’s desire to raise unwanted girl children.
The Tribune reports:
In 2001, the census of India recorded Punjab’s sex ratio at 876 females for 1,000 males, one of the worst in...
Gurmat Gian Group: An Interview With One Of Its Members
Last week, I posted on the Gurmat Gian Group’s performance of classical keertan. This all Sikh women’s group, expect for a tabla player, is based in Ludhiana, Punjab. This week, I wanted to share a brief interview with one of its members, Keerat Kaur.
1. How did you come to join the Gurmat Gian...
Gurmat Gian Group: An All Sikh Women’s Gurmat Sangeet Group
Recently we have discussed gurmat sangeet (i.e. classical keertan) on TLH. This past week, I came across an all Sikh women’s gurmat sangeet group from Punjab. Their voices are absolutely beautiful! The emotion that raags convey that words alone cannot express is actually felt in these women’s...
Wearing Your Faith: The Experiences of Four Individuals
Posted by Phulkari in General, Media, USA on 03 19th, 2009 | Comments Off on Wearing Your Faith: The Experiences of Four Individuals
I recently came across this CNN report of four individuals who discuss their experiences of wearing religious garments in the US. Two of the individuals are Sikh men (where are the Sikh women at) along with a Muslim woman and a Jewish man.
Ajitpal Singh Rania: Ajitpal lives in the Washington area...
Thee Di Mangh?
No longer are Punjabi “staarz” (i.e. Gurdas Maan, Arminder Gill, etc.) or Sukhbir Singh Badal’s Mrs., Harsimrat Kaur Badal (i.e. Nanhi Chhaan project), the only ones focusing on the “girl child”, but also a granthi at a California Gurdwara. I was recently surprised to hear a granthi support...
Providing Comfort Through Art: A Salon-Owner & Painter
As International Women’s Day approaches us this weekend, I wanted to highlight the story of one woman who left a life of violence to a home of comfort built from creativity. Tanya Momi, a Bay Area South Asian woman from Chandigarh, is a painter and owner of “Spoil-Me Salon”, who left a long-term...
