International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th each year and is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. We have previously posted about well known examples of women in our history who have made huge contributions to Sikhi. Perhaps...
America’s Wealthiest Religions?
An interesting infographic circulating the Web has many people talking about the relationship between wealth and religion. The graphic, titled The Almighty Dollar, was created by GOOD and Column Five Media and breaks down income levels in the U.S. by religion. Data is based on information from...
Kings of the Punjab at the Royal Ontario Museum
If you’re in the Toronto area this weekend, a wonderful event awaits you! The Royal Ontario Museum will be celebrating South Asian Heritage Day which will bring together artists, authors, performers and filmmakers to showcase South Asian culture. The event will showcase Manu Kaur Saluja’s...
In Memory of Harinder Singh Mehboob
“Grand harmony aims at elevating every unit of social and cultural life to the height of heroic majesty”
– Harinder Singh Mehboob (1937-2010)
Revered Punjabi poet, Harinder Singh Mehboob, passed away on Sunday night leaving behind a significant mark on the map of Punjabi literature....
The Slippery Slope of Religious Symbols in France
French legislators are currently considering a ban that would prevent Muslim women the right to wear full-body veils in public areas such as buses, trains, hospitals, restaurants, schools and other public places. Since 2004, head scarves and other signs of religious affiliation have been banned from...
Controversy of Indian Media in Australia
Over the past few months, we have come across various articles in the media depicting the state of affairs for students of Indian origin living in Australia. Attacks against Indians (allegedly racially motivated) and, what was perceived to be, a poor response by the police and leaders sparked protests...
Celebrating Diversity
Posted by Sundari in Art on 02 1st, 2010 | 12 Comments
The Multifaith Calendar is looking for art submissions under the theme “Celebrating Diversity”. They would like to feature art from as many different faith groups as possible. This calendar is a great educational tool that lists and explains holidays that are important to 14 different...
Mobilizing the Sikh Community
Posted by Sundari in Activism on 01 21st, 2010 | 19 Comments
Something remarkable has been happening over the past week. When an earthquake hit Haiti last week, individuals rallied together to raise awareness via facebook updates and email messages to raise funds and send aid to the devastated area.
In a similar way, the entire Sikh community came together...
Religion and Women
Posted by Sundari in Women on 01 12th, 2010 | 7 Comments
Religions derive their power and popularity in part from the ethical compass they offer. So why do so many faiths help perpetuate something that most of us regard as profoundly unethical: the oppression of women? [NYT]
An op-ed piece in the NYT, by the notable Nicholas Kristof, looks at the way many...
1984: A Sikh Story on BBC
For our TLH readers in the UK – this documentary is premiering tonight on BBC One at 10:55pm.
Just over 25 years ago, the storming of The Golden Temple, the most sacred of Sikh shrines, by the Indian Army led to protests around the world. Sonia Deol embarks on a personal journey to unravel the...
In Celebration of Guru Gobind Singh Ji
Posted by Sundari in General on 01 5th, 2010 | 4 Comments
Today, January 5th, Sikhs around the globe will come together to celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s gurpurab. On this day we celebrate our Guru and the gift that was bestowed upon us. Guru Ji’s famous quote tells us that living as a Sikh is as much important as appearing as a Sikh and that...
Bridging the Divide Between Sikh Generations
A few weeks ago, Maple Leaf Sikh said that “We often lament the state of our gurdwaras but we should just as often stop and think about how much we have accomplished.” How very true! How often do we highlight communities where things are working well for the Sikh diaspora? A recent...
Sikh Welfare Awareness Team
Posted by Sundari in Activism, Health, Human Rights, India, Organizations, UK on 12 29th, 2009 | 12 Comments
Update: The SWAT team provided an update on their progress. See end of post.
The Sikh Welfare Awareness Team is a new charitable organization in the UK focused on bringing awareness to drug and alcohol abuse in our community and reducing involvement in crime by providing youth with activities and organized...
Charter for Compassion
A few months ago, RP Singh wrote a very timely post on compassion and what it means to Sikhs. In Gurbani, the word Daya often translates to compassion, a trait which is long known in our history. One of the Panj Pyara or beloved five was Bhai Daya Singh and thus, Compassion along with Justice, Courage,...
A Crime a Community Would Prefer to Ignore
“There is this very distinctive and self-incriminating silence within communities that have a history of ‘honour’ killings,” he says. “The so-called community leaders, the influential religious groups and the local language newspapers remain deafeningly silent when these...
Gurdwaras Join Efforts to Address Alcohol Abuse
A charity based in Southall, called the Drug and Alcohol Action Programme (DAAP) will be joining forces with local Gurdwaras to address high rates of alcohol abuse taking place at Asian, particularly Punjabi Sikh, weddings. Perminder Dhillon, CEO of the charity states that “it is no longer acceptable...
“We’ll Get You Married in Punjab”
A few weeks ago we posted about the issue of women in Punjab marrying men from outside of Punjab, to only be deserted by them after marriage. The post created a colorful (although often one-sided) dialogue about the issue. While our response in the diaspora is significant and can often help initiate...
Find an Urge to Help on World AIDS Day
Posted by Sundari in General on 12 1st, 2009 | 2 Comments
December 1st is World AIDS Day. Each year on this day we take the time to consider the impact HIV and AIDS has had on people around the globe. This year’s focus is on Universal Access and Human Rights. For as long as I can remember, the conversation has focused on the growing number of infections...
Holiday Brides in Punjab
Almost two years ago I blogged about an NPR story that highlighted the issue of Runaway Grooms. Today, I once again write about the same issue – this time the media terms it “Holiday Brides” – a different name telling the same story. We should be outraged that years after we...
Supporting Sikh Arts
Posted by Sundari in Art, California, Entertainment, Events, Film, Literature, Media, Music, Organizations on 11 20th, 2009 | 12 Comments
Last weekend I attended the Sikh Lens Sikh Art and Film Festival in Hollywood. I have attended film festivals all over North America and strongly believe in their need and presence in our community. Many times, however, the events get overshadowed by the glitz and glamour – the red carpet, the photographers,...
