“Sadda Haq” and the role of the government and media
Guest Blogged by: JSD
Today, the government of India has once again proved why it’s claim to being the world’s largest democracy is laughable. Not to mention the media in India, which claims to be fair and democratic in nature, however, this is simply not the case. India’s media...
The Ghadar Movement: A Living History
A North American based Internationalist movement for the liberation of India
Guest blogged by York Ghadaris
On the centenary of the Ghadar Movement, a conference is being held at York University, Toronto, Canada on April 12 to April 13, 2013, to honour and remember its history, and its contemporary relevance...
Sikholars 2013 ReCap
Guest blogged: Mewa Singh
From February 16-17, 2013, researchers from throughout the world, focusing on Sikh-related topics, came together at Stanford University for the 4th annual Sikholars Conference, hosted by the Jakara Movement. From Europe to Pakistan, from India to Canada, and throughout the United...
Silent No More: A Sikh Response to the Idle No More Movement
Guest blogged by Santbir Singh
I try to imagine the government coming to my house one morning and taking my five year old daughter and eight year old son away to a boarding school hundreds of kilometres away. I try to imagine that at this school, my children’s hair will be cut, their dastars and...
A Positive Spin: Celebrating Gurpreet Singh Sarin on American Idol
Guest blogged by Simran Jeet Singh
Last week, people around the world watched a Sikh with a turban and beard – Gurpreet Singh Sarin – charm the judges on the iconic television show, American Idol. The show’s judges and producers played up his nickname, the Turbanator, and almost immediately,...
Sikhi: A Nonconformist’s Religion
Posted by Mehmaan (Guest) in Sikhi on 01 18th, 2013 | 43 Comments
Guest blogged by Gunita Kaur Singh
Being a nonconformist builds character, but only when it is exercised within a certain framework of values. A prime example of this lifestyle is embodied within the Sikh religion.
Gunita’s father
Sikhism is very progressive for it allows the practitioner freedom...
Silence
Guest blogged by a Kaur
A note from the author: Thank you Gurlene Kaur for starting the conversation.
ਚà©à¨ªà©ˆ ਚà©à¨ª ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਲਾਇ ਰਹਾ ਲਿਵ ਤਾਰ ॥
By remaining silent,...
Pardha
Posted by Mehmaan (Guest) in Activism on 12 28th, 2012 | 3 Comments
Guest blogged by Gurlene Kaur
Foreword: This piece was conceived in the pages of my journal but is now born for the public eye because of a line I read in Japji Sahib the other day:
ਚà©à¨ªà©ˆ ਚà©à¨ª ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਲਾਇ ਰਹਾ...
A Sikh Stance on Gun Control
Guest Blogged by Nina Chanpreet Kaur
The year 2012 has been a series of heartbreaks. There is perhaps no greater pain than surviving a child. From Oak Creek, WI to the children whose lives were innocently lost in Newtown, CT and the millions of others who die as victims of violence every day, my heart...
Be Proud?
Guest blogged by Nina Chanpreet Kaur
August 5th, 2012. 1:33pm. A text message from my best friend: “hostage situation at sikh temple in wisconsin. on al jazeera right now.” We pulled over and exchanged glances, holding our breath it wasn’t an attack perpetrated by someone within the Sikh...
Kaur Revolution: Why I changed my last name from Singh to Kaur
Guest blogged by Nina Chanpreet Kaur
In September, I attended a Sikh awareness training at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Sitting in the audience, I watched and listened as the presenter referred to Sikh women in passing and brought the Sikh male experience and turban to the center of...
Sikholars 2013 – Call For Papers
Guestblogged by Mewa Singh
Few events are as anticipated as the annual Sikholars conference, held annually in the Bay Area. Now returning for the fourth year, the event continues to grow, generate new interest, and excite Sikh sangats from the Bay Area and beyond. A showcase for young Sikh scholars...
There’s More to Anti-Sikh Sentiments than Ignorance
Guest blogged by Simran Jeet Singh
This past week, I visited a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania to introduce undergraduate students to the Sikh experience in America. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the professor had assigned Naunihal Singh’s piece from the New Yorker – “An American...
Top 5 Reasons You Should Use Sikhiya: Grad App Service
Posted by Mehmaan (Guest) in Education on 10 21st, 2012 | 3 Comments
Guestblogged by Mewa Singh
Applications are out and will soon be due. Need some assistance? Then here is a service for you!
Here are the Top 5 Reasons You should Use the Jakara Movement’s Sikhiya Service:
Save money – there are a number of professional services on the market that provide...
Indian Government representatives at Sikh Events
Posted by Mehmaan (Guest) in USA on 10 14th, 2012 | 64 Comments
Guest blog by: Rocco
One of the highlights of fall in NYC is the Sikh Arts and Film Festival which showcases the story of our community via films and is being held November 2-3, 2012. Along with that is a Heritage Gala which is being held November 3, 2012 “to celebrate the rich heritage, culture and...
Jakara Movement starts Sikhiya: Graduate Application Service
Co-blogged by Sanehwal and Mewa Singh
In an easily missed bit of North American Sikh intellectual bloodsport, IJ Singh and a graduate of UC Berkeley debated ideals about graduate education, the panth, and the academy. It is worth reading through for their different orientations towards the discussion,...
What Next? Re-thinking Sikh Identity After the Wisconsin Tragedy
Guest blogged by Parvinder Mehta
Amidst the barrage and frenzy of shock and surprise and the discussions about why the Sikh community has been targeted and victimized through history, I wonder how Sikh parents have tried to make sense of the massacre of six Sikhs and the suicide of the gunman who came...
Teaching Children about Sikhs and Sikhism: Taking it a Step Further
Guest blogged by Amardeep Singh
Recently I found myself in the odd position of being, for a brief moment, a sort of spokesperson for the Sikh-American community in the wake of the terrible shootings at a Sikh Gurdwara in Wisconsin.
Page from the book, The Boy with Long Hair
It’s odd for me because...
Letters Home
Guest blogged by Preeti Kaur
The following is an excerpt from Preeti Kaur’s poem “Letters Home,” in honor of those lost and injured in Oak Creek, WI. Read the full poem here, and sign the petition to push the FBI to track hate crimes against Sikhs.
i travel the 5th udaasi
i see no...
Where Do We Go From Here? A Sikh Response to the Oak Creek Gurduara Massacre
Posted by Mehmaan (Guest) in USA on 08 6th, 2012 | 29 Comments
Guest blogged by Santbir Singh
We are not strangers to random acts of violence and discrimination. Although mass shootings have become far too common in America in recent years, rarely have these horrific crimes been targeted at one community. Today, that changed. Our beautiful gifts, our kesh and dastars,...
