Diaspora Sikhs in Punjab
Posted by Singh in General on 11 26th, 2008 | 5 Comments
Joint Post by Reema and Singh
The Book Club recently commented on the terminology and applicability of the term ‘diaspora’ to the Punjabi community outside Punjab-and whether ‘diaspora’ can apply to a group that won’t be returning to the homeland. For more discussion of...
Sikh Youth Slate wins Gurdwara election
Posted by Reema in General on 11 24th, 2008 | 51 Comments
Watch out Aunties and Uncles, the bachey are taking over the gurdwara!
Surrey, BC – In a historic decision by the Sikh Community of British Columbia, the Sikh Youth slate has been elected to the management committee of Gurdwara Sahib Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Surrey, BC.
The Sikh Youth slate of...
A new Sikh award
A new contest + award is in place for Sikhs. Who will be the Chic Sikh of the Year for 2008?
The sponsor is Sikhchic, the online magazine which promotes Sikhs in the arts (and also invites articles on an array of subjects). The nomination process is completely transparent, which makes it interesting....
Slumdog Millionaire
A movie you might be interested in, Slumdog Millionaire, is being released in major cities today and most other North American cities throughout the next few weeks. The plot might sound corny to the skeptical (it involves some romance), but if it’s as well done as it seems to be from the trailer,...
Open thread- history made.
Posted by Reema in General on 11 5th, 2008 | 25 Comments
I almost can’t believe it. One newscaster announced “Barack Hussein Obama has just become the 44th President of the United States” and I burst out laughing.
Someone pinch me.
As all the headlines read- history was made last night.
I’m awed by the level of civil participation...
Presidential race commodified: another product bought and sold
Posted by Reema in General on 11 1st, 2008 | 4 Comments
What are you basing your vote on this election? Whether you think health care is a right or responsibility, concern about a raise in taxes, your belief in diplomacy or American exceptionalism?
What appeals to you about the candidates, what makes you trust them?
If you do trust either of them, I’d...
You Can Vote However You Like
Posted by Reema in Education, Entertainment, General, Music, Politics, USA on 10 29th, 2008 | 2 Comments
As the end of election season nears, the months of intense election coverage can get overwhelming. Hearing basically the same messages from both sides gets old. But one thing that’s been remarkable for me to see this election season is the level of civic engagement from a broad spectrum of civil...
Sikh outreach through theatre
Posted by Reema in Art, Education, Entertainment, Events, General, Gurbani, Sikhi, USA on 10 24th, 2008 | 2 Comments
Some ideas are just better communicated through modes other than writing. Theatre, through the unfolding of a story and through the body language of its actors, can sometimes convey meaning and ideas more effectively than just written words alone.
Some Sikh youth from Rockland, MD have decided to use...
Where do McCain and Obama stand on the issues?
The Presidential election is two weeks away, and before we vote, we should know where the candidates stand on issues, not just whose campaign style we like. Below is a summary of the candidates’ positions on a selection of issues (compiled by the Associated Press). For more detailed information...
Sikh beauty
Sundari’s recent post, addressing the portayal of Sikhs in an ad for the upcoming Spinning Wheel festival, brings up an interesting tension for Sikh women- the conflict between modern ideals of beauty, and the requirements of the Sikh faith.
Generally (and unfortunately) women tend to value themselves...
We don’t have to be friends
From the Volokh Conspiracy:
Dear Senator McCain:
Repeatedly calling me and everyone else in the United States “my friends” is extremely annoying. In part, it’s just an irritating phrase. Beyond that, I’m not your friend. I don’t know you, and, from what I know of you, I...
Sikhs: turning religulous?
Last week Bill Maher was a guest on the Daily Show, promoting his new movie Religulous and offering a clip. The clip happened to show a sardar in a London park, which was the extent of any Sikh’s appearance in the movie.
The name, ‘Religulous,’ is a portmanteau blending the words 1)...
A strange and unecessary effect of women in politics
Posted by Reema in General on 10 2nd, 2008 | Comments Off on A strange and unecessary effect of women in politics
In anticipation of Biden’s showdown with Palin tonight, as I wondered how Biden would perform in the strange, negotiated format that really favors Palin- allowing only 90 seconds for a response before two minutes for discussion (since every newscaster is cautioning Biden to not come across as chauvinistic)...
Blue-turbanned Sikh at the first presidential debate
Were you watching the Presidential debate last Friday? Did you catch flashes of a sardar in a blue turban? I assume that anyone who did was equally as surprised as I was (though happily so). Well, who is the mystery man? He’s Arvinder Singh Kang, a twenty five year old who was the only Punjabi,...
Are Sikhs in Haryana what Sarah Palin is to the Republican ticket?
Though this may not be the best analogy, I’m going to make it. It seems the Congress party in Haryana made the demand for a separate Gurdwara committee, in order to mobilize Sikh votes in their favor (at least according to one news source).
What is also well known is that Haryana’s Sikh vote...
A Sikh tele-drama?
[Joint post by Singh and Reema]
The plot is thick. Nearly 100 million Phillipine pesos are at stake (roughly $ 2.2 million USD). Multiple groups of god-father like figures control entourages of loyal henchmen. Money is being used for unauthorized purposes, and powerful figures have put competitors...
Police Patrol by Delhi Sultanate and Sukhmani Malik
In light of the Indian government’s response to this past weekend’s bombings in Delhi, this video seems especially poignant (not to mention sweeet!).
[hat tip: chapati mystery]
A review of the Sikh Research Institute’s First Webinar
Posted by Reema in Education, Events, General, Gurbani, Organizations, Sikhi, USA on 09 17th, 2008 | 3 Comments
Update: wow, I did an AWFUL job of summarizing SRI’s first webinar. (Apologies to the good folks at SRI) Here’s a better summary:
Sikh Theology – A Gurmat Framework: The first session comprised of introducing an approach to Sikhi and recognizing how Guru Nanak Sahib revolutionarily...
Punjab & Haryana High Court to deliberate on who qualifies as Sikh under Gurdwara Act of 1925
Posted by Reema in General on 09 10th, 2008 | 3 Comments
On September 19, a full bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court will begin hearing arguments to decide the constitutional contours that define a Sikh under the Gurdwara Act of 1925. The decision will have important consequences, such as whether sahajdhari Sikhs ought to have voting rights in SGPC...
Punjab’s First Sikh University- high ambitions, and many obstacles
Posted by Reema in General on 09 9th, 2008 | 17 Comments
The Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, a project that has the potential to be groundbreaking, was announced in September 2004. As it’s currently being presented, it’s quite an ambitious project. From announcements, it seems that at least in its planning phases, a truly comprehensive education...
