Our Story
8 years ago, I started a small hobby, selling Turbans out of the garage of the house I lived in. The hobby quickly grew and it took over my free time. I continued to do this because of my love for Sikhs and also for the fact that doing this was/is good for my soul.
A few Questions and Answers (I will use I and We interchangeably, I mean We as there are many people involved)
Q: Why am you a Sikh (besides being born into a Sikh family)?
A: My answer is Simple. I do this because I had and still have a few good Sikh role models in my family.
My Grandfather (maternal) and my Grandmother (also maternal) were awesome human beings who happen to be Sikhs.
My Grandmother was born a Hindu and she became Sardarni Ranjit Kaur when she married my mothers father (aka. my Grandfather). They were not the best Sikhs, they were not Amritdharis but they were just good people. My grandfather had selective hearing and seldom gossiped. He helped everyone, even if he knew that the other person might be taking advantage of him.
He wore his Turban and walked with pride. The two of them built a wonderful family and their first born child is my mother. It is because of my elders I am a Sikh and it is because of the Community and Gurbani, I will continue to be a Sikh and hopefully a better one as time goes along.
Q: Why are you running GoSikh?
A: I have no definitive answer. I wish I knew. GoSikh was/is my Seva to my community, to the sangat. This is one way I can make a difference in my community and the larger community. I guess I am addicted to helping a mother who needs patkas for her kids. I am addicted to helping a Sikh who works in the middle of nowhere and needs Dastaar/Turbans. I am addicted to helping a Yogini (Yogi) who needs a Turban. I am addicted to helping the Prison Pastor who is helping a Sikh inmate get a Turban. The Thank You emails are the fuel I need to keep this going. I have found a service I like doing over and over again (everyday) and it is a sheer pleasure and honor to do what I do.
Q: Why do you call it a Seva when you are earning money?
A: We get to serve Sikhs (Amritdharis, Keshdharis, Sehajdharis and many others), Hindus, Muslims, Jews, people of all faiths. We get to serve the Sikhs in US prisons, Federal detention centers, most who get a free turban from us because they cannot afford it.
Sorry for a little bit of self marketing. We serve the Art world, people in theater, Disney costume department, many theatre and film departments buy from us. People who practice kundalini buy from us.
We get to serve everyone across borders and cultures. We get to give away Turbans to those who are unable to buy them.
Please note that I am earning extremely (no numbers given) low wages compared to my last salary, please be assured that it is not the money that pushes me. Not everything we do, earns us money.
Q: Are you a Sikh?
A: I was born into Sikhi and I am proud of the person/human/sikh I am. I am improving everyday, well 99% of the time I am improving, I feel. According to many a definitions, I am not a Sikh. I am not Amritdhari and I am not sure I am committed enough to get there just yet. I am an ordinary brown Singh with a Turban and Kesh and Kara.
Q: Why is the store called GoSikh?
A: I chose GoSikh because I wanted it to be about my journey, I want to be a better Sikh as I get older.
It has nothing to do with converting people or helping them on being a better Sikh. The name was one of many and GoSikh just happened to be the one I chose.
Q: Where is GoSikh going?
A: Not sure, all I can say is that I am enjoying every moment of this journey and GoSikh is very much part of my journey. We are trying to help as many kids with patkas. We make excellent quality products and our goal is to bring these to as many Sikhs as possible. We get to help other Singhs and Kaurs with their businesses. We get to offer advice to 100's of Singhs and Kaurs, some unsolicited of course via Facebook. I get to talk to Sikhs when I am on travel, see what struggle they face.
In summary, We are blessed and Waheguru and the sangat has shown us lots of love.
loveyourturban.com is steadily selling stikhers but I fear that Sikhs are using the Stikhers at home or for personal use. The goal was to give away two Stikhers to a Sikh whose Turban you love. Ask them to give one of those two stikhers to another Sikh. Please note that 5 Stikhers are free, go visit the site and see how to order. This is a great way to say something nice to a Singh/Kaur you don't know yet.
Stikhs.com is off to a slow start which is OK since we are enjoying coming up with crazy Stikhers, more coming along soon.
OFFER: Free Shipping in US for orders above $50. For Canada and Europe, we will reduce the shipping fee by a few dollars (don't worry, I will not leave you out).
THANKS again for your continued support, without each one of you, we would not be here.
Chardi Kala
Guri Singh
www.goSikh.com
www.loveyourturban.com
www.stikhs.com
e: [email protected] (works best, we check this all the time)