How The Sikh Concept Of 'Seva' Is Making This World A Better Place

Thursday, 16 Jun 2016: A common sight in the city these days is Sikhs distributing chilled rose milk to passers-by on the roads on scorching summer afternoons. At a time when drinking water seems expensive, they are distributing flavoured milk for free. Setting up temporary camps across Delhi, they work tirelessly to ensure they can reach out to as many people as they can. With a smile on their faces, they hand over glasses after glasses to pedestrians, rikshaw-pullers, two-wheeler riders and anyone with a parched throat. And they do it without obligation. Without discrimination. Without moral arrogance.

© Guneet Kaur

© Guneet Kaur

The same selfless desire of service is seen when they work in the gurudwaras, the place of worship of Sikhs. There are middle-aged well-to-do men mopping the floors; women in finery making chappatis in the kitchen for the langar where anybody and everybody irrespective of caste, class and religion is welcome. Kids run with buckets of dal serving anyone whose plate is empty. They work in the gurudwara with as much sincerity and devotion as they would at their homes serving their close friends and family.

© Reuters

© Reuters

The concept of ‘seva’ or service is what inspires this devotion towards serving humanity. ‘Karseva’ or selfless service is meant to be done without any desire of a reward. The aim is to simply serve, to bring joy or relief to someone else, to help someone who needs it. That sentiment is evident when Sikhs tirelessly devote themselves in community works like these.

© Reuters

The concept of seva is pure and selfless. It can be done anywhere and in whatever way. The only intention is to help others. There have been Sikhs who have removed their turbans to save drowning people as the rest of the world looked on. There have been Sikhs who have set up langars in war-stricken Syrian territory to help refugees.

© Facebook

One of the most endearing things about the faith is its egalitarian nature. There are no caste distinctions in Sikhism. It must have been a revolutionary concept in the old days when caste was of utmost importance, so much so that Shudras suffered extreme cruelty at the hands of the upper castes. The caste system exists in the country even today.

© Reuters

The Sikh community has produced some of the bravest armymen and sportspersons. We are not saying that other communities lag behind in intention and numbers, we are just saying that the sentiment to do good and serve others runs very strong in Sikh culture.

While rich business communities fight for reservation, the religious fanatic fight to ban women from entering temples, and restaurants refuse entry to poor kids (the recent case of a Connaught Place eatery), Sikhs are restoring our faith in humanity making us believe there is still hope for this world.