On this auspicious occasion of Diwali let us illuminate the lives of those who live in darkness and foolishly and mistakenly believe that they are “chosen” and inherently superior to followers of Dharmic traditions. Let us propagate the true spirit of love and embrace our brothers and sisters, be them of different faiths, on the condition that we Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists are venerated to a degree that is commensurate with our benevolent outlook of love and acceptance for all.
Our subcontinent needs to follow the footprints left behind by the great poets, sufi saints and the bhakts who preached and practised love and inclusiveness. This is the land of Tagore and Ghalib, of Bulleh Shah and Kabir, of Nanak and Moinuddin Chisti. It is their spirit that will guide us in this journey.
On October 19, 2011, my son Angad Singh turned 18. The following blessing - composed by Guru Arjan in Raag Gujri [GGS:496] - is offered here in translation to commemorate the milestone.
A unique Court case is taking place in Poland of a Sikh taking the Polish Airport Security to Court for disgracing Sikh travelers passing through Poland.
Top-down approaches like reservation work but take time. Bottom-up approaches like the one done in Satara are eminently more doable and can have a greater chance of making a real impact on people. Who knows one day one of these `unwanted' girls from Satara may just become a power player, a shining star we can all be proud of.
Recited by Sikhs in their morning prayer, Sukhmani Sahib is the most popular composition of Guru Arjan in Rag Gauri. It is said that he wrote it for a devotee who was suffering from great physical pain and mental anguish. When he listened to it, he was restored to calm and health.
While the essentials for life - like air and water - are free for all, other things require compensation to obtain and use. Since to enjoy comfort and a high standard of living are common human desires, only those who are prosperous can obtain these.
Every single religion and its scriptures has its concept of the ideal man. The Gita talks of the Sthithpragya, Buddhism extols the Bodhisattva and Sikhism speaks of the Gurmukh or Sachiar. They must be same, I think aloud. No, smilingly explains Dr Jodh Singh, "The Gurmukh is not a recluse or hermit, but a householder. He attains moksha while living.
Outside the dwelling, a Divine Light pervaded the cloudy sky. Inside, Daulatan — the midwife — was hard at work while father, Mehta Kalu, waited nervously. It was at that moment that the infant found his way into the world — the one who grew up to be called Guru Nank Dev ji, the first Sikh Guru.
National Gurdwara, Washington DC situated in close proximity of the White House, the seat of American power is once again in news, this time for a strange tragic incident. Last Wednesday night some vandals very meticulously removed and took away the Sikh flag always hoisting on a mast.