Mon Jun 27 2011: For Amrit and Bakhsish Khaira, Sikh Martyrdom Day holds both religious and familial significance.
Amrit, 14, was born in Canada and does not understand a lot of Punjabi. Her mother, 43, came to the country from India in 1988 and attends a gurdwara, or Sikh place of worship, in Hamilton once a week.
On Sunday, the pair participated in the annual Sikh Martyrdom Day parade with hundreds of other Sikhs and, for Amrit, the event reflected her relationship with Bakhsish.
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“It’s really important, especially for my mother,” the recent Grade 8 graduate said. “I don’t know our language really well, so she explains it to me in English. She teaches me about our religion.”
Participating marchers from the Hamilton and surrounding areas walked together in the procession to commemorate the martyrdom of their fifth master of Sikhism, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who died in June during the 17th century after being arrested and tortured for his faith.
The weekend’s local religious ceremony was also held in memory of those who died when Indian troops stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which was held by Sikh militants, in early June of 1984. Hundreds of people were killed in the raid.
The parade along York Boulevard included the procession of their Holy Book, the Five Beloved Ones — five men who administer Sikh baptism — gatka (Sikh martial arts) and hymns sung by religious leaders.
Community members and leaders emphasized that the public procession, which started at the Gursikh Sangat Hamilton on Old Guelph Road and culminated with food and speeches at Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School, also had a broader, global message.
The 1984 Golden Temple deaths may appear to be an event in another part of the world, but in today’s society, “everything affects every citizen of the world,” said Manohar Singh Bal, spokesperson for the Gursikh Sangat Hamilton.
“It directly affects us as a community. It also impacts us as a nation as Canadians because we are talking about equality, we are talking about human rights, we are talking about democracy.”
Kanwarpal Singh, 21, who joined the hundreds of participants in the walk, said the parade recognized a global movement for peace.
“We want everybody to know these were world leaders. They wanted peace for the world, and they started in India, but they wanted peace for the world,” the Brampton resident said.
Singh also emphasized the importance of having young people attend the parade, especially in the midst of a “fast-growing society.”
On Sunday, Bakhsish recalled viewing the destruction in the Golden Temple a couple of weeks after the raid.
“Every person there was crying,” she said. “Personally, I (care about) my religion very, very, much. This is why I try to teach my kids too.”