By Asia Samachar Team | SINGAPORE |

A morning walk with friends is a great to celebrate the International Women’s Day. That’s exactly what the Singapore Khalsa Association (SKA) Ladies Wing did.

On Saturday (13 March), the wing had organised a morning walk at Jurassic Mile while observing Covid-19 restrictions and safe distancing measures in place.

The Changi Jurassic Mile, permanent outdoor display of dinosaur models, is located between the Terminal 4 pit stop of the Changi Airport Connector and the entrance to East Coast Park. The cycling and walking path, which starts at Terminal 2, opened in October 2020.

The participants hen returned to SKA for a sumptuous bento box lunch and engaged in table-based activities to celebrate the occasion. They ended the event with a cup of masala chai and some delicious snacks, according to an update at SKA Facebook page.

They promised more activities are coming.

RELATED STORY:

SEWA Healthcare to assist chronic and terminal illnesses patients (Asia Samachar, 6 Dec 2020)

SASKAAR / CREMATION: 3pm, 17 March 2021 (Wednesday), at Hindu Crematorium, Jalan Tun Dr Ismail, Seremban. Cortege leaves residence at 2:30pm | Malaysia

Jeha Chiri Likhya Teha Hukam Kamaeh, Ghale Aave Naanka Sade Uthee Yaaye (SGGS, 1239)

ਜੇਹਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥ ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

MATA GURDIAL KAUR W/O LATE SAUDAGAR SINGH KAPURE

(12.7.1928 – 16.3.2021)

Village: Barewala

Age: 93 years

Husband: Late Saudagar Singh Kapure

Children / Spouses:

Peritam Kaur / Harbans Singh, Melbourne Australia

Late Rusbal Singh Sandhu / Ranjit Kaur Grewal

Daljit Singh Sandhu / Savinder Kaur Gill

Grandchildren:

Late Ishvinder Singh
Karendar Kaur / Jagjit Singh
Jeffvinder Singh
Melinder Kaur / Deepak Singh
Manjinder Singh / Pardeep Kaur
Mavinder Singh / Disha
Reenajeet Kaur / Surinder Singh
Rupinderjeet Kaur / Malvinder Singh
Simranjeet Kaur

Great Grandchildren:

Jayden Singh
Harleen Kaur
Navleen Kaur
Dylan Singh
Rhea Kaur
Manllyne Kaur
Aanshvinder Singh
Rynajeet Kaur

Thanks also to the caretaker Listria.

Saskaar / Cremation: 3pm, 17 March 2021 (Wednesday), at Hindu Crematorium, Jalan Tun Dr Ismail, Seremban. Cortege leaves residence at 2:30pm

For further details contact:

Surinder  012 – 6837749
Malvinder  010 – 2593832
Simran  017 – 3139485

Mata Gurdial Kaur, our guardian angel, has left us to be with her Creator. She was a gem of a person filled with blessings and love gifted with long life, had the opportunity to see children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The family expresses their heartfelt thanks to all relatives and friends for their support during the recent bereavement.

– From GOD we are sent, to HIM we return.

| Entry: 16 March 2021 | Source: Family

By Dr Charanjit Kaur | OPINION |

One is not born, one is made a woman – Simone de Beauvoir (The Second Sex, 1949)

Sikh religion emphasises that every human being is equally valuable, and that everyone has the same position, status, rights and opportunities to live their life as they desires. However, phrases like ‘one is not born, but rather being, a woman or a man’ and ‘females and males are born, but women and men are products of enculturation’ show that gender is not biologically determined but socially and culturally defined hence there is a real difference. This means being a man or woman is not ‘fixed’, but it is in the process of ‘being’ – an active state constructed through social norms or pressures from certain authority.

The concept gender itself is a socially formed cultural distinctions on the basis of reproductive roles and widely recognized human being as male and female. It is a classification system that distinguishes sexes on the basis of superiority and inferiority. Such a division gives males privileges over females and has an impact on both people’s self-perceptions. Because of the man-made divisions, society is being ‘trained’ to see and accept that the reproductive male has more power over other sex variants.

The author agrees with Beauvoir that accepting the construction of their beings by someone else was the result of a misguided choice. Henceforth, it is not surprising to witness that most studies on women are undervalued by citing generalisations of men’s experiences, implying that women’s daily experiences are unimportant to be deliberated.

In contrast to the patriarchy prevalent in Punjabi culture, women are considered equal to men from the Sikh perspective. Regardless of an egalitarian philosophy, the patriarchal cultural practices dominate Sikh women’s (and men’s) views on daily life and their status. Women could not be understood outside the context of the family because their identity assessed on rules, standards, and context of their home-life. Her life has revolved around obscuring inequality issues among Sikh Punjabi women. Male dominance or patriarchy has demonstrated subordination of women, which shapes and constrains their lives. Culture’s role in influencing women’s perceptions of themselves as more emotional and less rational than men, as weaker gender and less competent than the ‘stronger’ sex, that needs to be revisited.

Women’s appearance of inferiority in the Punjabi Sikh community is caused by a deficiency in one’s commitment to the practice of the Sikh Guru’s word. Women were mistreated, dominated by man-made traditions, and had rare or no religious freedom, prior to the Guru Nanak’s teaching on equality. All Sikh Gurus consistently questioned gender-based prejudice, inferiority and injustice, while simultaneously inspiring and uplifted humanity to live a life of honesty, morality and devoutness. The Gurus instituted a scripture that contained guidelines for enhancing women’s dignity. Thus, Sikhs are being liberated from all forms of gender sexism. Unfortunately, gender stereotypes are maintained and passed down through generations, leading males to believe they are superior to females. Most Punjabi Sikhs are hesitant to adopt the ‘civilized’ gender ideology emphasised in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Societal perceptions and cultural norms appeared to be the common cause of Punjabi Sikh women’s perception that doing what was best for the community outweighed her personal interests in some cases. Punjabi Sikh women demonstrates their family orientation by consistently prioritising their family prestige within the community over their own needs. Thus, the role and responsibilities of women in the domestic domain become their ‘field of strength’ where women tend to be holding a family together through affection, compassion, acceptance of flaws, and nurturing. Their great strength was their desire to be mothers and their dedication to the family above all else, including themselves.

Sikh women appear to believe, as a matter of tradition, that they ought to listen to their husbands or in-laws in order to maintain a stable household. Women, as expected, tend to go with the flow and do whatever is required without putting effort to discuss or negotiate the practices. One may assume this is a sign of weakness or surrender, but the truth is they are capable of managing internal matters for the sake of the family bonding. Hence, Sikh women has firsthand knowledge how much life weighs.

To summarise, it’s harder for women to remain conventional, but not as they continue to strive to maintain power. The differences between men and women are artificial or built. This is because any individual is capable to perform the supposedly ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ tasks.

The author’s area of specialisation is cultural anthropology with a special focus on the Sikh minority community in Malaysia which touches on themes such as religious-cultural conflicts, gender identity and social behavior.

By Asia Samachar Team | PAKISTAN |

Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu has been appointed as the new Chief of the Air Staff effective 19 March 2021.

He hails from Sadh village in Punjab’s Gujrat district and is presently serving as Deputy Chief of Air Staff Admin at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad.

He takes over from Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan who is set to retire on Thursday.

By Taranjit Kaur | INTERVIEW | MALAYSIA |

“I have always wanted to challenge myself,” says the young man who recently hit a new standing jump record for Malaysia.

In a recent attempt, Harinder Singh Sekhon stood jumped 55 inches (140 cm), beating the previous national record of 50 inches (127 cm). The standing high jump is performed in the same way as high jump, with the difference being that the athlete has no run-up and must stand still and jump with both feet together.

Awards, accolades and recognition are usually sought after by many. The exhilaration that comes with it is surely liberating – at least in most instances. Breaking a record, now that’s a different league all together.

In the case of Harinder, there is more to him actually. He is also part of the Malaysian Cricket Squad, and a Mathematics teacher! The latter came as a surprise: an avid sportsman with a knack for numbers. What an interesting combination!

Harinder’s success has attracted national interest, no doubt it’s worthy of every commendation. Taking a step back, how does one achieve such excellence, that too at a relatively young age and how easy was this journey?

Here, Harinder shares a glimpse on his perspective of success, one that on many fronts is credited to PERSISTENT hard work. We asked him some question.

1. You are a an avid sportsman with commendable achievements under your belt already. How does this accolade matter?

This is the first of its kind for me, and quite honestly, I rate this achievement as the most precious, in fact, the best one in my life – thus far. My dream has always been to challenge myself in an individual sport and more importantly, to stock take my abilities. I wanted to see how far i could go and see how far i’d be able to go with it to break a national record is very special to me. I sure am grateful for such an opportunity coming my way.

2. What do you view to be the pursuit of success and why? How easy was the journey? Have you just been lucky by chance?

For me, success is continuous – its about doing better each time. And to do this, setting goals/targets is important. My secret is having set small goals/targets a long the way to the main goal/target. I dared to dream, and did something about it – so clearly action matters. Frankly, I enjoy what I do and most of all I believe in myself. Easy or hard is quite subjective in itself. I have been training diligently, pushing myself everyday to be able to prepare myself. On some days, it can be daunting to even get started with training, and that’s when being cautious of the goal/target set is important. Consistency is key.

I wish I was lucky by chance, the reality is that this achievement took lots of hard work and sacrifice. And I choose to leverage on the stress as a booster.

When i kicked off on this journey, all i had was the determination to keep going forward. I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be, but i focused instead on what was within my control and that being – my behaviour, attitude and mindset.

3. What are the 3 critical components of your success?

In no particular order – dedication, self-belief & sacrifice. These to me were my ingredients of success.

On many accounts, I have had to make difficult decisions – but what guided me was the desire to make a difference.l

4. Share your challenges? And what have been some of your most memorable turning points?

There are only so many hours in a day and juggling between being a math teacher, fitness enthusiast as well as playing cricket has been a challenge – though, a doable experience.

Playing cricket for the national team at the age of 24 was a huge turning point for me. It was quite the struggle, it was then that i realised what self belief really is and what it takes to be playing sport at a higher level. Having a commendable A-grade season playing cricket in Australia (2019) for the Southern Suburbs in Queensland was when I truly understood the need for hard work is constant, for every game played!

Going through a major shoulder injury in 2020 was quite an experience too. It’s something thats never happened to me before and getting back into the momentum took a little extra effort after 6-8 months of managing it and playing through the pain. In actual fact, I have been practicing for the jump for some four months now.

5. What would be your advise to fellow youth?

Substance misuse such as alcohol abuse can have far reaching consequences. I see it almost everywhere and its saddening because in can sometimes derail one from unlocking their truest potential, and the eventual progress. I urge that the long term effects of alcohol abuse are weighed in, especially the impact it can have not only on an individual, but also their families/loved ones. My plea is -make your mental and physical wellbeing a priority.

I run a fitness program every Saturday and Sunday for free and would be happy if the youth would get in touch and join me.

We can make this world a better place for generations to come, and we must because we are the future.

In concluding, achieving success can take time, hardly ever overnight. It reminds me of the whole baby steps motion. Success is subjective, and its definition typically varies from one person to another. Regardless, it takes investment – in the form of commitment. Not doing anything is also doing something! The question is – what value does it bring? Any effort to improve is an achievement, so, break a leg!

About myself, I’m Taran who believes that limits are barriers created by the mind!

(Taranjit Kaur is a Kuala Lumpur based executive who gets involved in Sikh activities. She is a regular contributor to Asia Samachar) 

RELATED STORY:

“Don’t be afraid to push boundaries,” says powerlifter Karenjeet Kaur (Asia Samachar, 16 March 2021)

The next one will be a boy! (Asia Samachar, 9 Nov 2017)

By Asia Samachar Team | UNITED STATES |

California students are set to be exposed to Sikh history and their contributions when they undertake ethnic studies.

This is a result of months of active lobbying as the California State Board of Education was working on the state’s Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC).

On Thursday, the board met to discuss and adopt the final draft, two years after it set out to draft a model ethnic studies curriculum for its high schools.

“After months of advocacy from community members across the state, California Sikhs are pleased that the meaningful representation of our history, stories, and contributions will be part of the ESMC,” said Sikh Coalition education director Dr. Pritpal Kaur in a statement.

“Having accurate and relevant information about Sikh children in this curriculum and accompanying lesson plans will make their classrooms a safer and more welcoming place for all, while also educating non-Sikh children about an important California community.”

The process began two years ago when California set out to draft a model ethnic studies curriculum for its high schools.

The draft approved draft had seen multiple revisions and received close to 100,000 public comments, including ‘complaints from Jews, Koreans, Sikhs, Armenians and other ethnic and religious groups who said it left out their American experiences’.

In an Associated Press report, it noted that process illustrated ‘the challenges of crafting an ethnic studies curriculum at a time of racial reckoning and national division’.

“California’s ethnic studies debate highlights some of the difficult questions educators will face in an era when the US is redefining its heroes and asking whose stories should be told. More than three-quarters of California’s 6.2 million public school students are nonwhite,” the report added.

Recounting the effort, the Sikh Coalition statement noted that for months, the Sikh community in California — which represents roughly half of the approximately 500,000 Sikhs throughout the United States — has advocated in favor of a robust ESMC.

In March of 2020, the Sikh Coalition and the Jakara Movement rallied 52 gurdwaras (Sikh houses of worship) and more than 1,200 petition signers to endorse their recommended additions and lesson plan for the curriculum. Hundreds of Sikh community members have provided written and spoken public comment, and a bipartisan group of 25 California assembly members and state senators joined a letter in support of these efforts last October.

“Sikhs and our stories are critical for a robust Ethnic Studies field, and the community’s relentless advocacy over these past several months makes it clear that we are resolute regarding our inclusion in the curriculum,” said Jakara Movement executive director Naindeep Singh in the same statement. “For any understanding of historical or contemporary California, Sikh stories have been integral in shaping the state for more than 125 years.”

While pushing for positive Sikh representation, the two groups noted that they fully support the efforts by many other marginalized groups to advance anti-racist education for all.

Accordingly, the Sikh Coalition and the Jakara Movement said it will continue to work with colleagues connected to the Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (LESMC) Institute to ensure that legitimate and comprehensive educational materials are created and distributed to support the implementation of Ethnic Studies in classrooms at the school district level.

“We acknowledge that this new ESMC comes with serious and well-documented flaws, and there are several communities that are not represented as they should be,” continued Dr. Kaur. “Accordingly, we maintain a close working relationship with both the California Department of Education and the LESMC Institute, and we will continue to fight for not just the Sikh community, but all groups whose histories should be taught under the discipline of Ethnic Studies.”

RELATED STORY:

Sikhs to be counted in United States 2020 Census (Asia Samachar, 16 Jan 2020)

Concerns are growing that online “hate factories” spreading misinformation and propaganda about minority groups in India are influencing and radicalising people in Australia.

In late February, men armed with bats and hammers attacked four Sikh students in a car in Harris Park in western Sydney. The occupants escaped unharmed, but their car was severely damaged. Police are investigating the attack, but have stopped short of calling the attack a hate crime.

Community leaders say divisions within the Indian-Australian community have grown, as Hindu nationalists use Facebook and Whatsapp groups to spread divisive rhetoric targeting minority groups including Sikhs and Muslims.

The divisions are rooted in the ongoing farmers’ protest in India, where thousands of farmers – the majority of them Sikhs from India’s northern region – took to the streets to demand the government revoke new agriculture laws.

Tensions boiled over when police intervened at a rally in Sydney, also in February. Sikh community members, seeking to show their solidarity with the farmers protest in India, were met with supporters of the governing BJP party, forcing police to break up the rally.

No arrests were made, but the sense of simmering acrimony stuck with many who witnessed it.

Amar Singh, the president of charity Turbans 4 Australia, said he was worried about how the extreme rhetoric targeting minority Indian groups could affect his community.

“I’ve been in Australia 22 years, and I have never seen it this bad before. For me personally, it’s been an eye-opener to see how much hate there is in the community.

“I do feel like my community is in danger. If a person can be targeted … for their background or religion, it’s a danger to our whole society.

“These attacks, in addition to the bullying and harassment online, is certainly not welcome.”

Singh said that some people in online groups were advocating for members to boycott particular businesses based on whether the owners were Sikh or Muslim.

“That’s not the way we should do things, we shouldn’t pick where we shop based on the ethnicity or religion of the owner. It goes against our multicultural society here in Australia.”

Read the full story, ‘Fears of escalating violence as online ‘hate factories’ sow division within Australia’s Indian community- (The Guardian, 19 Mar 2021), here.

RELATED STORY:

(Asia Samachar, xx Jan 2021)

SASKAAR / CREMATION: 12pm, 22 March 2021 (Monday) at Hindu Board of Endowment Crematorium Ground, Batu Lanchang, Pulau Pinang. LAST RESPECTS can be paid at residence, No 51, Tan Eu Ghee Road, 10460, George Town, Pulau Pinang. Cortege leaves residence at 11.30am, 22 March 2021 (Monday). PATH DA BHOG: 4 April 2021 (Sunday), 8am – 11am, at Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang | Malaysia

ਪਵਨੈ ਮਹਿ ਪਵਨੁ ਸਮਾਇਆ ।। ਜੋਤੀ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਰਲਿ ਜਾਇਆ ।। ਮਾਟੀ ਮਾਟੀ ਹੋਈ ਏਕ ।। ਰੋਵਨਹਾਰੇ ਕੀ ਕਵਨ ਟੇਕ ।। ੧ ।।

Pavnai mahe pavanu samaaeaa || Jotee mahe jote rale jaaeaa || Maattee maattee hoee ayk || Rovanhaaray kee kavan ttayk || 1 ||

The Air merged into the Air. Light merged into Light. Dust ink Dust. Hence why lament.

MATA GIAN KAUR W/O LATE SDR. JAGIR SINGH BAL

With grief please be informed that Mata Gian Kaur left for her heavenly abode on the morning of 21 March 2021 (Sunday).

Village: Sathiala

Children / Spouse:

Balbeer Kaur & Tony Crilly

Paramjit Kaur & Late Sarjeet Singh Gill

Late Ranjodh Singh Bal & Darshan Kaur

Raghbir Singh Bal & Gurdeep Kaur

Harjet Singh Bal

Grandchildren: Jasmin Crilly, Tamara Crilly, Lauren Crilley, Hollie Crilly, Safren Crilly, Paramjit Singh (Pemma), Kiranjit Kaur (Kelly), Gurjeet Singh (Ricky), Gianjit Kaur, Manjit Singh (Sonu), Jagvinder Singh (Jack) Manvinder Kaur (Misha), Palvinder Kaur

Great Grandchildren: Alycia Kaur, Amelia Kaur, Emmeline, Charolette, Elizabeth, Alexa, Milo, Rehan Singh, Veo Zidaan Singh, Renea Kaur, Casper

Cremation / Saskaar: 12pm, 22 March 2021 (Monday) at Hindu Board of Endowment Crematorium Ground, Batu Lanchang, Pulau Pinang

Last Respects can be paid at residence, No 51, Tan Eu Ghee Road, 10460, George Town, Pulau Pinang. Cortege leaves residence at 11.30am, 22 March 2021 (Monday)

Sahej Path da Bhog & Antim Ardaas: 4 April 2021 (Sunday), 8am – 11am, at Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang

Contact:

Sdr. Raghbir Singh (Chidi) 016-4360909

Sdr. Harjit Singh (Toti) 016-4222029

Gianjit Kaur 016-2215572

Due to the CMCO, family members have requested to keep the funeral a small affair. Please observed Covid-19 regulations.

| Entry: 21 March 2021 | Source: Family

By Hb Singh | OPINION |

When you level sexual allegations against popular religious leaders, be prepared for feverish denials and counter attacks. They will retaliate with a thousand arrows bearing tips poisoned with false stories and personal attacks.

And if they are dead and gone – as in the case of outed sexual predators like Yogi Bhajan and Ravi Zacharias – their fanatical followers will accuse you of maligning someone no longer around to defend himself. They’re dead and gone, so why do you want to dig into the past? How dare you!

When the first part of this series was published, I got exactly such a response. An ardent supporter of Yogi Bhajan – the Los Angeles yoga guru who made tons of money peddling Kundalini Yoga (KY) and Yogi Tea – wrote mockingly on the social media: “After death one can write anything.”

SEE PART 1 HERE

Let us first address this matter. Should we desist writing about dead religious leaders gone rogue? If someone famous is dead now, it may be inappropriate to point out their little flaws that you may have known all along or discovered subsequently. We should let them slide. I would.

But not major flaws like sexual abuse and rape. You don’t sweep them under the carpet, even if they come to light after their death. These are criminal offences. These are actions with real victims, who are probably still reeling from trauma and injury of the actions of the big fish perpetrator.

When discussing Zacharias’ despicable actions, a Christian blogger gave this argument. After the person dies, you discover multiple bodies buried under his house. Now, do you brush off the case, and argue we should do nothing because he is now dead? Definitely not. A proper investigation should follow.

For that diehard fan of Yogi Bhajan, let it be known that when people take up such matters, they are not merely writing ‘anything’. On the contrary, it is about shining light on something very, very wrong perpetrated by the so-called ‘master’. Yes, to many, Yogi Bhajan is still worshipped as a master. His words hold sway, years after his death.

In fact, people invoking this argument are actually enablers of the abuse. They were probably silent if they had known about the abuses earlier, and they are still protecting the perpetrator by trying to silence those courageous enough to sound the alarm bells. So, enough with this nonsense that the person is dead and gone.

GHOSTS OF THE PAST

The purpose of this series is to learn from the Ravi Zacharias expose.

Let us look at the investigation itself. Ravi Zacharias International Ministry (RZIM) – the Christian mega speaker’s multi-million-dollar enterprise named after him – really did not have much of a choice but to undertake the investigation. News of the extent of Ravi’s sexual exploits had spread widely after Christianity Today’s September 2020 article citing allegations by three anonymous sources that he had sexually harassed them at two spas he co-owned. The ghost of the past began catching up. The organisation was forced to do something. Meek denials will no longer suffice.

So, they hired a law firm to dig into the matter. The investigation revealed a damning story. Zacharias was exposed as a sexual predator, his double life unmasked.

We now turn to Yogi Bhajan’s legacy organisations – i.e. the outfits that took over after his death in 2004 at the age of 75. Murmurs of his sexual exploits had made their rounds earlier, but remained under wraps. The 1986 court case taken up by Pamela Saharah Dyson – known as Premka Kaur Khalsa while she was within the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO) fold – was settled out of court. The KY circle would have been aware, but nothing much was spoken about it outside.

Hence, more than a decade later, when a group of Malaysians were planning a major event in 1999, as part of the 300th celebration of the Khalsa, they were eager to invite Yogi Bhajan as the key speaker. I was part of the team. None of us were aware of the sexual abuse allegations against him. Either we failed in our due diligence, or these matters were kept well hidden. In the end, the plan did not work out, saving us embarrassments in years to come.

Yogi Bhajan’s legacy organisation was once again forced to face his past ghosts in 2000 when Premka released her book, ‘Premka: White Bird in a Golden Cage (My Life with Yogi Bhajan)’. It detailed his alleged sexual and other abuses. Of course, by this time, he was already dead. But his organisation was still alive and kicking, and minting money in his name.

At the top of the food chain is Siri Singh Sahib Corporation (SSSC), the umbrella organisation for 3HO which promotes KY, a yoga brand popularised by Yogi Bhajan. 3HO represents the ‘global Kundalini Yoga (as taught by Yogi Bhajan) community’, as stated on its website. Others in the web include Kundalini Research Institute (KRI), International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association (IKYTA) and Sikh Dharma International (SDI).

After Pamela’s book hits the streets, KY trainers and students were abuzz. For many, they must have felt being hit by a wrecking ball. Many of them had joined the organisation years after Yogi Bhajan’s death, and were blissfully unaware of his past transgressions. They would have felt cheated by the silence of the older and more senior members who would, and should, have known about Yogi Bhajan’s dark past.

FLAWED INVESTIGATION

At this juncture, just like RZIM, the all-white clad men and women at SSSC and its affiliates were forced to confront the issue. They had no where to run.

In a note dated 18 Feb 2020 and addressed to the ‘3HO, Sikh Dharma and KRI Community’, a clutch of the community leaders got the process rolling. They said: “Credible allegations concerning sexual misconduct by Yogi Bhajan have come forward. Our organizations take these allegations very seriously. We stand united against abuse of power, sexual abuse, any form of exploitation, and any use of sexuality as a vehicle for causing harm.” What a change of heart. Earlier, they were indifferent, resentful even, to such sexual abuse allegations.

Now cornered, SSSC commissioned An Olive Branch (AOB), a Buddhist-based organisation, to conduct a supposedly independent investigation into the allegations. AOB’s stated aim, as outlined at its website, is to ‘bring about greater understanding and reduction of ethical misconduct on the part of religious leaders.’ They perform ‘thorough and compassionate investigations’ for ‘spiritual communities worldwide’, as noted by those who commissioned them.

Let’s be clear. AOB is not geared to conduct full-fledged investigations. Its investigation scope pales when compared to RZIM. The outfit engaged by RZIM had even hired a former FBI agent to help with its investigation. No such thing by AOB.

AOB’s investigation was child’s play, more of a whitewash. All they did was set-up an email, gather feedback, interview people willing to talk, and sift through additional material or documents provided by Yogi Bhajan’s side or witnesses. There was no any real investigation on the part of the external party. They did not call out for documents or communications that will instruct them as to what was really going on.

Agreed, the incidents happened 16 years after Yogi Bhajan’s death. Still, there are documents in the achieves that can help in the process. In one court case initiated by Inderjit Kaur Puri, Yogi Bhajan’s widow popularly known as Bibiji – they had presented to the court relevant documents and emails. They even made mention of voicemail messages. Surely a thorough inspection of documents and emails may have flesh out more details on the sexual abuse allegations.

So, in light of that, what outcome do you expect?

When released in August 2020, AOB’s report found that Yogi Bhajan ‘more likely than not’ had ‘engaged in sexual battery, other sexual abuse specifically, exposing minors to pornography, sexual harassment, and unethical behavior’.

“After weighing all of the relevant information available to us, we have sufficient evidence to conclude it is more likely than not that Yogi Bhajan raped three women and that he directed one woman to have anal sex with a young man,” read one of its multiple conclusions to a barrage of allegations levied against the teacher whose real name is Harbhajan Singh Puri.

‘More likely than not’. Seriously?

To begin with, SSSC and its affiliates had designed a superficial investigation to calm the nerves of its members and clients. They let slip an opportunity to come clean with a proper and thorough investigation. Instead, they dished out a lame exercise. The report even carried high praises of Yogi Bhajan. One respondent, called supporter, described Yogi Bhajan as ‘saint-like’ or someone who is ‘like Christ or the Buddha’. That’s on page 19 of the 72 page AOB report. Oh, yes. This report was half-packed with uncritical views of diehard followers.

Its limited investigation scope ensured that it does not go beyond sexual-related allegations. There may be many more things wrong at the movement. But all of that was off bounds, and not within the investigation’s scope. A proper investigation would have allowed a true picture to emerge.

WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE AROUND YOGI BHAJAN?

So, the investigation zoomed onto Yogi Bhajan. Though he wielded immense control, still, he was no one-man operator. He ran an ashram, he supervised an enterprise. He was lord over a money making machine. But there were others around.

There were secretaries and directors. Some of them are still around. What role did they play, if any? Were they equally guilty in this enterprise? Did they have a hand in the string of sexual abuses that Yogi Bhajan was ‘more likely than not’ to have committed? Perhaps some of them chose to close their eyes and ears to the nonsense that was happening right under their noses, or around them?

All these question were left unanswered by design. It was never part of the investigation. So they escaped scrutiny, throwing the already dead Yogi Bhajan under the bus.

Someone should comb the present day leadership list and see who should have known something about the sexual abuses of the past. Then we may know who had remained silent. These would be the enablers of the sexual abuse and other potential shenanigan that went on.

LIES. MORE LIES.

Ravi Zacharias had been a pretender for decades. Steve Baughman, who practices law in the San Francisco Bay Area, was among the few who started calling out Zacharias for whom he truly was. But to no avail. His voice hardly made a dent in the thick armor that surrounded the Zacharias machinery.

Among the early red flags that caught Baughman’s attention were the preacher man’s supposed credentials. Zacharias had claimed for himself academic credentials that he did not have. He claimed to be “a professor at Oxford” and a “visiting scholar at Cambridge.” He repeatedly told his audience – packed large auditoriums around the world – that he had been “educated in Cambridge.”

In mid-2015, Baughman found out that Zacharias was never a visiting scholar at Cambridge University. He had written confirmation from the university. He brought this to RZIM’s attention. How did they react? They cut off all communication with him.

In 2018, Baughman released a book entitled ‘Cover-Up in the Kingdom: Phone Sex, Lies, And God’s Great Apologist, Ravi Zacharias’. Even this did not do much to slow down. Instead, he kept up the double life, travelling all over the world, with prolonged stints in Thailand in the guise of writing. All expense paid by his ministry.

“His claims were false, and his Christian business colleagues knew it. They remained silent. Ravi Zacharias was too useful to the Kingdom. He had written dozens of books, had a weekly radio show that reached over 2000 outlets, he packed large auditoriums around the world, and in 2016 his ministry brought in $42,000,000. This was a large boat that nobody in the Christian business world wanted to rock,” he writes.

There are some similarities with the story of Harbhajan Singh Puri @ Yogi Bhajan. If you care to listen carefully, you will find inconsistencies in his narrative as to how it all started. Some researchers have caught him making up stuff about his yoga lineage and masters.

Let us introduce you to Philip Deslippe, an American religion historian from University of California Santa Barbara. He wrote a ‘detailed and evidence-based account’ of the origins of KY in the article “From Maharaj to Mahan Tantric” published in the academic journal Sikh Formations in 2012. The article challenged the KY official history claiming it as an ancient and secret tradition prior to Yogi Bhajan’s open teaching of it. Students are told that the practice contains secret teachings passed down the line from masters before him. It is presented as an extension of some age old practice. Yogi Bhajan and his troops have successfully marketed the yoga teachings worldwide. They have teachers and students in many countries, including in Europe, Africa and Asia. They are present in Malaysia and Singapore, as well.

But is KY truly a hand-me-down from an age old practice? Not quite. Deslippe argued that it was ‘a bricolage created by Yogi Bhajan himself’, deriving from two main figures. In other words, Yogi Bhajan had put stuff together, and whipped up the KY cocktail. It was, after all, not as magical as he had made it.

In a court document, it is claimed that in 1971, Yogi Bhajan was ‘designated the Siri Singh Sahib, the Sikh leader for the Western Hemisphere.’ What brazen lie! First, the title is disputed. But that may be a story for another day. Second, what a mighty claim. They should have just anointed him Sikh leader of the universe! To think that they would use such ostentatious lies in official documents. Imagine what more behind closed doors.

Aside from peddling yoga to the Western world, so Yogi Bhajan is also this Sikhi teaching, with a big title. He had given the Sikh teachings some twist of his own. He had tried to inject, or weld, yoga deep into its psyche. Followers may do well to examine if his narrative of the Guru’s message stands the test.

But making such a call is not so straight forward. Rejecting the KY component will be tough because teachers, students and fans have invested time, money and a great deal of emotion into the teaching. For some, it defines them! For others, it connects them to the wider family. And there is the financial element. Too many people have invested too much of themselves in it. Today, it’s a money making machine for Yogi Bhajan’s legacy organisations and for many of its key people.

The lesson here is that even the best and the most eloquent amongst us are capable of lying. Yes, they are religious preachers and leaders, but it does not mean that they are not capable of lying. We must always be alert. Catch them early, so that they don’t keep growing their lies. They maybe be rockstars or sants or babas, but be clear, they are humans, after all.

OFFICIAL RESPONSE

We now look at what took place post-investigation. RZIM and Yogi Bhajan’s legacy organisations reacted in very different ways.

Within a month after the release of the report, Sarah Davis, RZIM CEO and Zacharias’s daughter, released a statement acknowledging the pain and suffering caused by her father’s actions, and announced a slew of actions to be taken. She admitted that her father was involved in ‘antithetical’ activities. They announced that RZIM would change its name. And that they will start pulling down his online videos and books.

RZIM is showing the world that it is trying to move forward. They have engaged an external party to undertake a thorough and independent assessment of the organisation’s management. Remember, the board and management failed big time in reining in Ravi, the face of their organisation, when they were already noises out there that something was rotten in RZIM.

But no such inkling at the Yogi Bhajan empire. Aside from pulling down a photo or two or making some cosmetic changes, It’s business as usual.

On the family front, not so much of a squeal from Yogi Bhajan’s family. His wife has maintained silence on the issue. We have not come across any statement from Bibiji on the abuse perpetrated by her husband. The same goes for their children: Ranbir Singh Bhai, Kamaljit Kaur Kohli and Kulbir Singh Puri.

Asia Samachar had checked with a number of people who have been following the developments at the Yogi Bhajan legacy organisations. They say that the family has avoided discussing the matter publicly because they are engaged in a number of lawsuits with the organisation. We may be looking at potentially hefty settlements here.

In a SSSC trustees report for the first quarter of 2015, there was an entry entitled ‘Meditation with Bibiji’. It reads: “Over the past few months, we have been engaged with Bibiji, Ranbir Singh, Kulbir Singh, Kamaljit Kaur, and Avneesh Kaur in extensive discussions to resolve the ongoing litigation and issues, and bring healing to our Dharma.” Dr Avneesh is married to Ranbir.

When Yogi Bhajan died, he left half of his estate to his wife and half to a group of 15 female former assistants. Some of the legal suits are related to this. In one of the cases, Bibiji claimed that her husband’s advisers improperly excluded her and their children from the management boards of two non-profit organisations her husband started. At the end of the day, these court battles come down to power and money.

The family and the organisation can do better in how they are dealing with the fallout of Yogi Bhajan’s sexual abuse scandal. The real story is still buried in the bosoms of people running the show at the organisation.

Hb Singh is a Kuala Lumpur-based journalist with some experience in dealing with Sikh organisations, both from within and outside. He met Yogi Bhajan in person in 1999 in Anandpur Sahib.

* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

RELATED STORY:

Yogi Bhajan’s fall from grace. The ‘sexual abuse’ is just the just beginning (Asia Samachar, 20 Aug 2020)

Yogi Bhajan ‘more likely than not’ raped his followers (Asia Samachar, 15 Aug 2020)

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

By Asia Samachar Team | NEW ZEALAND |

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern opened the sports complex of the Takanini Gudwara yesterday (21 March). Also present was Auckland mayor Philip Bruce Goff.

The new facility for football, cricket, kabbadi, basketball and volleyball is shared with other sports groups and the wider community.

“The Sikh community has also worked hard to contribute to others with its huge effort to provide food parcels and essential services to thousands of families in need during the Covid lockdowns. A big thank you to them from Auckland,” said Goff in a Facebook entry.

RELATED STORY:

First ever Diwali event in Wellington mall (Asia Samachar, 23 Oct 2020)

PATH DA BHOG: 11am – 1pm, 27 March 2021 (Saturday), at Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang | Malaysia

| Entry: 22 March 2021 | Source: Family

LAST RESPECTS can be paid at No 109, Jalan Sawi 4, Taman Sri Senai, 81400, Senai, Johor on Tuesday (23 March 2021) from 3pm onwards. FINAL PRAYER at residence at 10am 24 March 2021 (Wednesday) and hearse leaves at 12.30pm. SASKAAR / CREMATION: 2pm, 24 March 2021 (Wednesday), at Hindu Crematorium, Jalan Kebun Teh, Johor Bahru, Johor | Malaysia

ਆਗਿਆ ਆਵੈ ਆਗਿਆ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਾ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਾ ਲਏ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੬॥

Aagiaa Aavai Aagiaa Jaae || Naanak Jaa Bhaavai Thaa Leae Samaae ||6||

By His Will we come, and by His Will we go. O Nanak, when it pleases Him, then He absorbs us into Himself. ||6|| (SGGS, 294)

MR INDERJIT SINGH SOHEN SINGH

| Entry: 22 March 2021 | Source: Family

By Asia Samachar Team | SINGAPORE |

Naumi Hotels has appointed Viri Kaur as general manager for Naumi Singapore, a contemporary luxury boutique hotel and a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, effective 1 March.

Viri is a highly experienced hotelier who has stellar skill set in operating luxury hotels and branded residences, according to a statement shared at Hoteliers Web website.

Viri started her career with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Singapore and progressed through various management positions in leadership roles at Shangri-La Hotel Abu Dhabi, Pan Pacific Hotels Group and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company including the opening of Bvlgari Residences in Shanghai.

He last position prior to this was GM for residences at Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., taking care of Singapore and Thailand.

At Naumi Singapore, Viri is focused on ensuring the company’s strategic business growth, brand positioning and awareness, including elevating touchpoints in operational excellence.

It added that Viri’s passion for the hospitality industry and interest in keeping abreast with global trends motivated her to pursue her education in Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme with Ecole Hotel School Lausanne.

The statement added that Viri has a 29-year career span in the hospitality industry and extensive knowledge and experience in luxury brands.

Naumi Hotels, a Singapore-based private hospitality label, remains a family-owned business since first opening the doors to Naumi Singapore in 2007. It operates a total of seven properties across Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.

RELATED STORY:

Malaysian Punjabi hoteliers maiden networking session (Asia Samachar, 12 July 2017)

By Qiuyi Tan | NZ Herald |

Mandeep Kaur cried a lot in the six years she was separated from her two children.

She had to leave them in India with her parents when she came to New Zealand – “the saddest years of my life”, the 52-year-old police officer recalls.

This month, Mandeep became the first India-born woman to reach the rank of senior sergeant in the New Zealand Police. A poster child for ethnic and gender diversity in the public service, her children have grown up and she is a proud grandmother of two.

Official data from February 2021 shows nearly 426,000 migrants in New Zealand, up 18 per cent from 2011.

Many of these journeys started with failure.

“Dark spots can either push you deeper into the ditch, or [make you go] up somewhere to find the light,” Mandeep tells the Weekend Herald.

Born to a conservative family in Punjab, Mandeep is tall for an Indian woman. When she was growing up her mother would say, ‘you could have joined the police if you were a boy’. But uniformed jobs in India at the time were for men, and women did less adventurous work. “It was my mother who gave me the police dream,” she says.

She was married just before she turned 18, and gave birth to her daughter at 19 when she was in her final year of college. She was breastfeeding when she took her final written paper.

She pressed on and got her degree in political science and sociology. It was an arranged marriage and had its ups and downs, so she knew that being independent was important, and a university education was a big part of that.

Her marriage ended in 1992. She moved back to her parents’ home with two young children in tow, and waited for her husband to come back for her. In her culture, broken marriages are often blamed on wives.

“It’s not the norm, so you get judged when your marriage doesn’t work and you become dependent on your family.”

Her husband never came. She was miserable, but it pushed her to pack her bags for an opportunity. She’d overheard her parents chatting to their neighbours whose son was in Australia. He had only been away for six months and already sent home tens of thousands of rupees. She wanted to do the same for her family.

The day of her departure, her father took her two children out for a KitKat. Amardeep was only 6 and Parneet 8 at the time. They did not say goodbye, not knowing she was going away. It would have been too hard, too emotional, she says. For many years after that, she did not eat KitKat. It still hurts when she thinks of that day.

She couldn’t speak much English when she landed in Australia in 1996. For the next six years, she would be a long-distance mother, prevented from bringing her children over by a complicated custody battle with her ex-husband.

Her first job in Australia was a door-to-door salesperson getting homeowners to change telephone services. She remembers what it was like on the sidewalk on a rainy day, trying to keep a flimsy piece of paper out of the rain because it has her lines written on it.

“I was able to read and write but I couldn’t really speak. So I’d written my pitch on a piece of paper and I’d go door to door to sell.”

She learned to use cardboard wrapped in plastic and how to read a map. “It helped me build the confidence to speak with people and go beyond the sale to talk about other things.”

She also drove a taxi, a job she continued when she came to New Zealand in 1999. One night she was discussing happiness with a passenger, a psychologist who said that realising a childhood dream can be a source of happiness. That got her thinking about her old police fantasy.

Read the full story, ‘From taxi driver to top NZ cop: Indian woman’s incredible story’ (NZ Herald, 20 March 2021), here.

RELATED STORY:

This is Mukhjot Kaur from Hong Kong Police (Asia Samachar, 25 Feb 2021)

By Thasha Jayamanogaran | Malay Mail | Malaysia |

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Former federal Commercial Crimes Investigations Department (CCID) director Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh today dismissed fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin’s allegation that the former had protected loan shark cartels during his tenure.

After his family was accused of being loan sharks, Amar rubbished the claim and told Malay Mail that there is no need for his family to resort to criminal activity as they all work in professional lines.

“My immediate and extended family are all professionals … doctors, accountants and investment bankers. We don’t need to venture into loan sharking,” he told Malay Mail.

Raja Petra, currently holed up somewhere in the United Kingdom, accused the retired police commissioner of allowing loan sharks to walk in and out of his office in Bukit Aman freely.

He also claimed that every police officer at Bukit Aman knew about it.

Raja Petra’s allegation comes after a recent statement by current Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, who claimed a cartel of officers are working to oust him, with officers afraid to take action because former top cops, including former IGPs, were fine with pocketing bribes and are still looking to influence proceedings within the police force.

This is not the first time Raja Petra has taken a swipe at Amar. He had in the past also claimed that Amar was seeking Canadian citizenship after blundering investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“It’s absolutely hilarious how this person is trying to undermine me. First, he stated that I am running off to Canada and now he states that my family and I run a loan shark cartel.

See the full story, ‘‘My family are all professionals’: Former crimebuster Amar Singh rejects blogger’s loan shark cartel claim’ (Malay Mail, 24 March 2021), here.

RELATED STORY:

Honouring top Sikh cop Amar Singh Ishar Singh (Asia Samachar, 8 Dec 2018)

Top Sikh cop Amar Singh now director at Bukit Aman (Asia Samachar, 10 Oct 2017)

SASKAAR / CREMATION: Cortege will leave residence, No. 7, Jalan Bahaudin, Hillside, Tanjong Bungah, 11200 Penang on 25 March 2021 (Thursday) at 12.00noon for final rites and cremation at the Hindu Endowment Board, Jalan Batu Lanchang, Penang. PATH DA BHOG & ANTHIM ARDAAS: 12 noon, 4 April 2021 (Sunday) at Gurdwara Khalsa Dharmic Jatha, 51, Patani Road, 10150 Penang | Malaysia

KALLEY AAVE NAANKA SADE UTHEE JAAYE (SGGS, 1239)

ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

Silver in her hair; Gold in her heart
A Gentle soul with a formidable strength
in every fibre of her being.

Waheguruji has called our Rani
to be reunited with her Jio and heaven
has gained another angel

SARDARNI MANJIT KAUR JOHL A/P DALIP SINGH

W/O LATE SARDAR HARBANS SINGH SANGAY

Age: 83 years

Passed away peacefully on Wednesday, 24th March 2021

leaving behind

Children / Spouses (Grandchildren):

Harminder Kaur / Hardeep Singh (Dr Satvinder Singh Chauhan, Sharanjit Kaur)

Harjit Singh Sangay / Narinder Kaur (Dr Kiranjeet Kaur, Dr Surajdeep Singh Sangay)

Dr Kamaljit Kaur / Dr Jaspal Singh Manocha (Dr Shereen Kaur Manocha, Dr Karen Kaur Manocha, Jasjit Singh Manocha)

Dr Ranjit Singh Sangay / Kirenjit Kaur (Jasdeep Singh Sangay, Jaslin Kaur Sangay, Harsharan Kaur Sangay)

together with many Relatives and Friends.

Our special thanks to caregivers Grace & Juliet for their kind dedication, patience and loving care.

Cortege will leave residence, No. 7, Jalan Bahaudin, Hillside, Tanjong Bungah, 11200 Penang on Thursday, 25th March 2021 at 12.00noon for final rites and cremation at the Hindu Endowment Board, Jalan Batu Lanchang, Penang.

Contact Persons: Harjit Singh +6019-445 3828, Kamaljit Kaur +6012-690 6900

Due to the current MCO & SOP compliance, please note on the strict regulations and guidelines required.

Path Da Bhog & Anthim Ardaas will be held at Gurdwara Khalsa Dharmic Jatha, 51, Patani Road, 10150 Penang on Sunday, 4th April 2021 at 12.00noon onwards.

| Entry: 24 March 2021 | Source: Family

By Asia Samachar Team | AUSTRALIA |

A group of Sikh volunteers are serving freshly cooked food to people in New South Wales (NSW) as the Australian state is pummeled with heavy rainfall.

Sikh Volunteers Australia (SVA) yesterday (24 March) headed towards flood affected areas in Castle Hill, Richmond and North Richmond.

SVA team had earlier just finished serving meals to fellow Australian farmers stuck in Oxley Island NSW flood-affected area.

The food was prepared at Gurdwara Sahib Glenwood Sydney. “We are so thankful to Gurdwara Sahib Glenwood management committee for providing every support,” SVA in a social media entry the day before.

RELATED STORY:

Meet the Sikhs who keep coming to the rescue for vulnerable Victorians (Asia Samachar, 21 July 2020)

By Asia Samachar Team | SINGAPORE |

As the Istri Satsang Singapore (ISS) celebrates its 75th anniversary, one of the projects dear to their hearts is the teaching of the Punjabi language. Hence, they extended a donation of S$2,100 to Singapore Sikh Education Foundation (SSEF).

The cheque presentation ceremony was held at the Cnetral Sikh Temple (CST) yesterday (24 March). SSEF is a self-help non-profit organisation focusing on providing Punjabi Language education for pupils in mainstream schools in Singapore.

At the same event, the CST women’s wing also presented shawls to members to appreciate their dedication and commitment to the vision of the movement.

ISS president Gurmail Kaur thanked all parties for the support to enable the wing to undertake its activities.

RELATED STORY:

Singapore senior minister attends Istri Sat Sang 70th anniversary (Asia Samachar, 8 April 2016)

Sikh ladies hail Singapore frontliners battling Covid-19 (Asia Samachar, 6 March 2020)

The first thing we need to do is to look at the pre-1468 beliefs pertaining to Ancestors. The Sanskrit word for it is Piter. Gurbani uses the same word when referring to this concept.

The claim in the pre-1468 beliefs is that our Piter reside in a location called Piter Lok. And that it is our duty to provide for their needs in Piter Lok.

The ritual that is related to ancestors is called Shraadh. The objective of Shraadh is to pay homage to one’s deceased ancestors and make offerings to them. The expectation is that the departed ancestors or Piter will protect the family and ensure their well being.
There are two Shradhs – one for male ancestors and the other for female. Then there is a communal Shraadh – where homage is paid to all ancestors of the community together.

The family performing the Shraadh invites clergy. These clergies are then fed and offerings made to them in the name of the ancestors. The clergy perform a fire ritual appeasing the gods who are said to transmit the food and offerings to the ancestors.

Food is also offered to the departed souls. The offerings are made to three generations of Pitars only. During the ritual of Shraadh, rice balls are fed to animals and birds – dogs and crows in particular.

Within the Sikh community, our clergy has propagated the principle of paying homage to our departed ancestors – parents and grandparents – in the form of Barsis.

Offerings of beddings, food and other items of daily use such as utensils are made either to our granthis or the gurdwara. The expectation is that the benefit of the deed will pass on to our departed ancestors or Piter.

A majority of our granthis, ragis and kirtanias – have defended such a ritual or practice by claiming that Gurbani supports it. They are often heard singing or quoting verses from Gurbani that use the term Piter to justify their claims.

There is no denying that Gurbani uses the word Piter within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS).

Let’s examine these verses to see if Gurbani is advocating the rituals relating to our Piters or Ancestor; or if the messages of Gurbani are something else all together.

VERSE 1: Bhagat Kabir (SGGS, 332)  

ਰਾਗ ਗਉੜੀ ਬੈਰਾਗਣਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥ ਜੀਵਤ ਪਿਤਰ ਨ ਮਾਨੈ ਕੋਊ ਮੂਏਂ ਸਿਰਾਧ ਕਰਾਹੀ ॥ ਪਿਤਰ ਭੀ ਬਪੁਰੇ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਉ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਕਊਆ ਕੂਕਰ ਖਾਹੀ॥

Rag Gauri Bairagan Kabeer Ji. Jeevat Pitar Na Maney Kou, Muey Shradh Krahee. Pitar Bhe Bapuray Kaho Kion Pavey, Kaoa Kookar Khaee. 

The meaning of the verse is “The ancestors were not recognized when they were alive.  Once dead, we want to send them all sorts of goods through the ritual of Shraad. What an irony.”

And making offerings of food upon their demise in Ancestor worship only benefits the dogs and crows. And that nothing reaches anywhere other than that.

The message is clear. These set of verses is a critique of the ritual pertaining to Piter. Kabir is saying – Ancestors must be respected and treated well when they are alive. Not after their demise.

Then in the Rahao or Title verse of the same shabd, Bhagat Kabir has this verse.

VERSE 2: Bhagat Kabir (SGGS, 332)  

ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕੁਸਲੁ ਬਤਾਵਹੁ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਕੁਸਲੁ ਕੁਸਲੁ ਕਰਤੇ ਜਗੁ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਕੁਸਲੁ ਭੀ ਕੈਸੇ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Mo Ko Kusal Btavho Koyi. Kusal Kusal Kartay Jug Binsey. Kusal Bhi Kaisay Hoyi. Rahao.

Kabir is saying: Someone tell me what well-being comes of this ritual. The whole world of ancestor worship claims the ancestor or Piter will ensure our well-being and happiness but how could one get such from a ritual?

The message is clear again. Nothing can come our way from this ritual because deceased ancestors are not in a position to offer us anything.

VERSE 3: Guru Nanak (SGGS, 472)  

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ 1 ॥ ਜੇ ਮੋਹਾਕਾ ਘਰੁ ਮੁਹੈ ਘਰੁ ਮੁਹਿ ਪਿਤਰੀ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਅਗੈ ਵਸਤੁ ਸਿਞਾਣੀਐ ਪਿਤਰੀ ਚੋਰ ਕਰੇਇ ॥ ਵਢੀਅਹਿ ਹਥ ਦਲਾਲ ਕੇ ਮੁਸਫੀ ਏਹ ਕਰੇਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਅਗੈ ਸੋ ਮਿਲੈ ਜਿ ਖਟੇ ਘਾਲੇ ਦੇਇ ॥ 1 ॥

Solak M1. Jay Mohaka Ghar Muhey Ghar Muhe Pitri Dey. Ageiy Vast Sinyaneay Pitri(n) Chor Krey. Vadheah Hath Dlal Kay Musfi Eh Krey. Nanak Ageiy So Miley Jay Khattey Ghaley Dey.

Meaning:  If A Thief Raids a Home, and Makes an Offering of His Loot to His Deceased Ancestors. In the Ancestor world, or Piterlok, (as claimed by the clergy), The Donated Items Get Recognized; The Ancestors Are Thus Made Thieves Because They are in Possession of Looted Items. The Middleman Agent Clergy Will Have His Hands Chopped Off; This Is the Justice Meted Out to Thieves. Nanak What I Obtain as My Spiritual Outcome Is What I Earn and Accumulate with My Own Diligence.

Guru Nanak’s argument makes the following three things clear for the Sikh: First, any ritual relating to ancestors is worthless. There is nothing we can do for them and there is nothing they can do for us.

Second, the entire practice of sending things to ancestors is illogical and hence rejected.

And third, the role of the middleman clergy is an exercise of trickery. He makes a living out of the entire process – asking for things that he himself needs under the pretext of sending them to the ancestors of this devotees. To ensure his livelihood is secure, he propagates this concocted narrative of Piter.

The conclusion makes an additional contribution to our spirituality. By using words such as ਖਟੇ ਘਾਲੇ meaning – earning in diligence – Guru Nanak is advocating a spirituality of the Here and Now. Within such a context, the word ਅਗੈ Ageiy is re-defined from a non-existant clergy invented location in the clergy concocted after world – to our spiritual progress, goal and destination in the Here and Now.

It’s not too difficult to figure out that even if the word Piter appears in the verses in Gurbani, the message is NOT to suggest that it is an accepted practice or that it is part of Sikhi. The messages within these verses are a critique of the ritual for us Sikhs.

The messages are to tell us to stay clear from rituals. And to stay clear from clergy who advocate them for their own benefit.

But the messages of Gurbani have not stopped our clergy – our granthis, ragis, kirtanias, etc from arguing otherwise.

To support their stand, our clergy rely on a verse of Guru Arjun that contains the word Piter and is found on page 496 of the SGGS. The verse is as follows.

VERSE 4: Guru Arjan (SGGS, 496)  

ਗੂਜਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥ ਜਿਸੁ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਨਾਸਹਿ ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ ॥

Jis Simrat Sabh Kilvekh Nasey, Pitree Hoey Udharo.

The first part of the verse ਜਿਸੁ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਨਾਸਹਿ translates as “The Simran or Remembrance of Whom eliminates all spiritual obstacles.”

Our clergy translate ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ as “and Ensures Your ancestors WILL BE saved.”

The claim by or clergy is that this verse is clear and unequivocal support for the concept of Ancestors or Piter in Gurbani. Our clergy tell us that what we do WILL have an effect on the well-being of our Ancestors. We need to do Simran ON THE BEHALF of our deceased Ancestors to save them.

The clergy’s message to us Sikhs is this: Guru Arjun is saying clearly – Do Simran, this simran will save you and WILL save your ancestors, too, ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ.

Well, there are three things that are wrong with this translation of our clergy. The first is that it contradicts the basic principles of Gurbani, Gurmat and Sikhi.

This verse of Guru Nanak on page 474 of the SGGS lays out this basic principle.

VERSE 5: Guru Nanak (SGGS, 474)

ਆਪਣ ਹਥੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਕਾਜੁ ਸਵਾਰੀਐ ॥

Aapan Hathee Aapna Apey Hee Kaal Swareay.

Meaning: Spiritual outcomes are the result of our own actions done on our own by ourselves.

We are also familiar with this verse of Guru Nanak.

VERSE 7: Guru Nanak (SGGS, 4) 

ਆਪੇ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁ ॥

Meaning: The Self Reaps What the Self Sows

This verse of Guru Arjun on page 134 of the SGGS corroborates.

VERSE 8: Guru Arjan (SGGS, 134)

ਜੇਹਾ ਬੀਜੈ ਸੋ ਲੁਣੈ ਕਰਮਾ ਸੰਦੜਾ ਖੇਤੁ ॥

Jeha Beejay So Luney Karma Sandra Kheyt.

Meaning: Spirituality is a field where seeds of actions are sowed (planted) and outcomes (results) reaped.

Put together the principle of Gurmat that comes out is simple. Sikhi is a spirituality of the Self, for the self, by the self. There is no place for Spirituality on behalf of others in Sikhi. Spirituality on behalf of our ancestors therefore cannot be the meaning of ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ.

Secondly, the word ਹੋਇ in the verse ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ is in the past tense. So the clergy translation of ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ as Your ancestors WILL BE saved is wrong because it has made a verse in the past tense appear to be in the future tense.

Thirdly, we know that this is a verse of Guru Arjun ji. Since Gurbani is written in the first person, this verse therefore applies to Guru ji in the first person. If the clergy translation is accepted then we need to accept that the Guru is telling us “The Remembrance of Whom Ensures My ancestors WILL BE saved.”

So this is where the third problem comes in. Do the ancestors of Guru Arjun need saving? His father was Guru Ramdas. He passed on before Arjun became Guru, which means this verse is being composed after the passing of his father. So are we to believe that Guru Arjun the son had to do Simran so that his deceased father Guru Ramsas could be saved?

So putting these three points together the clergy translation of ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ as ‘our simran ensures our ancestors WILL BE saved’ is not correct. This sort of translation goes against the basic principle of spirituality of the Self. Its grammar is wrong, and the translation is ridiculously wrong when applied to Guru Arjun in the first person.

So the correct translation of the verse is as follows: The remembrance of Whom eliminates all spiritual obstacles; just like it DID for our ancestors (Gurus and Sikhs before us).

ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ means just like how the remembrance saved our ancestors in the here and now.

The next verse of this same couplet makes it clear:

VERSE 9: Guru Arjan (SGGS, 496)  

ਸੋ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਤੁਮੑ ਸਦ ਹੀ ਜਾਪਹੁ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਰੋ ॥ 1 ॥

So Har Har Tum Sad Hi Japho Ja Ka Unt Na Paro.

Meaning: Realize that particular Unfathomable omnipresent Creator whose realization saved our ancestors and whose realization will save you and me.

It is clear therefore that in this shabad of Guru Arjun, the use of the phrase ਪਿਤਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ is not in any way an endorsement of the ritual of Shraadh. It is in no way an endorsement of the notion that our deceased ancestors are in need of our intervention. It is in no way an advocacy of the pre-1468 or pre-Guru Nanak era beliefs about praying to and for our deceased ancestors.

As said above, the word Piter, Pitra(n) and Pitri(n) appears within the SGGS. In ALL of these instances, all and any ritual relating or pertaining to deceased ancestors is critiqued by the composers of the verses.

The one and only message of Gurbani relating to our Ancestors is embedded within the verse of Bhagat Kabir.

VERSE 10: Bhagat Kabir (SGGS, 332)

ਰਾਗ ਗਉੜੀ ਬੈਰਾਗਣਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥ ਜੀਵਤ ਪਿਤਰ ਨ ਮਾਨੈ ਕੋਊ ਮੂਏਂ ਸਿਰਾਧ ਕਰਾਹੀ ॥

Rag Gauri Bairagan Kabeer Ji. Jeevat Pittar Na Maney Kou Mueey Shradh Krahee. Pittar Bhe Bapuray Kaho Kion Pavey Kaooa Kookar Khaee.

Meaning: The ancestors were not recognized when they were alive.  Once dead, we want to send them all sorts of goods through the ritual of Shraad. What an irony. What hypocrisy.

The message is to ELIMINATE the irony. The message is to REJECT the hypocrisy.  And the way to do that is to respect, honor, love and venerate our elders in our lives.

In essence then, what Gurbani has done is to Liberate us from the entire pre 1468 Canvas.  To free us from the debilitating and crippling entanglement, fear and anxiety of the clergy concocted concepts of the 4,000 year old canvas.

When you stop wanting to worship your ancestors after their death, you start respecting them when they are alive, you start to love them in the present, and you start to honor them in the Here and Now.

When you stop chasing the spirituality of life after death, you start living the spirituality of here and now, and you allow the spirituality of Hukm to live within you.

When you discard the Gurbani discarded narratives of the 4,000 years old canvas, you start living the truths of Gurbani.

When you STOP chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.

SIKHI CONCEPTS VIDEO SERIES BY KARMINDER SINGH DHILLON

Part 1: Guru Nanak’s Canvas

Part 2: Death

Part 3: After Life

Part 4: 8.4 million (Chaurasi Lakh)

Part 5: Reincarnation

Part 6: Heaven and Hell

Part 7: Salvation in Afterlife (Mukti)

Part 8: Court of Judgement (Dargah)

Part 9: Dhrm Raj

Part 10: Jum Doot & Chitrgupt

Sikh thinker, writer and parcharak Karminder Singh Dhillon, PhD (Boston), is a retired Malaysian civil servant. He is the joint-editor of The Sikh Bulletin and author of The Hijacking of Sikhi. He can be contacted at dhillon99@gmail.com. 

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