Asia Samachar – Asia Samachar

| Opinion | 22 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

By Sharan Kaur

Like Pokemon, it’s becoming the talk of the town. At recent weddings and sangeets, a discussion on the latest Dasam Granth (now popularly referred to as DG) debate raging on the social media is a must. By and large I personally have been uplifted and educated by the debate.

However increasingly, many seem to view it as a battleground. This is an irony as upon close examination, you will find that the pro-DGs and anti-DGs have more common cause between themselves than with the majority of our Sikh sangat (who don’t know or don’t care).

Here’s a short summary of how they are alike:

Both camps revere and venerate Guru Gobind Singh Ji

Pro-DGs believe DG is a compilation of Guru Gobind Singh’s writings and therefore DG should be venerated as a chota granth (smaller granth) and given its due respect. Anti-DGs believe it is an insult to connect Guru Gobind Singh to most of the works contained within the DG due to the inconsistencies and contradictions with Gurbani, salutations to Hindu deities and the signing off by different poet names…among other reasons.

How do they come to such different conclusions? They have different perspectives and teachers…but hey, at least unlike us, they have actually taken the time and effort to read it! This brings me to point number two.

2. Both have read or studied the DG

Pro-DG manage to interpret to their satisfaction and take more controversial portions on faith. They regard it as Guru Gobind Singh’s attempt to imbue his Khalsa with martial spirit during those testing times of siege and battles. Anti-DG find it hard to ignore the overbearing presence of Hindu-based mythology and constant evocation of a Hindu deity. They consider a majority of DG content to be random literature and translation works rather than elevated spiritual writings of Guru Gobind Singh.

3. Both believe that the other party has a secret agenda in pushing their belief systems

The accusations hurled at each other often name the other party as minions of certain scholars, agents, sants, political leaders. Like many of us we all have friends on both sides of the debate. Personally, I see little evidence of this. Most are just actual seekers of truth afraid that the other camp is out to manipulate the Sikh sangat. And, unfortunately, this fear is evident in the way they conduct themselves. This brings me to my next point.

4. Both should be ashamed of engaging in unbecoming Sikh behaviour online

This is actually directed to the few aggressive individuals, not the whole camp. These are the individuals who do not read before commenting, who fail to engage with integrity, who respond with arrogance and insults, and who name-call and cyber bully those they do not agree with. Go view the debates and you can see who they are for yourselves.

These individuals should look within themselves and confront the character weaknesses that exist despite their attempts at elevating themselves spiritually. If you cannot debate an issue and still remain friends with your fellow Sikh brothers than go back to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and fortify your virtues within. For that I am thankful for the last similarity I have found….

5. Both accept Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as our undisputed source of spiritual wisdom

If we all agree that Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is the one and only Guru, than never fear we Sikhs will be divided. Guide those who have been consumed by their anger and fear back to the incomparable and undisputed Sachi Bani of SGGS ji.

The battle of DG is unnecessary. Let’s battle fear and ignorance instead.

Sharan Kaur, a mother of three, is involved in Sikh community work in Malaysia and Singapore

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

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

The God of Dasam Granth – Part One (Asia Samachar, 9 Aug 2016)

Dasam Granth Debate: The double edged sword (Asia Samachar, 4 Aug 2016)

SGGS-DG Discourse: Another stumbling block towards Ekta of the Sikh panth? (Asia Samachar, 4 Aug 2016)

Sikh council tells Malaysian gurdwaras not to permit Dasam Granth preaching (Asia Samachar, 3 Aug 2016)

MGC: Dasam Granth video clips not a ‘directive’ (Asia Samachar, 3 Aug 2016)

Dasam Granth video directive ignites debate in Malaysia (Asia Samachar, 1 Aug 2016)

Dasam Granth: Twisting Bones Till They Snap (Asia Samachar, 30 June 2016)

‘One Granth One Panth’ call from Global Sikh Council – Asia Samachar (Asia Samachar, 11 April 2016)

Are our Gurdwaras Dysfunctional? The Assessment. (Asia Samachar, 9 Jan 2016)

One gurpurab, two dates. Why the confusion? (Asia Samachar, 5 Jan 2016)

Lessons for the Task Force (Asia Samachar, 14 Dec 2015)

JAGIR: MGC managing granthi entry, standardising maryada at gurdwaras (Asia Samachar, 19 Nov 2015)

Sarbat Khalsa at Chabba historic, but may have been hijacked (Asia Samachar, 11 Nov 2015)

MGC passionately protects religious rights of Sikhs, others in Malaysia (Asia Samachar, 19 Nov 2015)

Lawyer challenges Akal Takht order on new gurdwaras (Asia Samachar, 27 Sept 2015)

The fallen amongst us (Asia Samachar, 22 Aug 2015)

The post Let’s battle hate and ignorance instead appeared first on Asia Samachar.

Infinity-moview3 — Dev Patel (right) stars in The Man Who Knew Infinity – PHOTO / SOURCED

The Man who knew Infinity is based on a 1991 book by Robert Kanigel and premised on a true story. Set during World War 1, it stars Dev Patel from Slumdog Millionaire as the real life Srivinasa Ramanujan. His life story is as inspiring, as it is tragic.

From Madras to Cambridge

Ramanujan, a young man from Madras writes to Prof Hardy on his mathematical theorems. Prof Hardy, a widely acknowledged English mathematician of his time, was impressed with his work. He arranged for Ramanujan to sail to England, leaving behind his newly married wife and mother. Ramanujan sets foot in Trinity College in Cambridge with a strong desire for his work to be published.

His journey was a challenging one; he was in a foreign land; he faced racial issues and non-believers in his ability. The ongoing war also necessitated food rationing. His only food for the soul was his theorems and communication with family back home. Despite all odds, he rose above the challenge. He was nurtured and mentored to greatness and eventually presented his unique gift to the world.

The Number-Journey

The film was premiered at the International Film Festival in Toronto, Zurich, Singapore and Dubai. Given its central theme, it engaged distinguished mathematicians Manjul Bhargava and Ken Ono as Associate Producers of the film. The film has been praised by mathematicians and scientists for its authentic portrayal of theoretical maths. It also projects a moving relationship between a student and his mentor. A meeting of two culturally different yet mathematically connected minds. It shows how faith and passion help overcome the challenges in life.

Ramanujan had the extraordinary ability of coming up with complex and ground breaking maths concepts despite not having proper training in the subject. He accepted his remarkable talent as a gift from God. His maths theory suggests that everything adds up. He would regularly minimise 12 steps of logic into 2! Hardy decided he should go through the formal education and training to prepare for the academic world that he must deal with. Through these two minds, the audience is taken on an enchanted number-journey!

Challenges and Faith

His Madras phase is portrayed briskly, with the main story dealing with his life in England. Ramanujan’s wife, Devika Bhise, while not prepared to let him go, felt he must follow his dream. He was to take her to England, once he stabilises. However this desire was never fulfilled due to a sad family twist, known to both of them much later.

While impressed by his genius, Hardy insists that Ramanujan supply proofs for his work or a reconstruction of his findings. To Hardy’s mind, math theorem isn’t pulled from thin air. Ramanujan, on the other hand, couldn’t comprehend the need for evidences, given his awareness and intuition on its origination – its source. He was hopeful to get his work published in time and didn’t want the theorems to die with him. He wanted to present this divine theory to the world. He also understood that Hardy who is an atheist will never appreciate this fact.

One Romantic Incident

Prof Hardy was a confirmed bachelor who devoted all his life to maths. He is portrayed as a tough individual with little show of emotions. However, over time, his interaction with Ramanujan changed his demeanour. He visited Ramanujan during his period of illness and showed compassion and kindness. He described their collaboration as – the one romantic incident in his life!

The mathematical romanticism rubbed off on the number – 1729, which played a central role in the story. Hardy remembers taking a taxi cab number 1729 to visit Ramanujan. While Hardy said the number seemed dull, Ramanujan revealed its splendour – the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways. And they both add up perfectly.

What he meant was:

1729 = 1³+ 12³

= 9³+10³

As Hardy gradually opened up, Ramanujan confessed the source of his ground breaking theorems. He explained that God speaks to him. He would have these numbers inscribed in his dreams and would document them the following morning. The source of his theorems came from our Creator. Hence, he couldn’t comprehend the need to prove them. Who are we to question God? – was his notion.

Happy and Sad Moments

Ramanujan’s isolation from his family, grizzly English climate, vegetarian diet which was not easily accommodated and intensity of work eventually took a toll on him and within seven years of leaving India he was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Ramanujan eventually gets his work published and was accepted as an FRCS fellow. It was a proud moment for him and Hardy, however by then his health had taken a dive.

Ramanujan developed theories that was several decades ahead of his time, yielding results of interest to mathematicians even today. He just didn’t live long enough to publish all of them. He returned to India in 1919, still frail, and died the following year, aged only 32. Something he predicted early on in his life.

Are Men Inventors or Explorers of Infinity?

In his memorial speech for Ramanujan, the audience sees the transformation in Prof Hardy, the atheist he was, when he accepted Ramanujan’s explanation for his theorems. Hardy in his wisdom, said that mathematics was never invented by men. It was always there, and the enlightened ones would discover these theorems, already present in the universe. He affirmed that, “We are merely explorers of infinity. Infinity was never our invention”.

The message in the movie brought some reflection to the table. I had certain questions of my own and sought to research them. The more I sought, the more information I found. The work of other math experts came to light.

Is God a Mathematician?

In his book entitled, Is God a Mathematician?, Mario Livio delves into this question. Does mathematics hold the key to understanding the mysteries of the physical world? Is mathematics ultimately invented or discovered? His story of math starts in ancient Greece, with Pythagoras and followers searching for the ‘cosmic order’ in numbers and ratios. They believed that numbers describe a world whose order exists and humans are privileged to discover that order.

The Golden Ratio

In another book by Mario entitled: The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World’s Most Astonishing Number, he explains that historically there has been a mysterious relationship between numbers and nature of reality. Mario tells the tale of a number, at the heart of that mystery which is Phi or 1.618.

This mathematical relationship widely known as The Golden Ratio or Divine Proportion, was discovered more than 2,000 years ago and played a crucial role in guiding the construction of Pyramids by ancient Babylonians. Poets and composers have used the Phi in their works and it was also featured in works of art from Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Phi is present all around us, where subject matters rests in the proportion above. Its amazing functionality in Mother Nature such as in mollusc shells, sunflower florets, rose petals and even the transcending galaxy suggests its importance as a fundamental characteristic of the Universe. Again, inferencing that our Creator is a mathematician, among others.

The Infinite

In this movie, the divine mathematician is not Ramanujan nor Hardy. And Ramanujan knew that. He knew what Infinity represents. And where it originated. Everything comes from Him. Everything is a gift from Him. As the notion goes: Seek and you shall find. He sought. And he found.

Dr Michio Kaku, an author and American professor of theoretical physics, said that the mind of God is cosmic music; the music of strings resonating through dimensional space.

Water, earth and the nether world are filled with these species. A specie may become extinct where it may be replaced or move to another planet. However, the creation and destruction of these species keep them in balance, all the time. God works in such precision!

The Infinity Ring

We watched the Ramanujan movie in the good old Shaw Theatre in Singapore during our trip there. On the way home, we visited Johor Premium Outlet where Swatch was having a sale. One silver ring attracted me, a combination of matte and shine intertwining each other. I couldn’t resist its aesthetics and 70% bargain. Not that I intended to fantasise as – The Lord of the Ring!

Later that day, my daughter asked to see the ring. What she said got me speechless. I looked at the ring in wonderment. Her words rang in my ears – “It has the shape of infinity, Mum”. The infinity symbol just stared at my face.

We are Infinitely One

Our attraction to the cosmic energy is so compelling! Our thoughts can create our reality. If only we open ourselves up to the cosmic path that is just waiting to take us on that divine journey. Seek and you will find.

Ramanujan knew infinity. He knew that God is infinite. His creations are infinite. In the final analysis, we are infinitely One.

Roti for the Soul is a compilation of heartwarming stories for the soul. Through her lens, Sarjit Kaur takes us on various journeys in life.

FROM THE SAME AUTHOR:

Universal stand against violence: Takeaways from Kultar’s Mime (Asia Samachar, 31 May 2016)

When the Saint go marching in Malaya (Asia Samachar, 19 May 2016)

Goa: A melting pot of people and culture (Asia Samachar, 19 April 2016)

The Malaysian Dream – From an ‘Ola Bola’ lens (Asia Samachar, 15 Feb 2015)

Going back to basics – Grow your own grub (Asia Samachar, 9 Feb 2015)

Rebuilding a New Nepal – ROTI FOR THE SOUL (Asia Samachar, 6 May 2015)

Colours of the Wind (Asia Samachar, 13 Apr 2015)

Students share their winning secrets (Asia Samachar, 17 Mar 2015)

Sri Dasmesh students score well in SPM (Asia Samachar, 5 Mar 2015)

Love Moves and Heals (Asia Samachar, 28 Feb 2015)

Conquer Your Mountain and Share it (Asia Samachar, 30 Jan 2015)

Slow down and smell the roses (Asia Samachar, 4 Jan 2015)

The Secrets of Dreams and Gratitude (Asia Samachar, 19 Dec 2015)

The Steps of Life (Asia Samachar, 3 Dec 2015)

The post Seek and You Shall Find – From ‘The Man who knew Infinity’ appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 23 August 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Ekamjeet SIngh from Klang Rangers in yellow jersey — Ekamjeet Singh from Klang Rangers in yellow jersey

Highlights from Match Day 3

Kg Pandan Lions and Klang Rangers register their first loss of the season
Only Pulapol remains unbeaten
Coming from 2 goals behind, Selayang Sardar celebrate their win in style
Last season runner up, Rawang Akaal Warriors, shocked with their loss to Selayang Sardar
Youngest debutant records were smashed today by Ekamjeet Singh from Klang Rangers making at debut 5 years 7 months and 2 days. A record previously held by Jassvir Singh which made a winning debut as well at the age of 8 years 36 days old.
3 Hatrick
- Rajvinder Sing (Iron River Kings)
- Kabir Singh (Selayang Sardar)
- Akeysh Singh (Pulapol Eagles)

NEXT MATCH DAYS FOR APL 2016:

1. 31 Aug 2016 (Public Holiday)
2. 9 Oct 2016 (Sun)
3. 23 Oct 2016 (Sun)
4. 6 Nov 2016 (Sun)
5. TBC (either Nov 13 or 20)

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

Despite the awareness campaigns and change in outlook, people’s preference for a son lingers even in this time and age. This comes through even among the Punjabi diaspora.There is still an underlying pressure to have sons rather than daughters, says Balvinder Kaur Saund of the UK’s Sikh Women’s Alliance in a candid essay.

She minces no words, saying, “Despite all our talk about women being equal, in practise it is the opposite.”

The awareness campaigns against gender inequality have led to corrective thinking, but the mindset in favour of a male child is deep-rooted.

She says the birth of a male grandchild is still preferred, and celebrated by grandparents.

“Families hold Akhand Paths, Bhangra parties and sponsor radio programmes to announce the arrival of a grandson. Paaths like Sukhmani Sahib are generally held to mark girls’ birthdays while others go quiet on the birth of a baby girl.”

Saund says this is apparent when you visit a gurdwara in London. “A few months ago, a granthi in a gurdwara in East London, was saying a prayer on behalf of a grandmother who asked God to grant her the boon of a grandson. The Alliance members spoke to the granthi in the Langar Hall. We asked him first if anyone ever asked him to conduct prayers for a girl child? He said, `Never’. Then we asked him why does he not say prayers for the birth of a healthy baby, rather than mentioning gender preference. He wrung his hands and replied that he only does what he is asked.”

Angered by this, Balvinder pleads, “Enough is enough, put a stop to such subtle and intimidating pressure on women. It is man’s sperm that decides the gender of the baby.”

She points out that it’s older mothers who “make life hell” for new mothers, and ap peals to Sikh leaders, “We proudly say Kaur means princess and Singh means Lion. Are the Lions eating their own princesses now? Let us have a serious debate on this vile practise of female infanticide…”

However, this is not an exclusively Punjabi problem.

Speaking during a UK radio show, Ikraam from Scotland said, his mother always made it plain that she wanted sons, and not girls, which caused him to think the same way. When his third child was a daughter, he initially distanced himself from her. But four years on, he says, “I love her more than my two sons.”

Rahima, who was born into a Sikh family but married a Muslim and adopted that faith, has three daughters, one of whom is severely disabled. She says people would offer commiserations to her for having another daughter. An Asian mother even asked her what sins she must have committed in previous lives to have three girls and one who is disabled.

She says her in-laws have never pushed them for sons, but her father, pressurized her brother into having a son after three daughters.

The preference for a son is clearly a problem, but there are efforts to tackle it by various groups. One such campaign “The Pink Ladoo campaign” – offers pink laddoos to promote celebrations of a daughter’s birth – to show that sweets should not only be distributed on the birth of a male child. – By Jasleen Ghura, TNN (Aug 22, 2016)

SWAN Family Carnival: Making a difference for Sikh women (Asia Samachar, 24 July 2016)

Empowering women through SWAN (Asia Samachar, 20 July 2016)

Get fit with irresistible bhangra moves (Asia Samachar, 14 July 2016)

Malaysian Sikh NGOs urged to tap Federal Govt funding, deadline

You are the age of your heart (Asia Samachar, 11 June 2016)

Malaysian Sikh NGOs urged to tap Federal Govt funding, deadline 11 April (Asia Samachar, 19 March 2016)

Henna artist draws strength from single mother – Malay Mail (Asia Samachar, 22 Feb 2016)

Sarawak lass Harnesh a princess with purpose (Asia Samachar, 4 Jan 2016)

Largest gathering yet for Malaysia’s Istri Satsang (Asia Samachar, 16 Dec 2015)

Single mum Sarnjit to start a business someday (Asia Samachar, 13 Dec 2015)

Preparing wills still not priority for Sikhs in Malaysia (Asia Samachar, 23 Nov 2015)

4 Malaysian Sikh NGOs receive RM950,000 Federal funding (Asia Samachar, 6 Nov 2015)

Ageing gracefully, living life to the fullest (Asia Samachar, 9 Sept 2015)

15 mothers at SWAN’s healthy mom camp (Asia Samachar, 26 Jan 2015)

The post Prayers only for the male child everywhere appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Japan Times | Tokyo, Japan | 25 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Group meals like this one at the Tokyo gurdwara, served for free to all attendees no matter their faith, are an important feature of Sikhism. | MEGHA WADHWA / Japan Times

By Megha Wadhwa

SPECIAL TO THE JAPAN TIMES

However long a migrant group has lived within a host culture, that settlement process can feel incomplete without a place to call their own — a focal point for the community where they can come together, celebrate important occasions and preserve their traditions. That was certainly the case for Tokyo’s small Sikh community as the 300th anniversary of an auspicious date approached at the end of the millennium.

The year 1699 marks the institution of the Khalsa, the Sikh fraternity created by their 10th spiritual leader, Guru Govind Singh, to protect the rights of the community, which at the time faced violent oppression. Among Tokyo’s Sikhs, their joy as the April 1999 third centennial drew closer was tempered by their yearning for their own temple, or gurdwara, within the city, a spiritual emblem that would mark their origins.

While a gurdwara already existed in Kobe — the Guru Nanak Darbar, a place Sikhs in Tokyo often visited to fulfill their spiritual needs — traveling to Kobe proved costly and inconvenient for many.

For three years starting in 1998, devotees would gather once a month or on special occasions at one of a number of Indian restaurants, where they had set up a temporary temple in what was usually a limited space. Here they were able to offer worship, and the temple would move from one restaurant to another. Since Indian immigrants owned these restaurants, the space was granted on a voluntary basis.

“We came early morning and arranged the restaurant space for the one-day temple, cleaned the hall, prepared food for the devotees, and made the traditional offering called Kada Prasad,” recalls Bhupender Singh Sokhi, who played a key role in setting up the temporary temples.

The most commonly used restaurant was The Great Punjab in Akasaka, which is today known as Dining Bar Sonia, owned by Latesh Kumar Gajria. Three years later, in 2001, Sokhi asked Gajria if the community could rent a vacant room in the basement of an office building he owned in the Myogadani district, Bunkyo Ward, and here, finally, Tokyo’s Sikh community established its first small house of worship, known as the Guru Nanak Darbar Tokyo. Initially, community members paid a fixed amount toward the monthly rent, but later the temple committee purchased the entire basement floor.

Sikhs initiated into the faith are required to wear what are known as the five Ks, which all have important symbolic meaning and value. These are kesh (uncut hair — often wrapped in a turban), kara (steel bracelet), kanga (wooden comb), kacchera (cotton underwear) and kirpan (dagger). In famously homogeneous Japan, Sikhs that keep these traditions can’t help but stand out from the crowd, which has been a source of problems in the past.

“Even though we finally found a permanent place, along with it also came some challenges,” explains Sokhi. “Many Sikhs give up their five Ks on moving overseas, but there are also those who stick to their faith and faithfully follow religious laws. A person with knowledge of the Sikh religion can easily identify a Sikh by appearance, but some get intimidated on seeing a male Sikh with a turban and beard. The Japanese in the temple vicinity experienced something similar on seeing large numbers of us once in a month.”

There were several complaints from neighbors in the initial years — some locals apparently even feared they were terrorists — and the police kept a close eye on the activities of the gurdwara devotees. But with time, things changed, and soon Japanese too were joining the faithful and even donating food and money regularly to the temple, as well as helping with the cleaning and other preparation during festivals.

The Japanese who visited and supported the gurdwara were mainly friends and colleagues of members of the congregation, as well as researchers who were keen to study the community. The Japanese wives of Sikhs also attend the temple, some regularly along with their husbands and children, with a small number dressing in the traditional salwar kameez worn in India’s Punjab region and even becoming devout followers of the faith.

The word Sikh means “disciple” or “learner.” Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in the Punjab region of South Asia during the 15th century. Their sacred scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, teaches the importance of faith and meditation in the name of the one creator, unity and equality of all humankind, selfless service for the benefit and prosperity of all, and honest conduct.

Sikhism’s history in western Japan can be traced back to the aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, when Indians abandoned the ruins of Yokohama and relocated to Kobe. Whether Kanto or Kansai today hosts more Sikhs is an open question, as the Japanese government does not record the religion of its Indian residents. The temple in Tokyo attracts about 70 Sikhs, other Indian residents and locals during festivals and between 35-50 attendees for regular services.

The longer existence and relative economic stability of the community in Kobe makes it easier for Sikhs there to maintain their identity in comparison to their fellow belivers in Tokyo, many of whom work as laborers rather than traders or professionals, making them more vulnerable and often leaving them with tough choices.

Although the Tokyo Sikh community has come a long way in creating a place for itself in a foreign land, outside of the gurdwara issues remain. Perhaps the biggest challenge of all is reconciling Sikhs’ duty to wear the five Ks, the most obvious being kesh, while functioning within Japanese society.

“I had to cut my kesh because the boss at my factory had no idea about our religion,” said one temple attendee who requested his name not be published. “He refused to employ me, and told me bluntly that he couldn’t hire me with this appearance.”

For Mandeep Kaur, kesh is already an issue for her son, who is only 5 years old.

“Our biggest challenge is to convince our kids not to cut their kesh, but the truth is many of us fail,” she says. “My son keeps telling me to cut his hair because his classmates find him different, and he is often mistaken for a girl. He also finds his long hair a challenge during swimming lessons.

“A friend’s son decided to cut his hair because it was preventing him being selected for the soccer team, since he was told that he couldn’t join with a turban. He then decided to shave his legs as well, because of frequent remarks by Japanese friends about him being ‘hairy.’ “

While some parents are flexible and cave in in such situations, there are others who find themselves unable to. One couple reported that their son was keen on joining his school baseball club, but was told he couldn’t because of his turban. The boy took the decision to hold on to his Sikh identity and gave up on his dream of joining the baseball club.

Kaur says that while some children are self-assured enough to brush off comments by friends, others are sensitive, and in these kinds of cases parents often feel they have no choice but to give in. She believes that the low number of Sikhs in Japan makes it difficult to imbue children here with a clear understanding and high regard for the five Ks.

For people in business or other white-collar jobs, or those linked to Indian or other international schools, the turban is often much less of an issue. In fact, one Sikh man said that his headwear attracted such a lot of attention that he was eventually interviewed on Japanese TV around the late 1990s, and this in turn brought a lot of publicity to the electronics store where he worked. Later, when he was forced to cut his hair for medical reasons, his Japanese boss was distraught — more so, even, than the man’s family members — because it meant less publicity for his store and therefore less custom.

A frustration that comes up repeatedly in conversations with Sikhs here is with the rigidity of Japanese rules, particularly as they relate to restrictions that prevent them fully participating in society while observing kesh. While Sikhs say they do not experience racism to the degree that exists in other parts of the world, Japan often forces them to make the choice between observing the rules of their faith and qualifying for a job or membership of a school sports club, for example. Compromise rarely seems to be an option.

“Sikhism is in our hearts, and we will always be Sikhs even if we cut our hair,” said one interviewee, but this is not a sacrifice that all are prepared to make, even if the alternative is exclusion.

Megha Wadhwa is a Ph.D. candidate at Sophia University who is researching the Indian diaspora in Japan. The article was published in The Japan Times on 24 Aug 2016 . See here.

Sikh council tells Malaysian gurdwaras not to permit Dasam Granth preaching (Asia Samachar, 3 Aug 2016)

‘One Granth One Panth’ call from Global Sikh Council – Asia Samachar (Asia Samachar, 11 April 2016)

Are our Gurdwaras Dysfunctional? The Assessment. (Asia Samachar, 9 Jan 2016)

Lawyer challenges Akal Takht order on new gurdwaras (Asia Samachar, 27 Sept 2015)

The fallen amongst us (Asia Samachar, 22 Aug 2015)

The post Sikhs hope temple in Tokyo sets the stage for tolerance and understanding appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 25 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

JASBIR SINGH: A long serving volunteer at Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia

There is renewed interest in Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM), judging by the initial response received by its newly elected leader.

“I’ve been receiving many calls and suggestions. Many have offered themselves to join the committee,” Dr Jasbir Singh tells Asia Samachar in an interview.

Jasbir, a central banker by profession and a long-time volunteer with SNSM, was elected unanimously as SNSM Jathedar at its annual general meeting on 14 Aug 2016.

SNSM elects only the Jathedar, a Punjabi word which literally means the leader of a group, who serves for a two-year term with a team that he appoints.

SEE ALSO: Naujawan Sabha is broke

The SNSM has gone through some turbulent times in the recent years largely tied to what is seen as attempts by certain quarters to keep their grip on the organisation’s leadership.

Jasbir said the new exco will meet for the first time tomorrow (26 Aug 2016) at the Sabha House in Kuala Lumpur.

Asked what the Naujawan Sabha needs the most at this juncture, he says: “We need people. We need volunteers with different backgrounds. We need volunteers who can provide general help, we need volunteers who can provide specific help.”

Speaking to a group of senior sevadars recently, Jasbir said: “What do I need? Support. If I go off track, sound me off. Hankaar (ego) can develop very fast in a person. It’s easy to loose track, to loose our sense. Hence, advise is vital. Jathedar is just a position, I’m just another sevadars.”

In that informal meeting, Jasbir emphasised that it was important for the SNSM to go back to basic.

“We need to go back and see why Sabha was established. It was for primarily Sikhi parchaar,” he said.

“We have one Guru, and the Guru has given us everything….Many a time, we are fighting with each other, who is better and who is not. We have go beyond this.”

EXTRACTS FROM THE INTERVIEW:

What’s next after the AGM?

I’ve been receiving many calls and suggestions. Many have offered themselves to join the committee. I’ve picked the team for the exco and will announce it soon. It’s a fair mix of young and seniors. Let me inform them first before announcing it to the Sanggat.

Many trainers have also come forward to offer their services. I’m going to engage them. We need to see how we can have structured programmes for the youth. We need to see how to empower the youth, how to allow them to stand out in society.

What is the most pressing need?

We need people. We need volunteers with different backgrounds. We need volunteers who can provide general help, we need volunteers who can provide specific help. Specific here is mainly related to social media, people with good writing skills, people with a passion to teach kids, and a passion to develop modules for Gurmat learning and primary school education.

I’m a strong proponent of early education. If we can educate our children at the primary level, we will have more matured students at the secondary schools.

For Gurmat learning, we are looking for people willing to go for kirtan tours, run Sikh camps. We will provide the necessary training. Those interested can provide their names and details. They can drop us an email at sewaksnsm@gmail.com.

We are looking at getting all our kirtanis together. We need to start sending them out for parchaar tours, like what we used to do before. The Family Paath Mala is something that we would like to revive, as well.

What is the position of Sabha’s funding?

With no funding coming from the Government, we need the contribution from the Sikh Sanggat. We would like recommend a continuous flow of funds. This can be achieved through the One For the Guru daswand scheme. Everyone can contribut thorugh this sceme.

We encourage people to make the minimum contribution of RM30 per month. We recommend they use the standing instruction method via online banking.

Forms are availble at the Sabha headquarters. We will make them available soon via the Sabha website. For more enquiries, please contact Amreeta Kaur (+014.9318826).

What are the key focus moving forward?

We need improve on our administration at the Sabha headquarters. We want to put in place governance for managing our finances, filing system, communications, and other key activities that take place from there.

What are the areas of emphasis?

We are looking at five primary areas: 1. Sikhi Parchaar, 2. Youth development 3. Education, 4. Welfare, and 5. House keeping (internal Sabha affairs).

For Sikhi parchaar, we need a structured plan. We are getting the involvement of senior sewadars to work on this.

For welfare, we will act to connect people in need of help with those who can provide them. For example, when somebody needs welfare help, we will connect them with the welfare group. The nishkam sevaa, where they provide different types of help to poor families, will continue.

In the field of education, we have so many experts in Malaysia. We want to gather them to see how best to look out for our community. We need coaching classes – not study classes. Here, the students will learn skills to improve their education. We would like to get university students to be involved here.