Vaisakhi 2023 Edition
Table of Contents
The Cultural Vs. Religious Aspects of Vaisakhi
By Sayva Kaur
Inside the Podcast Sikhnificant
By Nadhri Kaur
The Supreme Beauty of the Keshdhari Saroop
By Uday Singh
An Analysis of Hey Gobind Hey Gopal
By Sayva Kaur
A Deep Dive into Parshad - Our Favorite Treat
By Rasak Singh
Karaa: More Than Just a Bracelet
Anonymous
The Current Situation in Punjab
By Shaanpal Singh
The Cultural Vs. Religious Aspects of Vaisakhi
By Sayva Kaur
Photo credits: Sikh Press Association
I know for a fact that many young Sikhs (myself included), have not really understood or been taught about the differences between the cultural and religious aspects of Vaisakhi. While we know that some parts of it are religious and specific to Sikhs, we also know that Vaisakhi is celebrated by many Punjabis of any religious background. Seeing as Vaisakhi is coming up soon, I wanted to find an answer to this query of mine so that I could educate myself and hopefully other young readers of this newspaper. After doing research I have come up with an explanation for the cultural and religious aspects of Vaisakhi.
Speaking to the religious origins of Vaisakhi, the first Vaisakhi occurred in 1699. On Vaisakhi day, Guru Gobind Singh Ji performed Amrit for the first time and created the concept of the Khalsa. The first members of the Khalsa were the Panj Pyare and Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Khalsa is essentially made up of people who follow the Sikh faith, but it could also be defined as Sikhs who have taken Amrit. With the creation of the Khalsa, Sikhism had become a truly established faith, and these are the reasons why Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi in a religious way. Oftentimes, we do this with a Nagar Keertan and we go to Gurdwara to be with our sangat.
In terms of culture, Vaisakhi started off as a spring harvest festival celebrated by residents of Punjab. Seeing as Punjab is a largely agricultural state, the harvest is celebrated by many people. On this day, farmers often celebrate the end of the harvest season and hope for successful harvests in the years to come. This aspect of Vaisakhi is celebrated by preparing feasts, dressing up in colorful clothing, and dancing.
Overall, Vaisakhi is celebrated for many different reasons. To Sikhs, it is of utmost importance because it marks the creation of Sikhism and the Khalsa. To Punjabis and Sikhs alike, it is a time to celebrate the harvest and the change of season. No matter how you celebrate Vaisakhi, it is a beautiful holiday both religiously and culturally. Writing this article has clarified a lot about Vaisakhi for me, and I hope it does too for all of our readers. Happy Vaisakhi from the Sikh Youth Writers Association!
Sources:
Landing State Journal
Hindustan Times
Inside the Podcast Sikhnificant
By Nadhri Kaur
With the recent rise in the popularity of podcasts, many young Sikhs have turned to the media platform to share their beliefs and experiences related to Sikhi. Sikhnificant is a podcast exploring taboo subjects, especially those in the Sikh community. Hosted by Jasleen Sodhi, a Sikh teenager from central Florida, the podcast explores topics such as kes and sangat, and has occasional guests to dive deeper into these matters. This article will delve into the world of Sikhnificant and Sodhi’s experience with the podcast.
Sodhi, 18, found inspiration for her podcast in her community and in the feeling that there was an absence in a sangat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She felt that there was no direct sangat to speak to in times of need, and that Sikhnificant allowed her to make that imperative connection. Additionally, Sodhi was pushed to continue her podcast because of the support given to her by the sangat. Sodhi expressed, “The sangat inspired me, because they wanted to hear more.” She also said that she received countless messages from listeners in several continents, which encouraged her to continue working on the platform.
The primary goal that Sodhi had with Sikhnificant was to create a community for teenagers to discuss taboo topics in Sikh and Punjabi society. For example, Sodhi had a guest, Baani Kaur, in one episode to discuss the importance of kes, as well as how Kaurs can empower each other. This episode targets many societal issues that Sikh girls face daily, such as body image. Sodhi’s podcast aims to bring issues that have been “swept under the rug” to light. For example, she wanted certain taboo topics, such as gaining self-confidence, to be considered a societal norm. “The first podcast I did was gaining self-confidence with a speaker named Onkar Dhillon, who is based in Vancouver,” Sodhi stated. “She told her story about her journey to Sikhi, as well as her own personal journey related to being a social media influencer.” In this episode, Dhillon discussed issues such as dealing with hate comments, a struggle that is often not disclosed.
While Sodhi’s podcast has reached two thousand listeners globally, she initially struggled with outreach. “When the podcast was getting out there through social media and my friends and community, it became a big thing slowly.” Social media (specifically Instagram and Facebook) was the main way that Sodhi spread the word about her podcast. Family members and friends posted about it, leading to feedback from listeners worldwide. The podcast quickly acquired listeners from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., India, and even Australia.
Sodhi expressed that the podcast gave her numerous opportunities to better herself and that it opened her own eyes on her Sikhi journey. Sikhnificant also allowed her to further connect with her community. She also felt that speaking about certain topics, such as self-confidence, has helped her grow as a person. “Being a young Sikh girl, you never have that full community feeling. [The self-confidence episode] really inspired me, and I gained so much confidence knowing that there are other Kaurs and Singhs out there that don’t have a sangat, and I’m blessed to have this.” Sodhi explained that her platform tremendously impacted her confidence and that she “wouldn’t be the same person [she] is without Sikhnificant.”
Her podcast, which she created to be open to all communities, led many people from around the world to learn about what Sikhism is. It also serves as a platform to discuss current issues in society. One example of this is a live stream Sodhi did with United Sikhs (an organization affiliated with the United Nations) at the start of the war in Ukraine. Sodhi plans to create more content related to ongoing atrocities in order to spread awareness. She wants to implement social justice into her newer episodes. “I want to get more in touch with social justice because I feel that we don’t have many Sikh members in the social awareness community, which is really important to do,” Sodhi told the Sikh Youth Writers Association. “I’m very passionate and interested in that.”
In conclusion, Sikhnificant is a podcast started by Jasleen Sodhi that offers a relatable perspective on various topics and provides thought-provoking discussions for Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. It has not only been a place to shine light on taboo topics, but also a platform that Sodhi feels improved her life. She introduced the podcast in order to create a community in difficult times and provide a safe space for discussions on societal norms. The platform has reached and impacted thousands of people. “It’s a global family,” Sodhi remarked.
The Supreme Beauty of the Keshdhari Saroop
By Uday Singh
The Keshdhari Saroop (Literally, the “form with uncut hair”) is an integral part of the Sikh faith and Sikh realization.
“We of the Punjab were called to don the robe of the Guru’s discipleship. We wear turbans as he did; we keep long hair as he kept. We prefer the colors he liked. We are still alive with the spark he lit in our souls. The torch when lighting another creates its own images. We carry the Guru’s face, his features, his whole image, in our faces and form. As I ponder who I am, I know I am of the Guru '' - Prof. Puran Singh, Spirit of the Sikh 1978 p.44
Here, Prof. Puran Singh gives us a fresh idea to imbibe a culture of beauty in its ultimate essence, while contesting the presumption that a clean-shaven person is a mark of civilized man, and this is rather a slavish imitation of features of Western understanding of modernity and flamboyance. To realize the essence of Kesh requires us to take deeper physical, psychological, and spiritual contemplation. With such a vital subject at hand being misunderstood by so many, I will attempt to do critical exegesis of this insignia of spiritual enlightenment, which the Great Guru has so kindly blessed me with.
Context
In order to understand the spiritual meaning of Kesh from the Sikh perspective, we first need a solid foundation of the importance of Kesh in Sikh metaphysics. In Sikhi, God is not seen as a faraway being, who resides in a separate realm, and creates the world like a potter*, or painter. Rather, God’s creation is intertwined with God’s essence. The creation (qudrat) is not created like how a painter creates a painting, but it is created like how a dancer “creates” a dance or like how the ocean “creates” waves. The dance can never exist without the dancer, and the wave cannot exist without the ocean. God is thus, the ultimate existence, the ultimate reality as without him, the universe has no backbone to stand upon, and immediately ceases to exist. The dance is completely dependent on the dancer for its existence, but the dancer can always exist without the dance. The dancer is both independent, and intertwined (one with) the dance of the universe.
As such, life within Sikhi is to recognize the fallacy of permanence within the dance.
ਜੈਸੇ ਜਲ ਤੇ ਬੁਦਬੁਦਾ ਉਪਜੈ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਨੀਤ ॥
As the bubbles in the water well up and disappear again,
ਜਗ ਰਚਨਾ ਤੈਸੇ ਰਚੀ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਨਿ ਮੀਤ ॥੨੫॥
so is the universe created; says Nanak, listen, O my friend! ||25||
SGGS Ji Ang 1427
Kesh: A symbol of being Niara (transcendent) or Vakhra (different)?
Often, we Sikhs have stressed that Kesh is a symbol of our identity, of standing out of the crowd, etc. However, when we go back to our traditional sources, Guru Gobind Singh Ji says -
“Bharam bhed te rahe niara, so Khalis Satguru hamara” - Sri Sarbloh Granth
Translation: The one who is above impulses and distinctions, that pure truthfulness (khalis) is my True Guru.
As we can see, Guru Ji has stressed that the Khalsa is supposed to remain niara (transcending the impulses and distinctions of the world). However, when we stress “identity”, we borrow this understanding from colonial concepts of racial and cultural difference. Many Sikh scholars suggest that such understanding is purely borrowed by Sikhs from the western concepts during the colonial period, which transformed Sikhi, into Sikhism. However, I believe that we need to think differently about Kesh, which to me is an expression of our spiritual height as opposed to a mere racial difference, as that produces an idea of the “the other”.
Connecting the Dots
So how does this understanding of Sikh Metaphysics relate to Kesh? Now, while there are many reasons why Sikhs keep Kesh such as:
Ancient tradition of the holy people, going all the way back to Vedic Civilisation, long hair has always been associated with saints. Given that Sikhs are believed to be saint-soldiers, we maintain our niarapan with our Kesh.
Kesh aligns with Sikh ethics regarding discipline and following dharma.
Longer hair allows for more elevated spiritual experiences
Every hair on our body meditates on God at a stage of Sikh meditation known as rom rom. We maintain long hair to get to this state of elevated spiritual experience.
It is considered a "kakkar," or "gift from Sachkhand" (the highest realm). We value it in this realm.
I shall be expounding upon the reasoning that maintaining long hair is a sign of separation from the outside world and adoration for the human body, in saintly expression.
Evolving our perception
In order to truly understand this, it requires a completely new way of viewing the body. It requires us to hand over our ownership of our bodies, and our hair, to the creator most high. This can be achieved through the tuhi tuhi principle which Guru Gobind Singh Ji expounds upon in the Akal Ustat, where the land, the air, the heart, the body, and the soul are all singing “There is only You, my dear Lord!”.
Furthermore, rather than seeing our bodies as things that need to be molded to look pretty/socially presentable, instead, we ought to see our bodies in the same way we look at the majesty of a tree.
The tree does not belong to anybody, and yet its very existence is praising God's qualities. Similarly, a flower blossoms from its bud, without reflecting upon its external beauty. Rather than carving our bodies in imperfection, we wear Kesh as a divine part of our living expression. The split ends of hair are not to be destroyed in the pursuit of “looking clean”, but rather they are actually some of the biggest compliments to the majesty of Kesh. This understanding of the body cannot ever be forced upon oneself, and it must grow from inside you. There must not be any compulsion in this sacred act of wearing Kesh, and the natural love that one has for the Kesh is only known to the lover. To ask me “Why don’t you look good/why don’t you embrace the prevalent sense of relating with beauty” would be to look at my own body from a completely foreign lens, and to subject myself to a hegemonic sense of beauty.
Our Kesh is a manifestation of our inner happiness, self-content, and oneness with the almighty. The Kesh itself is the glorious manifestation of the authentic form of sainthood in humankind.
So then we are left with a question, why are we getting rid of our sainthood?
How many Sikhs do you know look at their Kesh through this lens?
Additional Notes
* I recognize the potter analogy being used in shabads of SGGS Ji, however in this context, the potter is completely separate from the pot, which is not how Gurbani explains this.
ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਖਲਕ ਖਲਕ ਮਹਿ ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਸ੍ਰਬ ਠਾਂਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
The Creation is in the Creator, and the Creator is in the Creation, totally pervading and permeating all places. ||1||Pause||
ਨਾ ਕਛੁ ਪੋਚ ਮਾਟੀ ਕੇ ਭਾਂਡੇ ਨਾ ਕਛੁ ਪੋਚ ਕੁੰਭਾਰੈ ॥੨॥
There is nothing wrong with the pot of clay - there is nothing wrong with the Potter. ||2||
SGGS Ji, Ang 1350
An Analysis of Hey Gobind Hey Gopal
By Sayva Kaur
ਮਲਾਰ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
ਹੇ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਹੇ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਹੇ ਦਇਆਲ ਲਾਲ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Oh lord of the universe, Oh maintainer of the earth, Oh compassionate beloved. ||1||Pause||
ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਨਾਥ ਅਨਾਥ ਸਖੇ ਦੀਨ ਦਰਦ ਨਿਵਾਰ ॥੧॥
You sustain the breath of life, you offer hope for the lost, you are the remover of all suffering ||1||
ਹੇ ਸਮ੍ਰਥ ਅਗਮ ਪੂਰਨ ਮੋਹਿ ਮਇਆ ਧਾਰਿ ॥੨॥
O unapproachable, unattainable, faultless lord, show me compassion. ||2||
ਅੰਧ ਕੂਪ ਮਹਾ ਭਇਆਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਾਰ ॥੩॥੮॥੩੦॥
Oh lord, carry me across the dark pit of terror. ||3||8||30||
In the Shabad Hey Gobind Hey Gopal written by Guru Arjun Dev Ji, the underlying message is one that is meant to provide comfort during difficult times in life. The Shabad expresses how Waheguru provides light in our life no matter what situations we are facing. This Shabad is uplifting and is there to encourage us when we are feeling down. The meaning is a mindset that we should strive to carry with us in life.
The first line in this Shabad; “ਹੇ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਹੇ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਹੇ ਦਇਆਲ ਲਾਲ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ” ॥, essentially just calls out to the Guru and describes Waheguru as the preserver of the world. It is worded in a way that describes Waheguru's grace.
The second line “ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਨਾਥ ਅਨਾਥ ਸਖੇ ਦੀਨ ਦਰਦ ਨਿਵਾਰ ॥੧॥”, describes Waheguru as the remover of pain and the sustainer of life. A light for those who are lost in life. In this line we ask the Guru to remove us from any misery.
The third line of this Shabad, “ਹੇ ਸਮ੍ਰਥ ਅਗਮ ਪੂਰਨ ਮੋਹਿ ਮਇਆ ਧਾਰਿ ॥੨॥”, the third line asks Waheguru to show us compassion. During hard times this line serves as a beacon of hope that we can cling on too.
The fourth and final line of this Shabad, “ਅੰਧ ਕੂਪ ਮਹਾ ਭਇਆਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਾਰ ॥੩॥੮॥੩੦॥”, is a plea to Waheguru to help us escape from any difficulty we face. The Shabad uses a metaphor to describe this by asking the Guru to carry us across a dark pit to the other side.
Overall, this Shabad is a mantra that we can use to remind ourselves that things can look up and turn out alright in the end. It is a mindset we can instill whenever we need to face obstacles or problems in life. Problems are unavoidable but mantras like this can help us face them.
Sources:
iGurbani
MeditativeMind.org
A Deep Dive into Parshad - Our Favorite Treat
By Rasak Singh
Photo credits: goldentempleamritsar.org
If you have been to a Gurdwara before, odds are that you have tried the tasty treat called parshad. Kara Parshad is a pudding served at Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) all around the world after Ardas (prayer). It is an equal mixture of water, flour, butter, and sugar. Parshad tastes very sweet and represents the guru offering his blessings to you, a form of hospitality.
Kara parshad is traditionally served in the Gurdawara, however, it can be created and enjoyed at home. To create parshad, first, boil a mixture of sugar and water. Heat ghee (butter) and flour in a separate pan and wait until it reaches a reddish brown color. Then, add the contents of both pans and stir until it reaches a soft texture. You now have your parshad ready for consumption.
There is a specific routine in parshad production at Gurdwaras. While preparing the parshad, the Sevadars recite Gurbani (prayer). Afterwards, the parshad is covered with a cloth and placed next to the Guru Granth Sahib. At the conclusion of Ardas, the cloth is removed and a Kirpan (sword) pierces through the parshad. Now the parshad is ready to be handed out to the Sangat (community). Each person is given an equal portion regardless of race,caste, or religion. When receiving parshad, cup your hands and let the sevadar (person distributing the parshad) place it in there. In most cases, napkins and hand sanitizer are distributed along with the Kara Parshad to make the process sanitary.
Parshad serves as a precursor to Langar (lunch) and signifies the Guru’s blessings. There is a particular way that parshad is made and distributed at Gurdwaras which is highlighted above. Ultimately, parshad is a gift given by the Guru (and its taste sure does show that).
Karaa: More Than Just a Bracelet
Anonymous
How many of you have done something in your lives before that you know the Guru would not approve of? If you’re like many Sikhs today, chances are, you’re raising your hand. For me, my act of defiance came when I was in kindergarten. The rest of my class had gone to the gym for an assembly, but I’d stayed back for a moment. I wanted to be alone so that I could test out a theory I had nurtured for a while, which was that if I cut a bit of my hair, Guru Ji would come from the sky and would reveal himself to me to show his disappointment. So, I took a pair of scissors, and cut a small section of my beautiful, long hair. When nothing happened, I was extremely disappointed, but I swallowed up my feelings and ran after the rest of the class.
So why now, after so many years, do I still remember this story? Why can I see the classroom clearly before me, and imagine the moment when I raised the scissors to cut my hair? Besides the fact that this story is a memorable example of an idea that many of us Sikhs have had when we were little, the reason I remember this is because a part of me still feels guilty for my act. Granted, I was little, and I wasn’t as firm in my resolution to keep my hair as I am now, but what sticks out to me during this story is that I cut my hair with the hand that wore a karaa.
For the longest time, I hadn’t known what the karaa truly symbolizes. When I was little, I was just wearing it because my parents slipped it on my wrist. I never stopped to think about what it symbolized until I got older, and I learned that Sikhs wear a karaa as a reminder of their identity. This definition, however, is incomplete; it doesn’t offer the full meaning behind this sacred article. So today, I am here to offer a new, and more complete explanation: Sikhs wear the karaa as a reminder to ourselves to live by the Guru’s example.
Stop and think about that for a moment. We wear the karaa as a reminder to ourselves to live by the Guru’s example. Many of us may know this, but how many of us have really thought about it? How many Sikhs wear the karaa on the same hand that they drink alcohol with? How many Sikhs use the same hand that holds their karaa to shave, wax, or tweeze their hair? How many of us do those small things every day that are slowly and silently stealing away our faith? If we want to be true Gurusikhs, we need to be willing to give ourselves up for Sikhi. And I don’t just mean in a heroic, life-sacrificing way; we need to be mindful of our actions and make sacrifices that will be hard. Our Gurus gave their lives for us without a single thought. It is hard to make many lifestyle changes according to the Guru’s command, but we must do this if we want Sikhi to pass the test of time.
Photo credits: Wikipedia
The Current Situation in Punjab
By Shaanpal Singh
The Indian state of Punjab has been in the news recently due to several significant events. One of the most prominent developments has been the ongoing farmers' protest against three agricultural laws passed by the Indian government in September 2020. The laws aim to deregulate the agricultural sector and allow farmers to sell their produce outside of government-regulated markets. However, farmers argue that the laws favor large corporations and will hurt small farmers. The protests, which began in November 2020, have been ongoing, with farmers camping on the outskirts of the capital city, Delhi, for several months. The protests have garnered international attention and have led to widespread support for the farmers.
Another significant event in Punjab has been the rise in COVID-19 cases in the state. Punjab has been reporting a high number of daily cases, with the state accounting for nearly 10% of India's total COVID-19 cases. The state government has imposed several restrictions, including night curfews and the closure of schools, to curb the spread of the virus.
Additionally, Punjab has witnessed political turmoil in recent months. In March 2021, the state's chief minister, Amarinder Singh, survived a no-confidence motion brought by the opposition party. The motion was brought after Singh's government was accused of mishandling a case related to a 2015 police firing incident that left two people dead. Singh has been facing criticism from both the opposition and his own party, the Indian National Congress.
In conclusion, Punjab has seen several significant events in recent months, including ongoing farmers' protests, a surge in COVID-19 cases, and political turmoil. These developments have had a significant impact on the state and have garnered national and international attention.