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Thread: Sikh Sabhas Demystified

  1. #31
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    Re: Sikh Sabhas Demystified

    namaste,
    I really don't know what's going on with the canadian sikhs of today? I watch some punjabi shows on sat and I don't know why sikhs today are shunning their history and reinventing it, breaking all ties with hinduism as if sikhism just popped out of the sky out of thin air? WT Heck is going on here. What's the agenda of these sikhs? They are saying Ram mentioned in the Granth is not the same Ram as hindus worshipped, that punjabi customs and riwaz were imposed on them by the brahmins??? that all current understanding of sikh culture and religious understanding is wrong that the interpertations were done or influenced by brahmins for the past 200 years? What?

    Are you experiencing the same Beliver or is this happening only in canadian sikhs?

    Then I saw shows where they are celebrating christmas, talking to baptists for their 'work in the community' yet they reject hindu culture and india? What's going on here? Some Sikhs seem to be completely confused about their history.
    satay

  2. #32
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    Re: Sikh Sabhas Demystified

    Namaste,

    I think many factors influence the behavior of every ethnic group.

    In the US, the sikhs started arriving in small numbers in the early 20th century to work on the farms in the Central Valley area of California. But the change in the US Immigration quotas enabled significant number of Indians to start arriving on the American shores only in the 1960's. The US Govt. was very selective in allotting immigration visas only to professionals. So, most people in the early waves were well educated and open minded. This has led to some Gurudwaras being run by the orthodox and some by the liberal educated sikhs. But even in the liberal ones, the 'granthis' have to tow the SGPC line and dish out the bull about Ram and Krishan mentioned in the GGS being different from the Hindu deities. Their numbers being small in the cities, and them being under siege (as muslim looking) after the 9/11, there is not much of 'in your face' type of behavior.

    We all try to cling to our cultural identity, sometimes by overdoing things we would not have done in India. For example, in India, the temples are everywhere and we don't fuss about them. But, over here, it becomes a cultural center, a meeting place for all shades of Hindus, a place to celebrate your identity. So we cherish it more and get uptight over minor perceived or real insults to our faith in the media, or among mainstream population. Our customs, and Mandir, and celebration of festivals serve as a way to preserve our cultural heritage; something that the second generation does not care much about. Similarly, sikhs also want to preserve their separate identity, in an attempt to keep their traditions alive. To a degree, it is understandable and acceptable. But the under/un-educated ones tend to cling to the threads of their faith so tightly, that they end up making things up, merely to reinforce their separateness. It is very unfortunate but the brainwashing is more intense and taking a bigger hold in Canada than in the US. Add to that the edict of SPGC for them to follow the 'official' distorted interpretation of GGS in all gurudwaras, and it makes for an unpleasant sight.

    Another factor that emboldens them in Canada is their numbers and their political influence. In the US, I would say, >70% of Indian immigrants are Gujratis and that marginalizes the influence of sikhs, even within the Indian community. So, in spite of whatever negativity the 'granthis' dutifully project in the gurudwaras against Hinduism, it is business as usual outside. I am sure, deep down, the 'granthis' here know that on this one point, they are wrong and are doing a disservice to their community. But they have to make a living, and would not dare to rectify it. The best that can be hoped is that the new generation of educated Indians of all ethnicities, who intermarry and are not too rigid about their sects/traditions/ethnic superiority, will bypass this indoctrination and lead the way to a community more accommodating to one another. The concept of 'National Integration' through inter-ethnic marriages, floated in India in the early 60's, seems to be taking hold outside of its borders. That just might usher in a different mindset, a mindset in which we share our commonalities rather than focus on our differences. And that is true for sikhs too. A sikh friend of mine has two daughters-in-law, one is Gujrati and the other one is Tamil (of course all men in the family are clean shaven). Who would have thought few years back that something like that could happen?

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 06 January 2012 at 05:41 AM.

  3. #33

    Re: Sikh Sabhas Demystified

    Who cares what a number of Sikhs choose to believe or not, who cares, its their free choice, let it go, let it go.
    Lets focus on our faith and leave others to theres.

  4. #34
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    Re: Sikh Sabhas Demystified

    Namaste,

    This thread has not had any contributions for quite some time and many of the newer members might find some of the posts in this thread interesting.

    Pranam.

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