Violent Deaths and Enforced Disappearances...

Once again ENSAAF comes through with a ground breaking paper that provides ample quantitative evidence/proof of the atrocities committed by the machinery of the Indian state against innocent people of Panjab.

http://www.ensaaf.org/reports/descriptiveanalysis/

Dear family, friends and acquaintances - this year 2009 is 25 years since the June '84 and Nov '84 attacks against Sikhs and Sikh institutions. We celebrated 300 of the Khalsa in 1999, 400 years since first Prakash of Adi Granth in 2004, 300 years of Gurgaddi of Guru Granth Sahib ji in 2008. Many more anniversaries and centenniels will come and go. The 25th anniversary of atrocities will also come and go.

I simply humbly ask that you read about the events to be "aware" and that you support organizations like ENSAAF (financially and morally) that are working hard to set the record straight (at the least) and gain "justice" for the innoncent victims all for the hope that such events won't happen again to us nor to any other group or community in India or the rest of the world. I ask that we at least change our attitude and be concerned, very concerned about our past, present and future.

I also ask everyone to join in Ardas of thanks and hope. Thanks to Vahiguru for giving our community hard working lawyers like Jaskaran Kaur and Jasmine Kaur (our sisters who spent time in Cambridge, MA at Harvard) and Sukhman Singh (young energetic man spending months in Panjab helping with data collection and legal cases) and ardas for hope that they continue their work with an attitude of confidence and perserverance. (Read about the staff of ENSAAF here: http://www.ensaaf.org/about/staff.php)

Carhdi Kala!

Inderpreet Singh

Next CTO of the United States

Red Herring, a well known technology magazine, has a blog. While browsing it I noticed a poll for who should be the CTO for Obama's administration. Many well known names on the list. I think it is not surprising that Bill Gates is winning at those polls. I am also pretty sure that his amazing philanthropic transformation has made him a well admired personality among technologists. I think he would never accept the job, but would make a good CTO for USA. Go vote at the poll, let's see what the people think: http://www.redherring.com/blogs/

Basic Postulates - the Sikh Agenda

Here is an excerpt from a very famous document of the Sikh community...can anyone guess where it is from and what year it was written?  

It is a far cry from the current Shiromani Akali Dal agenda don't you think?

But never the less it is a great starting point for the non-political aspirations of the Sikhs.  Note that political aspirations have to go hand in hand as well.

----begin excerpt----

A. BASIC POSTULATES

1. The Shiromani Akali Dal is the very embodiment of the hopes and aspirations of the Sikhs and as such is fully entitled to its representation. The basic postulates of this organization are human co-existence, human welfare and the ultimate unity of all human beings with the Lord.

2. These postulates are based upon the three great principles of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, namely Nam Japo, Kirat Karo, and Vand Chhako, i.e. meditation on God's Name, honest labor, and sharing the fruits of this labor with the needy.

B. PURPOSES

The Shiromani Akali Dal shall ever strive to achieve the following aims:

1. Propagation of Sikhism, its ethical values and code of conduct to combat atheism.

2. Preservation and keeping alive the concept of distinct and sovereign identity of the Panth and building up of appropriate condition in which the national sentiments and aspirations of the Sikh Panth will find full expression, satisfaction and facilities for growth.

3. Eradication of poverty and starvation through increased production and more equitable distribution of wealth as also the establishment of a just social order sans exploitation of any kind.

4. Vacation of discrimination on the basis of caste, creed or any other ground in keeping with basic principles of Sikhism.

5. Removal of disease and ill health, checking the use of intoxicants and provision of full facilities for the growth of physical well-being so as to prepare and enthuse the Sikh Nation for the national defense. 

For the achievement of the aforesaid purposes, the Shiromani Akali Dal owned it as its primary duty to inculcate among the Sikh religious fervour and a sense of pride in their great socio-spiritual heritage through the following measures:

1. Reiteration of the concept of unity of God, meditation on His Name, recitation of gurbani, inculcation of faith in the holy Sikh Gurus as well as in Guru Granth Sahib and other appropriate measures for such a purpose.

2. Grooming at the Sikh Missionary College the Sikh youth with inherent potential to become accomplished preachers, ragis, dhadis and poets so that the propagation of Sikhism, its tenets and traditions and its basic religious values could be taken up more effectively and vigorously.

3. Baptizing the Sikhs on a mass scale with particular emphasis on schools and colleges wherein the teachers as well as the taught shall be enthused through regular study circles.

4. Revival of the religious institution of dasvandh among the Sikhs.

5. Generating a feeling of respect for Sikh intellectuals including writers and preachers, who also would be enthused to improve upon their accomplishments.

6. Streamlining the administration of the gurdwaras by giving better training to their workers. Appropriate steps would also be taken to maintain gurdwara building in proper condition. The representatives of the party in the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee would be directed to pull their weight towards these ends.

6. Making suitable arrangements for error free publications of gurbani, promoting research in the ancient and modern Sikh history, translating holy gurbani into other languages and producing first-rate literature on Sikhism.

7. Taking appropriate measures for the enactment of an All India Gurdwaras Act with a view to improving the administration of the gurdwaras throughout the country and to reintegrate the traditional preaching sects of Sikhism like Udasis and Nirmalas, without in any way encroaching upon the properties of their maths.

8. Taking necessary steps to bring the Sikh gurdwaras all over the world under a single system of administration with a view to running them according to the basic Sikh forms and to pool their resources for the propagation of Sikhism on a wider and more impressive scale.

9. Striving to free access to all those holy Sikh shrines, including Nanakana Sahib, form which the Sikh Panth has been separated, for their pilgrimage and proper upkeep.

----end excerpt----

Culinary arts - coffee

Coffee shop in Cambridge, MA.  How do they do that?

Symbols, preachers, attitude of life...

Once again, a random reading from the book Spirit Born People rises in me a deluge of dreams and thoughts. The major question that has been bugging me is that what can be done different this year, 2009 CE, 540 and 541 N.S. (in the context of Sikhs)? Let's not forget it is the 25th Anniversary of the events that occured in the year that will live in infamy for the Sikhs (umm...yeah..1984). Many are already busy planning yet another "Memorial" and "salana" probably though not with such pomp and energy as "300 sal guru de nal...". What should we, the Panth, focus on in our educational projects, our attempts at doing good for the community and the world. Should we fix our own house first before we start trying to fix the world? Does that have to go hand in hand? Too many questions and too many potential answers.

Is it not shameful that we go an auction our Beloved for the fun of preaching a sermon that has but one effect of causing hatred between man and man? Because of my personal love of my Beloved, I should be so radiant that my radiance should conceal me and my Beloved from all. And yet my radiance should be a revelation of Him, as is the fragrance of the rose. It is certainly a tiresome futility for us to go impressing on the busy world of today that unless they keep long hair and wear turbans they cannot understand the Guru. The Guru is already diffusing his mind in the world-mind and if, like other theologians and priests, we strive to force upon them our particular theology and rites and symbols we shall certainly fail. As the shape of the nose and ear and eye cannot be limitations for the ecstasy of the soul, so no symbol, no rite, no particular form, no particular virtue or vice can impede the inner realization of the great ideals of the Guru. But as the mystic expressional types of the Guru's mind, we have to roam in this world and spread the fragrance of the Guru with the braid-knot he gave us, and the flowing beards. Our shapes indeed can, in no sense, be considered symbols. But more important is the expression of the Sikh soul through their medium, and if that expression is lacking, our very life and body, whether our head be dressed or clean-shaven, are meaningless superstitions. To a person given to religion, as one given to intense human love, trifles relating to the soul are more essential than the realms of silver and gold. Surely for such people the very superstitions contain more reflections of truth than the gathered facts of the learned people of the world. If one who is at peace and fully intoxicated on those delectable heights closes his eyes in exstacy, this closing of his eyes is no symbol of religion and yet, in a sense, it is. So should be with us Sikhs, the wearing of His knot, His beard, His shape and His obedience. Our form and shape of the Guru will radiate with His inspired and extraordinary humanity. Lacking that one thing, all shall be lacking. Without that spirit within us both life and death are devoid of meaning and truth.

Excerpt from Prof. Puran Singh, Spirit Born People, "Internationalism and the Sikhs"

Couple of things

• Prof. Puran Singh refers to the "busy world of today..." in this excerpt. Can you imagine the difference in perception of "busy" in 2009 vs. early 1900's when he may have written this.
• Regarding the attitude of those that "live in His image" or don the 10th Masters articles of faith...without the inspiration of the Guru and the extraordinary humanity it represents, its donning is lacking any meaning and truth. That's a tough one to swallow but true. In this arena I am convinced that it is a progression that goes on hand in hand. As we delve into sabad whilst wearing the articles of faith - the loving attitude that we must have of wearing them becomes manifest. The more we love our image and the gifts/articles, the more the urge to delve into sabad. This has been my experience.