Ace sociologist, thinker, teacher and ideologue Dipankar Gupta’s recent article on the image of Sikhs has come as a whiff of fresh air for the Sikhs and the Sikh social media circle is agog with gratitude. WSN editor Jagmohan Singh, in this open letter to the celebrated author, acknowledges his description of the Sikhs and how Sikh religious ethos helps them in building an environment for selfless service through its commitment to Sarbat da Bhala -Welfare for all humankind.

DEAR DIPANKAR GUPTA: GREETINGS FROM A GRATEFUL SIKH PEOPLE!  Thank you for acknowledging the contribution of the Sikhs during the pandemic in India and the world. Your article in the Times of India, “Sikhs are different. Routinisation of ‘Sewa’ primes them to help others. The pandemic demonstrated this,” comes a great relief to the Sikhs, who may not be begrudging for recognition due to their positive indoctrination of Sikh principles, nonetheless, it is soul-satisfying to bold Sikh Samaritans on and off the field.

You have rightfully mentioned how it has enabled many to change the stereotyped image of the Sikhs perpetuated by Bollywood and the maliciousness of some black sheep amongst the Sikhs themselves.  

Your understanding of the religious ethos of the Sikhs which makes it possible to place Sewa -service to humanity as part of their life is a whiff of fresh air from the abusive reinterpretation by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and others who go the whole hog to malign the Sikhs, their religiosity, their culture and even their humanitarian Sewa. 

I am sure that the Sikh and non-Sikh students whom you so ably taught at the School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi for three decades would not be carrying any bias against Sikhs as a community. 

It is indeed a huge tribute to the humanitarian work of the Sikhs for you to say that “People from distant Croatia and Syria acknowledged the help Sikhs gave them during their nightmare moments, and neither did the US hesitate to rename New York’s 101 as Punjab Avenue to honour the contribution of Sikhs to the city.”

Like you, the Sikh community itself,  journalists, political leaders and some Bollywood personalities, notwithstanding Kangna Ranaut, have saluted their brethren who, to use your words, “From providing oxygen to ambulatory service, to feeding the poor, the Sikhs are nearly always the first to help. Even when relations quail to pick up a Covid corpse, Sikh volunteers willingly, and unhesitatingly, come forward.”

A senior journalist friend of mine once shared with me that “I was born into a Sikh family and, primarily, that’s why I was a Sikh.  As I grew up, and acquired an agency in the matter, studied about my religion and others, I decided to remain a Sikh. My primary reason was that I saw in Sikhism many progressive values, dogged pursuit of righteousness and truth, and a lifelong commitment to love and compassion.”

For you to mention this in the Opinion columns of the Times of India that, “Sikhism alone that service to others is an important aspect of devotional practice for the laity, especially for the laity, within the temple premises,” is touching the basic thrust of the fifth largest and one of the youngest religions in the world.

“In Sikhism, it is not the great, the gifted, the sage who serves ordinary people but it is ordinary people who serve ordinary people. Nor is there a special premium reserved in Sikhism for serving the guru, the maulvi, the deacon, which is above serving everyday people including those who are non-Sikhs too.”

“In Sikhism, it is not the great, the gifted, the sage who serves ordinary people but it is ordinary people who serve ordinary people. Nor is there a special premium reserved in Sikhism for serving the guru, the maulvi, the deacon, which is above serving everyday people including those who are non-Sikhs too.”

Thank you for clarifying Charity per se and the Sarbat da Bhala -Welfare of all humanity-inspired Sewa concept and practice of the Sikh people.

As the pandemic will continue to bother us for long, this decade will be the Sikh Decade for Sewa and Compassion.

I have no hesitation in thinking that as the Covid19 pandemic is here to stay, for some years, as predicted by WHO and other bodies, this decade will be the Sikh Decade of Sewa and Compassion. The ubiquitous Sikhs -men and men, will be predominantly visible in the forefront of Food for All, Health for All and Dignity for all campaigns, disproportionate to their tiny population worldwide.  

The final argument, however, would be the one, which was relevant for my senior journalist friend. He told me, the clinching deal for him to remain a Sikh was the creation of the Khalsa by the Guru. This creation he said was, “a declaration of war.”  It was, he adds, “a permanent war against tyranny, oppression, falsehood – in whatever shape or size – and in every century.”

The next decade has to be one where Sikhs dedicate themselves to Justice for All.

He, however, rued the fact that “today, most of us in this army of the Guru are absconders from the battlefront.  Absent without leave isn’t a good position to be in when one is in a war.”

While being compassionate, it is time for Sikhs to stand up to injustice and oppression -anywhere, everywhere and at all times. If they begin now, maybe the next decade will see the Sikhs celebrate it as the Decade of Justice for All.

Thank you again and may we see an abatement of Sikh stereotyping in the times to come.

Sincerely

Jagmohan Singh
Editor, The World Sikh News

Title photo courtesy: www.governancenow.com