By Suhel Singh Randhawa
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ
April in Canada is commemorated as the Sikh Heritage Month, a month dedicated to remembering and acknowledging the presence and contribution of the Sikhs (followers of the Sikh religion) to Canadian society and Canadian history.
A Brief History of the Sikhs
The first Guru of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, starts Sikhi (anglicized to Sikhism) in the Panjab region of South Asia. He rejects the teachings of Islam (state religion) and Hinduism (popular religion) and starts the third faith. After him, came nine Gurus.
The sixth Guru, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, started bearing arms and raised an army, and fought against the oppression of the Mughal empire, fighting and winning four battles against Emperor Shah Jahan’s forces, and losing none.
The ninth Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, sacrificed his life to protect the faith of Hindus, and propagated the idea of freedom of religion and belief.
The tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji formed the Sikhs into a martial faith of saint-soldiers called the Khalsa (meaning pure and sovereign), and fought and won 14 battles against the tyrannous Mughals and Hindu chiefs.
Following Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, the Guruship was passed to the everlasting Guru of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, who is the eternal Guru. The idea behind this is that the Gurus’ bodies were mere carriers of the divine light of the Guruship, and that their teachings were the true Guru. While at the first glance, it may seem that Sri Guru Granth Sahib is just a scripture, but the Sikhs believe them to the everlasting Guru of the Sikhs, and humanity.
These years saw the persecution of the Sikhs by the Mughals, and invading Afghans and Persians. Sikhs organized into bands and groups to resist the oppression and engaged in battles to protect their existence.
The Vadda Ghallughara (Greater Holocaust) took place, in which the Afghan emperor Ahmed Shah Abdali killed half of the entire Sikh population in one day.
Groups of Sikhs occupy and begin ruling the area of Panjab, present day north Pakistan and north India.
The Sikh empire is established by uniting all groups of Sikhs under one banner, by Maharaja (Emperor) Ranjit Singh. This empire spanned from Tibet to Afghanistan, and contained a great portion of present-day Pakistan and India, as well as bits of China and Afghanistan. The empire was annexed by the British in 1849.
Sikhs engage in agitations to expel the British from the Indian subcontinent. They organize revolutionary groups such as the Babbar Akalis and the Ghadar Movement (which was started by the Sikhs living in the USA and Canada). They had the greatest share of the martyrs of the freedom movement, with their executions being over 90 percent of the total and their population being 1.5 percent.
Panjab, the homeland of the Sikhs is divided between India and Pakistan. Communal riots followed in which a total of one million Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus combined were killed.
The holiest shrine of the Sikhs, Sri Harmandir Sahib is attacked by the Indian Army in June 1984. Following the Prime Minister’s assassinations, the Delhi Sikh genocide occurs which left 30,000 Sikhs dead across the nation in three days. From 1984–1995, a Sikh genocide occurred in Panjab, leaving 150,000 innocent Sikhs dead.
A Sikh man in traditional attire, holding a long kirpaan
Who is a Sikh?
While a Sikh can simply be a person who believes solely in the teachings of the Sikh gurus, a true and pure Sikh is someone who has been baptised. Sikh baptism involves taking Khande di Pahul, which translates to “nectar of the double-edged sword.” Such Sikhs form a part of the Khalsa, the purest form of Sikhi created 324 years ago by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th guru, on April 14, 1699. They are called Amrit dhari Sikhs (Sikhs who have been baptized.) The Sikhs are saint-soldiers, who believe in the use of words and dialogue to resolve issues, but if the need be, they are also willing and able to use weapons to fight for what is right.
They wear five articles of faith:
- Kes - Uncut hair, whether it be scalp hair, facial hair or body hair. It represents the respect for the Akaal Purkh’s creation. An extension of this is the keski or dastaar (turban) that all Sikhs, male and female, must wear to keep their hair in place and keep it covered.
- Kangha - A small wooden comb that a Sikh keeps in their hair. It represents taking care of one’s body, and respecting Akaal Purkh’s creation.
- Kara - A metal bracelet worn on a Sikh’s dominant hand. It serves as a reminder that these hands must never commit a bad deed, must never be raised on the weak, and must never stay down in face of oppression and tyranny.
- Kachera - Long, white briefs that represent sexual maturity and responsibility.
- Kirpaan - A dagger/small sword worn around one’s torso. Arms are an important part of the Sikh faith, and this represents being tyaar bar tyaar (always being ready to defend oneself and others).
Prayers
Amritdhari Sikhs are required to pray three times a day. They wake up before the sun rises, usually around 3–4 a.m., and read five prayers. In the evening, they pray at the time of the sunset, and before going to bed, they say another prayer.
Beliefs
Equality
Sikhs reject any form of discrimination based on caste, creed, gender, and race. The concept of equality is deeply ingrained in Sikhi, as all Sikhs dine together in a Gurdwara, sitting on the ground as equals and having food together. Sikh men have the surname ‘Singh’, which means lion, and Sikh women have the surname ‘Kaur’, which means fearless princess. The holiest shrine of the Sikhs, Harmandir Sahib (anglicised to the Golden Temple), has four doors which signifies acceptance of people from all walks of life.
Concept of God
The Sikhs believe in a singular entity that governs all creation and refer to them as the Akaal Purkh (the Timeless Being). The Akaal Purkh is beyond gender, beyond good and evil, and beyond tangibility. They pervade eras and ages, they are responsible for every action, they are without fear and hatred, and are beyond life and death. All of creation and life forms are manifestations of the Akaal Purkh. The concept of a good God and an evil Devil isn’t held in Sikhi. Instead, the Akaal Purkh pushes both good and evil in the world, keeping a balance between the two, and reminding their creation to act in a good way to uphold righteousness. The Gurus were enlightened souls created and sent by the Akaal Purkh to spread the message of truth, love, and peace.
Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs.
Turbans
Under the Mughal rule, only nobles were allowed to tie turbans. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji instructed the Sikhs to tie turbans, and made it a part of their faith, to show that Sikhs do not give in to oppression and are sovereign in expression. The Sikh turban is called dastaar, which means the hand of God. It also represents a distinct identity of the Sikhs in the world. .
Seva
Seva refers to selfless service of humanity, which is reflected in the langar (community kitchen) organized by Sikhs in Gurdwaras and other places, where people from all walks of life are fed for free and treated as equals.
Weapons
Weapons of all kinds have a great role in the Sikh faith. In the Sikh scriptures, the 10th Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji says that “These are our saints and sacred elders.” Weapons are believed to be a physical manifestation of the Akaal Purkh’s strength and will, which uphold and protect righteousness in the face of violence and oppression. The martial aspect of the Sikhs and importance of weapons is a key reason behind the Sikhs being keen to join armed forces.
Present Guru
The present Guru is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, who is present in all Gurdwaras of the world. Sikhs bow before the Guru, touching their nose and forehead with the ground, and walk in a circle around the Guru, before sitting down on the floor and praying, or listening to hymns. The idea behind this is that the Gurus’ bodies were mere carriers of the divine light of the Guruship, and that their teachings were the true Guru, therefore, the scripture is the Guru.
Rituals and Idol Worship
Sikhs do not worship idols or photos, as Akaal Purkh cannot be found in them, but only through service of humanity, meditation, prayer, fighting for righteousness, and leading an honest and simple life. Sikhs also do not engage in fasting. .
Alcohol and Narcotics
Sikhs are strictly prohibited from consuming alcohol, tobacco, and other narcotics.
Sikhs in Canada
Sikhs began moving to Canada. Most of them were veterans of the British Indian army, and labourers coming to work in lumbering and mining in British Columbia.
The Gur Sikh Temple, located in Abbotsford, BC was built. It is the oldest existing Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) in Canada.
The Komagata Maru incident took place. Sikhs coming to Canada onboard a ship called the Komagata Maru, were not allowed to deboard in Vancouver, and were forced to go back to Kolkata in India, where British troops opened fire on them, killing over 50 unarmed Sikhs.
Buckam Singh, an immigrant Sikh was the first of the nine Sikh soldiers who enlisted in the Canadian army in the First World War and served in Flanders. Since then, many Sikhs have served in Canada’s armed forces and in the police.
Sikhs began to buy property and establish themselves as businessmen and farmers (with farming being a traditional occupation for many.)
Sikhs began immigrating to east Canada, thanks to the advent of air transit means. They established Gurdwaras in the cities that they settled in, as it served both as a place of worship, and also as a place for the community to come together.
The Sikh genocide followed by martial rule in Panjab forced many Sikhs to seek shelter in other countries to find a safe haven, and Canada was one of those countries.
Sikh students were granted permission to wear Kirpaans to school. Baltej Dhillon became the first Sikh RCMP officer who tied a turban and kept a beard.
There has been an increase in Sikh immigration to Canada to escape the drug menace, unemployment, and economic issues that have ransacked Panjab. Most of these immigrants are students.
The Sikhs had to fight for their right to wear their turbans and Kirpaans, which was against the law in many provinces. They remained steadfast in their faith, even in the face of adversity.
Canada has been a place where the Sikhs can unite and analyze situations rising in India and Panjab, and have also voiced their concerns through protests, such as the farmers’ protest of 2020–21, and protests against India’s recent crackdown on Sikh activists in Panjab.
Sikhs hold numerous political offices in Canada, with some known faces being Harjit Singh Sajjan (Minister of International Development), Jagmeet Singh (leader of the NDP), Tim Uppal (Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party), and many more.
Why blend in when you were born to stand out?
Canada is a land of diversity, with its people coming from all over the world. We have the opportunity to engage with them and see various cultures with our own eyes. It's important to engage and learn from each other and make the best of our life. If any one of you would like to know more about the Sikhs, I encourage you to talk to a Sikh friend, visit a Gurdwara, reach out to York Sikh Students Association, or even email me!
ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ
ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਿਹ
(To God belongs the Khalsa, and to God belongs the victory)