Read in-depth interpretations, opinion pieces and creative writing delving into Sikh thought and world matters. Our articles feature writings from the SikhRI team and guest contributors.
Sabad is Infinite; we are very finite. This is our understanding at the moment, which was different yesterday and may evolve tomorrow, as we deepen our relationship with the Sabad. In this transcreation, we have chosen to keep the repeating words in the Sabad the same. We aspire to learn and retain the Divine attribute as used in the original Sabad and avoid terms like God or Lord.
Dr. Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh is a Crawford Professor and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Colby College in the United States. Her interests are centered around poetics and feminist issues.
In the extreme winter month of Poh, Panjab longs for her love. Her lover replies, “She is his heartbeat.”
Farmers in Panjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and throughout India are protesting against new agricultural laws that will reduce their earnings and give corporations more power. When laws are unjust, the citizenry must rise.
Through the pen of Bhai Vir Singh, we get a glimpse into a profound relationship. The tug of separation. The mystery of longing. The faith in relationships. The yearning for union.
Understanding Dr. Iqbal’s perspectives on Guru Nanak Sahib and the Khalsa, his interactions with Sirdar Kapur Singh and his favorite compositions from the Guru Granth Sahib.
Hari Singh Nalua (popularly Nalwa) was the Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army in the North West Frontier in the Kingdom of Panjab ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Healing and accountability in the wake of allegations old and new
Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death in 1839 left a big void in the rule of the Sikh kingdom, which led to the annexation of Panjab by the British. His throne was inherited by multiple claimant heirs, none of whom could survive the intrigues and the schemings of the succession war in the royal court. Maharani Jind Kaur’s story is the narrative of a brave woman, who through all the trials and tribulations of the succession war, with all her faults, proved her mettle as a regent to the young Maharaja Duleep Singh, while also maneuvering through the diplomatic chicaneries of the British to the extent that even the British were wary of her.
Sexuality is a confusing and often avoided topic. It is generally relegated to being a "private" matter, and therefore not openly discussed or engaged with, even within close circles and small communities. Due to the taboo of discussing sexuality, many people struggle individually, often turning to religion for guidance or, more concretely, moral pronouncements.
This Sabad (Divine Word), in Rag Tilang of the Guru Granth Sahib, is one of the few Sabads by Guru Arjan Sahib revealed in fluent Persian speech. Guru Arjan Sahib begins by describing the elements infused together to form the creation that we see each day: soil, light, sky, earth, trees, water.
In 1920 the United States granted women the right to vote. In 1921, Bhai Vir Singh published a book titled, The Redemption of Subhagji through the grace of Baba Naudh Singh. With great sensitivity, he wrote about the plight of women through the voice of a young Jain widow – Jamuna. Men dressed in pious garbs prey upon her. Each new experience shows their immorality which pushes her to seek refuge in death. However, her plunge into the raging waters paves the way for her rescue and redemption.
Sabad is Infinite; we are very finite. This is our understanding at the moment, which was different yesterday and may evolve tomorrow, as we deepen our relationship with the Sabad. In this transcreation, we have chosen to keep the repeating words in the Sabad the same. We aspire to learn and retain the Divine attribute as used in the original Sabad and avoid terms like God or Lord.