Jasleen Kaur

Research Associate

Jasleen Kaur is a Research Associate at the Sikh Research Institute. She has received a Religious Studies B.A./M.A. from the University of Virginia, focusing on South Asian Religions through the lens of literature and poetry.

She is one of the commentators and transcreators of The Guru Granth Sahib Project. She is passionate about projects that create comfortable spaces for community members of all ages and backgrounds to engage in dialogue and learn from one another. She also loves singing in her free time, whether on stage with her friends or alone in her kitchen.

She hopes to go back to school to pursue a Ph.D. in either religious ethnography or history and fulfill her dream of teaching and learning from others.

Jasleen Kaur resides with her family in the United States.

Videos

Tuesday
,
6
October
2020

Why was sexuality an important topic to cover?

Jasleen Kaur talks about why we chose to talk about sexuality for the state of the Panth report.

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Saturday
,
3
October
2020

Sikhi & Sexuality Webinar

Watch the entire thought provoking conversation with Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur as they try to understand and explain sexuality in the context of a Sikh worldview.

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Sunday
,
30
August
2020

Why is the GGS Project important to you? - Jasleen Kaur

This project aspires to make the Guru Granth Sahib accessible to English speakers globally. People from all around the world can build that deeper connection that they couldn’t before. Beyond that, there are increasing generations of Sikhs in the diaspora who do not consume Panjabi content, let alone the Guru Granth Sahib. The universal messages and timeless wisdom of Sabad are trapped behind a disconnection with the script and lexicon of the time. Research, interpretation, and technology converging to make Guru Granth Sahib accessible to all! https://app.gurugranthsahib.io

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Tuesday
,
26
November
2019

Sikhi & Abortion – Gurmat Perspective

In the past few years, more and more US states placed restrictions on abortion practices and the issue has been dominating news headlines ever since.

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Thursday
,
8
November
2018

When will Sikhs have their #MeToo movement?

October 2017 saw #MeToo grow into an international movement, after going viral on social media as a hashtag used to break the silence that empowers perpetrators and to illustrate the prevalence of sexual assault, harassment, and gender-based violence.

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Podcasts

Friday
,
10
June
2022

The Sidak Impact: Jasleen Kaur & Kiran Kaur

SikhRI researcher, Jasleen Kaur discusses the value of Sidak with alumni, Kiran Kaur. Sidak seeks to provide young Sikh adults with a gift of Gurmat-centered leadership learning experience to secure—and transform—the Sikh future.

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Tuesday
,
22
February
2022

Beadbi: Distortions, Transgressions, Responses

Join Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur as they discuss the larger Sikh context around beadbi as a political problem in need of a political solution. What is beadbi ? How has it been dealt with historically? What are its Panthic and legal understandings? How does it relate to the reverence Sikhs collectively show to the Guru Granth Sahib? And how, given recent cases in the news, can we understand individual and collective responses given the current realities on the ground?

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Friday
,
11
February
2022

Dan: Sikhi & Giving

Join us in conversation with Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur as we try to understand Dan from a Gurmat (Guru’s Way) perspective, as inferred from Bani (wisdom), Tavarikh (history), and Rahit (lifestyle). 

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Monday
,
11
October
2021

Exploring Death in Salok Mahala 9

Death is a thing we all must do. But we are deeply afraid of it. In classically religious Sikh and non-Sikh understandings, and even in non-religious understandings, death is personified as an aggressive thing that snatches us away, drags us...

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Thursday
,
5
August
2021

The Political-Spiritual Being

Listen as Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore Miri-Piri from a Gurmat (Guru’s Way) perspective, as inferred from Bani (wisdom), Tavarikh (history), and Rahit (lifestyle). Event moderated by Manvinder Kaur.

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Thursday
,
13
May
2021

Reflecting on Time, One Becomes the Willing-Servant

Jasleen Kaur reflects on the play of past, present, and future, the play of creation, and the importance of Remembrance.

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Articles

Wednesday
,
8
May
2019

How Can Bithal Exist There?

Jasleen Kaur reflects on a Sabad by Bhagat Namdev to help her through some questions she has had during Mental Health Awareness Month: how can the Divine exist in places or situations that we feel are devoid of the One?

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Sunday
,
1
September
2019

Who is good, Who is bad?

In SikhRI’s new monthly blog series, Sabads previously transcreated for the Sabad of the Week podcast will be revisited, with the offering of an individual understanding and perspective on the application of the Sabad’s message in daily life.

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Monday
,
4
May
2020

Whatever will be, will be (Part 2)

In SikhRI’s new monthly blog series, Sabads previously transcreated for the Sabad of the Week podcast will be revisited, with the offering of an individual understanding and perspective on the application of the Sabad’s message in daily life.

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Presenting at Upcoming Events

Sat
,
Jul 12

Vanjara: From Worldly Trader to Spiritual Seeker

Khalsa School, Glen Rock Gurudwara

This presentation explores Guru Ramdas Sahib’s Vanjara, situating it within its cultural framework and lived experience. We will reflect on the composition's foundational themes and their relevance to our daily...

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