Established in 2003 and located in San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A., SikhRI is a non-profit, faith-based initiative whose mission is to "facilitate training and development while inspiring Sikh values.
Every year, when December rolls around, there is much buzz about the holiday season. From Hanukah to Kwanzaa and, of course, Christmas, it is a time of gatherings, decorations and gift exchange.
This summer, I was able to take part in a two-week intensive learning program in San Antonio, Texas. I didn't know what to expect, since it was my first year attending, but I heard so many great things about the program so I had to see it for myself.
The following is an edited version of a lecture delivered by the author at an interfaith forum titled “Resistance, Rebellion & Revolution”, hosted by the Sikh Research Institute at San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A., on July 7, 2011 .
Two of my fellow Sidakers from the class of 2012 have written wonderful blog posts that are succinct and tell you concisely what their Sidak experience was like. Please do give them a read: Santbir Singh on Sikhchic “Why I’ll Be There.” and Ruby Kaur on Sikhnet with the aptly titled, “Amazing Sidak.” It should come as no surprise that my post about my experience is long, but I’ve inserted photos to hide this fact.
In a word, Sikhism is about community.To celebrate the establishment of the Khalsa, the community of the pure, by 10th Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, the Gursikh Sangat Hamilton-Wentworth invited the surrounding community Saturday to help celebrate what is essentially the Sikh New Year to an open house at the Gurdwara on Old Guelph Road for food, music and conversation.
Like many young Sikh-Canadians and Sikh-Americans, I've done the full circuit.I started as a kid at the Punjabi Sunday School, moved on to the day camps run by the gurdwaras during school holidays. Then, in university and after, I started going from the West Coast to the East, attending conferences and retreats.
Fascinating Folktales of Punjab
I was 17 when Prof Devidas Chatterjee opened up the world of poetry for me.Until then, I had studied English poetry for years, but it had yet to pierce my soul. It was still a chore, still no more than words laid out in a variety of clever configurations, always ending in what appeared to be a contrived rhyme.
Jasleen Kaur and Sean Holden look into the concept of Vastness in Sikhi. Through poetics and Gurbani from the Guru Granth Sahib and renowned Sikh poets, we delve into how to find comfort and 1ness in times of struggle.
Jasleen Kaur and Sean Holden look into the concept of Vastness in Sikhi. Through poetics and Gurbani from the Guru Granth Sahib and renowned Sikh poets, we delve into how to find comfort and 1ness in times of struggle.