BY KAVITA CHHIBBER

Since its inception a mere three years ago the Sikh American Society of Georgia (SASGA) has come up with stellar events thanks to the enlightened and exceedingly hard working Sikhs who are involved with running the organization. The event honoring Guru Nanak on his birth anniversary was no different. Braving the rain and a Sunday evening event the Impact Conference Center at Global Mall was packed with Sikhs, other Indian Americans, members of the Jewish, Muslim and American communities, in what turned out to be a thought provoking, poignant evening of shared memories, passionate appeals and a lesson in understanding the key values given not just to the Sikhs but to the world by Guru Nanak. What was also interesting was the step taken by the organizers to take this event out of the gurudwara environment and present it on neutral grounds at a conference center.

After a brief social networking session, Bhai Karnail Singh started the evening with an ardas seeking the permission, blessings and spiritual presence of Guru Nanak Dev and other saints to inaugurate the seminar.

It was followed by the singing of a ‘shabad’ written by the great saint and prophet himself. Guru Nanak was embraced by Hindus and Muslims alike and believed that music was the best way to remember and praise God. His key message was that there is only one God and his name is truth (ek onkar sat naam) and that all men are born equal. A true religious innovator, a gifted poet, his teachings have an even greater appeal in today’s world of religious and ethic divide, because they speak of universal brotherhood, love and the message that though truth is higher, living a truthful life exalts you even more as a human being.

Surinder Lalli, welcomed the audience and reiterated SASGA’s mission-to create political awareness within the Sikh American community and to work towards integrating the community into mainstream America without losing their Sikh identity. Lalli then introduced the first speaker to the audience, the young, dynamic Valarie Kaur Brar, a 23-year-old third generation Sikh American from Clovis, California who received her Bachelors from Stanford University in International Relations and Religious Studies. Kaur has a resume that is an inspiration for any generation. From working on many social justice projects that raise issues of marginalized voices, while at Stanford, to leading the Living History project, teaching with the Philosophy Discovery Institute, co-founding Stanford’s first course on Sikhism, joining the peace movement and winning the gold medal for her honors thesis, on prejudice post 9/11 Kaur, now attends Harvard graduate school and studies violence and its relationship with religion. 

Kaur recalled in her segment that while she growing up and coming to terms with her ethnicity, she was haunted by a remark that she would go to hell because she wasn’t a Christian. “ My day would be normal but my nights would be filled with nightmares of hell where my parents and I would go because we weren’t Christian.” She finally confided in her grandfather and he gave her several books on Sikhism and she learnt her first lesson that was to eventually stand her in good stead-all religions lead to the same divine source, that we are all equal, and that to reach God you must reach out to others through prayer, and that salvation lies in this world itself through our deeds and actions. 
As Kaur grew up, the turning point in her life came at age 20, watching the atrocities on Sikhs post September 11 and the hatred that she saw in the eyes of a man who tapped her car window and asked contemptuously “are you Muslim”?. The shooting of Balbir Singh Sondhi, as a result of mistaken identity sent her into depression, and denial not wanting to claim her Sikh identity. Then Nanak’s words echoed in her ears “To realize yourself you must act,” and at that moment she decided to do just that. Along with her cousin brother Amandeep, for four months she traveled all over the country videotaping and recording the experiences of Sikh Americans post September 11. She even went to Punjab to meet with the widow of Sondhi. Her eyes forever dimmed with tragedy and tears, dressed in the traditional white that widows in India wear, the lady stunned Kaur when asked what message she had for America “ Tell them thank you,” Sondhi’s widow was referring to the huge number of Americans who turned up for Sondhi’s funeral and showed their respect and support for the widow and her slain husband and his community. Their support and love was what she chose to remember in her time of deep sorrow. The documented footage is now being converted into a full-length documentary and Kaur is trying to raise funds to make sure it is completed the way it has been envisioned.

Kaur recalled talking to children at a youth seminar the day before at the Roswell gurudwara and asking them the meaning of Sewa. The response-to help those on the outside. When Kaur asked who were the outsiders she received responses ranging from international kids, kids with disabilities, those who don’t have friends, and then a little Sikh boy raised his hand and said” ourselves”. Kaur was stunned into silence at that astute observation.
She reminded the audience that it took president Bush 10 days after September 11 to say the Sikhs are Americans too, and that makes her believe even more strongly that the Sikhs must stand up and fight for themselves. The difference between speaking up and staying silent becomes the difference between life and death.

Valarie Kaur’s poignant speech was followed by T Sher Singh’s observation that if you look around there are so many little miracles, unexpected “ barkat” to see in one’s life. Sher Singh is not only one of Canada’s most outstanding lawyers, but also a wonderful speaker and writer, and philanthrope. He talked about how we complicate our lives, our understanding of religion and the older the religion the longer it takes to get to the core. Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world today and also simplifies things down to the basic and essential truth and therein lies its appeal. In fact said Singh if anything Guru Nanak said sounds complicated then it means you need to take a step back. Somewhere along the line you missed the key point. There is one God, says Guru Nanak, we don’t need to denigrate others to respect ourselves, and every one stands as an equal before God-what is so complicated about that message? Perhaps the most wonderful thing about the religion is that you hear God’s name taken in 900 different ways-he is called Hari, he is called Allah and not once does a Sikh feel anything is amiss. You don’t need to fast, don’t have to be a scholar or a particular gender, or have any special qualifications to lead a congregation- that is what makes Sikhism and the teachings of Guru Nanak so universally appealing. All that Sikhism asks is that human beings lead a balanced life-it’s the imbalance that causes the disharmony.

T Sher Singh said Guru Nanak’s message of finding salvation while going through life without giving up living in the world is something he can identify with easily. One doesn’t need to practice severe austerity or suffer in order to love God. Singh then went on to share some personal memories of “barkat” in his own life. He had just been hired by the largest law firm in the country and was the only Sikh attorney in Canada when out of the blue the third most prominent litigation lawyer took him under his wing and doors opened for him just by association. He didn’t know why the blessing was given to him, or the time when he was a second year law student and worked as a legal aide/ Singh was picked out of turn by the judge while waiting to represent a student for a misdemeanor, to go first as other prominent lawyers waited their turn. 
Many times we forget to cherish these miracles because we are so busy stressing about things that didn’t go our way and Sher Singh’s personal memories had many nodding in agreement as people in the audience recalled their own barkat, their own little miracles.

T Sher Singh then introduced the final speaker of the evening. Justice Mota Singh. Mota Singh arrived from England to participate in the seminar and is not only the first Asian to have been appointed a judge in England, he broke the glass ceiling in so many different areas for future Asian generations. Mota Singh pointed out how in the battle of Kurukshetra lord Krishna said whenever there injustice in the world, he will come to earth to create a balance. The same message was heard through Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh in Talwandi and Anandpur Sahib. Guru Nanak’s arrival in the world heralded the dispelling of darkness, the strife and turbulence that ravaged India in the 15th century. True religion, reiterated Justice Singh, has no boundaries and there is an even greater need for interfaith dialogue in the world today. To be tolerant of others culturally, socially and spiritually, and understanding the religious faith of others makes us understand ourselves better, and gives us a better understanding of our own religion. It helps us live together in peace and harmony. “ Ours is a bewildered and tormented generation,” said Mota Singh and disunity, antagonism and friction are the consequences when you don’t take time to create mutual understanding with each other. Even natural disasters cannot compete with the violence and destruction the human race has inflicted on each other. Justice Mota Singh was also very critical of the violence on the sports grounds, on television, in video games and so many other areas that has invaded society and affects the minds of youth and young children. “ The victims of violence are usually the innocent and the most vulnerable.” However, he added, while violence and hatred are virulent, providence also has a way of teaching harsh lessons to those who spread or instigate it or try to destroy the dignity and rights of others.

Since the world is global and countries and its people so interdependent on each other, said Justice Singh. “ we cant live by instinct, habit or emotion”. He added, that now is the time to understand that even more because we share a common future. If religion is part of the problem, then religion must also be part of the solution, and it would be to our benefit to remember the words in Genesis 126, that God created man as a mirror image of Himself. If we look at each other as images of God and godliness, without focusing on each other’s ethnicity, religious and cultural backgrounds, create common moral, social, and religious bonds, we can live in harmony. Mota Singh ended with the key message,” “Either we live together in peace as God’s children or we perish. We have to decide. It cannot be left to chance.”

The thought provoking speeches were followed by a question and answer session, a vote of thanks by Dr Inderpal Singh and Mr. Manohar Singh, gifts of appreciation to the speakers and a sumptuous dinner provided by J.T. Ahluwalia of Bombay Café.